Category: Opinion

It’s clear what the Lakers are missing most

There seems to be one thing, or person, who is holding the Lakers back most.

Last spring, their fortunes were looking up for the Los Angeles Lakers. After making a couple of midseason moves to give themselves a coherent roster, they ended the regular season with a surge and went to the Western Conference finals.

Although they were swept there by the eventual NBA champion Denver Nuggets, there was a quiet optimism coming into this season that they could compete for the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

But now, they’re staring at an 3-0 series deficit to the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs, and that optimism has been replaced with frustration and bewilderment.

Despite a very good roster and a 28-14 stretch to end the regular season, the Lakers have had numerous deficiencies. Among them have been defensive rebounding, turnovers and inconsistent effort against inferior teams.

But now that they’re on the verge of getting swept out of the playoffs, their biggest deficiency has become clear, and it may at least partly explain their other deficiencies.

It’s leadership.

The Lakers took a double-digit lead in each of the three games played in this series, only to lose them. Whenever the Nuggets started coming at them and started to erase their lead, they had no recourse.

When the Nuggets made defensive adjustments, such as putting Aaron Gordon on Anthony Davis to stymie their pick-and-roll attack, they had no recourse.

When they were outscored, 34-22, in the third quarter of Game 3 on Thursday and fell behind by as many as 12 points in the period, they had no recourse.

When they lost their lead in Game 2 but still had a great chance to win in crunch time, they didn’t know how to take control and close the job.

Every time Denver has mounted any type of challenge or put any pressure on the Lakers going back to last May, the Lakers have self-destructed before our eyes.

Some will likely blame LeBron James, and while he may deserve some blame for this, the man who deserves the most blame here is head coach Darvin Ham.

When L.A. hired him nearly two years ago, he was lauded for his leadership skills and strong voice. But that voice has lost its potency, and his players don’t seem to have trust in or respect for him, according to at least one report this season.

Where was he with strategic adjustments or with the right type of emotional leadership when his team needed those things in this series?

The Nuggets are the world champions and will likely repeat as world champions because they’re well-coached and united. Championships aren’t won so much with superior talent as they’re won with brilliant leadership, togetherness and a belief in each other.

To overcome challenges, leadership, astute planning and proper execution are needed. The Nuggets have all that, but the Lakers lack those qualities.

The Lakers used to have all that back in the 1980s and 2000s when Pat Riley and Phil Jackson, respectively, coached them to many rings. They still had a bit of that in 2020 under head coach Frank Vogel when they won their most recent championship.

It’s looking like if they want to recapture their old glory, they will have to bite the bullet and make some significant changes this offseason. Those changes will have to start with a head coaching change.

But it remains to be seen if owner Jeanie Buss will go there. She is reportedly a “fan” of Ham, and she would have to continue to pay him if he’s fired while also paying the salary of his successor.

‘Delayed but not denied’: How Mega Ran went from substitute teacher to living out his WrestleMania dreams

Pro wrestling is full of stories of perseverance, and as nerdcore star Mega Ran has proven, that doesn’t only mean in the ring.

Back on April 7, nerdcore rapper Mega Ran was fortunate enough to live out the dream of wrestling fans around the world: Participating in WrestleMania.

Ran accomplished this feat by being a last-minute addition to the orchestra that played Roman Reigns’ cinematic theme song during his epic entrance before the main event.

To top it off, Ran was able to live out this dream-turned-reality in his hometown of Philadelphia. In reality, where Ran stood was merely 15 miles from where he grew up. But the moment of him standing on stage during the main event of WrestleMania could not have been further from his humble beginnings.

How did this happen? How did the kid born Raheem Jarbo from the West Oak Lane neighborhood of Philadelphia go from a substitute teacher to a nerdcore icon who now has a WrestleMania main event under his belt?

“I didn’t quit,” Ran told USA Today’s Wrestling Junkie while doing the very Philly activity of hanging out in a cheesesteak shop — in this case Ishkabibbles on South Street. 

The sound of spatulas clanging against a flat-top grill was the perfect soundtrack for Ran to tell his story, an underdog story, a Philadelphia story.

“It has been a journey, but Philly’s definitely made me.”

In October of 2021, Mega Ran released his 11th solo album titled “Live ’95,” in homage to the revered EA Sports basketball game “NBA Live ‘95.” One of the singles from the album is appropriately named “1995 (Generation of Miracles),” which transports listeners to Ran’s life at that point.

In 1995, Ran was another one of many Philly-area high school students looking toward their collegiate future. In this case, the graduate of Martin Luther King High School was headed for Penn State University, where he eventually earned a degree in African American Studies.

While it was undoubtedly a major accomplishment, it was one that left him with few paths toward a career. According to Ran’s academic advisor, he essentially had two options: Teach African American history or run a museum … of African American history. 

Ran chose the former and joined Teach for America, an organization that recruits and trains young teachers before placing them in low-staffed schools across the country.

Some of those schools reside in low-income, high-crime neighborhoods. For Ran, that meant being initially placed at Roberto Clemente Middle School in North Philadelphia, traditionally one of the city’s more violent areas despite a slight decrease in 2023. 

Ran walked into a class full of eighth-grade students who all knew what it meant when a substitute teacher walked into the classroom: It’s a free day. Ran attempted to salvage the situation by checking for the lesson plans the regular teacher is supposed to leave behind. However, there were no lesson plans to be found.

“So what were y’all doing last week?” Ran asked the students.

“Nothing,” they answered.

“These kids are not being prepared for life, I gotta do what I can,” he remembered. “Man, it was rough.”

Ran admits that he was unable to get the class to do a complete 180-degree turn like the one you would see in a movie that ends with a freeze frame, but noted that he is still proud of the progress he was able to make, as he felt the students gained a “zest for learning.”

“It really showed me that teaching is maybe the most rewarding career, except for the one I got now,” Ran said. “Being a dad and being a musician that gets to make music based on my fandoms, that’s probably the most rewarding.”

“I want to do stuff that’s rewarding,” he later said. “Time on this planet is limited so I want to do things that make me feel good and that can make others feel good. If it ain’t teaching, then for me it’s creating.”

Today, Ran has fully moved on from teaching in a traditional classroom setting. However, his desire to help others remains.

“It doesn’t dim your light to help somebody shine,” he said.

A black and white photo of Mega Ran smiling outside of Ishkabibbles on South Street in Philadelphia.
Photo credit: Adam Barnard

Teaching is what paid the bills, but Ran always had a love for music. He grew up listening to KRS-One, Rakim, Wu-Tang Clan, Redman, MF Doom, and of course, Philly legends such as Beanie Siegel and Freeway.

Ran followed in their footsteps by making his own music, except it wasn’t about living life in the fast lane like his idols. He wanted to rap about something he was truly passionate about: video games.

In 2007, he released a self-titled album that, like his name, was inspired by the classic platform action game, “Mega Man.”

The album garnered the attention of hip-hop heads and gamers alike, eventually landing on the radar of the company that created the wildly-successful video game series and many others, Capcom.

Capcom offered Ran a licensing deal, which he accepted, which opened the door for him to perform at San Diego Comic-Con in 2007.

However, the newfound fame wasn’t enough to make Ran leave teaching, as that was still paying the bills. At least it was until he was laid off.

Ran attempted to take on as many music gigs as possible, but eventually, money ran low, and he had to make his way back to teaching.

But in 2011, Ran had another online hit on his hands. This time it was his album that was in homage to “Final Fantasy VII” called “Black Materia: Final Fantasy VII.” 

The album was especially beloved on Reddit, which helped boost Ran’s album sales at literally an alarming rate. The sound of Ran’s PayPal going off on his phone after every album sale eventually became a distraction for his classroom. But those constant disruptions also meant he had earned enough money to pay his rent within 24 hours.

A second successful album garnered even more attention, this time from nerdcore hip-hop legend MC Chris, who offered Ran a chance to join him on his tour. That meant more experience on stage and more money in Ran’s pocket from music on a consistent basis.

With the encouragement of his mother, Ran put in his two weeks notice as a teacher and has been a full-time musician ever since. While there have been obstacles along the way, he’s simply kept going.

“I held tight, did this tour, became a better performer with each show, it just kept working out, and here I am,” he said. “I ain’t never been back.”

“The fact that I’ve been able to do this for 12, 13 years, it’s pretty insane,” he added.

In the decade-plus since, Ran has appeared on everything from video games albums to episodes of Smackdown.

Why? How? According to Ran, it is his connection with his fans. Throughout his career, he has made it a point to bond with them.

“It’s the intangibles,” he said. “You can be really dope at what you do, but I tell silly jokes online. I share the struggles. I share the wins. I share the successes. I share the Ls.”

“I’m very open with my audience,” he added. “I treat them like friends. I don’t even call them fans. I call them family, because they’re the people who have been there when I depended on them when my family wasn’t.”

Creating bonds with people has carried Ran to heights he never thought possible in his career. During WrestleMania week, he got to share the stage with Siegel and Freeway while they performed at WaleMania.

One of those bonds also helped him live out his wrestling dream.

In 2006, Ran was putting the final touches on a song called “Push” and thought the beat could use a little bit of saxophone.

He went to Craigslist hoping to find a saxophonist and hear back from someone named Frank Machos. Ran and Machos enjoyed working together so much that they have remained friends in the years since, supporting each other’s endeavors along the way.

“I am a genuine fan of his work,” Machos told USA Today via text. “Not only the content he creates, which I tend to appreciate, but the way he’s carved a career for himself in the industry and how he continues to evolve and shift, but always to new areas he is equally passionate about.”

Fast forward to 2024, and Ran receives a call from Machos offering him an opportunity. Machos is now the executive director of the School District of Philadelphia’s Office of the Arts and Creative Learning and was working with WWE on assembling a children’s orchestra for Reigns’ entrance.

“In the midst of the craziness of pulling together our performance for WrestleMania, I caught Mega Ran’s social media posts about his events through the week in Philly,” Machos recounted via text.

“I wasn’t able to get out to any of the events and couldn’t say much about our involvement pre-show, but Sunday morning on my way down to the Linc (Lincoln Financial Field), I dropped him a text to say if he found himself in and around backstage, we would be on site with the students for a small performance and to swing over to say ‘What’s up?'”

Ran told Machos that he didn’t have much planned, but Machos was about to change all of that.

“I said he could meet us in 30 minutes and wear all black, I can use a few fill-ins for the orchestra to cover for last minute drop outs,” Machos remembered.

According to Machos, Ran arrived 32 minutes later.

Thanks to Machos, Ran was able to combine his passion for music, teaching, and wrestling on the industry’s biggest stage.

“It’s a dream. It’s an absolute dream,” Ran said.

This role player could make a big difference for the Lakers versus the Nuggets

One bench player could almost single-handedly help swing things in the Lakers’ favor against the Nuggets in the playoffs.

The NBA playoffs are almost here, and winning and losing often comes down to stars and superstars putting their imprint on games, especially at critical junctures. But often times, non-stars can make almost as big a difference.

In the history of the Los Angeles Lakers, there have been many such men who have been integral to their championship runs. Players such as Michael Cooper, Mychal Thompson, Rick Fox, Derek Fisher and Brian Shaw have provided the type of critical support that is needed to come through.

This year, the Lakers will begin what they hope will be a long playoff run against the Denver Nuggets, a team that has an eight-game winning streak against them. While that sounds like a dominant stretch, five of those eight games were competitive and decided in the final minutes.

Having simply one more role or complementary player step up in such games can make all the difference in the world. This time around, L.A. has a player who may be able to do just that: Gabe Vincent.

Vincent was signed by the team last summer to a three-year, $33 million contract after playing a key role in the Miami Heat unexpectedly reaching the 2023 NBA Finals. Some wondered if the guard was worth that contract or even if the team should’ve signed him. Sure enough, he played in just five games until late March due to a persistent knee ailment that eventually required surgery.

Since he has returned, Vincent has taken a while to get back up to speed. But in Tuesday’s play-in tournament win over the New Orleans Pelicans, he shot 3-of-6 from the field and 2-of-4 from 3-point range to help the Lakers to a 110-106 win.

One can expect Vincent to play gritty defense and to hustle for loose balls and offensive rebounds. When the Lakers got swept by Denver in last year’s Western Conference Finals, Jamal Murray ran amok to the tune of 32.5 points a game, and no one on their roster could put up any resistance against him.

This is where Vincent can shine. He guarded Murray during last summer’s championship series, and while he didn’t exactly stop Murray, he at least made the Nuggets star guard work and didn’t allow any real explosions.

Vincent will need to fight over the top of screens and not give Murray any daylight on Denver’s pick-and-roll and dribble handoff sequences. The Lakers typically go under screens and play drop coverage against pick-and-rolls, and it will be interesting to see if head coach Darvin Ham tweaks that strategy against Denver.

The big key for the former University of California, Santa Barbara Gaucho will be to provide something of note offensively. That doesn’t mean he has to score big points. It simply means he needs to help out on offense, be efficient and space the floor, at the very least.

If he does that, he could become a significant X-factor in this series and possibly even give the Lakers a real shot at victory.

Series vs. Nuggets will give LeBron James a chance to greatly enhance his legacy

The Lakers may only have a slim chance of upsetting the Nuggets, but it will give LeBron James an opportunity to add to his legacy.

For years, people have debated where LeBron James ranks among the greatest players in NBA history. For whatever reason, he has become a polarizing figure in sports, especially since he joined the Los Angeles Lakers six years ago.

His unapologetic fans swear he’s the greatest player of all time and that it isn’t even close. But his haters, of which he has many, believe he ranks rather low among the all-time greats and even think he would’ve been just another decent player had he played during the 1990s.

Objectively, the big negative in James’ legacy is his 4-6 record in the NBA Finals, as well as, to a certain extent, the two years as a Laker in which he missed the playoffs. Starting on Saturday, he will have a chance to significantly add to his legacy.

That is when the Lakers begin the playoffs against the defending world champion Denver Nuggets.

The Nuggets are huge favorites in both Game 1 and for the series as a whole, and many pundits seem to be picking them to win in four or five games.

That is where the opportunity lies for James.

The Nuggets swept L.A. in last season’s Western Conference finals, and they have won eight straight against James’ team going back to last January. On top of that, lately, they have had the look of a team that will almost inevitably win it all. No one outside of the Southland thinks the Lakers have a chance in this matchup.

But James is healthier now than he was a year ago. While key defensive stud Jarred Vanderbilt is still out with a foot injury, almost every other rotation player is healthy. Los Angeles has a greater level of chemistry and cohesion than it did at this time last year when it was still learning how to play together after a couple of big midseason trades.

James has overcome great odds to win multiple playoff series before. His Cleveland Cavaliers did so in the 2016 NBA Finals by overcoming a 3-1 series deficit against the Golden State Warriors, who had won a record 73 games in the regular season.

In the 2007 Eastern Conference finals, Cleveland fell behind 2-0 to the Detroit Pistons, only to win the next four contests as James had perhaps the first dominant stretch of his career during the playoffs.

If the Lakers somehow triumph over Nikola Jokic and crew in this series, it would give them the look of a gathering storm. James will likely have to have two or three vintage performances for that to happen, which is certainly possible, but it may still not be enough.

But if the Lakers prevail, it will be because James taps into his will and refuses to be passive or defer to his teammates at critical junctures. It would be seen as a monumental upset, and it would rank as one of the finer moments of James’ career.

In his 21st season, he will not have that many more opportunities to create indelible memories and triumphs for himself or his team.

TeX’s and O’s: Georgia Safety Javon Bullard could bring physicality to secondary

The Houston Texans could be in the market for a safety this draft cycle, and Georgia’s Javon Bullard fits the bill.

The Houston Texans are ready to contend.

Coming off an 11-8 campaign, general manager Nick Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans have had a spectacular start to the off-season and have brought in players with Super Bowl optimism.

Wide receiver Stefon Diggs, edge rusher Danielle Hunter, running back Joe Mixon, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and defensive tackle Denico Autry headline a group that’s propelled the Texans into five-five odds. The team appears ready to compete with one large caveat

Is the defensive secondary ready?

The current projected starting safety duo was hit-and-miss throughout the division-winning campaign. Veteran Jimmie Ward missed multiple games due to injury, ending the year on the reserve list. Jalen Pitre regressed from his breakout rookie campaign, especially in man coverage.

Houston may be ready to run ample man coverage looks with star corner Derek Stingley Jr. and newcomers Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson, but they’ll need a constant security net over the top if expecting better results.

Safety has been on the mind of Caserio. Three have visited NRG Stadium this past month, including Georgia’s Javon Bullard, perhaps the best fit for Ryans’ man-heavy scheme.

Bullard, a two-year starter for the Bulldogs, often was tasked with high-leverage roles under Kirby Smart’s man-based unit. He had 56 tackles, seven passes breakups and two interceptions last season in Athens. He also was named the Nation Championship game’s MVP during the team’s title run in 2022.

His pre-draft run has been equally impressive. Bullard was named the top safety of the Reeses’ Senior Bowl practices and impressed NFL teams throughout the week in Mobile, Ala.

Additionally, he had a strong performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he ran a 4.47 40-yard dash and tied together a strong 8.24 “Relative Athletic Score.”

It should come as no surprise that Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke are interested in potentially seeing the Bulldog product supplemented to the ‘SWARM’ persona. The film shows an instinctive player in coverage who isn’t afraid to crash violently and support the run.

The FIT

Bullard is comfortable playing on the back end, reading out plays, and positioning himself well when asked to defend the run and on passing concepts. He may start the following play farther off the line of scrimmage than any of his fellow defenders, but Bullard is quick to see it and react.

 

These instincts allowed Bullard to be a plus player in the run game and he was a reliable tackler if running backs managed to get past Georgia’s formidable front seven.

That same ability to trigger downhill also allows Bullard to make highlight plays on the football. He had four interceptions in his final two seasons with Georgia. That can largely be attributed to how he dissects plays.

Defensive backs coach Dino Vasso should love the attentiveness and pursuit angles Bullard presents downfield, but also the physicality when asked to guard receivers.

This play against Florida shows Bullard at his best. The safety reads the quarterback early, flies downhill to the developing slant route, and crushes the receiver to prevent a first down. The ability to recognize passing concepts and punish targets will be one of Bullard’s best assets at the NFL level.

The CONCERN

While a promising player, Bullard’s not a finished product. He tends to launch at plays he recognizes, which can also leave him in poor position should he misread the coverage.

Earlier in that same contest against Florida, a similar concept was drawn up. Instead of making a highlight tackle, Bullard took a bad angle in coverage, leading to a Gators’ touchdown.

In terms of character, Bullard isn’t a slouch. In The Athletics’ draft analyst Dane Brugler’s “The Beast,” he found glowing commentary on the safety including that, “High school and college coaches agree that he has a future in coaching, because of his mental toughness” and that he was “Regarded as one of the team leaders in the Georgia locker room.”

Bullard is a motivated player and a good athlete tasked with handling free safety responsibilities as the last line of defense for a proven championship-caliber program. His football IQ and attentiveness for sniffing out plays suggest he’s someone well-prepared to play at the next level.

THE ROLE

In Ryans’ defense, Bullard could plug in immediately next to Ward or Pitre and serve as a reliable coverage safety who brings a new element of physicality to any secondary.

Additionally, his presence could allow Pitre to play closer to the box on running downs and potentially create a better role for the third-year Baylor product. Pitre, a former second-round pick, won Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year while lined up in the STAR position under a similar defensive formation.

Bullard is a very realistic draft target for Houston during the 2nd round, either at pick No. 42 or pick No. 59. It would be far-fetched to imagine Bullard falling out of the second round, let alone to Houston at pick No. 86 midway through Round 3.

Whether Caserio and Ryans believe he could require a trade up, or are content to wait for him where they currently sit, is yet to be seen.

What’s certain is that Bullard could bring a sense of dependability and physicality that Houston desperately needs for its Super Bowl chase.

Should the Lakers tank in the play-in tournament to avoid the Nuggets?

Some fans think the Lakers should intentionally lose their first play-in tourney game to get a more favorable first-round playoff matchup.

The Los Angeles Lakers have managed to get through another difficult regular season in one piece. In fact, they won 11 of their last 14 games to finish with a 47-35 record, which is the eighth-best mark in the Western Conference.

They will face the New Orleans Pelicans on the road to start the play-in tournament on Tuesday. If they lose that contest, they will have one more shot at making the playoffs in the second game of the play-in tourney on Friday. In that game, they would host either the Golden State Warriors or Sacramento Kings.

Should Los Angeles win on Tuesday, they would be the seventh seed in the West and start the playoffs against the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets.

That has led to an immediate debate as to whether the team should lose on purpose on Tuesday so that it could instead get the eighth seed by winning on Friday and open the playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder. After all, while it got swept in the regular season by Denver, it won its season series versus the Thunder 3-1.

Some, such as Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen and Roll, think the Lakers should tank Tuesday’s game to get a more favorable first-round playoff matchup. But the idea is foolish and dangerous.

The Lakers shouldn’t tank their initial play-in tournament game. Absolutely not.

For one, they will have a better chance of beating the Pelicans than they would of defeating either Golden State or Sacramento. The Lakers got swept by Sacramento this season, while they lost their season series to the Warriors 3-1. Such a strategy would be playing with fire, and it’s something that simply shouldn’t be done with the way the play-in tourney is set up.

Additionally, the Lakers will have to beat the Nuggets at some point in the playoffs in order to reach the NBA Finals. There’s an argument to be made that the first round would be the best time for them to knock off the world champs.

Los Angeles is mostly healthy right now, other than Christian Wood and Jarred Vanderbilt. But James is feeling healthy right now, and one never knows what could transpire between now and a potential Western Conference Finals matchup versus Denver should the Lakers claim the eighth seed instead of the seventh seed.

Plus, the Lakers are on a roll right now, and they could be tired if they face Denver later in the playoffs rather than in the first round. If they somehow dispatch Denver in the first round, they would be greatly emboldened and may seemingly have a very realistic path to the championship series.

It seems extremely unlikely that James and crew will actually prevail in a best-of-seven against the Nuggets, whether it’s in the first or third round of the playoffs. But anything is possible, and the Lakers need to embrace the challenge of facing the team that doubles as their personal piece of kryptonite to start the playoffs.

How Roman Reigns forged WWE’s current success — and what’s still left for him to accomplish

Cody Rhodes is the face of WWE’s new era, but Roman Reigns built the foundation for it.

WWE has recently gone out of its way to let the world know that WrestleMania weekend was the dawn of a new age for the company.

By virtue of his win in the main event of WrestleMania, Cody Rhodes will lead the charge.

But even in defeat, Roman Reigns was not completely overlooked, as fans flooded social media not only to congratulate Rhodes, but to thank Reigns for his historic run as champion.

For 1,316 days, Reigns held a championship in WWE, and while he didn’t appear on every episode of Smackdown nor did defend his title at every premium live event, he made every last one of them count.

During his time as champion, Reigns led WWE to unprecedented success, rivaling only the revered “Attitude Era” in terms of its impact. 

And it all started with Reigns, who sat at home during the COVID-19 pandemic and re-evaluated his career to that point. Upon some reflection, Reigns realized he wasn’t happy with where his career had been and where it appeared to be going. Let’s not forget that Reigns was slotted as the Royal Rumble runner-up in 2017, 2018 and 2020.

“I was ready to retire,” Reigns said during his episode of  A&E’s “Biography: WWE Legends.” 

“And once I fully removed myself by choice, not due to circumstances, that’s when I was able to be truthful with myself. That’s when I could really take an authentic, genuine eye and look at what I had been doing, look at what I had done. And that’s when I knew I wasn’t happy with it.”

“I still felt like I didn’t achieve what I had set out to do,” he added. “That I didn’t reach my potential. I was still under that ceiling … and it was time to break it.”

Given all of WWE’s recent success, the ceiling has been broken.

Just look at WrestleMania weekend in Philadelphia, where WWE announced it sold more than 200,000 tickets to its five wrestling shows and broke attendance and gate records for Raw, Smackdown and NXT. I personally saw some lengthy lines at WWE World, especially at the WrestleMania Superstore.

WWE came into WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia on a hot streak and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. This new era of success for WWE would not exist if it wasn’t for Reigns’ dominant run as champion.

Reigns’ dominance is only one aspect of his run that is fascinating, but it is the most obvious. He is the fourth-longest reigning champion in WWE history, behind only Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund and Hulk Hogan. Yet unlike those legendary figures, Reigns spent his entire run as a heel.

WWE has traditionally been what some of our elder members of the wrestling community would call a “babyface territory.” Going back to the days when the company was known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation, WWE has traditionally built itself around one heroic babyface. Sammartino, Hogan, Steve Austin and John Cena are a few examples.

Although other promotions found success promoting a heel as the face of the company  (Jim Crockett Promotions with Ric Flair and World Championship Wrestling Hulk Hogan are two examples), WWE has largely followed the formula of having a babyface as the centerpiece of the storytelling.

What has made Reigns so compelling is his authenticity. You can tell that he is living within the Tribal Chief character. You can tell that there are pieces of Joe Anoa’i sprinkled throughout the character that simply weren’t there when he was portraying the “Big Dog.”

“Roman Reigns is the most cinematic portrayal of what a champion is in the history of sports entertainment,” said Paul Heyman during “Biography.” 

I couldn’t agree more.

But for me, the most fascinating aspect of Reigns’ time as champion is how he helped create new stars while only being pinned a total of two times in almost four years. 

According to Reigns, that was intentional.

“If it was just about me, I could have been done a good bit ago. For this to be what it’s supposed to be, to max out the potential of it, I can’t be the only one that benefits from this.

“That’s all I want. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

From Jimmy and Jey Uso developing their own identities, to Sami Zayn becoming one of the most sympathetic babyfaces ever, to Rhodes finishing his story in grand fashion, all of it happened because Reigns was doing his part.

However, there is still one more babyface to create, in my opinion. And that is the Tribal Chief himself, Roman Reigns. Every time Reigns makes an entrance, thousands of people hold their index fingers in the air in solidarity and acknowledgement of their Tribal Chief.

That happens despite Reigns being firmly entrenched as the villain in every story. Imagine what could happen if Reigns became … the hero? 

Whatever name you want to slap on this current era of WWE, with Reigns as its centerpiece, it has the potential to be a lot of fun.

[lawrence-related id=48542,48529,48423]

The WrestleMania 40 main event delivered in every possible way

Pro wrestling at its finest in every aspect? We experienced it when Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns met at WrestleMania 40.

Professional wrestling is so many things. But at its core, it is beautiful.

Its beauty lies in its action, its drama, its emotions.

Professional wrestling’s beauty lies on the faces of thousands of fans cheering on their heroes and booing their villains.

And there was no better showcase for how beautiful wrestling can be than Sunday night at Lincoln Financial Field. That’s because more than 70,000 people gathered in South Philadelphia to see one thing: the climax of Cody Rhodes’ story.

But the beautiful thing about professional wrestling was that it wasn’t just about Rhodes’ story. There were others, and they all culminated in the most climactic main event in WrestleMania history.

WWE didn’t have to promote Sunday’s match as the “biggest in WrestleMania history” like Vince McMahon did two years ago. The fans’ desire to watch Rhodes defeat Roman Reigns was the only indication anyone needed.

Once the bell rang, WWE delivered.

The main event of WrestleMania 40 was everything it should have been and more. There were cameos from recurring characters throughout the story, call backs to key moments from the past, and there was even a surprise or two.

When Rhodes pinned Reigns to become the new Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, there was a release of emotions from everyone inside Lincoln Financial Field and from wrestling fans across the world. 

That is because on Sunday, April 7, 2024, everything the wrestling world had ever hoped for had been fulfilled. They had received or been a part of one of the most storybook endings in WrestleMania history. 

If it were an action movie from the 1980s, it may have ended with a freeze frame. While that may sound grossly cliche, it is the type of ending wrestling fans yearn for on an annual basis. They got their wish Sunday night.

The main event of WrestleMania 40 was professional wrestling executed at its highest level. It’s was what professional wrestling is all about.

What is professional wrestling about?

Professional wrestling is about the journey. It is about telling the story of two men who wrapped themselves in their respective family’s wrestling traditions, but for two very different reasons.

On one side was the prodigal son, who returned to the place where he had a prophecy to fulfill: win the title his father never could.

He came within seconds of accomplishing his goal last year, only to have it snatched away from him.

But like any hero, he dusted himself off and fought his way back.

He overcame obstacle after obstacle in order to find his way back to the same spot he was in one year ago: the main event of WrestleMania.

On the other side was the tyrannical villain, whose motives are rooted in providing for his family — or in this case, his tribe. For 1,316 days, he ruled WWE with an iron fist, running through anyone who threatened his position at the summit of the industry, including his own family if necessary.

However, he always made sure that the family had his back, including the ones with even more influence within the company than him.

It’s just that his villainous ways may have cost him in the end.

Professional wrestling is about setting that hero and that villain on a collision course that culminates at the biggest event of the year — twice. It is about living vicariously through all of the characters involved and hoping each of them receive what they have coming to them.

Professional wrestling at its best was on full display Sunday night.

Professional wrestling is beautiful.

Professional wrestling is back in WWE.

[lawrence-related id=48395,48390,48254]

Why the Bears will never regret trading Justin Fields

The Bears traded Justin Fields to the Steelers this offseason. Here’s why they’ll never regret the decision.

The Chicago Bears traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this offseason, where he’ll compete for the starting job with Russell Wilson.

The move, which was expected all offseason, was made in preparation for the arrival of Caleb Williams, who will be the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Fields failed to live up to the hype, and general manager Ryan Poles opted to move on (and reset the rookie quarterback contract) with Williams.

No matter what happens, the Bears aren’t going to regret trading Fields. The hope is that Williams will be a star in the NFL, as he was in college, but they won’t regret moving Fields even if Williams doesn’t turn out to be good. If Fields turns out to be a good player in Pittsburgh, it will be because they know what they are doing.

The Bears have never developed a quarterback, and Fields wasn’t given a fair shot at becoming a star. He’s a very athletic player who has talent, but the Chicago wasn’t able to unlock it, and they were never going to be able to. Poles had other ideas when he was hired, and Fields had to be great to change his mind. He wasn’t.

It was the right decision to move on from Fields, as the Bears needed to start over. All eyes will be on him when he gets his opportunity in Pittsburgh, but Chicago will have already moved on. This franchise should have higher hopes than what they’ve been given in recent years.

Follow The Bears Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

WrestleMania 40: Biggest takeaways from Night 1

Look back at WrestleMania 40 Night 1 and ahead to what’s next for its winners and losers.

Since 1985, WrestleMania has been utilized as a way to showcase WWE and its biggest stars.

But as the 40th edition of the “Showcase of the Immortals” descended upon Philadelphia this week, it was clear that the event that was once a single day with a 1 p.m. start time has grown into a cultural happening for wrestling fans.

It’s a place where fans from opposite corners of the planet with nothing in common other than an undying love for professional wrestling can quickly bond and create lasting memories together.

Heck, you may even find Eagles and Cowboys fans putting away their differences for a week all in the name of pro wrestling.

There are wrestling shows, meet and greets, parties, and even a wrestling block party on South Street — and that was just Saturday.

But while all of those events are meaningful in their own right, the main course is still WrestleMania, which has also seen its share of growth over the years. WrestleMania XL on Saturday was simply the latest piece of evidence.

Here are my takeaways from a brutally cold night at Lincoln Financial Field:

Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes is shaping up to be a chaotic affair

It was an all-too-familiar scene for Cody Rhodes Saturday night as for the second year in a row, he was left sitting dejectedly in the ring while Roman Reigns — joined this time by The Rock — celebrated another victory over him.

Because of that result, Rhodes’ Undisputed Universal Championship match against Reigns will now take place under Bloodline Rules, which basically means there are no rules.

Within the story, it means Rhodes will be entering the match in a great deal of peril.

Rhodes and his partner Seth Rollins fell short against Reigns and The Rock Saturday and there was no interference. There was no sign of Solo Sikoa, and Jimmy Uso was still recovering from his defeat at the hands of his brother, Jey Uso, earlier in the night.

Sure, The Rock used his “Mama Rhodes” weight belt to help his team earn the win, but there isn’t a ton of wiggle room for Rhodes to dispute the outcome. Simply put, Rhodes and Rollins got beat. 

Now, Rhodes will have to try to do this all over again, except this time, The Bloodline can do whatever they want given that there are no rules.

However, the lack of rules also extends to Rhodes, who I expect will have a lot of backup during the title match. 

The result could be a chaotic, overbooked mess — and I would love every second of it.

The main event isn’t just the culmination of Rhodes’ story. It is the culmination of so many others as well. The Bloodline saga has incorporated so many characters since it began in 2020, it would only make sense for them to have a role in the climax of one of the best stories in wrestling history.

It’s a story that has drawn comparisons to the Avengers, which makes sense given WWE employs a former Marvel writer (Rob Fee).

While “Infinity War” ended on a bleak note, “Endgame” saw the heroes overcome Thanos and save the day. Will Rhodes enjoy a similar fate Sunday night?

Side note: The Rock’s entrance may have been the best in WrestleMania history.

Will we get Rhodes vs. Rock in the future?

One detail that some may have missed Saturday night was The Rock pinned Rhodes to win the match.

To me, that leaves the door open for a possible match between these two in the future. It doesn’t seem that far-fetched given all of the physicality between the two even before WrestleMania. 

But then during the post-show press conference Saturday, The Rock hinted that part of the reason why he returned to WWE (and joined TKO overall) was to build something not just for WrestleMania XL, but for the future as well.

Nothing is guaranteed, but I think it is something to keep an eye on moving forward.

Sami Zayn ends Gunther’s reign

The last two WrestleManias have been very kind to Sami Zayn.

Last year, he closed out Night 1 with an emotional victory for the tag team titles alongside his best friend, Kevin Owens.

This year, Owens was the last person to lend Zayn words of encouragement before he walked through the curtain to challenge the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion of all time, Gunther.

And once again, Zayn walked away with gold.

In what was in my opinion the best match of the evening, Zayn ended Gunther’s historic 666-day reign (was it a bad omen for Gunther?) with a pair of Helluva Kicks to become the new Intercontinental Champion. It is Zayn’s first singles championship since he held the same title back in 2022.

One aspect of the Bloodline story that I don’t think is talked about enough is how it has developed multiple people into major stars, and Zayn is a prime example. 

Zayn was an over enough heel that he was slotted into a match with “Jackass” star Johnny Knoxville at WrestleMania in 2022. But once that was over, he was kind of … just there

But then Zayn began his attempts to join the Bloodline. Fast forward to 2024 and Zayn enjoyed an emotional moment in the ring with his family in front of more than 70,000 people. 

What a time.

What’s next for Rhea Ripley?

Mami proved once again that she is still on top after she defeated Becky Lynch in the night’s opening match to retain her WWE Women’s World Championship.

The match itself was good, but it left me with one question: What’s next for Rhea Ripley?

The Raw women’s division doesn’t have a slew of credible challengers lined up for Ripley. Lynch was easily the most credible, but Ripley has already beaten her clean in the middle of the ring.

Based on the reaction Ripley received in Philadelphia (and everywhere else), she is one of WWE’s biggest stars at the moment. I’d imagine WWE will have something planned. However, that does not mean it will be anything of real consequence.

WWE makes the right decision to split the tag titles

Anyone that knows me and how I view professional wrestling knows that I am usually against having split championships.

The NFL doesn’t split up the Super Bowl title. It goes to one team and one team only. That’s what makes it special.

For me, the same applies to pro wrestling, as I am typically in favor of having one title per division. That means one world title, one set of tag team titles, etc.

However, I am not unreasonable. I understand that WWE has placed itself under the unique circumstances of having a massive roster of wrestlers that need their respective time to shine. Five hours of television (not counting NXT) is simply not enough to feature them all, which means they are divided up into their own brands, and those brands come with their own set of championships.

I understand that. I’m not usually in favor of it, but I understand. That is why I am on board with WWE deciding to split up the undisputed tag titles and go back to having Raw titles and Smackdown titles.

Entering WrestleMania 40, each brand already had its own set of championships. The only one that was undisputed were the tag team championships.

I guess you could make the case that Reigns is the top champion in WWE since he is the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion and since the universe is bigger than the world (looking at you, World Heavyweight Championship), you could make the case that those titles are not on equal footing.

But when it comes to WWE’s tag team division, there is no hierarchy. Both titles are very much on equal footing.

WWE’s tag team division is pretty stacked at the moment. There’s young talent on both shows that did not appear at WrestleMania. It only makes sense to give each show its own set of titles so that more teams can be featured at a given time.

Also, it probably cuts down on the wear and tear that comes with appearing on both shows on a regular basis.

I think Austin Theory and Grayson Waller walking away with the Smackdown titles was a smart decision by WWE. They’re young, they’re talented, and I believe they have a bright future ahead of them. However, they still need time to develop into the top singles stars I think they are capable of being. 

A good way to help them eventually get to that point is to develop together as tag team champions. It’s a method that has been proven to work with countless others in the past. Legends such as Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Randy Orton, Batista, just to name a few, all started as one half of a tag team or as a member of a larger group before spinning off to become bigger stars. 

Whether Waller and Theory will reach those same heights remain to be seen, but I do believe they are on the right track.

On the opposite end of the spectrum would be R-Truth and The Miz, collectively known as the Awesome Truth. Truth and Miz have decades of experience between them and have enjoyed a recent run of success, mainly due to the fans simply loving Truth and his shenanigans. 

It was great to see Truth have a WrestleMania moment after all of these years. He’s gone from K-Kwik to the first Black NWA World Heavyweight Champion, and on this one Saturday, he sat atop the ladder before 70,000-plus who were all thrilled to see him become a champion.

Bah gawd, that’s Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson’s music!

Wrestling fans from around the world may or may not have cared, but wrestling fans from Philadelphia most certainly cared that recently-retired center Jason Kelce and tackle Lane Johnson not only appeared at WrestleMania, but were also involved in a match.

In the latter stages of the tag team match that pitted Rey Mysterio and Andrade against Santos Escobar and Dominik Mysterio, two large men wearing luchador masks hopped over the guardrail and prevented Dirty Dom from bringing a steel chair into the ring.

One of the masked men then tossed Dom into the ring post before throwing him back into the ring so he could receive a call from the 619 area code to end the match.

The men then hopped into the ring to reveal themselves to be Kelce and Johnson.

For the uninitiated, Kelce is among the best centers of all time and delivered the best Super Parade speech ever. He also co-hosts the popular “New Heights” podcast alongside his brother, Travis Kelce. I think Travis dates Taylor Swift or something.

Johnson is arguably the best tackle in the NFL and is always willing to cut a Steve Austin-esque promo. 

He also recently worked out with Seth Rollins at the NovaCare Complex, the Eagles’ headquarters.

Maybe it wasn’t for everyone, but as a Philadelphian — and former Eagles employee — I was here for it.

Yes, the crowd was cold — literally

If you watched WrestleMania from the comfort of your own home, you were guaranteed to be warmer than the 72,543 fans in attendance at Lincoln Financial Field who had to endure a brutally cold night in Philadelphia.

Just a week or two ago, it was 70 degrees and sunny in Philly. On Saturday night, the temperate dipped into the 40s with some gusts of wind to boot. It felt more like an Eagles playoff game than WrestleMania.

While it didn’t sour my personal experience, I do understand why others weren’t as enthralled, which I’m sure contributed to the lack of noise you heard at times during the event.

Philadelphia fans have a reputation for being vocal, especially when it comes to wrestling. However, not all of the fans at Lincoln Financial Field were from the Philly area, and they probably didn’t dress warm enough to prepare for the bone-chilling temperatures.

I wore a jacket with a hoodie underneath and was still kind of cold. There were plenty of cool WrestleMania fits on display Saturday night, but not all of them were ready to endure a chilly night in Philadelphia.

If someone traveled to WrestleMania, they probably didn’t pack a winter coat, which is what would have been the appropriate attire for Saturday night.

The cold is the only explanation I have for why WWE had a few production hiccups during the show, which is not what you would expect from WWE in general, but especially so at WrestleMania.

I’ll be attending Sunday night’s show as well and will be sure to dress even warmer.