Category: Opinion

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

WrestleMania 40 preview: What if Roman Reigns wins again?

Think WWE couldn’t let Roman Reigns beat Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania for a second straight year? Think again.

When the main event of WrestleMania 39 arrived a year ago at SoFi Stadium, I was sure Cody Rhodes was walking out with the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship that had for so long remained tightly in the grasp of Roman Reigns. WWE had signaled as much all along the way, hinting that it would be a night where Rhodes culminated a journey he was making not just for himself, but for his legendary late father as well.

We all know what happened.

The same matchup is slated for this Sunday at WrestleMania 40. WWE has done an incredible job not only making people want to see Cody and Roman run it back, but adding additional layers into the narrative so it’s not just a rematch.

Common sense suggests there’s no way that Rhodes loses again. History does too, as the last time two editions of WrestleMania had the exact same main event — WrestleMania 28 and 29, pitting John Cena against The Rock — the loser of the first match won the second meeting.

The difference between 2012-13, or really between now and almost any other time in WWE history, is the incredible hot streak the company is on. For more than a year, there’s been a steady cadence of sold out shows. Gate records seem to be falling monthly — and as recently as this week, when Raw at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn was the highest-grossing Monday night show WWE has ever held.

That kind of success gives WWE the kind of creative freedom it doesn’t usually enjoy. While Vince McMahon might have zigged where people expected him to zag just out of spike, Triple H and his team have so much earned trust that they can do the unexpected and not have to worry about fans abandoning the product in droves.

Thing like Reigns emerging from yet another WrestleMania with his title reign intact.

To be clear, I still expect Rhodes to be the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at the end of the night, soaking in the adulation from the fans at Lincoln Financial Field. I just won’t be quite as shocked this year if he isn’t.

Let’s examine why.

Cody Rhodes vs. The Rock is now the biggest money match WWE could make

WWE isn’t like its corporate partner, UFC, at least for the time being. It doesn’t need to put together the best possible pairings to ensure shows are packed. WrestleMania 40 sold most of its tickets long before any of the matches were finalized, because the brand itself is on fire. There’s a reason even the biggest of the company’s stars have been saying recently that things would roll on even without them, and that’s because it’s true.

But the popularity of WWE extends to metrics beyond ticket sales, which means it still behooves the creative team to find ways to try to hook people who aren’t following its programming regularly. It has that now thanks to The Rock.

The man who’s now dubbed himself the Final Boss is one of the most recognizable entertainers on the planet, someone who appeals to more than the weekly audience. It’s been apparent since he’s embraced his heel turn with The Bloodline during his current stint: The Rock still has a unique star power that no other current WWE talent can match.

And a funny thing happened along the way. Whereas once The Rock vs. Roman Reigns was the biggest match WWE could put on, it’s now pivoted ever so slightly to The Rock vs. Cody Rhodes.

That’s not an indictment of Reigns in any way, but simply an observation based on the build to WrestleMania 40. Fans want to see Cody get some payback on The Rock in a one-on-one situation. The tag team match on night 1 will undoubtedly scratch that itch to a certain degree, but it may also just stoke the desire for a singles showdown even more.

There are many ways to get to that, of course, but the most direct one is to have The Rock play an instrumental role in preventing Rhodes from winning on Sunday night. The catch would be if The Rock is unavailable, as he’s expected to return to shooting movies right after WrestleMania 40. There’s also no reason he couldn’t just roll back into WWE ahead of, say, SummerSlam and challenge Cody if the American Nightmare does win in Philadelphia.

So a hypothetical Rock-Cody match isn’t contingent on Rhodes facing defeat for the second straight year, and it may not even be possible given extenuating circumstances. The fact remains that it’s now a tantalizing dream match that no one was even considering a few months ago, and a Cody loss would hint heavily that it was coming down the road.

Not everyone will be mad if Roman Reigns wins in Philly

For longtime WWE fans, it’s hard to forget the 2015 Royal Rumble and the way the crowd in Philadelphia treated Reigns. Even with The Rock on hand to try and give his cousin the rub, the fans that day were so upset that Daniel Bryan didn’t win the Rumble match that they booed the crap out of Roman.

I was there in person, and there was something in the air even before fans piled into the Wells Fargo Center. It was hard to describe, but it was palpable.

Things have changed a lot for Reigns since then. He hadn’t even dreamed up the Tribal Chief persona, and The Bloodline was still years away. Reigns now is what WWE was hoping he’d be nine years ago, but he hadn’t made “The Leap” yet, as Bill Simmons might say.

Reigns has been the unquestioned top star in the company for several years, in ways that go beyond his lengthy Universal title run. He’s also not your stereotypical top heel, as he has plenty of fans (even young ones) who would be thrilled if he somehow manages to pin Rhodes for the second straight year.

On top of that, while WrestleMania 40 is taking place in Philadelphia, it won’t be a strictly Philly crowd at Lincoln Financial Field. People journey to the WrestleMania host city from all over the world, so that element is also different than that infamous Royal Rumble.

Will lots of fans be heartbroken if Rhodes loses again? Yes. Will some still cheer Reigns, and will pretty much all of them tune in for Raw to see what’s next? Also yes.

Fans aren’t just going to abandon Cody Rhodes

Rhodes is one of the savviest performers in the business today, one who simply understands the craft at the highest level whether it’s inside the ring or representing WWE in the media. So when he was making the rounds this week suggesting that he has to win this time or fans won’t have his back, it’s some 3D chess-type stuff.

On “The MMA Hour” this week, Rhodes suggested that he’d be a “joke” if he didn’t beat Reigns this time.

On the surface, that seems like Cody saying there’s no way people would continue to support him if he comes up short again. And maybe a few will jump ship, as that’s always a risk.

This is wrestling, however, which means there can always be extenuating circumstances to help save face. It’s possible they might even be the same ones for the second straight year, since it’s possible and maybe even probable that Rhodes and Seth Rollins lose the tag team match on night 1, making Rhodes-Reigns a Bloodline Rules affair on night 2.

Cody’s supporters will be angry if he loses again, no doubt. They might even channel some of their dismay toward WWE, just not enough to stop them from watching.

They might not even be outraged that Reigns is still the champ, which is the ideal situation if that’s the direction WWE is headed. In a best case scenario, Reigns continues his run, giving more legs to The Bloodline saga. People are clamoring for a Rhodes-Rock match, and The Rock is actually free to do it sometime over the next year. And business continues to boom in the meantime.

Maybe that’s not where all this will end up. Maybe Rhodes will have his hand raised and we’ll get to retire “finish the story” so it can go out to pasture or to stud or wherever phrases go when they’ve run their course.

It’s just much easier to see WWE giving Reigns a victory since it’s dealing from a position of strength that it so rarely has enjoyed, even as the top wrestling promotion in the world for decades. I promise not to be as shocked this time.

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WrestleMania 40: Give WWE women the steering wheel

WrestleMania 40 must have missed the memo: The women of WWE are more than capable of taking the helm.

WrestleMania 40 must have missed the memo: The women of WWE are more than capable of taking the helm.

Despite two strong title matches and a six-woman tag team with historic implications, WWE women will not main event either night of this year’s WrestleMania.

Instead, headlining both nights is an unfinished story and a 1,307-day title reign. The epics need an ending. For nearly four years, some version of The Bloodline has dominated the title scene, and it’s left little for those not involved in the drama. Then, an overly-calculated wrench was thrown into the works, and, to the disdain of many, The Rock returned.

(Act normal everyone, the boss is here.)

Play the tape forward. The Rock declared himself Roman Reigns’ WrestleMania opponent when Cody Rhodes backed down — a move that made zero sense story-wise, infuriated fans and ultimately led to a story redirection.

Keep fast-forwarding that tape. The Rock berated Rhodes for bailing on the match. The Rock joined The Bloodline. The Rock nicknamed himself “The Final Boss” (see: Meiko Satomura). The Rock issued a convoluted challenge to Rhodes and Seth Rollins. The result? Night 1: Rhodes and Rollins vs. Reigns and the Rock. Night 2: Rhodes vs. Reigns, shenanigans to be determined by the winner of night 1.

The WrestleMania 40 main events are by-product of a messy effort to fit every top guy into the puzzle.

That is a lot of exposition on the WrestleMania 40 main event scene for an article clearly intended to explore women’s wrestling struggles. It may seem excessive, spelling it all out, but that’s exactly the point: This is overkill. The whole mess comes off as melodramatic, hastily changed and not purposeful enough to encourage anticipation. It does capitalize on one thing, though: nostalgia.

Something else missing from this saga? Women’s wrestling.

We’ll preface by saying there have been plenty of overcomplicated stories from the women’s division that hindered their relationship with fans; they’re not immune to similar hang-ups. Remember when James Ellsworth won the Money in the Bank briefcase for Carmella? What about the Lana-Rusev-Dolph Ziggler-Summer Rae love fiasco? We can’t forget how Lacey Evans started a relationship with Ric Flair just to get under Charlotte’s skin. And let’s agree to never talk about Dawn Marie and Al Wilson.

The women and men both have had horrid stories, with obvious differences.

The mucky men’s story, though, gets the main event. The women, regardless if the feud is riveting or not, don’t get that chance nearly as much. The potential has always been there for a remarkable women’s main event; Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks delivered it at WrestleMania 37.

WWE seemingly understands the worth of its women superstars, yet still can not exceed the industry standard of booking women to fall short of their male counterparts. This leads us to where we seem to always land: WWE women deserve better.

At the time of this writing, there are 13 matches announced for WrestleMania 40, only three of them women’s bouts.

Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill and Naomi will face Damage CTRL (Asuka, Dakota Kai and Kairi Sane). The significance of this match can not be overstated in an industry that does not honor and respect Black women like it should. The representation has real, positive effects on the fans. Women and girls see themselves in this match and it has impact.

That’s just one side of the fight, too. Asuka, Sane and Kai are acknowledged as undeniable talent. There’s no uncertainty at the level of greatness Damage CTRL is about to hand us, easily a banner match for either night of the big show.

Continuing on, IYO SKY will defend her WWE Women’s Championship against Bayley. We all saw this coming, right? Sane returned to WWE and Bayley was left on the outside looking in at her former stable. Turning Bayley face in the process, Damage CTRL kicked Bayley out of the group, and suddenly the 2024 Royal Rumble winner knew her destiny for WrestleMania 40.

In the second of the women’s title matches, Rhea Ripley will defend her Women’s World Championship against Becky Lynch. Lynch won her shot after winning the 2024 Elimination Chamber women’s match. The story here is that both women are really good, and both want to prove it to the other.

Do the women’s matches stack up against the current main events, story-wise? Of course not. None of the women have taken center stage for nearly four years. There simply hasn’t been that type of commitment to the women’s division.

Could one of the women’s title matches carry a main event with the story they do have? Yes, if WWE had given the stories time and creative investment. The stories were built enough to give the women’s division power, but not enough that would give them undisputable access to a main event.

Do the main events necessarily need a larger-than-life story? Honestly? Yes. WrestleMania is the biggest show of the year for the biggest wrestling promotion in the world. Fans need a finale. WWE is story-focused, and putting a technical masterclass as a main event will just not sell to its current fanbase.

Does any story need to take up the main event of both nights, one of which will be a match with certain interference overload? No. It’s too much. The Cody-Roman saga has taken enough airtime already.

IYO SKY and Bayley would be an easy main event for night 1, especially if you’re putting the six-woman tag match on before. The narrative is there.

Bayley has an incredible talent for pulling fans to her corner of the ring, whether she’s face or heel. She is a wrestling standard, a pillar of WWE. So is SKY. They could end their tale in a way that doesn’t sacrifice entertainment for predictability.

Ripley vs. Lynch doesn’t have a big story to lean on. They may not need one. Both women are admired for their talent in the ring. Some feuds are just fine as, “I run this show, and I’m going to prove it to you.”

Really driving the point home, Lynch and Bayley have recently gone on record with their thoughts on women taking the lead at WrestleMania.

Bayley told Alex McCarthy of Daily Mail that with the caliber of talent in the women’s division, there’s no reason they shouldn’t have the main event.

“I would never say that two women shouldn’t be main-eventing a WrestleMania; especially at the caliber of Rhea and Becky.”

Continuing, Bayley told McCarthy it was her spot to take.

“With all due respect, I would like to take that [main event]. Rhea, you’re very young.”

Lynch, too, spoke out on getting the recognition she is owed, telling Under the Ring’s Phil Strum women’s wrestling shouldn’t exist separately from wrestling as a whole.

“When it becomes too much like ‘look at this historical women’s whatever, insert x,’ it kind of starts to feel a little condescending,” Lynch told Strum. “And I didn’t want that, I don’t want that in general. I just want to get opportunity based on the good work that I’ve done.”

Lynch makes a strong point: Women shouldn’t get opportunities just because they’re women. The goal of equality is for those lines to disappear, not bolden.

So, while this article argues for WWE women to get their chance at running the show, it’s not because they are women. Systematically, there has been an imbalance in treatment of the divisions, despite the amount of talent in the women’s ranks. Women in sports just want to be known as athletes and as advocates. That’s our endgame.

Predictably, almost methodically, the women’s division is looking at less than one-fourth of the WrestleMania 40 card. That’s not taking into account the potential ratio of match time, either.

It shouldn’t take hashtag movements or written essays to convince wrestling to treat women like athletes who deserve their spot. Frustratingly, it takes the motivation and determination of promoters to move that needle. Movements have no power if those in power don’t make the moves. How long do fans and women wrestlers have to shout before those moves are made?

The women of WWE have proven themselves capable of taking the wheel. The trust is there. The desire is noticeable. The clamor exists. The WrestleMania 40 card might already be set in stone, but the work for next year begins now.

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Black women in pro wrestling are having a moment. Will the industry capitalize?

Black women are major forces in pop culture writ large, but will WWE and AEW recognize and take advantage?

Never in all my years of living did I ever expect to see the 1997 comedy classic “B.A.P.S.” referenced on WWE television, but that is what happened on the March 29 edition of SmackDown.

For the uninitiated, “B.A.P.S.” is a criminally underrated film starring Halle Berry, where she gives — and I don’t mean this ironically — one of the best performances of her career. Berry’s physical comedy was amazing, and her chemistry with late co-star Natalie Desselle-Reid was off the charts.

Both were on display during a scene where Berry’s character, Nisi, shows off her … unique dancing ability. Nisi’s friend, Mickey (played by Desselle-Reid) provides her friend with unwavering support by shouting “boo-yow!” before slowly turning around to show that the word she just shouted is in fact also on the back of her elaborate hairdo.

Looks familiar? Because it’s exactly what Naomi did during her backstage segment with Bianca Belair on Smackdown, except the back of Naomi’s hair said “EST.” 

The moment nearly caused Belair to burst into laughter on live television. I personally stood up and hollered in my living room.

I stood up and hollered again when Jade Cargill sauntered to the ring later on that evening and aligned herself with Naomi and Belair. 

For some, this may have merely felt like a means to further another story heading into WrestleMania, but the significance of that visual is not lost on me. For me, it was powerful.

I’m not breaking any news when I say that professional wrestling has not always been kind to Black people. The industry’s depiction of Black people has ranged anywhere from mildly concerning to downright racist at times.

This is the same industry that turned a truck driver by the name of “Sugar Bear” James Harris into a Ugandan savage named Kamala. The legendary Tony Atlas was once forced to become Saba Simba in order to escape the perils of being unhoused. Remember when Kofi Kingston, born in Ghana, was Jamaican, accent and all?

We can’t forget about Cryme Tyme, which basically reduced two Black people (the late, great Shad Gaspard and Jayson “JTG” Paul) to criminals. And yes, I’m still angry that Gaspard and Paul never won the tag team titles in WWE.

We’re not far removed from all of this. You can watch it all on Peacock right now. No, it’s not black and white, either. Some of it is actually in high definition. 

Friday’s show of strength between Belair, Cargill, and Naomi did not suddenly erase all of professional wrestling’s ugly history when it comes to its depiction of Black people. It is, however, a snapshot of the potential impact Black people — Black women especially — could have on the wrestling industry.

Elsewhere in wrestling, AEW promoted an entire event around a Black woman (Mercedes MonĂ©) debuting with the promotion. The result was one of AEW’s largest crowds of the year so far. And let’s not overlook the work of Willow Nightingale, Athena, Queen Aminata and others. In NXT, you have Lash Legend, who looks to be on the precipice of becoming the industry’s next big star.

Let’s be clear: Black women drive mainstream culture. You may not realize it, but they do. From catchy phrases to beauty standards, Black women shape our everyday culture in a multitude of ways.

You think Kim Kardashian invented box braids? Hell no. That started with Black women. You think wearing long, stylish fingernails is a recent trend? Nope. Started with Black women.

If a wrestling promotion is looking to remain on the cutting edge of what is cool and hip, it would behoove it to feature Black women, as they are the straw that stirs the culture.

And if wrestling is going to reach a new level of mainstream notoriety, it will be done so with Black women at the forefront.

Recent events have provided some great momentum, but will the industry capitalize? If wrestling’s past is any indication, that answer is still very much in the air.

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