WWE cracking down on marijuana use, internal frustration over a TNA cut continues, Vladimir Kozlov fan reaction, one week away from Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Couture
Nov 8, 2008 - 12:15 PM |
Saturday, November 8 – 12:15 P.M. (CT)
-I'm not a fan of WWE cracking down on marijuana use. The company has every reason to test wrestlers for prescription pill and performance enhancing drugs, but it's hard for me to support their decision to punish wrestlers who fail pot tests. I realize marijuana is illegal, but I'd much rather a tired and sore wrestler toke up in his hotel room than resort to other measures.
I haven't heard what inspired WWE to crack down on pot use. The company's previous stance appeared to be pay your fine and go about your business (I've always wondered where that fine money goes), but suddenly the pot police are approaching wrestlers and informing them that positive tests are no longer acceptable.
-There continues to be a lot of grumbling within TNA over the termination of agent Pat Kenney. The feeling of everyone I've spoken with is that Kenney was popular in the locker room and was good at his job, but he wasn't among Jeff Jarrett's inner circle.
If you look at the remaining agents, they're all tight with either Jarrett or Dutch Mantel. It doesn't mean the agents aren't good at what they do, but I don't think we've heard the last of the complaints over Kenney being cut. He was a popular figure in the locker room and it sounds like there are several people within the company who plan on going to bat for him.
The thing I don't understand about the Kenney situation is that he was known as a favorite of Dixie Carter. I've heard from a few people that she isn't crazy about the decision to cut Kenney. The story goes that she see wanted one of the other agents go instead, but she put the ball in Jarrett's court and he made the decision. At some point, shouldn't the owner of the company step up and do what she thinks is right for business?
-The live crowd's lackluster reaction to Vladimir Kozlov on Monday's Raw and last night's Smackdown should be alarming to WWE. The Moscow Mauler is a fun act and one that I personally enjoy, but it seems like the interest of the live crowds is waning. I didn't think much of it on Monday when he plowed through Charlie Haas, but WWE officials shouldn't ignore the Orlando's crowd's lack of interest in Kozlov's match against Undertaker.
-One week until the biggest UFC fight of the year, if not in the history of MMA. Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Couture is going to be a mega-event and I'm counting down the hours to that show. Unfortunately, the hype for the fight has left a lot to be desired. I'm sure they'll crank it up this week, but you'd think they'd try to reach the masses with a massive advertising campaign for this show.
Maybe it's just because I live in Minnesota, but there seemed to be more of a mainstream buzz over Lesnar's last fight against Heath Herring. Don't get me wrong, the MMA world is buzzing over Lesnar vs. Couture and I think it will be a buyrate success, yet I really expected more hype from UFC's advertising team.
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