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Post by The Senator on Jan 8, 2015 22:08:20 GMT -5
Indeed it has. Feels like a lifetime since I last dropped by these parts. Thanks to Dan's message on Gamefaqs, I figured I'd check back here for the first time in what has to be three years or so, sheesh. Since my last appearance in ACW, completely lost my love for pro wrestling, and not had the best run of things, although it could always have been worse. I've been blatantly awful in keeping up with old friends and acquaintances, probably since I've been too caught up in the mundane day-to-day-to-day nothingness that drains one's life away before one even begins to notice until it's too late to reverse the course.
So, enough about me, how've you lot been as of late?
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Post by Dan White on Jan 8, 2015 23:21:52 GMT -5
Great to see you back here, it's been a long time indeed.
I think over the past four years it's been similar for me. There's been highs and then tremendous lows, but in the past year I've managed to pick up the pieces and get my life fully on track.
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Post by Kim Jong CP on Jan 8, 2015 23:33:53 GMT -5
So much has changed since we ended this thing; I'd say like most there's been some up's and some downs but at least, as far as I'm concerned I've had significantly more positives as things currently stand. I lettered for three years playing Volleyball at University which allowed me to get really involved in the social scene. I got settled into a career as a Lead Financial Systems Analyst which took up a lot of my time and had me leave the University (and a significant portion of the friends I'd made) to take the job as it didn't work with the full time schedule I had as opposed to the part time one previously. I had a fairly significant health scare which had me off work for about four months but am happy to say that I'm currently on the up and up (go back next week for another check up and hopefully can finally say I'm in remission). I bought my first house when I turned twenty-one which was pretty sweet and gives me a lot of freedom. I'm attending night school once a week to continue my education and ensure that I maintain some semblance of a social life away from work; it's a completely different environment but every semester I seem to meet one or two decent people which is nice.
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Post by Mark on Jan 9, 2015 1:27:19 GMT -5
Thank fucking god you're alive, lol. I missed ya.
I'm a college graduate currently working in a pretty nifty kitchen to help pay the bills until something better comes along. I also do community theatre and music on the side.
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Post by The Mainerishi on Jan 9, 2015 2:51:46 GMT -5
Indeed it has. Feels like a lifetime since I last dropped by these parts. Thanks to Dan's message on Gamefaqs, I figured I'd check back here for the first time in what has to be three years or so, sheesh. Since my last appearance in ACW, completely lost my love for pro wrestling, and not had the best run of things, although it could always have been worse. I've been blatantly awful in keeping up with old friends and acquaintances, probably since I've been too caught up in the mundane day-to-day-to-day nothingness that drains one's life away before one even begins to notice until it's too late to reverse the course. So, enough about me, how've you lot been as of late? You sound like you're about to live the novel Fight Club. It's wonderful to hear from you all and know that you're doing so well.
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Torak
poster
Imagination and fantasy are two components of delusion
Posts: 713
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Post by Torak on Jan 9, 2015 19:53:41 GMT -5
Great to see you Senator. My hopes were raised and then dashed when it emerged that the fellow that was found/stalked on facebook didn't turn out to be you and I had become resigned to the fact that the reunion would be without the World Champion. It has a real 'main event' feel to it now.
What have you been doing lately, anyway Sen?
Since my last involvement with ACW I have also fallen out of wrestling (I was on my way out when I was here last) but have gone back to reminisce over what were the peak years for me (99-2003). Things went well at work, gaining a promotion, now starting to turn a bit sour as the managers are starting to screw me and everybody else over. I have at least managed to pick up two qualifications in the last 6 months that may help with job hunting. Otherwise, moved out into my own house, had a housemate for a while (until he moved to San Fran) now I live with my girlfriend and things couldn't be better there. :-)
This topic has made me think, though, that whatever happens after the reunion show, I would like everybody to keep popping in here now and again, just to keep us updated and know that all is well. Maybe AK will even resurface one day and I'd hate to think she'd simply pass by because the place had become a ghost town.
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Post by Thunderkiss on Jan 10, 2015 13:55:50 GMT -5
We never ended things well. I don't like when people change their tunes or take back something they said to try to appease people. That's not me, so I am not going to do it. However, my respect for you and the good times we had far, far overshadows an incident that we had. I am glad to have you back, glad to see you here, because quite frankly, this place wouldn't have lasted long without you. Your fingerprints are all over these pages and it is a testament on how much you meant to people by having your name repeatedly come up during this reunion process.
I can relate to much of what you said about your life, though I will not delve into it because that was never us. Instead, I will talk about pro-wrestling. Everyone here knows I have been extremely synical about everything I have watched since 2002. When you grow up during the best two decades of pro-wrestling, it all goes downhill from there. I will never get it out of my blood completely, which I guess is why I am still here. I watch in spurts now, never full time. WWF is doing some great things and I really enjoyed TNA's relaunch. I spent a great deal of my pro-wrestling time listening to shoot interviews on youtube and podcasts with Austin, Cabana, Piper, Cabana, etc. I just listened to Hogan's interview with Jericho this morning and it was fantastic and my respect for the man is returning. I don't get upset over people I don't know, that is not me, but the Warrior's death last year staggered me in much of the same as Macho's.
It is good to see you here and welcome back.
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Post by BAWSE Train on Jan 11, 2015 18:54:35 GMT -5
We never ended things well. I don't like when people change their tunes or take back something they said to try to appease people. That's not me, so I am not going to do it. However, my respect for you and the good times we had far, far overshadows an incident that we had. I am glad to have you back, glad to see you here, because quite frankly, this place wouldn't have lasted long without you. Your fingerprints are all over these pages and it is a testament on how much you meant to people by having your name repeatedly come up during this reunion process. I can relate to much of what you said about your life, though I will not delve into it because that was never us. Instead, I will talk about pro-wrestling. Everyone here knows I have been extremely synical about everything I have watched since 2002. When you grow up during the best two decades of pro-wrestling, it all goes downhill from there. I will never get it out of my blood completely, which I guess is why I am still here. I watch in spurts now, never full time. WWF is doing some great things and I really enjoyed TNA's relaunch. I spent a great deal of my pro-wrestling time listening to shoot interviews on youtube and podcasts with Austin, Cabana, Piper, Cabana, etc. I just listened to Hogan's interview with Jericho this morning and it was fantastic and my respect for the man is returning. I don't get upset over people I don't know, that is not me, but the Warrior's death last year staggered me in much of the same as Macho's. It is good to see you here and welcome back. "The cruiserweights can cruiser-WAIT brother!"
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Post by Thunderkiss on Jan 11, 2015 19:33:19 GMT -5
We never ended things well. I don't like when people change their tunes or take back something they said to try to appease people. That's not me, so I am not going to do it. However, my respect for you and the good times we had far, far overshadows an incident that we had. I am glad to have you back, glad to see you here, because quite frankly, this place wouldn't have lasted long without you. Your fingerprints are all over these pages and it is a testament on how much you meant to people by having your name repeatedly come up during this reunion process. I can relate to much of what you said about your life, though I will not delve into it because that was never us. Instead, I will talk about pro-wrestling. Everyone here knows I have been extremely synical about everything I have watched since 2002. When you grow up during the best two decades of pro-wrestling, it all goes downhill from there. I will never get it out of my blood completely, which I guess is why I am still here. I watch in spurts now, never full time. WWF is doing some great things and I really enjoyed TNA's relaunch. I spent a great deal of my pro-wrestling time listening to shoot interviews on youtube and podcasts with Austin, Cabana, Piper, Cabana, etc. I just listened to Hogan's interview with Jericho this morning and it was fantastic and my respect for the man is returning. I don't get upset over people I don't know, that is not me, but the Warrior's death last year staggered me in much of the same as Macho's. It is good to see you here and welcome back. "The cruiserweights can cruiser-WAIT brother!" I will always agree with him and Nash on that. They were vanilla midgets. www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dG0ljNCJZk PART 1. www.youtube.com/watch?v=60NZ2IoDqWk PART 2. Hogan starts around 30:00 in both. SO many excellent Piper, Vince, Macho, Warrior, Andre stories.
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Post by The Senator on Jan 11, 2015 21:20:22 GMT -5
One of the nice things about having been away for so long is that most of what would have been bad memories have faded into the ether. As such, only the positive ones come to the forefront of my thoughts concerning our old interactions. I know I have made my fair share of mistakes through the years, some worse than others, as we all have.
So yeah, about that pro wrestling thing. I did tune out entirely for a while, reading up a bit here and there on the periphery of the scene.(mainly scrolling around the PWB a bit) I still follow MMA so I have tried to catch Brock's adventures in WWEville, but that's about been it. If you guys have any recommendations of matches, angles and such to pique my interest back up a bit, that'd be much appreciated.
(Also, I have not kept up with the Japanese scene at all for years, so anything you guys can offer from NJPW or something would be especially nice.)
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Post by Thunderkiss on Jan 11, 2015 21:55:05 GMT -5
One of the nice things about having been away for so long is that most of what would have been bad memories have faded into the ether. As such, only the positive ones come to the forefront of my thoughts concerning our old interactions. I know I have made my fair share of mistakes through the years, some worse than others, as we all have. So yeah, about that pro wrestling thing. I did tune out entirely for a while, reading up a bit here and there on the periphery of the scene.(mainly scrolling around the PWB a bit) I still follow MMA so I have tried to catch Brock's adventures in WWEville, but that's about been it. If you guys have any recommendations of matches, angles and such to pique my interest back up a bit, that'd be much appreciated. (Also, I have not kept up with the Japanese scene at all for years, so anything you guys can offer from NJPW or something would be especially nice.) I like Lesnar, but I have to say it - this run has been complete bullshit. There is part-time and then there is this. In my 30 years of watching wrestling I have never ever seen anything like this; the champ staying at home for over two months. Vince thinks this is good for business, but how can you promote and sell merch for a guy who is hardly there? CM Punk was absolutely right and I don't blame him for quitting. At this point, I would cheer for Cena winning the title from him and that says a lot. As far as the new crop of WWE guys, I like this new bunch over the 2002 class that gave us Orton, Batista, Cena and Lesnar. Out of the Shield bunch I like Moxley the best, though the PG restraints of the WWE is going to hold him back. Miz w/Mizdow is fantastic. Bray Wyatt is awesome and should get the "Undertaker" role for years. Rusev is fantastic but they are already botching him and have made him look weak too much. My major gripe with the WWE since '02 is they never pull the trigger and totally push their best gimmicks, as if they are too afraid of letting them have the spotlight over the "serious" guys. That hasn't changed as I watch the more creative guys like Stardust, Adam Rose, Bo Dallas get pushed to the back of the line. Jeff Jarrett's GWF is supposed to come out next year and is going to promote nothing but wrestling. I am already turned off. TNA is doing that now with a solid "we are wrestling" push. How much of the same thing do we need? Best thing WWE could do is fire their writing team and let wrestlers make their own lines and play their own characters. You don't need a team of 20 plus writers doing a job that used to be done by two people back in the 90's.
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Post by The Senator on Jan 11, 2015 22:23:33 GMT -5
I like Lesnar, but I have to say it - this run has been complete bullshit. There is part-time and then there is this. In my 30 years of watching wrestling I have never ever seen anything like this; the champ staying at home for over two months. Vince thinks this is good for business, but how can you promote and sell merch for a guy who is hardly there? CM Punk was absolutely right and I don't blame him for quitting. At this point, I would cheer for Cena winning the title from him and that says a lot. As far as the new crop of WWE guys, I like this new bunch over the 2002 class that gave us Orton, Batista, Cena and Lesnar. Out of the Shield bunch I like Moxley the best, though the PG restraints of the WWE is going to hold him back. Miz w/Mizdow is fantastic. Bray Wyatt is awesome and should get the "Undertaker" role for years. Rusev is fantastic but they are already botching him and have made him look weak too much. My major gripe with the WWE since '02 is they never pull the trigger and totally push their best gimmicks, as if they are too afraid of letting them have the spotlight over the "serious" guys. That hasn't changed as I watch the more creative guys like Stardust, Adam Rose, Bo Dallas get pushed to the back of the line. Jeff Jarrett's GWF is supposed to come out next year and is going to promote nothing but wrestling. I am already turned off. TNA is doing that now with a solid "we are wrestling" push. How much of the same thing do we need? Best thing WWE could do is fire their writing team and let wrestlers make their own lines and play their own characters. You don't need a team of 20 plus writers doing a job that used to be done by two people back in the 90's. Yeah, that's a big part of what turned me off for good, the whole corporation of the creative process. In the last five to eight years or so, it seemed that WWE became utterly terrified of anything occurring spontaneously on their programs. Even if something like that would happen completely to their benefit, they would still try to manipulate it to look as if it was all according to Vince's plan. The end result is that the show went from the ethos of "anything can happen" to a very jaded "fit the formula" style where anyone who pays attention can call out results for the next major PPV six months ahead of time. I think a large part of the reason for this change is post-Benoit fallout, part of it is Vince's ever-present monomaniacal disposition, and part of it stems from the longstanding culture that WWE bred from their dominance in the industry, and seeming need to latch onto the mainstream pop culture. Of course, the broadening of the internet fanbase and dirtsheet culture from being restricted to the true diehards(the original "smarks") to a slight plurality if not an absolute majority of the regular viewers and arena crowds can hardly be underestimated either. So, before I tl;dr you guys to sleep, I fully agree with TK's advice for WWE, and go for a more naturalistic product.
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Jason Freeman
Competition Judge
Long Island Iced Free
Posts: 3,271
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Post by Jason Freeman on Jan 12, 2015 2:09:07 GMT -5
One of the nice things about having been away for so long is that most of what would have been bad memories have faded into the ether. As such, only the positive ones come to the forefront of my thoughts concerning our old interactions. I know I have made my fair share of mistakes through the years, some worse than others, as we all have. So yeah, about that pro wrestling thing. I did tune out entirely for a while, reading up a bit here and there on the periphery of the scene.(mainly scrolling around the PWB a bit) I still follow MMA so I have tried to catch Brock's adventures in WWEville, but that's about been it. If you guys have any recommendations of matches, angles and such to pique my interest back up a bit, that'd be much appreciated. (Also, I have not kept up with the Japanese scene at all for years, so anything you guys can offer from NJPW or something would be especially nice.) Watch the Shield vs the Wyatts for sure from Elimination Chamber, that match was phenomenal. I also loved Bryan vs Wyatt at Royal Rumble, Bryan vs HHH and Bryan vs Orton vs Batista from WM30. The Survivor Series 5 vs 5 match was pretty fun for what it was IMO. Were you watching in 2013? If you weren't check out Cena vs Punk from Raw in February (Or maybe March, I forget) where the winner faces the Rock at Mania. That match was amazing. As well as Punk vs Lesnar from Summerslam that year and Bryan vs Cena was pretty great too.
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Jason Freeman
Competition Judge
Long Island Iced Free
Posts: 3,271
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Post by Jason Freeman on Jan 12, 2015 15:08:51 GMT -5
Oh yeah and how could I forget some of the awesome stuff from NXT. The whole Sami Zayn saga has been great at all the NXT PPVs. That would be Zayn vs Cesaro from NXT Arrival, Zayn vs Tyler Breeze in the #1 contenders match, Zayn vs Neville vs Breeze vs Kidd for the NXT Championship and finally Zayn vs Neville from NXT REvolution for the NXT Championship.
If you can only watch one watch Zayn vs Neville. It was awesome one of my favorite matches in ages.
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Post by Mark on Jan 12, 2015 19:55:30 GMT -5
One of the nice things about having been away for so long is that most of what would have been bad memories have faded into the ether. As such, only the positive ones come to the forefront of my thoughts concerning our old interactions. I know I have made my fair share of mistakes through the years, some worse than others, as we all have. So yeah, about that pro wrestling thing. I did tune out entirely for a while, reading up a bit here and there on the periphery of the scene.(mainly scrolling around the PWB a bit) I still follow MMA so I have tried to catch Brock's adventures in WWEville, but that's about been it. If you guys have any recommendations of matches, angles and such to pique my interest back up a bit, that'd be much appreciated. (Also, I have not kept up with the Japanese scene at all for years, so anything you guys can offer from NJPW or something would be especially nice.) I haven't been watching it, but from what I've seen, NJPW are pretty much the best alternative to WWE right now. They launched their own version of the WWE Network called NJPW World, which gives you a metric fuckton of matches. Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada have been feuding for the IWGP title on and off for the last couple of years. Their match from Invasion Attack 2013 was phenomenal (no pun intended, as AJ Styles is in NJPW and has practically reinvented himself), and I recommend checking that out if you can. I've also been watching a lot of Ring of Honor on SBG for the past few months (I still have to catch up on some episodes), and I've really been enjoying it. There was a match between the Young Bucks and Daniels/Kazarian that I really enjoyed, and there was another one between Silas Young and Brian Kendrick that's just as good. Sure, the commentary can trail off the subject at times, but it's nowhere near as bad as a typical episode of Raw. I haven't been watching WWE for a long time, but judging from reading the results on Wrestleview, I'm glad I'm not. My faith in the product is pretty much gone thanks to creative and the Vince/Dunn machine. I'll also echo TK's thoughts when I say fuck Lesnar as champion. The SummerSlam match was fun for the squash, but it's been a joke ever since. I'm probably skipping Mania this year, depending on how the Rumble goes. I haven't seen TNA in years, and I have little to no clue what's going on anymore. I also agree with Freeman (hu-whaaa?!) when I say NXT is pretty much the only good thing WWE's got going for it right now. It's a nice blend of good characters and matches, so the two aren't separate from each other.
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