Sports By Schmucks Podcast - Episode 19 (WrestleMania XXX Preview)

Brett, Sean and special guest Tyler talk about WrestleMania XXX. Take a listen to see what they think will go down on the grandaddy of 'em all.

Sports by Schmucks Podcast - Episode 10

We 'bout that action, boss. The Schmucks talk Super Bowl XLVIII, the Winter Olympics and CM Punk leaving WWE. Please like and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

WWE Tables, Ladders, and Chairs 2013

This year the TLC Pay Per View was all built on one match: the unification of both the WWE Title and the World Heavyweight Title. A match eleven years in the making, it was only fitting that it not simply be a normal match. One of this magnitude, like all other matches of extraordinary importance was contested under special rules, in this case (as the title would suggest) a TLC match. It stands as one of my favourite types of matches of all time and the one thing that has endured is the unpredictable nature of such a match, something this main event had a lot of, but more on that later.

3 on 1 Handicap Match: CM Punk vs. The Shield

This was the first match of the evening seeing CM Punk take on the entire team of the Shield, one of the most dominant and impressive teams in a great many years. That match started as one would expect, with Punk’s emotion getting him an early advantage. But as we’ve seen, the power game of Roman Reigns started to wear down Punk in the ring. With that advantage, the Shield used sound tag team strategy, keeping Punk in their corner and using multiple tags to keep each man fresh. When Punk found himself on the outside of the ring, Reigns attempted his devastating spear on the outside, missed, and went sailing into the announce table narrowly missing Cole in the process and injuring his eye. While he was being attended to by the ring doctor, Punk almost defeated Dean Ambrose with the Anaconda Vice submission and with the top rope elbow drop.  Then when attempting the GTS finisher on Ambrose, Punk was interrupted by Rollins who then suffered the GTS himself.  By now Reigns had re-entered the ring and again attempted to spear Punk, but missed and hit Ambrose by accident allowing Punk to pick up a victory with the odds stacked against him.

Divas Championship: Natalya vs. A.J. Lee

During the pre-match interview, A.J. was once again talking trash about the other Divas generally saying how she is better.  Early in the match Natalya was using her submission talents to earn an advantage over the champion, but constant distractions from Tamina on the outside gave A.J. a lot of help. This ultimately led to Natalya finding herself caught in the Black Widow submission, but was able to counter it. When she attempted her second Sharpshooter of the match, A.J. grabbed a handful of hair and turned it into a roll-up pin, getting her the win.

Intercontinental Championship: Damien Sandow vs. Big E. Langston

Before the match, Sandow got on the microphone and proceeded to make fun of the crowd, essentially referring to them as country rubes (he didn’t use that word but I’m trying to bring it back) since they were in Texas. Langston’s power game got him an advantage early on, but Sandow turned it around with the help of the ring post, and he got several near falls out of it. In the end Sandow did all he could, but when Langston lowered them straps it was all over. Langston retained his title in what I thought was a pretty good match.

Tag Team Championship: Real Americans, Rey Mysterio and Big Show, Rybaxel, and the Rhodes Brothers

This was a Fatal Four-way elimination match for the titles, so simply put, when a member of the team is pinned, that team is eliminated. The first to be eliminated was the team of Ryback and Curtis Axel, known as Rybaxel, a team name I hate more every time I hear it (thanks JBL). With them out of the way, it was time for the Real Americans to shine, specifically Antonio Cesaro who got to show off his impressive strength. When he hit the Cesaro Swing on Goldust, he got quite the ovation, and Cody had to save the match for his team. After Goldust had been isolated for quite a while, with Cody on the floor, he tagged in Big Show who then delivered the knock-out punch to both Cesaro and Swagger, which saw them eliminated. It was now time for Rey Mysterio to enter the match and go on a flurry of offense. After Big Show went head first into the ring post, Mysterio attempted a 619 on Cody, who managed to counter into the Cross Roads finisher, retaining their titles. Personally I would like to have seen the Real American win the tag titles, because I think it’s about time they had one. I feel they’ve been slightly underutilized and that we as an audience would all benefit from hearing Zeb Colter talk a little bit more.

R-Truth vs. Brodus Clay

This match was a result of Brodus Clay’s slow heel turn as a result of Xavier Woods (who accompanied Truth to the ring) stealing his gimmick. Tensai kept interrupting the match to try to reason with Brodus, which lead to Tensai and the Funkadactyls leaving the ring and the distraction lead to a roll-up pin by Truth for the win.

The Miz vs. Kofi Kingston

This “impromptu” match came on the heels of a fight between the two during the pre-show when the Miz, as part of the expert panel, used his opportunity to trash talk Kingston. Kingston came out, it came to fisticuffs, and this match was made. Kofi went for Trouble In Paradise on the outside and accidentally kicked the ring post instead of Miz, giving Miz an extended advantage. At one point Miz exposed the turnbuckle, but it came back to bite him when Kingston sent him head first into the turnbuckle and hitting the Trouble In Paradise on the second try, earning Kingston a win. I was hoping this rivalry would see either Kingston or Miz turn heel, because honestly, they aren’t doing anything else. Kingston usually gets beat up in every match, which is fine for a time, but after a while it gets old. Time will tell where this story line goes.

3 on 1 Handicap Match: Daniel Bryan vs. The Wyatt Family

This match comes off the heels of Daniel Bryan being asked to join the Wyatt Family, an offer he refused. This match saw Bryan get beaten down for pretty much the entire thing. He did his best to fight back with his kicks, but overall he had very little offense until the closing moments of the match. When it all started to break down, Bryan was able to separate all three Wyatts, got some more kicks in, dove through the ropes to send Harper into the announce table. When Bryan attempted the Yes Lock, Bray Wyatt was able to use his strength to counter into his finisher, earning the Wyatt’s a win. I found this match to be quite entertaining, including a crab walk by Bray Wyatt and several more attempts at recruiting Bryan. I would love to see Bryan join the Wyatt family. He already has the facial hair to match them and if he isn’t going to be in the title hunt anymore, then he needs to do something. Also they could call themselves the Bryatt Family (maybe not the best name but still better than Rybaxel).

Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Match for the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships: John Cena vs. Randy Orton

This match was “11 years in the making” (in quotations since that statement was uttered constantly) and saw two of the biggest names square off. The match itself was back and forth. Both men had advantages with ladders and chairs (the tables would come into play later in the match). Both took turns getting beat with a steel chair and hit with a ladder. Orton was the first man to go through the table set up on the outside, but recovered quick enough to knock Cena off the ladder and hit the RKO. When the match went outside again, Cena hit Orton twice in the head with the steel steps, but Orton again recovered and went all Brad Maddox on Cena and beat him in the head with the microphone. He then attempted the patented Punt, but Cena countered into an Attitude Adjustment through the Spanish announce table (you’d think those guys would learn to sit somewhere else). Cena then climbed the ladder to the belts and got high enough to grab the apparatus holding the belts up when Orton recovered again and took the ladder out from under Cena leaving him suspended in the air. After Orton hit a dangling Cena with a chair to knock him down, Cena recovered enough to spear Orton through the table leaning in the corner of the ring. After Orton had again put Cena on the ground, he went outside the ring and produced a set of handcuffs and cuffed Cena to the bottom rope. Orton had all but won, but Cena was able to unscrew the rope from the ring post, climbed the ladder with the rope in tow, and hit Orton in the head knocking him off the ladder.  Orton regained his composure before Cena could grab the belts and pulled Cena off the ladder with the rope to land head first into the other table leaning in the corner. This allowed Randy Orton to ascend the ladder and grab both title belts and become the Unified Champion.

Overall Thoughts

I thought this was a pretty entertaining pay-per-view. Sure the Brodus Clay match didn’t really belong here and the Miz-Kingston match felt more like something I’d see on RAW, but the matches moved along smoothly without much filler in between (something I’d gotten used to). Personally I was very happy with the end of the main event, although I thought for sure something, anything, was going to happen to affect the outcome of the match. It was a clean match all the way through and never eased off the suspense meter. Up next is my favourite event of the year, the Royal Rumble and I look forward to seeing what comes next as the Road to Wrestlemania begins.

WWE Payback 2013 Preview

This Sunday, the WWE launches the Payback pay-per-view in Chicago. It is the first time this event will be held, taking over from No Way Out. There is a big card for the event, including several matches reigniting previously stalled rivalries - hence the name. So, who will get their Payback on Sunday? Let's take a look, match by match.

Pre-show: Damien Sandow vs. Sheamus
The segments between Sandow and Sheamus have been pretty entertaining so far. Both combatants have shown strength in the feud, with Sandow recently getting the upper hand with some post-match attacks. Personally, I'm a fan of Sandow. He is great on the mic, especially with his gimmick. Plus, he can hold his own in the ring. I think it's just a matter of time before he starts getting some important feuds, possibly for a mid-card title first. Sheamus is a good start, but the match was relegated to the pre-show. For that reason, I think Sheamus gets the win. Giving the face the win before the show will get the crowd into it for the pay-per-view.

Divas Champion Kaitlyn vs. AJ Lee
This match-up seemed like it was just going to happen with no build up. AJ won the right to challenge a couple of months back, but nothing came of it. The secret admirer angle was a great way to get some renewed interest in the match, without having to force too much. It actually made sense when AJ revealed it was all a hoax. While Kaitlyn has been down the last couple of weeks thanks to the reveal and attacking a referee, I think her time as champion will end. It'll be a nice storyline to have a new power couple in Ziggler (more on that in a minute) and AJ Lee both holding titles. How long until Big E gets some gold around his waist?

United States Champion Dean Ambrose vs. Kane
Ever since The Shield debuted, I've been a huge fan of Ambrose. He's done extremely well on the mic, portraying himself as the vocal leader of the stable. Ambrose has also looked strong in single matches against top competition like the Undertaker and Randy Orton. That's why I don't see him losing his title so quickly. Kane will help the continued push of Ambrose and the rest of The Shield (more on that later as well). Ambrose picks up the win here, possibly with some outside interference leading to some mayhem in the tag team match later in the night.

Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett vs. The Miz vs. Curtis Axel
Before the injury to Fandango, I thought he would win the title hands down. There seems to be a huge push behind him, and giving him gold would only add to that. Now, this is a bit more confusing. If you look at IGN writer Matt Fowler's reverse momentum logic, Wade Barrett should walk away with the title. He lost to Curtis Axel on Smackdown. After the match, The Miz laid out Axel with a SCF. But what purpose does Barrett holding the IC Title have? The company is in need of some top heels and Barrett could start his rise to the top. He would create some new title match opportunities as opposed to the same matches the WWE Universe has seen rehashed over the last year. So, after all of that, I think The Miz holds the title. He can feud with Axel and Fandango for the time being, maybe even bringing Antonio Cesaro back into the mix. This frees up Barrett to start challenging for world championships.

WWE Tag Team Champions Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton & Daniel Bryan
As I mentioned earlier, if there is interference in the Ambrose/Kane match, I expect some to be in this match too. It will be the official break up of Team Hell No at Payback, leading to a feud between Bryan and Kane. Why is Randy Orton here? What else has he been able to do lately? He's not in any title picture, but he has to do something as one of the company's top draws. So, I don't see how The Shield drops the tag titles under any circumstances, especially after being submitted for the first time on Friday's Smackdown. The most notable thing to come out of this will be a Bryan/Kane feud that will continue the huge push of Daniel Bryan back into the world title picture.

Chris Jericho vs. CM Punk
This will be the match of the night. Punk, after taking some time off, will come out firing in his hometown to the roaring approval of the Chicago faithful. Jericho is the perfect opponent for the returning Punk, especially with Y2J picking up some wins over the last few weeks. It will be important for Punk to look strong and pick up the win here to get back as the company's top heel. He had a fantastic match against the Undertaker, but his absence since 'Mania has left a void. Look for him to regain that against Jericho, especially since Jericho is probably leaving again for the summer.

World Heavyweight Champion Dolph Ziggler vs. Alberto Del Rio
Like I mentioned before, with a win from Ziggler and AJ, they will form another of WWE's classic power couples. Ziggler, who has been out with a concussion, has yet to defend his title. After missing so much time, it will be important for his character to come out and look like a champion. It works out extremely well that he has facing Alberto Del Rio, with whom Ziggler has had some classic TV matches. I don't see why that trend will end at this pay-per-view, but think Ziggler will have the advantage. He'll keep the title around his waste, opening up for some new challengers. Daniel Bryan anyone?

WWE Champion John Cena vs. Ryback (Three Stages of Hell Match)
To be completely honest, I have no interest in this match. I fell asleep during their Last Man Standing match at Extreme Rules. It's hard to see Cena losing this, especially with how Ryback has been shown as a dominant monster with the use of tables. It will probably break down like this: Ryback will win the Lumberjack Match, then Cena will win the Tables Match and the Ambulance Match. It wil reinforce Cena as the man who can fight off the disadvantage. Plus, Ryback has used tables so much in the build up to this match that he can't possibly win that portion of the three stages.

So, there you have some predictions for the match. Agree or disagree? Sound off below or let us know on Twitter.

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Forget the Road to Wrestlemania. It's the Road to the Royal Rumble!

Before I start, let's get this out of the way. Some people might not say wrestling is a sport. Who cares? It's called "sports entertainment", right? So, I'm going to talk about it.

Back to the talk.

The ending to this week's Monday Night Raw was fantastic. For those of you who didn't see it, CM Punk dropped another "pipe bomb" about the relation of status in the company to popularity with the fans. The obvious connections were made, like Ryback recently receiving a huge push because he got over with the fans. He attacked the gimmicks assigned to superstars like Daniel Bryan and Brodus Clay.

But it all came to a head when Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson made his most recent return to WWE programming, 20 days before his title shot at the Royal Rumble. The Rock did his usual routine of "Finally..." and "It doesn't matter..." that pumped up the crowd in Tampa Bay.

The best part of all of this: Punk was able to hang with Rocky on the mic. Some, like myself, believe Punk won the war of the words.

This sets up a fantastic lead up to the Royal Rumble on January 27. Two of the best talkers in the business in a feud together. The tension was demonstrated during the confrontation that closed Raw. The crowd was silent for almost every word that Punk spoke. They were hanging on his every word, much like I was watching it on TV. It didn't feel one-sided like many of the Cena/Rock promos heading into Wrestlemania XXVIII.

The Royal Rumble is always one of my favourite pay-per-views. With this being the only match scheduled so far, I'm already getting excited about this one.

Let me know what you're looking forward to heading into The Rumble.