Posted in: Hustle Is Posting Right Now Hustle Is Posting Right Now: Volume 34 ("Black History" Edition)
By Hustle
Feb 20, 2009 - 9:11:18 PM
Good lookin out, Noc. You're a beast with the sigs.
"It ain't hard to tell I excel, then prevail.."
This week's intro line is brought to us by Nasir Jones, better known to the world as Nas. I gets busy, and please believe that I handles my bidness. Welcome back to yet another edition of the column that is recommended by four out of five dentists.. Hustle Is Posting Right Now. If this is HIPRN, then.. you guessed it.. that makes me the columnist who is on a mission to take over the entire world, one dentist at a time.. indeed, ya boy, Hustle, has just stepped back into the building one mo gen. It's another beautiful day in sunny Hawaii, which is no surprise. I hope everyone's making their day beautiful, in one way or another, wherever you happen to be right now. I don't want to waste any more of my money, so, uh, I think it's about that time. Shall I proceed? (Yes, indeed.) Less dew eet!!
*Disclaimer* This column contains some sensitive racial remarks, as well as subject matter, so be warned if you're offended by things such as the "N-Word", the subject of slavery, or anything else along those lines. The usage of these words and topics goes along with the overall column itself, and isn't just in there for shock value, comedy, or whatever other reason they'd be included in a column. I just wanted to throw it out there beforehand, to try and ease things a tiny bit if people do happen to get offended. If you are offended, I do apologize, and just know that it wasn't my intention to go out and offend people. Again, be warned.*Disclaimer*
Professional wrestling has been referred to as a "male soap opera".
It's a place where many people can go to get away from their problems in everyday life, and just try to have a little bit of fun. Those people aren't always fans, as the performers themselves can use the sport as a vehicle to escape reality, even for a few short moments. Not every performer has been that lucky, however. Some are unable to escape their "real-life" problems, but continue stepping through the curtains on a nightly basis, anyway.
Robert McGee is one of those people. Better known by his wrestling name, "Sweet" Bobby McGee, he was one of the very first African-American wrestlers to ply his craft in the United States. Born in North Carolina in 1927 to parents who were poor and barely literate, McGee began fighting at a young age.
"Because I was always tall and well-built for my age, the other kids in my town would look at it as some sort of badge of honor to be the one to take me down in a fight. I would always go up against other kids my age in bareknuckle boxing matches, but that eventually became bareknuckle boxing matches against guys much older than I was, as well." McGee says.
Standing at 6 feet 4 inches tall, and weighing between 210 and 220 pounds, McGee was an impressive physical specimen, and thanks to helping his father on the farm, had put serious musculature on his frame from an early age. Most of the boxing matches he participated in were over just as soon as they started, and on more than one occasion, were won with a single punch. While he won his fights in impressive fashion, and in turn made other people a nice amount of money because they were gambling on the fights, both on their own and through local bookies, he never saw a dime of that money for himself.
"I was out there fighting people whenever and wherever other people wanted me to, without any of the training and preparation that the proper professional fighters were doing, and I was doing it for free. I didn't see any of the money that I won for other people. My parents didn't see any of the money. My family tree is full of people who lived their whole lives as nothing more than slaves, and here I was, in no better a situation than any of them." McGee says, his voice rising above its usual soothing tone to reveal years of pent-up anger and frustration on the subject.
William Johnson was one of the first people to watch McGee fight, and he saw something special in him from the very start. He went out of his way to attend several of McGee's fights, becoming more and more impressed each time. He saw a raw young teenager who fought with style and had his own flair that he brought to a fight, and the best part about it was that he crafted it himself.
"I used to hear my father talking about Bobby McGee all the time" says Nick Johnson, William's oldest son. "He'd be telling his friends, or even my mother, about this young African-American teenager who was bareknuckle boxing all comers, and then beating them so badly that he made some of his grown adult opponents cry like little children."
William Johnson owned and operated a small wrestling promotion that worked in the Carolinas, and one night, he was sitting at the dinner table when an idea hit him.. he would attend Bobby McGee's next fight, and would see if McGee would like to start training to become a professional wrestler. It was an idea that was sure to stir up its fair share of negative emotions in a time and place where racial tension was unbelievably strong. The United States were in the middle of World War 2 at the time, and in the southern states, the friction between whites and blacks was at an uncomfortable high. Before Johnson could get to McGee, though, he needed to get to McGee's parents.
Harvey and Hattie Mae McGee both understood racial tension very well, as their parents were all slaves in the Carolinas. They had been witness to countless events that would shock even the most schooled racial historian. Now, they were facing a new situation, with a strange white man in their home, trying to convince them to allow their son to sign a contract with them so that he could become a pro wrestler.
"It was a tough spot for my father to be in, because he had no bad intentions, but for those who didn't know any better, it may not have come across that way." Nick said.
"My mama thought this man was sitting in her living room, trying to buy her son from right out underneath her. My parents were both farm workers, and they grew up having to work, not allowing themselves the opportunity for proper education. They didn't have a clue about things like contracts and all that. Mr Johnson may very well have been speaking Chinese to them, 'cause they would've understood him all the same." McGee remembers.
Eventually, William Johnson was able to get both Harvey and Hattie Mae to sign the contract, giving their son permission to begin his training. Johnson added to the contract after they signed it, putting in promises to pick up and drop off Bobby, as his parents didn't drive. He wasn't able to pay the family much, but he did provide them with what equaled to a "signing bonus" of sorts, providing them with fresh beef and chicken on a weekly basis, straight from his own father's butcher shop.
"I don't think either one of my parents really knew what they were getting themselves into, but money was tough back then, so to be getting an extra paycheck, as well as the beef and the chicken, was enough for them to sign on the dotted line. I had heard people talking about wrestling before, but I didn't really understand what it was and just how different it was from the type of fighting I was used to." McGee says.
On the eve of McGee's first training session with Johnson's Carolina Wrestling Alliance, Johnson held a meeting with the rest of the people involved with the company, from the other wrestlers to the referees to the people who set the ring up before each show. He felt they should all know that an African-American would be working with them from now on. The conversation had never come up before, so he had no idea if anybody would be against the idea, and if so, how much of a problem there might possibly be.
"He actually asked us if any of us were members of the KKK, or if we'd have problems working with a black teenager. He told us about the kid's fighting skills, and his ideas for what he thought the kid could bring to our company. There were a handful of the guys who immediately refused to work with this kid. For one reason or another, they simply wanted nothing to do with having to share a locker room with a black man. That was their problem to deal with. Me? I had no issue with it. If he came in here and was serious about being a wrestler, I wouldn't have cared if William Johnson had hired a giraffe to work with us." says Charlie Haggard, who wrestled under the moniker of "The Masked Mississippian".
For the wrestlers that were opposed to working with McGee, Johnson pulled them to the side to try and convince them that it wouldn't be as bad as they were thinking. When all else failed, Johnson just made sure so that those wrestlers wouldn't have to actually get into the ring with McGee, but would allow him to join the wrestling fraternity. The next morning, Johnson and McGee arrived at the Armory in Parkton, North Carolina to begin McGee's training.
"I truly and honestly didn't know what to expect when I stepped into that building. Obviously, I was used to being discriminated against because of the color of my skin, but these were guys who now had to work with me. I wasn't just some random nigger that they would see at the store. I didn't know if they would be threatened by that idea." McGee says.
"You ever seen movies where there's a bar or something where a jukebox is playing, and when someone walks into the place, the music just stops immediately and everyone's eyes are focused on the door? That's almost how it was when Bobby McGee walked into the Armory that morning. It was a surreal thing to be involved with. Here was this black kid, not even 18 years old at the time, and as scared as the day is long, standing in the doorway while a couple dozen white men in their 20s, 30s, and 40s just stared at him. The fact that he didn't turn around and run home screaming at that moment is a solid indication of the type of character Bobby has deep down inside." recalls Haggard.
Over the next few days, every morning would be the same thing, with Johnson and McGee arriving at the Armory together, and everyone expecting the teen to wish he was anywhere but the Armory and just leave. He stuck around, though, and he trained. He trained, and he started picking up on things rather quickly. He already had quite the nice mix of height, weight, athleticism, and strength, which placed him ahead of several men who had been working for the CWA for years at that point. Eager to fit in, McGee was a hungry learner, wanting to pick up as much of the craft as he could in an effort to show his peers that he was just like them.
"Bobby was truly gifted. He had a physique that a lot of guys would've killed for, and although he didn't ask a lot of questions, it was obvious that he was running through things in his head whenever you'd teach him something." Haggard says.
Parkton was an incredibly small town, and wrestling was big all throughout the area, so word that a black man was training to become a wrestler had traveled quickly, both in Parkton, as well as in other towns nearby.
"One day, the KKK paid my father a visit while we were sitting at the dinner table. A few Klansmen wanted to talk to him about getting this black man out of wrestling. My father agreed to talk to them in the next room, trying to avoid letting the rest of the family hear the conversation, but we could still hear the Klansmen throwing around numerous racial slurs and making veiled threats of violence towards Bobby and his family if my father continued to let him wrestle. After they were finished, my father thanked them for their time, and he showed them to the door." Nick Johnson revealed.
McGee's first match as a pro wrestler took place in September of 1945. Nearly the entire town of Parkton was in attendance that evening. Some were there to cheer McGee, and some were there to boo him, but they were mostly there to see what type of sideshow the event would turn into. One special person wasn't in attendance, however.
"My mama had gotten ill a few days before my first match, and she didn't have much time left. I told her that I would quit my training so that I could be by her side and get her back to full health again, but she wanted no part of that idea. She knew I had been working hard, and she didn't want me to throw that away over something I couldn't help. Then, on the morning of my first match, my mama passed away at the age of 51 years old. I was devastated." McGee says.
McGee knew he still needed to wrestle that night, even with his mother's passing earlier in the day. It was going to be a very stressful time, anyway, so he figured that he might as well go on with it. Upon his arrival at the Armory late that afternoon, he was greeted by a few of the other wrestlers in the CWA who offered condolences to him and the rest of his family. It was one of the first truly nice things any of the fellow wrestlers did for him during the entire time he was training with them. Before he knew it, however, it was time for his big match.
"I heard it all on my way to the ring that night. Someone had called me a nigger. I was called a coon. I had people tell me that I should leave now, or I'd pay for it after the show. I saw people who were known members of the Klan. While it was a lot to deal with, the unfortunate thing is that it was nothing I wasn't expecting. Hell, it was nothing I hadn't already dealt with in my time on earth at that point. As a black man in the south back in those days, people would try to break your spirit every single day. I've seen a lot of people crumble under that kind of pressure." says McGee.
He wrestled a quick match, going up against another relative newcomer to the business, but McGee picked up the victory, which did nothing to change the crowd's response. Those who were there to cheer him went ahead and cheered him. Those who were there to boo him went ahead and booed him. Those who were there to witness the sideshow were witnessing the sideshow. When he was dropped off at home after the show, however, McGee found a noose on his front porch. There was no note to accompany the noose, but the message was crystal clear.
"I couldn't let stupid things like that get to me. If you let the little things bother you, what chance do you have when actual problems take place in your life?" McGee said, his voice full of pride and defiance.
Over the next several weeks, McGee continued to wrestle, and he continued to receive various threats towards his physical well-being and even his life. Johnson was concerned for his young employee, but knew he couldn't stop the kid if he wanted to continue doing what he was doing.
"The Klan didn't stop on their mission. They continued speaking with my father about getting Bobby McGee out of wrestling. It was different, though, because they usually followed through on their threats, and they'd act out if they didn't get their way, but not this time. They continued threatening McGee, his friends, and his family, but it seemed like idle threats. They didn't do anything about McGee. They talked and talked, while he wrestled and wrestled. Who knows? Maybe they were secretly fans of the guy?" Nick Johnson wonders.
Although he never went on to achieve world-wide fame, McGee's story is still an incredibly successful one. Against some of the strongest odds that one could face at the time, he accomplished things nobody could've expected from him. In early 1945, McGee injured his leg, but continued wrestling. When his father fell ill a few short months later, McGee had no choice but to cut back on his wrestling so that he could tend to the family farm and help his father out. Eventually, he gave up on wrestling altogether, although he would make special appearances when Johnson really needed him to. He was only a pro wrestler for a very short time, but it was one of the more eventful careers in wrestling, especially at that time. The current World Wrestling Entertainment United States Champion, Shelton Benjamin, grew up in Orangeburg, South Carolina and he remembers the impact that Bobby McGee had on people in the Carolinas.
"When people think about pro wrestling in North Carolina, South Carolina, and the surrounding areas, they'll definitely think of names like Ric Flair, Wahoo McDaniel, Ricky Steamboat, and Johnny Valentine. Below that level, though, the name Bobby McGee runs deep in the Carolinas. Without Bobby McGee, there might not be a lot of African-Americans in the world of pro wrestling, myself included. He really was a trail blazer, and he's worthy of any accolade he's ever received." Benjamin said.
"If people gain anything from my story, I want it to be hope. I want it to be determination. If they set their mind to something, they shouldn't let the bad intentions of other people stop them. Time and time again, you're going to face adversity in your life, but you have to find the inner strength to overcome that adversity. I'm not trying to preach, but you young people can't let other folks get in the way of your hopes and dreams." McGee tells us.
Professional wrestling has been referred to as a "male soap opera". Every soap opera has someone to root for. In this type of soap opera, "Sweet" Bobby McGee is one of those people.
As of the exact minute I type this, we're just slightly over six hours removed from No Way Out, and, like most people, I came out of the pay-per-view with a whole lot to say. From the very beginning, you could just tell something different was in the air. At the time, I couldn't tell if it was a "good different" or a "bad different". Just for fun, I'll even provide my ratings for each of the matches we got to see. Why? Because I can, and because it takes up a bit more room, making the column seem a bit longer than it really is. Think of it like this column's version of stuffing a pair of socks in your pants.
WWE Title Elimination Chamber
When it was announced that the WWE Title Elimination Chamber would open up the show, my jaw nearly hit the floor. It was a match for, arguably, the biggest title in pro wrestling, and it featured four of the biggest names in pro wrestling.. yet it was the "curtain jerk" match of a pay-per-view?? Wow. Storyline-wise, things would make a bit more sense once the night was over, but in an overall sense, it still didn't make a whole lot of sense. The match itself was really good, though. I think all six men involved in the match put on really good performances in whatever role they had during the match itself, and the crowd was definitely excited and roaring to go from bell-to-bell. Triple H and The Undertaker put on a helluva mini-match once they were the final two men left in the Chamber. Everyone knew that Trips would be champion again sooner than later, so having him win here wasn't too offensive or anything, although I don't agree with giving him the title here as being the best option the company could've went in. With the results of the main event, Triple H winning the WWE Title here seems like a secondary story to the shock value of the other title change, when it should've been a bigger deal.
Match Rating: 4.25 (out of 5)
Shane McMahon VS Randy Orton
Having Shane McMahon VS Randy Orton as the second match of the night was another surprising move, in my opinion. The match was everything, positive and negative, I expected it to be. Shane always tries one or two wild spots during his matches, and he always ends up with far too much offense for most people's liking. Sure enough, he jumped off the top turnbuckle and went straight through an announce table on the outside, and he also hit the Van Shaneinator on Cody Rhodes. He also was single-handedly kicking the asses of Orton, Rhodes, and Ted DiBiase.. at the same time.. again.. for a large percentage of the match. He also ended up losing the match, as most people expected. Yes, the ending was done quite nicely, with Orton once again hitting the RKO out of nowhere, but for someone who is supposed to be the #1 Contender for either the WWE Title or the World Title, Orton was booked to look like a midcard talent for far too long, which took away from the overall enjoyment of the match, in my opinion. Let Randy Orton actually look like Randy Orton, and this would probably have another .5 of a star added to the total, and maybe even .75 of a star added.
Match Rating: 2.5 (out of 5)
Jack Swagger VS Finlay
I don't know a single person that was really looking forward to the ECW Title match, but to be perfectly honest, it served its purpose quite nicely. Sure, that purpose was to let everyone recharge a bit for the final two big matches, but damnit all to hell, the purpose was served nonetheless. The one thing I got out of the match was that Finlay will probably be turning heel in the somewhat-near future, as he's had a few matches in recent memory where Hornswoggle indirectly cost him to get pinned for one reason or another. It would appear to make sense that he would snap one day and take it out on Lil Horny (you know, that didn't sound right). We'll see. One final note.. I was pretty surprised that Christian didn't make an appearance, even coming out to sarcastically applaud Jack Swagger after he won the match. I would've liked to see Christian's return momentum get taken advantage of, especially with the live crowd loudly chanting for him immediately after the match started, but I guess I can't have everything I want.
Match Rating: 1.5 (out of 5)
Shawn Michaels VS JBL
When Shawn Michaels' wife was shown in the crowd wearing a BeBe tank top, I turned to my left and told "C" that it appeared as if the family wasn't doing too bad financially, as that isn't exactly a brand you can find at Wal-Mart. Since the show ended, I've seen comments along those lines on two different sites from readers giving their own feedback on the show. While the outcome of the Michaels/JBL match wasn't exactly tough to see coming, it was still a fine and dandy match. My only real problem is the fact that Rebecca clearly hit JBL, while the Referee was looking directly at them, and it technically should've ended the match, with JBL winning by disqualification. Other than that, I don't really have any complaints about this one. JBL is a perfectly serviceable worker when he doesn't have to carry too much of the workload, and Shawn Michaels is.. well.. Shawn Michaels. This match definitely helped win a lot of the crowd back that was lost from the previous bout. I do think this storyline could've been stretched out a bit more, but I'm still glad to see it where it is now, because HBK needs to be given one final run in the main spotlight before it's all over for him.
Match Rating: 3.25 (out of 5)
World Title Elimination Chamber
Before I even bother going on with the review of the main event, let me just say this.. I'm pissed about the outcome, but it has nothing to do with the fact that John Cena lost the World Title (well, it didn't have anything directly to do with it, anyway). The first thing that pissed me off is the fact that Kofi Kingston was removed from the match, and I was really excited about seeing some of the things he'd be able to pull off in the confines of the Elimination Chamber, as well as the fact that this could've very well been his introduction to a possible main event level run in the future. The next thing that pissed me off was the fact that the outcome of the match was 100% obvious from the second Edge barricaded himself in one of the pods. The final thing that pissed me off was some of the reactions from people about Edge's win. As I've stated on many occasions, I have no problem with people disliking John Cena, as long as they dislike him for things that he has anything to do with, and as long as they hold him to the same standards as everyone else. What that means is that I have zero problem if you say "John Cena can't wrestle", as that's something that he can always take into his own hands and do something about, but if you say "John Cena wins too much", it's ridiculous because he has nothing to do with who wins and who loses matches. As for holding him to the same standards, it's simple.. whatever your reasoning for disliking him, you can't turn around and like someone else who has the exact same trait which you dislike about Cena. This is the exact part that upset me about Edge becoming the new World Champion. A lot of the same people who think Cena is "predictable" or "wins too often" are cheering for Edge, who is now on pace to end his career with just over 12,000 title reigns, and who has used shenaniganery to win them all. They also piss on Cena hitting people with moves they feel aren't "believable", and yet cheer a 240-ish-pound Edge when he hits a Spear on Big Show, who doubles his weight, and takes Show down as if he were Michael Cole. Some of you know that I'm speaking about you, and you need to realize just how full of shit your reasoning is. I'm always going to be here to call people on their shit, and this is no different. It just baffles me that people can have reasons to hate any other wrestler, alive or dead, and their reasoning for hating them are legit and make sense in their own way, but when it comes to Cena, they're just throwing a dart at the wall and hoping it sticks. Anyway, as for the match itself, I enjoyed it. Not as much as the other Elimination Chamber match, but it was still good. Rey Mysterio gets the award for "Best Performance Of The Night" (I don't know if I'd go as far as DaveyBoy did in his most recent column, though, as he called it "one of the best individual showings" he's seen since 2002, but it might just be right at that level). He bumped his ass off for every other competitor in the match, and he got up close and personal with the bulletproof plexiglass that encapsulated the pods on more than one occasion. He's on such a roll these days that I almost (and by "almost", I mean almost) see him getting another World Title run for him before he retires, whenever that may be. That's a different story for a different column, though. Again, this match was good, and it had some very fun moments, but I really don't like the idea of giving Edge the title yet again, as he shouldn't have lost the WWE Title to begin with.
Match Rating: 3.75 (out of 5)
Writer's Note: While it wasn't the best episode of Raw I've ever seen, it still went a long way to get me even more excited about WrestleMania 25. The Undertaker putting "The Streak" on the line against "Mr WrestleMania" himself, Shawn Michaels? Yes, please. Triple H defending the WWE Title against Randy Orton, after Orton has now laid out damn near everyone on earth with the last name of McMahon? Yes, please. On top of all that, Rey Mysterio continued his hot streak, and Roddy Piper cut one of the best promos of his entire career (and one of the best promos I've heard anywhere in a long, long time). Seriously, of every single thing that happened on Raw, Piper's promo may have been the highlight. Piper, in recent years, has been known for being a bit of a mess when he has a live mic in his hands. He'll ramble, lose focus, and just seem like he's focusing more on trying to be funny than actually get a point across, but when he was face-to-face with Chris Jericho, it was like a brand new "Hot Rod" out there. I actually found myself getting close to becoming emotional as he told us how he felt about the message behind "The Wrestler", and what the movie was trying to tell the people watching it. I applaud you, Roddy Piper. Thank you for that promo. It was a breath of fresh air, and it was definitely needed. Thank you, as well, to Chris Jericho for continuing to be an absolutely amazing heel with his reaction to Piper's promo. Great work by both men.
Writer's Note Part Deux: A-Fraud aka A-Roid is even more full of shit than most people originally thought. Watching his joke of a press conference was like masturbating with a chainmail glove.. irritating, painful, and just an overall big mistake. When you've backed yourself into a corner with your lies and stories, it shows an amazing lack of sense (or an amazing amount of cockiness) to continue lying, this time in a press conference that millions of people will see, either live or played throughout various television stations for God knows how long. Apparently Rodriguez has no sense (or is one of the cockiest fucks walking), because he just continues to lie, and is now contradicting himself and things he personally said only a week earlier. He's already admitted to taking steroids, which is a nice start, but he needs to man up and be truthful about what he took, why he took it, and why he stopped taking it. Every single day for the past few days, something else has come out to show just how dishonest this guy has been with the public recently. He has now tarnished his reputation beyond all repair, and it's nobody's fault but his own. He chokes under pressure as it is, so as a Yankees hater, I can't wait to see how he performs now, with the brightest spotlight of his entire career shining brightly on him. Would it really shock people if he's batting a little over .200 and struggling to find his power a month or so into the season? It wouldn't shock me, I'll say that much right now.
Writer's Note Part Ekolu: Because I just saw a story about it on ESPN, I'll mention it here.. if my San Francisco 49ers sign Michael Vick, I'll have ZERO problem with it, on one condition.. that he isn't signed to be the starting Quarterback and #1 guy. If he's brought in to help with some sort of a "Wildcat" offense, I'd be tremendously excited about it. Hell, he can also be used as a Running Back, to be a change-of-pace guy to Frank Gore, who could definitely use a bit of help in the backfield to take some of the wear and tear off of his body. As a starting QB, Vick wasn't top-notch before he went to jail, so there's no reason to think he'd be top-notch after all this time away from the game. Not having All-Pro caliber receivers to throw to damn sure wouldn't help his cause any, as evidenced by his play in Atlanta when they had receiving corps that were average-at-best. Coach Mike Singletary has hinted that the team isn't opposed to signing Vick, unlike the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have said they will not bring Vick in. Vick has done everything that was required of him by a court of law, and he has paid his debt to society. In a country where second chances are often given to people who rape and murder other people, a second chance is damn sure owed to a man who masterminded a dogfighting ring and was responsible for the slaughter of a handful of those dogs. Some of you animal rights people make me sick with the way you've been overreacting to this story since the moment it became news. I love dogs, but let's be real here, ladies and germs.. killing dogs <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< drug offenses, DUI-related manslaughter, domestic violence, and any of the long list of offenses that other NFL players are allowed to have on their records as they continue to play. Any team that signs Vick, as long as it's as a "specialty" player, will be glad they did. As a bonus, he'll be available at a cheap price, as his contract will undoubtedly be for a very small amount, perhaps the league minimum, with clauses that would then escalate the total value if he meets the requirements and can stay out of trouble. If he succeeds, you signed him for cheap. If he fails, it didn't cost you much at all. Sounds like a nice situation to be in. Yes, I understand there are people within the 49ers organization that have said the team has no plans to even speak with Vick, let alone sign him to a deal, but at the same time, I don't believe much of anything these Fat Cats say until something does or doesn't happen, because it's all about not tipping your hand to the rest of the teams in the league. Do I think Vick ends up as a 49er? No, I don't, but the possibility is there, and damnit, that's enough for me to speak on the subject.
Writer's Note Part Quattro: Seriously, WWE? Seriously? What was the point in even signing Colt Cabana (aka Scotty Goldman, for those of you not in-the-know) if you're just going to release him without even doing anything with him? As I mentioned in my ECW column, that brand was dying for younger, lesser-used talent, and with Goldman already having a bit of a cult following, it could've worked out for you. I'm not saying he's a future 38-time World Champion, but he was a midcard success waiting to happen. For shame, WWE. Forrrrr shaaaaame. Ring Of Honor fans, perhaps you should be on the lookout for the polka dotted one in the near future.
What Hustle Is Listening To Right Now: "Loving Arms" by Mario Winans.. "One Blood" by Junior Reid.. "Reunited" by Wu Tang Clan.. "What You Know" by T.I. .. "Sippin On Some Syrup" by Three 6 Mafia & UGK (damn, I really might be forming an addiction.. uh-oh).. "Shoot Outs" by Jadakiss & Styles P.. "How We Do" by The Game & 50 Cent.. "No Surrender" by Bone Thugs N Harmony.. "Thug Luv" by Bone Thugs N Harmony & 2Pac.. "Notorious Thugs" by Notorious B.I.G. & Bone Thugs N Harmony.. "Middle Finger Up" by Chamillionaire.. "Ruff Ryders Anthem (Remix)" by DMX, The Lox, Eve, & Drag-on.. "Mad World" by Gary Jules.. "Breathe" by Fabolous.. "Insane In The Brain" by Cypress Hill.. "Scream On Em" by The Game.. "All That I Got Is You" by Ghostface Killah (one of the only hip-hop songs I know that can make even the hardest thug shed tears).. "Reunion" by Ya Boy & Marsha Ambrosius.. "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" by Stewie Griffin (the song and the accompanying video was the highlight of my Sunday night.. thank you, Family Guy).. "Bad Boyz" by Shyne & Barrington Levy.. "How's It Goin Down" by DMX.. "Taking Hits" by Young Buck & D-Tay.. "The Times" by Keelay, Zaire, Blu, Fortilive, & Nino Moschella.. "Trapped In The Drive-Thru" by Weird Al Yankovic.. "Back Em Down" by Cyssero.. "Ambitionz Az A Ridah" by 2Pac.. "Dear Mama" by 2Pac.. "Sinister Mob" by E-40 & Nate Dogg.. "Crazy Over You" by 112.. "Tilted Part 3" by Lupe Fiasco
Yup, that just about wraps up yet another edition of Hustle Is Posting Right Now. You know, the feedback for this column is going to be very interesting, to say the very least. My readers are almost always understanding towards my material, whether it's offensive in any way or not, so I hope that streak continues with this. I had a much longer version of the Bobby McGee story, but it included much more offensive material, and I wanted to go with the easier version for my readers to digest. I'm sure I'll regret not including the full version, but for now, I'm happy with my choice. One way or another, thank you all for riding with me yet again. Next week, I'll be taking a look at heels, the way they're booked, what it takes to be a good one, and damn near every other topic that is branched out from the "heel" tree. I've got some interesting opinions on various heels, past and present, so keep your peepers peepin for that. Until then, from one of the most expensive places in the entire country, I bid you farewell. Aloha and Mahalo Nui Loa.
”I'm exceedin expectations, you barely meetin quota.. I give it to em straight, you cut it with baking soda..”
"I don't walk in fear. I walk as fear."
"See, that's the difference between you and I.. you get money, and you get crazy.. I get crazy, and I get money..”
