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Submitted by Hustle on Friday, October 31, 2008 at 2:06 PM EST
 Good lookin out for the graphics work, Noc "Niggaz gon' keep hatin, and my clique gon' keep grindin.." Welcome, once again, to Believe The HIPE. For the second day in a row, welcome to "Ask Hustle", the question-and-answer column that actually gets a bunch of questions from readers on a daily basis, instead of having only five people over the course of forever sending anything in. Happy Halloween, everybody. Try not to poison any kids tonight. Hell, try not to get poisoned yourdamnselves. I'd rather not have a large group of you heading off to the hospital.. or worse.. because you need to be around to continue reading my columns. Ha. Hey, speaking of reading my columns, I think it's about that time.. shall I proceed? (Yes, indeed.) Less dew eet!! Yesterday, I debuted "Ask Hustle", where I answered YOUR questions about anything you could come up with.. wrestling, music, sports, movies, life, etc. The questions kept coming in, and because I have so many to answer, I figured I'd do this again today. As I mentioned yesterday, I probably have enough questions to post "Ask Hustle" every single day, but I still want to get my "regular" column on from time-to-time, so I'll be doing that, as well. Who has the best future in the entire WWE, and why? (Skaos3010) The easy answer to this question would be Triple H, wouldn't it? He'll be one of the top guys in the company until the day he decides to hang up his boots, will continue to bang Stephanie McMahon, and will probably even get a piece of the entire empire once Vince McMahon leaves us. I'd say that's a pretty stacked future. Actually, that's a Mob Boss-level of a future there, as he's pretty much untouchable and will have it made for as long as he wants. Lucky bastard. That's probably not what you meant, though, so I'll throw a bit of a surprising answer out there and say that Ted DiBiase has the best future. The guy has "star" written all over him, and people, from columnists such as myself to current main event wrestlers such as John Cena, have labeled him as a future world champion. He has "the look" (no homo) of a top level talent, charisma beyond his years and experience, as well as the bloodline to take himself far. He's getting more and more comfortable in the ring on a weekly basis, which is all that you could ask for, really. He turns 26 years old in a few weeks, and his debut as a pro was only 28 months ago, so he's got plenty of time to continue picking up bits and pieces to add to his game, and if Cody Rhodes can continue to improve, as well, the eventual Rhodes VS DiBiase feud will be money for both men. It still won't come close to Triple H's future, though. Seriously, that guy could stomp a newborn puppy to death in the middle of the ring during a live episode of Raw, proceed to enter the crowd and deliver penectomies (Dicks, bro) to the first dozen teenaged boys he sees, then cut a 20-minute rant on a live mic where he threatens to assassinate the President.. and he'd still come out to main event the show later that night. He'd win, too. Cleanly. Why do you dislike Mr Kennedy so much? (John Doe)  Because you're one of my readers, and therefore, I like you, I'll let you in on a bit of a secret (even though it's one that a lot of people know already).. I don't dislike Mr Kennedy. Alright, I do, but nowhere near as much as it might seem. My biggest beef is against those fans that praised him as the next great pro wrestling star after only seeing the guy a few times. He cut one or two promos (which were the exact same promo, for the most part), and people were saying he had the best mic skills the business had seen since The Rock. He wrestled one or two matches, and people were saying he was a future world champion in the making. That level of hype is absolutely ridiculous, and it made me go in the direction that I went in. When the guy fails.. it makes those fans look foolish. When he injures himself, or when he says something stupid in a non-wrestling interview.. those fans look foolish. From the very beginning, I told those people that they were jumping the gun, but then it turned into some lame "Kennedy VS Cena" war, with Kennedy fans cheering when Cena got injured. Of course, karma is a bitch, and irony is it's trouble-starting friend, because Kennedy hasn't exactly been a picture of perfect health, either, and is now injured for the 38th time. The "war" is rather lopsided at this point. I still like taking shots at Kennedy, though, just to stick it to the "hype machine" as often as I can. I remember that a certain LoP main page columnist guaranteed that Kennedy would become a World Champion in 2008, and I laugh whenever I think about that. The guy is REALLY running out of time for that to happen. What would you like for Christmas? (Maureen J.) Are you asking me because you're planning on getting me something? If so, that's very sweet of you. It isn't necessary, but it's still sweet nonetheless. If not, well, I still appreciate you participating in this column. Cash is always a good option to give me for Christmas and/or my birthday. Cash is probably a good option to give to anyone for Christmas and/or their birthday. If someone doesn't want cash for either occasion, there might be something wrong with them. If you'd rather not send cash, it doesn't take a lot to satisfy me with gifts. You could get me Ring Of Honor DVDs, since I haven't purchased one in a while, and my collection is seriously lacking. I'm a big fan of fitted caps, and I could always use an addition to my collection. With fitted caps, though, I'd require something along the lines of the Atlanta Braves' "A" logo, or perhaps the Anaheim Angels "A" logo. For those who don't know, my first name starts with an "A", and that's why I like to rock that letter on my caps. If not an "A", you could always go with the old school Houston Astros "H" logo (for Hustle, of course). If all else fails, there's always this fitted..  New Era came out with that, and by the time I became aware of it, the cap was sold out on New Era's site, and I haven't been able to find it since. If any of you find it online somewhere, well, there you go. I'm also a sneaker fiend, but I wouldn't sit back and accept a Christmas gift from any of you that ran you upwards of $150. Nope. Not gonna do it. If you made a Top 5 Fantasy Wrestlers list of the guys on the WWE roster, who would they be? (Mavsman) I'm going to use the current active roster, so guys like John Cena and Randy Orton won't be included. Obviously, if both men were currently active, they'd make this list somewhere. It would be pretty hard not to start off the list with Triple H, I would think. The guy's Win/Loss record is unparalleled, has the WWE Title, performs on every PPV, and gets to cut promos on a frequent basis. He'd give you a ridiculous amount of points in a Fantasy Wrestling league. Even if he loses the WWE Title anytime soon, it's not as if they'll demote him down the card to be losing to Kung Fu Naki afterwards, so he'd be an elite pick, no matter what. Batista would be next on the list. You couldn't go wrong with the amount of points he'd get you in a Fantasy Wrestling league. He'd always give you points for performing at PPVs, his Win/Loss record is pretty spiffy, and he's the current World Heavyweight Champion, so you'd probably end up with points for that, as well. He's not the "come out and cut a 20-minute promo every week" type of wrestler, but he's still no stranger to having mic time. Basically, he's getting you points in every way that Triple H does, only not to such an extent in the Win/Loss column. My next choice would be Santino Marella. That may come as a surprise to a lot of you, but the guy gets plenty of face time every week on Raw, and he cuts a promo each time. The company looks to be keeping the IC Title on him for a while, too, so there would be a bunch of victories thrown in for you, as well, even if they're cheap victories that come in short matches. In the Fantasy Wrestling leagues that I've seen, most of them just gave you points for your wrestler winning, period, not just for winning cleanly. Sure, there are ones that give you extra points for a pinfall or submission victory, but it's not like Santino doesn't ever pin his opponents. He'd be a nice, safe pick. Evan Bourne would be #4 here, provided he isn't going to be missing a whole lot of time with his injury. On ECW, they're pushing him as a top title contender for the near future, and he'd pick you up some good points for his victories there. You'd also get the added bonus of his storyline on Raw with Rey Mysterio and Kane, so he'd get you points twice a week, where as most wrestlers would just get you points once a week. Come to think of it, now that Mark Henry is involved in the same Mysterio/Kane storyline, he'd also be an interesting pick. He'd be cutting more promos on ECW than Bourne would, but I'd still go with Bourne as a "sleeper" pick for the future, because I think he'll win the ECW Title before Mark Henry wins it again. As much as I dislike the guy, R-Truth might be a pretty good pick in the later rounds. The company seems hellbent on pushing the guy, which equals to victories, and an eventual US Title reign. He's doing better than the current US Champion, Shelton Benjamin, at the moment, so he'd be a better pick, as well. Neither guy cuts that many promos, so don't expect boatloads of points, but he's still a safe pick that will be giving you a little bit of something every week. If Jesus Christ came down to earth as a wrestler, who would he be? (soulztnrv1) Are you seriously asking me this question? Have you ever read any of my columns before? I'd think that, if you had read any of my columns before, you'd know the answer to this question already. Frankly, I'm almost offended that you would have the nerve to tap away at your keyboard and ask me such nonsense and jibberyjoo. The answer is Ric Flair, of course. What? You were expecting someone else? Ric Flair is the single greatest performer that the industry has ever known. People talk about the "miracles" that Jesus performed, but Ric Flair has performed the wrestling equivalent of a "miracle" on multiple occasions, taking a young wrestler who nobody knows anything about, or an old wrestler that some people think is past his prime, or a not-so-technical wrestler that people think isn't that good.. and pulling great matches out of every single one of them. His ability to tell a story in the ring put people on the edge of their seats. His promos had us hooked on every word, waiting for what he'd say next. There was never anyone like Ric Flair before Ric Flair came along, and there will never be anyone like Ric Flair ever again. romey, please don't hate me for comparing a wrestler to Jesus. Can you surf? (Skyfall)  Yes, I can surf. You'll notice that I didn't mention anything about surfing very well. Depending on how froggy I'm feeling, I can stand up on the board, but then I'll usually wipeout soon thereafter. I do love going to the beach, but usually, when I go, you're more likely to catch me chillin in the sand, doing some people watching and kicking back with my peoples. It's not that I don't like the water or anything. It's more that I'm usually at the beach to relax and unwind, and I like to take advantage of that to the fullest. That reminds me, though, that I need to go back to the beach again soon. November is usually the month that Hawaii gets bombarded with rain (there's a travel tip for any of you planning a vacation here), so there won't be much of a chance at all to enjoy the beach coming up real soon. I need to take advantage of the sunshine while it's still around. Here's a personal message to a Mr Patrick Bateman.. We need to hit up Waikz again sometime soon. The pier is calling us. Let's try and alter some digital camera shots again, as well. Ha. Of all the columns you've been a part of, what were some of your favorites? (Desmond K.) Thankfully I don't have the catalog that someone like DaveyBoy has, or the search for an answer to this question might have driven me absolutely crazy. That guy is an absolute machine. Some people are calling me a machine now, but I've still got a long.. long.. long way to go to reach DaveyBoy numbers. Anyway.. my absolute favorite column that I've been a part of is one that has, unfortunately, been lost in time. Before I was promoted to the main page, I did a column where I interviewed famous wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer. The interview went extremely well, and I was able to let people in on the way Dave thinks and just how his mind works. People left me some great feedback, and they really loved the interview. There was just one tiny problem, though.. I made the entire thing up. I wanted to see if I could do it, so I did a lot of research on Dave's career, from his early days growing up as a wrestling fan, all the way up to where he currently was, and I used some of his characteristics that people dislike (cocky, long-winded, etc) in my answers. When I revealed the ruse, people praised the column even more. Unfortunately, LoPForums.com was reset at the beginning of this year, and because I didn't save my work, all of my pre-main page work was lost.. For-Ev-Er, For-Ev-Er Of anything I've done since being on the main page, I'd say my favorites have been HIPRNv10 ("Lady Luck", because I got to vent), HIPRNv14.5 ("Tyler Black", because it was an ACTUAL interview with the man who is the future of the business), HIPRNv17 ("Dear Diary", because I got my storytelling on, and I got to dip into more "dark" themes, almost like The Great Muta when he uses his black mist), HIPRNv18 ("Lost In Translation", because I got my storytelling on once again), and Pnk's Thnks 8 (because it was a year in the making). With the news that WWE is being sued over John Cena's entrance music, what would you change his song to if you had to choose something? (Rick) This is something I was thinking about even before the news broke that hip-hop group M.O.P. has filed a lawsuit against WWE, accusing the company of ripping off their song "Ante Up" for John's current entrance theme. While I won't get into assumptions on whether or not any illegal activity took place here, I can say that there is definitely a part of "Ante Up" that Cena uses in "The Time Is Now". If the lawsuit is lost by WWE, and if the song is to be "destroyed", then I do have a suggestion of what John should use as his new entrance music. The "Hi Hater" remix by Maino, T.I., Fabolous, Swizz Beatz, Jadakiss, and Plies.  "Don't hide, I see you, hater.. I'ma wave Hi when I see you, hater.. I've been dyin to meet you, hater.. please don't leave me, I need you, hater.. this is for the ones that's been prayin I'm gon' fail.." "Keep hatin, I'm rollin, I'm goin past you.." "Hustle hard, stack paper.. it's alright y'all hate us.. it's nothin, we major.. you see me.. hi, hater.." "If I was you, frankly I'd be embarrassed.. you carry no weight, words hold no merit.. I talk big money, you can't understand it.. my picture won't fit on your canvas.." "Goddamnit, it's sad, but I could give a damn what a sucka think.." "You can hate it, but respect it, or else get dealt with, bitch.." "I don't lose no sleep, cause I don't fuck with y'all haters.." "If it's one thing for sure, two things for certain.. I'ma keep it up til my middle finger's hurtin.. naw, I ain't had a brush with beef yet.. some of y'all wake up hatin, and ain't brush your teeth yet.. I come through, haters gotta know that I am paid.. I be wavin like I'm on a float in a parade.. Hola, Bonjour, hi hater.. I keep it movin on hoes, call me vibrator.." Yeah, that sounds about right. He, obviously, has his fair share of haters, but it doesn't seem to ever get to him, and he seems to actually ENJOY being hated on sometimes. Since the company seems to be reaching out to the hip-hop community for some of their entrance themes (well, maybe not, now that the hip-hop community is suing them.. lol), they should reach out to Maino to do a "Hi Hater" remix just for Cena. I'd even chip in some cash to make it happen. Hey, Vince.. I got $100 with your name on it if you'll make it happen. Go for it. Which of the NFL teams with three wins could you see doing damage in the playoffs? (Phanatic!) That's a good question. Just for my own reference, the teams in the NFL that have three wins at the moment are: Miami, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, Houston, San Diego, and Minnesota. I'm sure you have a specific reason why you asked about the three-win teams and not the four-win teams, etc, but you didn't mention it, so I'll just chalk it up to complete randomness. Let's take a look at each team.. Miami: I think they're doing better than most people expected them to do. Chad Pennington possesses the throwing arm of a 12-year-old girl, but he's still the man leading the 6th ranked passing offense in all of football. Wait.. for you football fans out there, read that one more time.. Chad Pennington is leading the 6th ranked passing offense in all of football. Their running game was supposed to be their bread and butter on offense, but they just aren't getting as many attempts as the "experts" figured. Their two top Running Backs, Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, have only averaged 24 carries per game to this point. Honestly, that number needs to go up, and Pennington's 29 pass attempt per game average needs to come down. Miami's biggest problem is that their defense doesn't stop enough people against the pass. They give up an average of 233 yards per game through the air, and they've only picked off a grand total of four passes thus far. That's going to kill them down the line. Perhaps not in the regular season, because outside of their game with Denver this weekend, they don't face a passing offense ranked higher than 12th for the rest of the year. Cleveland: This team has been a HUGE disappointment so far. Their offense was top-notch last year, and they've had a hard time finding their way this year. QB Derek Anderson looks like a one-year wonder, having completed less than 50% of his passes so far, which is beyond awful for an NFL QB. Their running game is led by a man (Jamal Lewis) that has seen better days. He's not on his last legs or anything, but he's got plenty of tread on his tires, to say the least. Their defense is really bad against the run, and they can't seem to get a whole lot of pressure on opposing QBs. Of their remaining nine games this season, as many as seven of them will come against teams that should be in the playoffs, and five of those games come against really good running teams. Could be a tough road for the Browns to even make the playoffs, let alone cause damage when they get there. Jacksonville: This is another disappointing team, in my opinion. Their offense is just so different than it was last season. David Garrard wasn't turning the ball over last season (five total turnovers all year), and he's doing just that this season (six total turnovers so far). Their running game is sputtering, but they aren't getting a lot of chances to try and break out of their funk. Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew rushed for over 2000 yards last season, but are on pace for nearly 700 less yards this year. Their defense is letting people move up and down the field far too much so far, and their pass rush is nearly non-existant. They DEFINITELY need to get their running game in the mix more, or they don't stand a chance at making the playoffs. Indianapolis: First and foremost, let me say this.. there's no way that Peyton Manning is healthy. He's just isn't the same player as he has been in recent years, and because of Joseph Addai's injury, he doesn't have a solid running game to back him up. He has already thrown nine interceptions this season, which is only five less than he threw all of last year. As has been the case for the last few years, their run defense is terrible, but their pass defense is one of the best in all of football, although losing CB Marlin Jackson for the year will really hurt that. If Peyton gets through whatever it is that's bothering him, they're always going to be a dangerous team, but they have a brutal schedule for the rest of the year, and they're going to have to be at peak performance levels every week just to make the playoffs. Houston: Matt Schaub has followed up a terrible start to the season by having a great month of October. He's averaging over 300 yards per game in his last four games, and he's only thrown for two interceptions in that span. It helps that he has the best WR in the league (Andre Johnson) to throw to. The key to Houston's success has been Steve Slaton, who is averaging nearly five yards per carry, all while catching 22 passes so far as Schaub's safety valve out of the backfield. Their biggest problem is their defense, which is giving up over 26 points per game. You're not going far in the NFL with a defense that gives up that many points, regardless of how your offense is rounding into shape. San Diego: Losing Shawne Merriman for the season really hurt this team. Their defense just hasn't been the same without him. Their pass defense is absolutely awful. Terrible. Putrid. They rank dead last in the NFL, giving up over 265 passing yards per game, and without Antonio Cromartie picking off everything thrown in his direction, that only magnifies the problem. Their offense is pretty potent, as usual, even though LaDainian Tomlinson looks almost pedestrian out there. Phillip Rivers has a shot at throwing for 4000 yards and 40 touchdowns this year, but if Tomlinson can become the LT that we all know, look out. Minnesota: They were my dark horse Super Bowl pick in the preseason, but Tarvaris Jackson didn't grow as a QB like some people had hoped, and Gus Frerotte just isn't the answer. Maybe they should've traded for Colt Brennan.. but I'm just thinking aloud there. Their run defense has been amazing, although it will take a HUGE hit if Kevin Williams and Pat Williams get suspended like the rumor is saying. The team doesn't have a very good pass defense, so if their run defense falters, they're in big, big trouble. Right now, I'd say San Diego is still capable of beating any team in football, and if LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Cromartie step their games up in the second half of the season, they'll be right in the mix of things once December rolls around. Another edition of "Ask Hustle" is now in the books. Once again, keep those questions coming. You folks are sending in some really good ones so far, and it's going to be fun answering them. Either tomorrow or Saturday I will be dropping a "regular" column for my readers. Hopefully, it's tomorrow, but we'll see if I can finish it on time. If I can't, I already have another "Ask Hustle" that is completed and ready to go, so it's not a big problem. Believe The HIPE. It's real. I shall be back tomorrow.. new Hustle time, same Hustle page.. with HIPEv4, so keep your peepers peepin. From the land of Spam Musubi & Chicken Katsu, I bid you farewell. Aloha and Mahalo Nui Loa. "I'm exceedin expectations, you barely meeting quota.. I give it to em straight, you cut it with baking soda.." Hustle HIPRNFeedback@gmail.com 
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