Oh my goodness where the hell have I been? It's been like 3 or 4 months right?!? Well actually it's only been 4 weeks, but I'm sure to all you Reaching For The Ropes enthusiasts it's seemed like an eternity since a new column has been written. (Since tone of voice can't be deciphered through words very easily I'll just go ahead and let you know there was a HUGE sardonic tone to that last statement) Well if you must know I went up to New York for a wedding. When I came back not only did I have a lot of schoolwork to make up, but also I realized I had done nothing to get my college applications prepared. So combine all of this with the MLB Playoffs (which I will discuss later in closing comments) I really had little free time to sit down and write a column. Let me take the time to apologize to you all, and I hope I can get back to writing columns every week. This week's column is very different to what you're used to. Being that so much has happened in the last month in wrestling I'm just going to write my assessment of the WWF as a whole over the last month. I'll try to keep it as organized as possible, but I will be jumping around from topic to topic so just hold on for the ride.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. My diatribe on the WWF
II.WWF Survivor Series
III.Closing Comments

MY DIATRIBE ON THE WWF

For the past two months (more so the past month) I've heard constant bitching about the WWF product and how it's making them want to quit watching wrestling. Well all I have to say is go ahead. If you want to quit watching then you're not really a fan anyway so just stop now. Like anything else you have to take the good with the bad. The beginning of the year was great. The second half of the year has definitely been lacking to say the least. Now I'm not saying everything that the WWF has done lately is great because quite obviously it's trash. However I'm not going to sit here and say how I will never watch again just because I don't like the current scene. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Wrestling is cyclical. It will be hot for an extended period of time and then will get cold again. This is just the way the business is, and has been for as long as it's been around. I expect some big things to happen soon and the WWF will be back on top again.

All of the above being said I'm going to tell you what I enjoyed and didn't enjoy over the past month. What better way to start than the Rock Vs Jericho feud? This would have been a good idea a year ago, but not right now during the Invasion angle. I can understand where the WWF is coming from by making team WWF seem weak, but that is seriously not what you need to be doing. All this does is confuse fans, and confused fans are definitely not what you want to be doing. I hate for the WWF to drop the feud cold, but then again I hate to see it go on when down the road it could be used to mean so much more.

Turning Kurt Angle was probably the worst decision made by the WWF in the past month. I know that's a tough thing to say being all the bad decisions they have made, but I really do believe it was the worst. Kurt Angle has done nothing but gain steam as a face over the past few months. When he beat Austin for the World Title the fans were behind him 100%. He was rivaling the Rock when it came to cheers, and was becoming the stronghold for the company. Then the WWF took all of this and shit on it and the fans. The fans WANT to cheer Angle be it face or heel. His character was not ready for a heel turn, and they are going to make it a lot harder for him to go back to being a face.

I liked bringing Mick Foley back as Commissioner, but I didn't like the way they used him. Now it seems the WWF and Mick Foleys relationship has come to an end. After his speech on Monday all I could say is "Amen brother Foley"

Anything that isn't main event seems to be brushed off week after week. It's so obvious that the WWF is not spending any time trying to book the mid-card. Yes I know it's the main event scene that brings in the bacon, but if the main event is lacking then the mid-card needs to pick up the slack. Something needs to be done to shake up this mid-card because there isn't anything interesting going on. In my opinion the WWF totally ruined the chance of having a long running feud with Edge and Christian. The buildup for the breakup lasted longer than their feud. I would have loved to see a best of 7 series finish this feud, but oh well.

Ok Ok I know what your probably saying right about now. Im just bitching and not saying anything positive. Well its time for me to break out the good vibes. The one thing that I have enjoyed for the past month, hell for the past 3 years, is the quality of the wrestling matches. The wrestling quality is the only thing that is remaining constant. Now I know its sad when the storylines mean more than the wrestling, but in the era we are in you have to have good storylines to get the people to watch the matches. I can hardly wait for Survivor Series because I'm sure like every other WWF PPV this year it will be great.

So I guess that concludes my thoughts on the WWF as of late. As you can see there is a lot of improvement that needs to be made. The WWF has done it before and I'm 100% positive that they will do it again.

II. Survivor Series

This Sunday is Survivor Series and I am looking forward to it. I think they could have done better with the main event, but it will all make sense in the end…..I hope. So here it is my PPV rundown, not predictions but just what I expect out of each match.

Immunity Battle Royal

I know I'm in the minority but I LOVE Battle Royals. This is probably why the Royal Rumble is my favorite PPV. This is a great opener for the PPV because it will get the crowd on their feet. I think the winner of this match is guaranteed to keep his job, but I'm not too sure. Tazz looks like he might take it all and to me he makes the most sense to win it, but it could be anyone. Make it the opener and all will be good.

WWF Women's Title
SIH Pach Challenge
Mighty Molly vs. Lita vs. Trish Stratus vs. Ivory vs. Jacqueline Vs Mystery Woman

There is a lot of talk that the mystery woman is going to be Jazz. I guess this is a good choice just to get a new face in the company, but I don't think she will make the fans go crazy. I think they should go with someone who already has a name so the fans recognize her. Anyway this match is just here for T&A

William Regal vs. Tajiri

I know I may get a lot of your crazy emails when I say this, but this match has a strong possibility of being match of the night. I think the only thing that could hold this match back is clash of styles. Both guys may not gel in the ring, and it could be pretty bad. However I think these guys will turn it on like they know how and give us one hell of a match. I can't wait!

WWF Tag Team/WCW Tag Team Titles
Unification Match
Cage Match
The Hardy Boyz (WWF Tag champions) vs. The Dudley Boyz (WCW Tag champions)

We already know what these two teams can do. What more can I really say about this match. I just hope no one gets hurt.

WWF Intercontinental/WCW United States Titles
Unification Match
Test (IC champion) vs. Edge (US champion)

This is another one of those matches where it won't be good unless both guys are on the top of their game. I don't really think the fans will be into it that much, but I'm looking forward to it. I just hope we don't see another title change. Mick Foley was right on RAW about there being too many titles. How is a title supposed to mean anything when it's changing hands every damn night? I guess we will have to wait and see what happens

Main Event
WWF Vs Alliance
Winner Takes ALL

Depending on how this match goes down it could definitely screw the WWF. The safe and smart move would be to have the WWF win. The audience right now is not strong enough to handle a huge angle like WCW taking over. I think splitting the companies would be the way to go and have everything go back to the way it was before the Invasion angle. Match wise it will be great and it should be a good one. I expect to see some run-ins and maybe even RIC FLAIR! Like I say all the time as long as the match makes sense and they don't screw up the finish it will be good.

All in all this PPV looks like it will deliver. I'm expecting some good matches, and I'm hoping storylines are given better direction. I guess we will see this Sunday night!

*************************

Closing Comments

This was actually easier to write than I thought it would be. It's pretty hard to get back in the groove of writing a weekly column. I like doing it though, and I'm glad I have a way of sharing my thoughts. Now I said I would talk about Baseball and I am right now. As most all of you know being from New York I am a DIEHARD Yankees fan. You'd probably figure that I'm disappointed that the Yanks didn't make it 4 in a row and your right. However I'm not disappointed in everything they accomplished. They were down 2-0 against Oakland (The best team of the second half of the season) and they came back to win 3 straight and take the series. They went in against a Mariners team that tied the record for most wins in a season and outplayed them. Finally they go into the World Series against 2 of the best pitchers in baseball and together with the D-Backs put together the best World Series I have ever seen, and arguably the best ever. Now I'm sick and tired of people constantly saying the Yankees buy their championships. The Yanks were number 1 in payroll this year its true but you know who was second? The Boston Red Sox. Were the Red Sox in the playoffs? Nope that's right they weren't. I'm not saying payroll means nothing because it does give you an advantage, but the Oakland A's were the second best team in baseball and they had the second lowest payroll. What about the Dodgers? They've had one of the highest payrolls for years and haven't won a world series in a long time. Chew on this fact for a second. Out of all 25 members on the Yankees staff only two were acquired from free agency. 12 Yankees yes count them 12 are homegrown talent!! All the rest were traded for and many of those traded from the Yankees have become superstars. So don't give me this shit about the Yankees buying all their players. It's pathetic how more people are concerned with the Yankees losing and their checkbook than their own damn team winning.

Ok I had to get that off my chest. I take my Yankees as serious as I take my…well anything else I take serious. Click my name up top to email me about anything you want. BACK TO REGULAR FORMAT NEXT WEEK!!!! Until then…..

"This is just my opinion I could be wrong" ~ Dennis Miller