Finlay

Also wearing the black hat, he was alleged to have hated, when first informed of his WWF 'gimmick'. Maybe it is one of these things he has grown to enjoy. I have seen him wearing it within airports. However, wearing something that is closely identified to his wrestling persona at a funeral of a former wrestling personality and her son (and under the circumstances) gives people the ideas they obviously currently have. JR was there as a WWE employee first and foremost.

Of course the fact that he knew the family so well could have nothing to do with him actually wanting to attend their funeral. If the family wanted to keep it to just family and what they considered to be close friends then fair enough, there was obviously a misunderstanding, otherwise JR wouldn't have been there. But for them to actually be angry at his presance, I just don't get that. Nor do I see a problem with the black hat, it's not uncommon for people to wear hats at funerals, not as if he turned up wearing a Cena Chain gang cap. The press thing, well, he probably could have said it wasn't appropriate to talk at the time and moved on, but he didn't, I wouldn't have thought it was a big thing though.

None of us know how close JR is to the family. If they are annoyed then they are annoyed. We don't know the reasons behind it so it could be to do with anything. A colourful entrance?? That would annoy anyone's family at a Funeral. Also my point about his hat was that it is his trademark, his gimmick. A touch insensitive.

Yes, but it's also something he wore away from the ring, therefore is not just a gimmick but part of him.

Might be hard to answer but did JR ever wear the hat (on air anyway) before Vince forced it on him?

Also wearing the black hat, he was alleged to have hated, when first informed of his WWF 'gimmick'. Maybe it is one of these things he has grown to enjoy. I have seen him wearing it within airports. However, wearing something that is closely identified to his wrestling persona at a funeral of a former wrestling personality and her son (and under the circumstances) gives people the ideas they obviously currently have. JR was there as a WWE employee first and foremost.

Of course the fact that he knew the family so well could have nothing to do with him actually wanting to attend their funeral. If the family wanted to keep it to just family and what they considered to be close friends then fair enough, there was obviously a misunderstanding, otherwise JR wouldn't have been there. But for them to actually be angry at his presance, I just don't get that. Nor do I see a problem with the black hat, it's not uncommon for people to wear hats at funerals, not as if he turned up wearing a Cena Chain gang cap. The press thing, well, he probably could have said it wasn't appropriate to talk at the time and moved on, but he didn't, I wouldn't have thought it was a big thing though.

None of us know how close JR is to the family. If they are annoyed then they are annoyed. We don't know the reasons behind it so it could be to do with anything. A colourful entrance?? That would annoy anyone's family at a Funeral. Also my point about his hat was that it is his trademark, his gimmick. A touch insensitive.

Also wearing the black hat, he was alleged to have hated, when first informed of his WWF 'gimmick'. Maybe it is one of these things he has grown to enjoy. I have seen him wearing it within airports. However, wearing something that is closely identified to his wrestling persona at a funeral of a former wrestling personality and her son (and under the circumstances) gives people the ideas they obviously currently have. JR was there as a WWE employee first and foremost.

Doesn't sound like Good Ol' JR endeared himself to the family at the funeral. No wonder if that story is correct.

I see the Hartford event on the 24th August is now entitled 'Caged Rage'. Any ideas on what the main event will be for that? When was the last time ROH had a Scramble Cage match?

That was a very good read. He makes some very good points there especially about Eddie being clean for 'pro wrestling standards' but NOT 'real life standards'.

HBK won't be far off the 200lbs mark either I would imagine.

What? He looks like an AIDS patient.

With comments like that, is it really any wonder WWE thinks it's guys need to be a certain size?

I didn't mean it like that at all.There's a difference between Shawn Michaels and someone like Brian Kendrick. Michaels actually looks sickly, Kendrick just looks small.

How does Michaels look sickly? Now that is crazy talk my friend. Have you seen Michaels up close in person? He looks like he has one of the healthiest, most natural physiques in the whole of the WWE. Now Lashley..............HE looks sickly!!!

He looks like Kirk from Gilmore Girls with a cancer-inducing tan and creepy white lips.

Sadly I don't know the comparison but I'd bloody like to see it

Old Kenny boy didn't exactly miss anyone and hit the wall there did he???

HBK won't be far off the 200lbs mark either I would imagine.

What? He looks like an AIDS patient.

With comments like that, is it really any wonder WWE thinks it's guys need to be a certain size?

I didn't mean it like that at all.There's a difference between Shawn Michaels and someone like Brian Kendrick. Michaels actually looks sickly, Kendrick just looks small.

How does Michaels look sickly? Now that is crazy talk my friend. Have you seen Michaels up close in person? He looks like he has one of the healthiest, most natural physiques in the whole of the WWE. Now Lashley..............HE looks sickly!!!

HBK won't be far off the 200lbs mark either I would imagine.

What? He looks like an AIDS patient.

lol a harsh evaluation of his physique. He still has a much better chest and arms than Edge though.

As much as I like Edge he really does have the worst physique of any (non freakish as in Yokozuna) WWE Champion I have seen. He is billed as being 240 lbs. Edge is lucky if he is 200lbs. Very lucky.

I'm interested in why you claim this. Edge is billed as 6ft 5. Bearing in mind that's a WWE provided statistic we have to take it with a pinch of salt but I would say it's fair to surmise Edge is at least 6ft 2/3. He's in decent shape and clearly has some muscle on his frame. Certainly enough to outweigh my 6ft 3, not overly muscular, 196 pound frame. And for the poster claiming that Steamboat wasn't roided to the gills I think you need to go and take another look at the man in his prime. EDIT - See the pic Simania posted.

Why? Well I have met Edge and stood beside him. He is not 6'5". I am 6'2" and he is 6'3" at a push. I am about the same size as Edge physique wise at the moment and I am only 195lbs. As it is stated elsewhere on the thread 200lbs is big and I think that is what Edge will be. There was a point last year during the Edge vs John Cena feud where they were announcing Cena as being about 8 lbs heavier than Edge. Madness. HBK won't be far off the 200lbs mark either I would imagine. It's still big but not big enough in the land of the WWE hence the lying with heights/weights.

As much as I like Edge he really does have the worst physique of any (non freakish as in Yokozuna) WWE Champion I have seen. When he returned from neck surgery in 2004 he was 'roided to the max. Massive shoulders and chest, big arms, and rock hard abs. Around about Eddie's death and his pectoral injury his physique disappeared completely. He is just lanky now and has all the hallmarks of a former steroid bodybuilder who stopped it all. I reckon he wears elbow pads just to disguise his really skinny arms. They are just soft and thin and look to have zero muscle in them. He is billed as being 240 lbs. Edge is lucky if he is 200lbs. Very lucky.However, I actually prefer seeing Edge in this shape. His ring performances are better I think and maybe that is because he is lugging less weight around. It also shows that even in the WWE good ring and promo skills can get you to the top without the build. Ironically Edge got the WWE Title after his body vanished. Quite the first. Lets hope we see more examples of this in the future.

I recently watched matches from HBK's first run with the WWF Title back in '96. I was actually surprised at how defined and muscular he was to what he is like just now. Don't get me wrong he was early 30s back in 96 and time catches up to every man but I would still imagine he would have been enhancing that physique somehow. Certainly not at the same levels as a Sid or Ahmed Johnson right enough

Yes, Cena has been pulled from RAW to go on the Larry King show it appears.

Makes you wonder if/how they acknowledge it on TV. Do they state the WWE Champion is injured due to the Lashley spear with every fan worth their salt knowing he is on the Larry King show, or do they announce this and take the chance of a large portion of their audience turning over to see Cena, representing the WWE, probably being put under a bit of pressure with some really tough questions? I hope King asks Cena outright if HE is on/was on steroids. The guy has a better physique than Benoit ever had.

Nothing major but I see the Title History section of wwe.com has been changed. All Benoit's Title reigns are still listed but all photos and text in relation to them have been removed.

I wouldn't bet against him being retropectively stripped of those titles you know.....................

You know what mate I have to agree. I can the see the same thing happening myself in the course of time.I noticed the following updates on pwinsider.com;WWE champion John Cena has been added to this Monday's Larry King Live on CNN, discussing the Benoit tragedy. Bret Hart, Chris Jericho, Marc Mero and Ted DiBiase had been previously scheduled for the show, but CNN is now listing Hart, Cena and Jericho as guests. Cena's addition would explain the change in the Raw main event that Dave Scherer mentioned earlier today.The family of the late Nancy Benoit announced that they have formed a foundation in memory of Nancy and Daniel Benoit. The family is asking that in lieu of gifts or condolences, donations be made to the foundation. Donations can be sent to:The Nancy and Daniel Benoit Foundation for Battered Women and Abused Childrenc/o Decker, Hallman, Barber and Briggs260 Peachtree St. Suite 1700Atlanta, GA 30303Cena on Larry King? On a MONDAY NIGHT? Sounds like the WWE Champion is being pulled off of RAW to do this interview. The name of the foundation really brings it home doesn't it?

Is it true Sci-Fi's committment to ECW in the States expires in December 2007? Also how is the show comparing in its weekly ratings to others on the network?

Nothing major but I see the Title History section of wwe.com has been changed. All Benoit's Title reigns are still listed but all photos and text in relation to them have been removed.

I was watching a match on YouTube yesterday (Val Venis vs Tiger Ali Singh, and it did indeed suck) and after the match the Acolytes came down and proceeded to beat down Tiger and the hapless Babu. They were managed by someone i didnt quite recognise - it may have been Don Callis but i'm not sure. However, i have no recollection of them teaming before the Ministry of Darkness. So, was it Don Callis that was managing them, and, if so, how did they end up leaving him and joining the Ministry?

They were originally The Jackyl's Acolytes. He was a great manager and they were baddass, it always annoyed me that Callis just got dropped. I can't remember whether he was dropped from their act when they joined the Ministry or before..

Wasn't Callis teamed with the Acolytes as a rib as Layfield and Simmons absolutely despised him??

Daniel wasn't sick according to this.

Amid reports that WWE wrestler Chris Benoit allegedly injected his son with hormones because of a health condition, Scott Ballard, District Attorney of Fayette County, Ga., just released this statement:"There are additional reports that contradict the earlier information that suggested that Daniel Benoit may have suffered from Dwarf Syndrome or Fragile X Syndrome. Daniel's family denies that he suffered from either condition. As a result of the family's concerns, the Fayette County Sheriff's investigators and the District Attorney's Office have inquired into this matter. A source having access to certain of Daniel's medical reports reviewed those reports, and they do not mention any pre-existing mental or physical impairment. Reports from Daniel's educators likewise contradict the claims that Daniel was physically undersized. The educators report that Daniel graduated kindergarten and was prepared to enter the first grade on par with the other students."

TMZ.

Oh dear. Not that I wanted Daniel to be ill BUT if he wasn't.......and he was being injected with Human Growth Hormone.................

From pwinsider.comFox News just reported that the investigation into Chris Benoit's doctor revealed that Dr. Phil Astin is accused with supplying "Benoit with a ten month supply of steroids, every three or four weeks, from May 2006 to May 2007."

Then Benoit couldnt of passed that test that he had in April, NOT good, and on the MSNBC interview, Vince falters during that question,

Exactly what I was thinking.

From pwinsider.comFox News just reported that the investigation into Chris Benoit's doctor revealed that Dr. Phil Astin is accused with supplying "Benoit with a ten month supply of steroids, every three or four weeks, from May 2006 to May 2007."

i think so, but on site it says main event status, it mentions that hero is in it, but isnt he already a top star in roh? i'm gonna with Albright to win this, would love to see him as next ROH champ

Cheers for that

By the way I think I have missed this but can someone tell me what the winner of the 'Race to the Top' Tournament gets. No 1 contender status?

i see ya point, with moreishima winning the belt in america, and with it being noah based that show and nigel making apearences in noah couldnt see why not, just cant imagine title changing hands on 1st night of a double shot

Would set a rematch for night 2?

It's possible but as it stands right now McGuiness faces Whitmer on night two.

Love how the guys FIRST REACTION is to punch. Fears nothing