Moving

After three months here on blogger Take It 2 The Barn is moving. I am looking to take my blog in a more professional direction while I look into writing for some newspapers in the area. The blog will now be at Word Press. Here's the new address.

http://jwoodson213.wordpress.com/

Controversy or Choke?

Last night the Denver Nuggets took a 3-0 lead over the Dallas Mavericks with a 106-105 win. Nuggets star Carmello Anthony hit a three pointer at the end of the game when Antoine Wright tried to foul him which won the game for Denver. After the game the NBA apologized for the missed call. The question is was it a missed call?

The Mavericks could have avoided this by telling the ref they planned on fouling. That way the referees are expecting it and the call is made. Antoine Wright should also learn to not throw his arms in the air like he didn't foul if your trying to get a foul called. You can blame the refs all you want. The Mavericks are the one's who deserve the blame. I found a quote on ESPN that sums last night's situation up perfect. Antoine Wright only wanted the foul after the 3 got made; otherwise he'd have argued he didn't foul.

That's why he threw his arms in the air like he didn't foul. Then once the shot was made he argued. On top of that Mark Cuban proved once again he is the most classless owner in any sport. NBA needs to throw a fine his way and to Josh Howard as well for him arguing after the game. It's not the NBA's fault the Dallas Mavericks put together great teams every year and then come playoffs they choke. Face it Mark Cuban, your Mavericks are choke artists. Don't blame the refs for your team giving up a lead with under a minute.

The Mavericks will be lucky to win a game in this series. I expect the Nuggets to end it in 4 or 5 games.

The Jobber

This is the first edition of The Jobber. This will be the latest edition to Take It 2 The Barn. I will focus on news surrounding pro wrestling. Let's get started.

WWE Star Considering Retiring?

Dave Batista is considering retiring from WWE when his contract expires next year. Batista was interviewed by the UK Sun and once again brought up the prospect of retirement.

"I realize that I am closer to the end of my career than I am to the beginning. It's something I’m really going to have to take a look at. I don’t want to hang around past my welcome. I also don’t want to hang around to the point where I’m so beat up that it’s hard for me to get out of bed. I don’t want to be that guy."

Batista's contract expires next spring. Batista has stated he would like to go out as a heel but there are no plans for a turn as of right now. WWE announcer Jim Ross responded to Batista considering retirement in his blog.

"Been reading where Batista may retire in a year or so but I'd bet that won't happen. Unless Batista has saved a boat load of cash I say he stays in WWE and makes more of those big pay days and 7 figure years. Big Dave likes the good life, who doesn't, but the "good life" isn't facilitated w/ coupons. Dave's value to WWE, considering especially the overall lack of main event depth may never be greater. I know I thoroughly enjoy my paychecks even thought I feel I'm underpaid (who doesn't?)and hope to successfully negotiate a new contract w/ WWE when the time comes later in 2009. Hey, we ALL feel like we're under paid, right?"

I got to agree with Good Ole JR on this. Batista likes the good life. Now the thing is with Batista's injury history he could take the road Kurt Angle took. Going to TNA would allow Batista to continue to wrestle but on a lighter schedule. I just don't see Batista being done wrestling this soon.

Former WWE Wrestler At Impact

TNA Wrestling's Jeremy Borash is reporting he met former WWE wrestler Elijah Burke backstage at the Impact taping. Burke is free to compete since his 90 day no work clause expired earlier this year. It will be interesting to see if he signs with TNA. I was always a fan of Elijah Burke.

Former WCW Headliner Contacts TNA

Dennis Rodman contacted TNA about possibly working for them. With Rodman's substance abuse problems I don't see him joining TNA. Rodman was the first winner of Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Wrestling. Danny Bonaduce competed on there as well.

On an ending note I will wish Brooke Hogan a Happy Birthday. Hulk's daughter Brooke celebrated her 21st birthday with Hulk and family friend Eric Bischoff in Vegas.

NBA To Name Lebron MVP Over Kobe

Lebron James will be named the NBA's MVP later today. The Cavs have called a news conference for 4pm at Lebron James high school Alma Mater St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.

The announcement comes one day before the Cavs open there second round series against the Atlanta Hawks. Lebron's team mates are expected to attend as well.

The Cavs swept the Detroit Pistons in the opening round of the playoffs. James averaged 28.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.2 assists this season. The Cavs are the Eastern Conference top seed after winning 66 games.

James also was second in the Defensive Player of the Year award voting behind Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard. At 23 years old Lebron is the third youngest to win MVP behind Moses Malone and Wes Unseld. James was in a close battle for the MVP award with Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade and LA Lakers guard Kobe Bryant.

With Lebron winning MVP and his coach Mike Brown winning coach of the year, its only the 4Th time in NBA history that the team with the NBA's best record also won those awards. In 2004-2005 Mike D'Antoni and Steve Nash won the awards. The 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls who won 72 games are the only one of those teams to also win an NBA Championship.

The Cavs are the favorites to win the East and possibly set up a NBA Finals against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. Time will tell how this unfolds.

More FSU Off Field Problems

The problems off the field for the once great Florida State Seminoles football team continued today. Seminoles wide out Cameron Wade a 6-6 209 pound wide out was arrested for missing a court hearing.

Wade was arrested along with Bert Reed in November for misdemeanor battery for an on campus fight. It is claimed that Wade threw the first punch. Wade insists a fraternity brother raised his hand to strike a team mate and he retaliated.

The Seminoles have had several wide receivers in trouble lately. Earlier this month, Rod Owens was suspended indefinitely after he was charged with DUI, and the NCAA denied Corey Surrency another year of eligibility. Former Florida State receiver Preston Parker was dismissed from the team earlier this year after his third arrest since 2006. Reed was suspended last year for missing class and ultimately was suspended three times in a one-month period. Surrency was suspended twice last year. Parker and Greg Carr are no longer with the team, and Taiwan Easterling was sidelined this spring with a ruptured Achilles.

This doesn't include the scandal in which Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden had 14 wins removed. The Seminoles face 4 years probation. The Seminoles gave up 5 football scholarships to the NCAA. The penalties are the worst since the NCAA gave the SMU Mustangs team the Death Penalty for a recruiting scandal.

So how does FSU fix this? It's sad to see Bobby Bowden's legacy tarnished for something he had nothing to do with. It's hard seeing Bowden being able to fix this. I would recommend just walking away while he still can. Bring Jimbo Fisher in as head coach and clean house. Any players that are seen as problems for the University need to be removed. The Seminoles are quickly turning into the Miami Hurricanes of the 90's. Show the NCAA you are taking a positive approach to this. Most importantly get the Seminoles back to the top of college football where they belong.

It hurts seeing a team that was once so good struggle like this. Being a Seminoles fan also makes it even worse. I just hope they can get this under control sooner than later.

NBA Coddles A Star

It was just a few months ago that Orlando Magic's choke artist coach Stan Van Gundy cried after Shaq flopped for the first time in his career. I would love to hear his explanation for his star players Dwight Howard's blatant cheap shot on Samuel Dalembert.

During Tuesday night's game Dwight Howard elbowed Dalembert in the head. According to the NBA rulebook this calls for an automatic ejection. What the rulebook doesn't say is if your name is Dwight Howard the rules don't apply to you. Howard received a technical foul. Pretty much a slap on the wrist.

What I wanna know is this. What happens when Dwight Howard, Lebron James, or Kobe Bryant get hit in the head. I'll tell you what happens. The player who did it gets ejected so the NBA or National Bullsh*t Association can protect it's stars.

I have been watching the playoffs but with this and the fact that everyone knows the Lakers will play the Cavs in the finals have ended the playoffs early for me. I'll stick to watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Maybe someday David Stern will prove he isn't the worst commissioner in pro sports.

Reaction To Rossen

Barely a day or two after lauding former WWE acrobat Bobby Lashley for entering MMA with humility -- he’s been content to enter the sport through the service entrance, fighting in smaller shows against lower-tier competition -- he has to go and ruin it.

Lashley popped up during something called “TNA Lockdown” Sunday night, which appears to be professional wrestling slang for “embarrassment to the human race.” Lashley greeted former WWE pal Kurt Angle in the ring. I assume some poorly performed theater for the hygiene-challenged ensued.

Lashley can obviously do as he pleases to earn a buck, but I don’t think his hybrid career will do the sport of MMA in the U.S. any favors. It’s a deranged spectacle, full of drug-addled performers taxing their adrenal glands in a poorly scripted imitation of athletics.

Max von Sydow had the quote in a Woody Allen film: “Can you imagine the level of a mind that watches wrestling?”

I really don’t want to try.

- Jake Rossen (jrossen@sherdog.com)

I recently read a blog a friend on myspace wrote about Jake Rossen comments above. After reading what Rossen had to say only one thing comes to mind. Jake Rossen is a f**king idiot. When you make a comment about "something called TNA Lockdown" that proves you don't have a clue what your talking about. Your just a bias MMA loyalist who is narrow minded.

I doubt Bobby Lashley cared if him being a two sport guy in Pro Wrestling and MMA had a major effect on the MMA industry. What he cares about is feeding his family. Both pay him money which pays his bills. I am going to take a guess that TNA is paying him more than MMA also.

When you look around MMA there are tons of guys who are one dimensional. Guys who rely on a single discipline to fight. One of those disciplines is amateur wrestling. Something many MMA fighters and Pro Wrestlers have backgrounds in. Pro wrestlers such as Scott Steiner, Rick Steiner, Bobby Lashley, Charlie Haas, Shelton Benjamin, Jake Hager (Jack Swagger), Kurt Angle, and UFC's own Brock Lesnar were standout wrestlers in college. I would love to see you find a better wrestler than Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle. He was a better wrestler than your precious UFC Champion Brock Lesnar ever was. Lesnar had a lot of hype going into the UFC because of the WWE. Last I checked pro wrestling is one of the most watched TV shows, not UFC. All the pro wrestlers I mentioned above have just as much being successful in MMA as street fighter Kimbo Slice. Kimbo was spoon fead opponents. The guy is a joke. Would I get in the ring with him? No, but I'll get Mike Tyson and see who wins a fist fight.

As far as your drug addled performers comment is concerned here's something to think about. Evan Tanner was found dead in a desert. He had drug and alcohol problems. Justin "Executioner" Levens shot his wife, then himself too. Steroids are just as big a problem in MMA as in wrestling. Josh Barnett is a steroid user. Chris Leban and MMA Legend Royce Gracie are as well. Ken Shamrock competed in both sports and was on steroids. James Irvin tested positive for narcotics. Drug and alcohol use is always gonna be a problem in EVERY sport.

With wrestling being scripted there is no worries about cheating or ruining the integrity of the sport. Cant say the same about fighters greasing there bodies in MMA can you? A referee is claiming to have greased "The Best P4P Fighter" Anderson Silva in his title fight at UFC 97. Try taking a poll for MMA fans and see how many are also wrestling fans. I bet it is over 50%. Those so called "low class" fans your talking about also watch your sport.

I don't write stuff about soccer even if I don't like it because I have no knowledge on it. Maybe you should do that when it comes to wrestling. Stick to writing MMA but don't bash a sport you know nothing about. I am a fan of both MMA and wrestling. I can give my opinions on both. Your just biased towards your sport and your opinion on wrestling is garbage.