Script: /blog/orange.one
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Loving Las Vegas

    Monday, September 1, 2008, 07:46 PM EST [WWE]

    Hey Fan Nation-eers!

    I'm chilling on vacation in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand this week (as you can see in the photo above), as the buildup for Unforgiven continues to roll. 

    I hope you're all enjoying the Labor Day holiday in the States. Just a reminder, due to the holiday, there is NO LIVE BLOG tonight during Raw.  The next Live Blog is Unforgiven, this Sunday, live from Cleveland, Ohio. And the World Heavyweight Champion, CM Punk, will be our special guest at 7:30 p.m.

    Sign up below for an e-mail reminder for the Unforgiven Live Blog.

    See you all then... I'm off to see Penn and Teller :-)

    3.8 (4 Ratings)

    Cena fans, this is for you...

    Tuesday, August 26, 2008, 01:36 AM EST [WWE]

    John Cena fans, I know you're hurting right now.

    Rumors were flying all day Monday about a possible injury to the former WWE Champion. But when Mike Adamle confirmed Cena's injury on Raw Monday night -- a herniated disc in his neck that occured in his SummerSlam match against Batista -- and that Cena will be out for a long time due to surgery and rehab, it was a shock to the Cenation and all of us at WWE.com. 

    Whether you're a Cena fan, or one of Cena's "boo brigade", you have to feel bad for John. I saw him compete at Madison Square Garden this weekend, and you could tell he was not himself, but still struggled through the pain and managed to score a victory with tag-team partner Batista.

    He's a true all-out competitor, and I'm sure he had to be dragged kicking and screaming off the road to take care of the injury before it got worse. That's the kind of fighter Cena is, and I hope he makes a complete recovery.

    Maybe he might return in time to score No. 30 in the next Rumble? Who knows.... one can hope! So, for you Cena fans, this video is for you ... cheer up!!!  Brighter days are ahead!

     

    Now, with Cena gone, Rey Mysterio has taken the place of the Chain Gang leader in Raw's World Heavyweight Championship Scramble at Unforgiven. But Cena's absence also opens the door for new faces to enter the race for the top title on Raw.

    The winner of Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels at Unforgiven could make the argument that they deserve a title opportunity as No. 1 Contender. Also, Batista and Kane see one less perennial challenger in their way. Don't forget about Kofi Kingston, who has been making waves in his hunt for the Intercontinental Championship. And the wild card ... how will Mysterio rebound from Kane's beating (or so Kane claims) when he returns to action at Unforgiven (if not sooner)?

    It all makes for an exciting two weeks until Unforgiven. And a wide-open title picture on the flagship show of WWE.

    QUICK SIDE NOTE: I will be LIVE at Unforgiven on Sept. 7 to host the WWE Fan Nation Live Blog from Cleveland, Ohio. Amongst all of our special Superstar guests all night long will be your World Heavyweight Champion, CM PUNK, who will be part of the Superstar Q&A at 7:30 p.m. ET.  The link for that Live Blog will be posted here on WWE Fan Nation and the Unforgiven page on WWE.com.

    More to come... until then, stay classy WWE Fan Nation!

    4.6 (4 Ratings)

    Back from SummerSlam

    Wednesday, August 20, 2008, 12:23 PM EST [WWE]

    Whew... Finally back in Stamford, CT, after chalking up 1,750 miles on my "Drive to SummerSlam" in Indianapolis. 

    It was a fun ride across through six states to get to the "Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer" and see one of the most exciting pay-per-view events I've ever seen.  You can see my travels in the Google Map below

    And thanks to everyone who took part in the SummerSlam Live Blog at the Conseco Fieldhouse -- Edge, Natalya, John Morrison, Michelle McCool, Joey Styles and Mike Adamle, as well as our host, Howard Finkel. You can read the transcript at the link above.


    View Larger Map

    Here's a couple of pictures from the road that I didn't include in the SummerSlam diary posts (Day 1, Day 2, Days 3 & 4).

    ** First off, if you ever hear a strange knocking and you think your engine is about to die, be sure to check your gas cap. I drove the first 300 miles Thursday with the gas cap off. I don't think I've ever done that before.

    ** In my hometown of Sharon, there is a huge chocolate factory called Daffins' Candies, where they make some of the best milk chocolate I've ever had. It's trademarked as the "World's Largest Candy Store", and its prized attraction are these Big Show-sized chocolate sculptures. The chocolate turtle in the center weighs 400 lbs. 

    I took some Daffins' potato chip bark (chocolate mixed with potato chip pieces) and some jellybeans to the show for the Superstars and crew at SummerSlam -- both got rave reviews.

    ** Finally, being back home allows me to hang with our family dog, Crosby, who watched Raw with me on Monday night as I moderated the Raw Live Blog.  Good boy!

     

    4.5 (3 Ratings)

    UPDATE: Live at SummerSlam

    Sunday, August 17, 2008, 12:44 PM EST [WWE]

    Sunday 5:15 p.m. ET --Only two hours left until the Live Blog tonight, and I'm sitting next to Raw General Manager Mike Adamle, discussing tonight's big Raw matches and some of the finer points of Ronald Reagan's foreign policy. Hail the Gipper!

    No matter what the detractors say on the WWE Fan Nation Forums, Adamle has put together a great Raw side of the SummerSlam card, featuring both titanic battles (Cena vs. Batista) and innovation (Winner Take All Titles Match).

    And surprise.... just as Adamle walks away, he passes SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero. They exchange nods, but no words.  Maybe Vickie feels threatened by the new innovative GM? 

    Brrr...did it just get cold in here?

    Sunday 3:00 p.m. ET -- Four hours until the Live Blog tonight. I took a walk into the arena, and was blown away by the sight of the Hell in a Cell, hanging ominously above the ring.

    This will be the 16th Hell in a Cell matchup in WWE history. Undertaker will have been in half of them, going 3-3 in one-on-one matchups and 0-1 in a six-pack challenge.

    Will he be able to turn away the challenge of the newly-energized Edge? We'll find out by 11 p.m. tonight.

    In the meantime, the Nation continues to talk about tonight's action in the WWE Fan Nation Forums. Interesting arguments and predictions being made.

    Sunday 12:42 p.m. ET (Miles Driven: 980) -- After 5 hours driving across Ohio, I'm finally live at the Conseco Fieldhouse, getting set for tonight's SummerSlam Live Blog with our special guest, Edge. Our position is just feet away from the stage set, so I hope we'll be able to quickly get winners from tonight's matches on the LIve Blog.

    BTW, Brandon Campbell from WWE.com is following our Live Blog guest all day long. Follow Edge's Superstar Diary all night on WWE.com.

    This is my first visit to the "crossroads of America", and when you get off the highway in Indy, the first thing you see is the ENORMOUS new Lucas Oil Stadium, the home field for the Indianapolis Colts. It's easily the biggest stadium building I've ever seen (until Dallas gets the new Cowboys Stadium done) ... I can definately see this place hosting a WrestleMania down the road.

    More updates to come all through the night.

     


    View Larger Map

    Saturday 4:48 p.m. ET (Miles Driven: 705) --I'm back in Sharon, Pa. resting up for my drive to Indianapolis tomorrow. So while in town, I'm going to take advantage of one of Sharon's unique places.

    Buhl Farm is a nearly 2,400-yard golf course that was created by Pennsylvania steel magnate Frank Buhl. It's 9 holes, par 34, and the best thing... it's completely FREE!

    Thanks to the millionaire's trust fund left to manage the course, it's free to anyone that wants to play, provided you have clubs and balls. The final two holes of the course were designed by the great Arnold Palmer.

    As usual, I hit about 50 for 9 holes.... I'm no good at golf that doesn't involve hitting the ball around waterfalls or through windmills. :-)

    ----------------

    It's been a rockin' trip, and it's not over yet. 

    For more about Day 1 of my trip, visit my Day 1 entry. Same for Day 2.

    And be on WWE Fan Nation this Sunday night for our big SummerSlam Live Blog! You don't want to miss it.

    Don't miss the Live Blog this Sunday night!!  See you there!

    4.7 (5 Ratings)

    Road to SummerSlam: Day 2

    Saturday, August 16, 2008, 12:49 AM EST [WWE]

    4:00 p.m. Friday (Miles Driven: 562) -- After spending some time in my hometown of Sharon, Pa., I decided to head down the Pa. border to the home of all my favorite sports teams, the Steel City of Pittsburgh, Pa. -- partly to see family, but mainly to eat my favorite delicacy that you just can't get in Connecticut.


    Primanti Brothers restaurant in Pittsburgh is the home of a unique sandwich that smashes french fries and cole slaw on top of a wide array of meat or fish between big sourdough slices of bread. It's one of the best steak sandwiches you'll ever eat ... and it's even better with kielbasa.  Yum to the 100th power!

    Took a drive on the south side of Pittsburgh, and went past the Duquesne Incline (pronounced 'Du-KANE'), which goes up and down the side of Mount Washington, giving you a beautiful view of the "confluence" of the city's Three Rivers (Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio). It was the way workers got from their homes on top of the mountain to the shoreline quickly, and is over 100 years old.


    View Larger Map

    I'm heading home back to Sharon for the overnight, then off to Cleveland on Saturday. For more about Day 1 of my trip, visit my previous blog entry.  And be on WWE Fan Nation this Sunday night for our big SummerSlam Live Blog!

    Don't miss the Live Blog this Sunday night!!  See you there!

    4.6 (4 Ratings)

    First Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next Last