Dome Pondering

SummerSlam was awesome.  The first two-night event of its kind, I had the opportunity (and privilege, if you understand how difficult and expensive WWE tickets are now) of attending night two at MetLife Stadium. Having attended so many pro wrestling events this year, especially this summer, SummerSlam was a clear reminder that the WWE is really on a whole other level in regards to brand power, production, and overall impact.  The product at its core can be debated, and that is the beauty of where pro wrestling is right now - you have a choice. You won't find any tribalism here.  Nonetheless, Summerslam provided memories - in both endings on both nights, as well as for me personally, and my son. He's NEVER going to forget Summerslam 2025, nor the night Brock Lesnar returned.  We can talk matches, and work rates, and storylines, and whatever...but this event is marked by that, memorable moments.  Here are some quick thoughts on it all:  NIGHT ONE General Thou...

Beautiful,  is driving forward, sing along en route and looking in my rear view mirror at my kids. Undescribably, beautiful. 

What is it about? A woman moves back in with her parents following a shocking divorce. An unlikely affair with a younger guy revives her life and perspective on marriage. Who is in it? Melanie Lynskey - Amy Christopher Abbott - Jeremy Blythe Danner - Ruth Favorite Scene: Amy's dad, who is often much easier on her than her mom, comes to her bedside and gives her some money. She refuses, then he insists. She then asks, "whose happiness are you buying?" Favorite Quote: Where the f** is 'bottom'? Where the motherf***ing f*** is motherf***ing 'bottom'? Review: Hello, I Must Be Going was an interesting watch. I've always found Melanie Lynskey to be an intriguing actor, and her role in this was just that.  What makes this film so interesting is that, going into the film, you believed this would be a film documenting Amy's journey from recent divorcee into...well, wherever it is she goes. The beauty of this film is that Amy's journey was just a public...

We all continue to learn how to celebrate Hulk Hogan and his legacy, whether through the man Terry Bolea or simply the character Hulk Hogan. I choose to focus on the character, and in trying to separate the man from the entertainment that filled contributed greatly to pro wrestling.  I shared my sentiments earlier this week. This list is entirely mine. No need to celebrate or even remember it if you don't want to. If you're in that mode, here are my favorite Hulk Hogan moments: Honorable Mention - (Finally) vs. Bret Hart on Nitro Ahhhhhh yes, the match that eventually came to be. I'm a huge Bret Hart guy, and I enjoyed hating Hogan (within pro wrestling). For me, this match happened way too late, but even more so, it occurred on a Monday Nitro with absolutely no build or meaning. And yeah, the ending was awful.  I remember this simply because I wanted it to happen so bad, and it was one of those moments where I shook my head on the creative of WCW (And possibly, Hogan pull...

---19 Months--- Dear Son,  My guy, Milo!  I haven’t written many of these letters to you, yet, but I feel compelled to drop one at this time. You’re now 19 months old! A mere five months away from making us so happy for a full two years! And while you’ve added chaos to this life of ours, I cannot imagine life without you. As our second child, you’re shockingly a mere image of your brother in appearance, while your personality is the complete opposite (so far). You’re a prankster. Fearless. Curious. Decisive. And you eat EVERYTHING! And by everything, I mean, absolutely, any and everything! We have called you our "monster among babies" because, well, you are. And that recent check up of 99% percentile in weight and 95% percentile in height backs that moniker up. You are often mistaken for much older than you really are. Absolute, monster. But ultimately, as you walk and learn to talk (you love saying “no” and “all done”), if a toddler can have presence (at the time of this let...

What a complicated mess this news leaves me in. Hulk Hogan. Dead. At 71. I was never a fan of Hogan (in the world of pro wrestling)…I was a Macho Man Randy Savage guy, and later on, a Bret Hart guy (and still am). But like every other wrestling fan from the ’80s through now, Hulk Hogan’s presence and legend are undeniable.  Terry Bolea transcended wrestling as Hulk Hogan and helped the art form take its first step into the mainstream of pop culture.  He later reinvented the business once again with the greatest heel turn ever at Bash at the Beach 1996. Many have changed the business once, but twice? Significantly?! Hogan’s run as Hulkamania and as Hollywood makes a case for the best to ever do it - I can't think of anyone on such a high level on both sides of the pro wrestling coin as a babyface and heel. Every pro wrestling Mount Rushmore (as dumb as these lists have become) includes Hulk Hogan, period. But Hogan is also so instrumental in my ever-evolving ability to separate...

One of the best TNA shows that I've ever attended.  That has been the bottom line regarding my immediate my thoughts on TNA Slammiversary 2025 since it my son and I walked away from UBS Arena. I attended the - the - record-breaking show for the company this past weekend in Long Island, NY, and it brought back so many feelings that I had for this company in the past, as well as created new ones in the process.  I've been fortunate enough to attend many TNA shows throughout the company's existence, including all the turbulent years. From barns, small theaters, convention halls, and historic, but smaller, venues like the Manhattan Center, there was a very surreal aura about sitting in an area for a TNA show.  In the words of Real1 (who made an appearance on the Countdown to Slammiversary)... Well, well, well...whatta we got here!  For this long-time fan, the aura and environment were pretty cool. Being part of a record-breaking night was pretty cool. Sharing that momen...

Celebrity deaths rarely phase me. A few do. Very seldom do they hit an emotional chord. The unfortunate tragedy that was the death of Malcolm Jamal Warner hit a chord. Like many, The Cosby Show was my childhood. It was the first show where the television screen felt relatable. People of color. A family from Brooklyn. Scenarios that mirrored my home. “Theo Huxtable” was a part of that. You don’t ever realize it when you’re young. But you let some of these characters in your homes, then into your subconscious…and they live with you forever.  So many memorable scenes and moments still carry on. Still inspire. That still makes my stomach rumble with laughter in mere thought, and more so in rewatching them. Even beyond the character, MJW’s poetry, of which I discovered and came to enjoy just recently, moved me the way Theo did. I'm on the mend/ my need is to love me/ and tend to my self care/ hiding in plain view/ is just me choosing how much of my soul/ I'm willing to share.  - Hi...

Take the photo. It’s not for today Not for likes  Or social trends Trust It’s for you Years later.