Author: Jay Hunter

Tough Enough S6E02 “Swamp Stories”

Massive drop in interest around the net about Tough Enough after the premiere. Can’t blame ’em! The show averaged 1,047,000 viewers (losing 162,000 from last week, which isn’t that bad!). USA now also have a 2-hour version of RAW as a lead in.

• The format of the show is Jericho/Renee Young and the judges (Bryan, Paige & Hogan) in front of a live studio in Full Sail University, cutting to pre-recorded footage from the week’s events. Then they trot out the contestants, prod them about whatever they find most interesting, and eliminate one of them via popular vote. I also watched last week’s Tough Talk, which is an informal half hour chat by Miz, talking to the contestants and the judges butting in. It’s actually better than Tough Enough!
• Where are Jericho’s eyebrows? I know you’re 45 but grow old gracefully! Botox in men is never cool. It’s like Buff Bagwell getting calf implants!
• The Judges admit that these 13 are the best of the 11,000 submissions & most have blended into the background. Oh jaysus!
• Really forced drama this week. It kicks off with women shouting at each other, Patrick (the black guy) cutting a promo on Alex, and later Daria crying.
• Patrick chastises Alex over knowing nothing about wrestling. Alex outs himself by saying “I don’t need to know anything about history. Knowledge means nothing”. Oddly they never showcase Patrick’s knowledge, even a little bit. Right there sealed his fate – as it’s also an insult to wrestling fans.
• Courage Challenge 1 at The Swamp: In “crocodile infested waters”, swim to the boat, retrieve a NXT title and return back. I only saw one croc, it was very far away and could’ve been fake! This is ZZ’s environment but he’s not a good swimmer. Dianna (former swim team in high school) absolutely blitzes everyone for the win, whilst Tanner decides to cheat by swimming to the land and running around to beat the other guys.
• Dianna says “Lake Placid ruined me for life” – dammit Jimmy king!
• Billy Gunn chews out Daria (the lesbian MMA bartender) for dropping her title in the swamp and she starts bawling. Seems REALLY fake. Boo!
• Courage Challenge 2: At the training centre, there’s Roman Reigns and his baby blue contact lenses! There’s just something wrong with a guy who got a spot in FCW thanks to his dad and was fast-tracked to the main roster and main event giving advice to trainees. I’d MUCH rather grizzled veterans, like Funlee or Regal. Unlike S1 of Tough Enough, their guests don’t spend a few minutes talking about themselves, which was a highlight of the show. I would’ve liked to have heard Roman speak, after all he did ‘overcome not knowing’! Roman’s task: take Bull Dempsy’s finish (giant whoopsie from the top rope). Em…nothing comes of this, they’re all asked to take a back bump off the top rope instead. Patrick does the best (Billy quips ‘good job Barry Horowitz!’) and Dianna has the worst.
• Next episode I need to count the number of times they start clapping. It’s so phony and desperate, it lasts an ice age.
• Back at the camp, there’s lots of women shouting over each other calling each other bitches. Russo would be proud!
• It doesn’t help that this show has a horrendous soundtrack, a bland synth pop music that’s immediately forgettable; Vince saying ‘it’s trash, but sure this is what the idiot kids like these days’.
• Elimination Time! Bottom 3: Alex “I don’t need to know about wrestling”, Dianna (despite winning the first challenge is always arguing, so ‘doesn’t have locker-room etiquette’) and Sara Lee. No, not Sara Lee! I like what I’ve seen in the 10 seconds she’s had on camera. Her final plea is saying she won’t start fights to get on camera, and to give her a go. Was happily surprised to see she got 50% of the votes, and with only 15%, Alex gets the hoof.

Overall, this this not a good show! Their big star (ZZ) isn’t good at wrestling or has cardio but seems like a lovely dude; wasn’t featured much here. I wonder if USA are regretting picking up this show, and if the deal was made before Austin pulled out.

TOUGH TALK

• The Miz (Y2J calls him Jericho Jr.) is a FAR better host than Jericho. He’s also less overbearing than last week so he’s actually really good.
• He mentions being thrown out of the locker-room and changing in the corridor over disrespect. It’s either attributed to no-one (or JBL) but it was actually Benoit that threw him out.
• It’s main plus is that it’s unscripted, and Miz does a great job bouncing off and reacting to the contestants and judges.
• The judges tear into Alex, who doesn’t explain himself well. They end up telling him he needs to try to learn when he gets in the door.
• Paige is coming off as quite boorish and vindictive, jutting in with whatever to amuse herself and work the crowd. Maybe it’s that she’s 22 and been on the main roster for just over a year but I find her quite obnoxious as a judge. Every time she shouts ‘this is my house’ on TV it’s go-away heat.
• Bryan’s such a lovely guy. He’s the best. Everyone loves Daniel. He applauds Alex & Patrick for going in the water without being able to swim, as he can’t swim and wouldn’t want to be in their position. (Paige admits she can’t swim, and Hogan kinda agrees; which has to be bollocks – he’s all about dog-paddling past the buoys!) How come wrestlers can’t swim?
• Daria (who dropped her NXT belt in the pond during the competition) is chastised over not retrieving it from a coloured, murky, infested water that she doesn’t love the business and all that. Hogan twisting it into a respect thing will kill her.
• ZZ is asked about pie, and he says women are like pie, they are hot but when they’re cool they are sweet, and gets a round of applause.
• Gabi (the gorgeous Brazilian) is pressed about her line on Tough Enough, saying Roman Reigns makes her wet. They then jab her husband in the crowd (Bryan asks and find out it’s her 3rd marriage, to this MUCH OLDER man) but he lovingly says he trusts her and they’re committed to her success. Paige says he doesn’t wear the pants in the family.
• Oddly, they repeat the scrolling tweets at the bottom – I hope it’s laziness rather than only 30 people tweeting about Tough Enough!
• The show is actually 30 minutes long (no ads) which does drag in the final 7 minutes.

Overall: Miz & Bryan are really holding up this show. That’s about it. I’ll be back next week to review episode 3! Are you still watching Tough Enough? Tomorrow I’ll give my thoughts on the Tokyo Japan show 🙂

July 5, 2015
Claire Lynch

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So Claire Lynch is infamous and possibly TNA’s best worst storyline. It was universally panned at the time and serves as a great example of Dixie’s boobery.

In 2012, TNA ran segments which implicated (married man) AJ Styles and (married woman) Dixie Carter having an affair, planning secret meetings etc. It came to a head when Dixie’s real-life husband, Serg, gave AJ one of the worst worked punches ever. Dixie and Styles came clean that they were actually helping mutual friend & crack addict, Claire Lynch.

It was a bomb. But she was also pregnant, with a crack-baby! Who’s the daddy? AJ Styles! Apparently. Top babyface AJ had been taking advantage of a crack addict, and she had photoshopped pictures to prove it. Shit-stirrer heels Kaz & Daniels even threw Claire a baby shower, which was actually pretty funny. This lead to a match with AJ vs Daniels, where if AJ won he’d get a paternity test to prove his innocence, but if he lost he’ll just admit he’s the father.

AJ won, but before the storyline continued further, it got out that TNA picked up the Olive Oil actress from Universal Studios, Orlando (right beside where iMPACT was being taped) called Julia Reilly to play this character.

This’d damage her career and would be hassled by wrestling fans, so she quit the gig and the angle was dropped immediately. On TV “the attorney of Claire Lynch” robotically recited that the whole angle/pregnancy was B.S., paid by Kaz & Daniels for shits and giggles. And so ends the ballad of Claire Lynch.

Shockingly, WWE copied the horrendous angle in 2012, with Stephanie revealing “Megan Miller”, Daniel Bryan’s physical therapist, with whom he cheated on Brie. It was killed off quickly amidst a torrent of abuse, Bryan openly calling the angle stupid. On TV, Brie said Stephanie paid Megan to lie about the affair and they left it at that.

In 2015? Turns out Claire Lynch is actually a homewrecker, cheating with a fiancé, and the scorned ex-bride-to-be made it public. Great job, very thorough!

So let’s all watch that Baby Shower segment. Any fond memories of the storyline?

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June 30, 2015
Super OSW 64 Level 2!

Jay’s videogame music radio show is back! 2 hours of the best videogame music, including Final Fantasy, Bastion and Wolfenstein: The New Order! Aired on 27th June 2015 on 103.2 Dublin City FM.

iTunes: iTunes.OSWreview.com
RSS (Android): RSS.OSWreview.com
Direct Link: SuperOSW64Level2.mp3

Super OSW 64 Level 2 Playlist:
1. Streets of Rage 1 Round 1 & Round Clear
2. Final Zone II – Bowie’s Chance
3. Duke Nukem Theme – Megadeth
4. Final Fantasy VII – Aerith’s theme
5. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children – One Winged Angel
6. Alan Wake – The Poet & The Muse – Poets of the Fall
7. Alan Wake – Children of the Elder God – Poets of the Fall
8. Double Dragon Neon Mixtape – Song Snatch (0:24)
9. Grim Fandango – Casino Calavera
10. Grim Fandango – Smooth Hector
11. Grim Fandango – Hi-Tone Fandango
12. Grim Fandango – Hector Steps Out
13. Fallout 3 – The Ink Spots – I Don’t Want To Set The World On Fire
14. Gears of War – Mad World – Michael Andrews & Gary Jules
15. Gears of War – Main Theme
16. Dead Island Teaser Trailer – Giles Lamb
17. Deus Ex Human Revolution – Icarus
18. CastleVania Medley – Super Guitar Bros
19. Dark Pit’s Theme – Kid Icarus Uprising
20. Double Dragon Neon – Mission Bumper
21. Halo 1 – A Walk in the Woods
22. Halo 2 – Blow Me Away – Breaking Benjamin
23. Halo 3 – Never Forget
24. Chrono Trigger – Solo Cello Quartet
25. Bastion – Get Used to It
26. Bastion – A Proper Story
27. Bastion – In Case Of Trouble
28. Battlefield 1942 Intro
29. Donkey Kong Country 2 – Forest Interlude
30. Donkey Kong Country 2 – Stickerbrush Symphony
31. Kingdom Hearts – Dearly Beloved
32. Double Dragon Neon – Title Theme
33. Mass Effect 1 – Spectre Induction
34. Mass Effect 2 – Suicide Mission
35. Mass Effect 3 – An End Once and For All
36. Mass Effect 3 – Leaving Earth
37. Thomas Was Alone – Inertia
38. Thomas Was Alone – Where Are You
39. Wolfenstein: The New Order – Berlin Boys and Stuttgart Girls
40. Wolfenstein: The New Order – Zug nach Hamburg
41. Wolfenstein: The New Order – Ich bin überall
42. Wolfenstein: The New Order – Mond, Mond, Ja, Ja
43. Awesomenauts main theme
44. Neo Geo (Instrumental) – FantomenK

Hoping to get a third episode sometime next month, will keep you in the loop! – Jay

June 28, 2015
Tough Enough S6E1 “Boot Camp or Bust”

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Wow, nobody is talking about Tough Enough! Here’s a review of the little engine that could, but probably shouldn’t, but is anyway.

Review of the Competition Special here

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• The première of Season 6 of Tough Enough! Originally going to be a Network exclusive, WWE managed to get a deal with USA Network. It’ll be free on either WWE.com or YouTube soon for countries without a TV deal. Austin was supposed to be the host, but the repeated delays caused him to drop out of the project (hence Chris Jericho instead). Taped at Full Sail University Studios (i.e. the same media university where they tape NXT), the live portion is shot in a condensed American idol setup; smattering of fans around the host area, which is a ring with a long desk on it, facing the titantron where the contestants are standing.
• The show is set up like the finale of S1 of Tough Enough: judges and contestants in the building live, but most of the show is pre-recorded, highly-edited footage from the past week. The judges are Daniel Bryan, Paige and Hulk Hogan; which are great choices; DB being the younger veteran, Paige being a more sincere/honest & most prominent Diva and Hogan being the hot-dogging old coot.
• The show ended up doing a 0.87 (1.2m viewers) which is about ONE THIRD of what last season’s première did, and below USA Network’s 1.5m average. So this is the “boy” of WWE TV shows! News credit: PiledriverWrestling.net
• Only about 15 minutes (of the 41) of the show is live: the hello and rules at the start, a HIGHLY OBNOXIOUS 1 minute 21 second clapping segment (I shit you not) and the end where they reveal the final three, stall for time to allow voting, and send one packing.
• A small point but the rules are poorly written! The first sentence ends with “each week” and the second sentence starts with “each week”. Convoluted explanation where the judges choose their bottom three and the least-voted for gets eliminated. Judges have one “save” per season but are asked before hearing the results, so their save could be thrown away. So let’s get to it!

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• They go through the contestants, expecting you to have already watched the Competition Special (which would’ve made for a much better 1st episode)
• Always interesting to see how WWE edit the footage to show the story they want to tell – they earmark Dianna for failure as they nab a sound clip of her already complaining (“ugh, great”) about a challenge and cut to her clucking about her fiancé. Later she gets heel heat as although she says she’s hurting, she does the best stamina drills out of the women, then sneaks off to see her fiancée and gets into an argument with the Brazilian Gabi. In the live element she complains about how the editing portrayed her.
• Physical drills at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando (site of WM24). Massive blurring, it’s like 2002 all over again, likely didn’t want to give free advertising or plug the soccer team Orlando City.
• The house they’re staying in is called “the barracks”, a basic military-style digs, not flashy like previous years. It looks pretty ghetto, but it’s different for WWE, who always want to look lavish.
• ZZ’s 18 and can’t drink, so gets in the hot-tub with Patrick instead. He makes an analogy of it being like soup. If it has only meat, it’s a stew. Amazing.
• The main story is how 4 bigger guys get jealous of MMA guy Tanner, who smoked them physically in the first drill. They come off like douchebags. There’s a great little storyline of cocky Tanner saying he can do double of what the other guys do. Patrick blows up about it (which seemed very rehearsed, much like the 4 lads getting together to bitch about Tanner). The men’s average is for drills was 8, and Tanner does 16. Suck it, everyone else!
• In the live elimination portion (3 men, i.e. gender-neutral eliminations) ZZ’s called out for being unfit. Since it’s a weekly evaluation it’s a tall order for him to get up to scratch in such a short time, hopefully he won’t get bumped in a few weeks, he’s the best contestant there. I initially thought Paige was calling out Sarah Lee (who had the least amount of screen-time of anyone – which could mean getting eliminated, or perhaps the Maven-type deal where she’s a front runner, and won’t be featured until later on in the Season) but Paige calls out the completely forgettable Joshua, who evades being cut. Hank completely ducks the “he’s the worst…including the women” suffix he made out ZZ being physically unfit. I think just Paige asking the question, and the shifty response so close to voting really hurt him, and ended up getting him eliminated. He could’ve said he meant since there are two separate contracts (one male/one female) to win but he’s the overall worst. Daria said something about risk, and the whole thing wasn’t very good at all.

Overall, the most likeable person on the show is Daniel Bryan, by a wide margin! Then ZZ, and that’s about it. Feels like a soulless contestant show, not a lot of personality, but it’s early days, and I’m still happy to watch it. This live element is new but overall it’s the same mindset they’ve always had with Tough Enough, for better and worse. I hope one time they’ll only get indy wrestlers, it’d be amazing. So it’s like True Detective Season 2, not looking great but I’ll watch the next few and see how it pans out. If you can’t be arsed watching the show, I got ya covered.

Review of the Competition Special I posted earlier today!
Latest update on the next OSW Review!
Super OSW 64 returns this Saturday![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Cool update, Shotzi (aka Ashley, the electric red-haired model/wrestler who had to withdraw) commented about her time on our facebook page! Here’s what she wrote:

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June 24, 2015
Tough Enough Competition Special

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Thoughts on the special:

• This show was the first few rounds of tryouts at the WWE performance centre, 40 were chosen from over 11,000 entries, whittled down to a final 13.
• Trainers: Booker T, Lita, Billy Gunn (Tensai is shown in clips as well). Billy admonished a hopeful for swearing, saying it was offensive to women. Thanks, Mr. Ass, the guy who made his career saying “suck it!”
• One-legged Army vet Mike was a definite with his personality and backstory, but withdrew due to medical concerns.
• Jericho is the host, he’s so much less intimidating than Austin, always smiling with his showbiz pizazz, always sounding like a nice guy. When choosing between two hopefuls he’d talk to one and swerve, it’s the other that’s being chosen. I know it’s for the cameras but it felt very unprofessional.
• They chose unique model/indie wrestler Ashley (with the electric red hair who keeps saying “ballsy”) but she also had to withdraw.
• Same with Nick, a powerlifter who had Gears of War, Zelda AND Resident Evil tattoos. Devastated.
• There’s a black exotic dancer who looks great but doesn’t know anything about wrestling. Shockingly he doesn’t make the first cut.
• Zack Ryder’s mate The Big O doesn’t make the cut in general, which is surprising and saddening.
• Most featured are Daria (“The Jersey Devil” who came out as a lesbian during the audition, is an MMA fighter and bartender) and gator wrestler ZZ, who is awesome and is tailor-made for reality shows and WWE. They cut him (to add drama, I imagine) and slot him in after another fails his medical.
• Also of note, Georgia (Lance Storm’s student from Australia) and Gabi, the gorgeous Brazilian model who’s already shown as being a bitch.

At just over an hour long, it felt about 20 minutes too long, just a new season of the same idea, a highly-edited reality show focusing on any kind of drama. However it’s always fun to see so many different personalities vying to get into WWE. Tough Enough officially started last night, review coming tonight!

The FULL competition special can be found (legally) on YouTube! Here it is:

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Cool update, Shotzi (aka Ashley, the electric red-haired model/wrestler) commented about her time on our facebook page! Here’s what she wrote:

Click here for my review of episode 1 of Tough Enough![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

June 24, 2015
Super OSW 64 RETURNS!

Ok some awesome news, next Saturday 27th June, 1pm BST we’ll be doing another videogame show! This time I’m taking suggestions, the only caveat is we can’t use any track from a game already featured last time. (e.g. I used music from Silent Hill 2 already, but I could use Silent Hill 3’s music)

With that in mind, what do you want us to play? Leave a comment below. If you have a specific track from a game please lemme know. I’m looking for songs using real instruments rather than midi-sequences, but if you have a band/orchestra rendition the song that’s perfect.
It’d really help me out if you include a youtube link to the track, I’ll be more likely to choose it!

Here’s a list of games that are EXCLUDED from being on the upcoming show:
GTA: Vice City
Bioshock Infinite
Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon
Super Street Fighter 2 HD Remix
Ducktales Remastered
Halo 2
MGS 3
Batman Arkham City
Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess
Resident Evil 1
Diablo II
Super Metroid
Killer Instinct (Original)
Donkey Kong Country
Shadowrun Returns
Silent Hill 1 & 2
Journey
Assassin’s Creed 2
Uncharted 3
The Last of Us
Red Dead Redemption/Undead Nightmare
Super Mario 64, Galaxy 1 & 2
Portal 1 & 2

So lemme know in the comments below what ya want to hear. Dying to know what whopper tracks you’ve got in mind 🙂 The show will live stream on PiledriverWrestling.net!

– Jay

p.s. you can listen to our first Super OSW 64 show here!
Latest OSW (Final Nitro) here
Latest movie review (Jurassic World) here

June 20, 2015
DayDreamFigures Placecards!

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Hey yo! You know the sweet action figure placecards we’re using for the X7 Saga? They’re done by the lovely DayDream Figures! They shoot a bunch of pics and my favourite(s) make it into the episode. Check out the photos, plus a bonus KANE FRIZZ photo!

Follow @DayDreamFigures!
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June 16, 2015
OSW Update (15th June!)

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WHAT BARRRRRR is this Penneys t-shirt? 😀
Notice that “Freaky Foot” is now “Funny Feet” and has lost it’s gouty toe (which was a chocolate wedge). Jay is not amused.

What’s up with OSW!

• Hope you enjoyed our new episode, Final Nitro!
• The audio version is already uploaded:
Android: http://RSS.OSWreview.com
iTunes: http://iTunes.OSWReview.com
Direct Download: (right click, save as)

• Next episode is WWF RAW Simulcast, from the same night as Final Nitro (March 26th) which is also the go-home show of WMX7!
• It’s too soon to give an estimated date for Episode 51, but I’m aiming for the same time next month. I’ll let you know when we’ve recorded and editing is further along 🙂
• I know it doesn’t look like it, but we’ve made significant headway with YouTube. Our plan is to get all our episodes on YT available again, but sadly it’s a slow process getting them vetted!
• We did record something exclusively for a short YouTube video, I should have it edited in the next week. Whenever our YT channel is back in the pink, the next YouTube review is Metal Gear Solid 4! Sorry to leave ye hanging on it!
• Written Film/videogame-review wise, I just finished reviewing the 4 Mad Max films! Next reviews in the pipeline are STATE of Decay and most likely, It Follows.
• Thank you for your lovely feedback re: Super OSW 64, a one off radio show about videogame music I hosted recently. Hoping to snag another slot if available for round 2!

• Some notes about episode 51 (Final Nitro):
– Thanks for being so patient with the wait! Tons of real-life stuff came up meaning I couldn’t edit on my days off like I normally do.
– The original intention of the video had a “worst of WCW” vibe to it, but seeing the end from WCW’s viewpoint at Nitro, it was just sad the way the company closed. So I asked Tri.moon to make a WCW Desire vid instead! Seriously love it. He also made our Dean Ambrose/Brian Pillman mashup for Hell in a Cell 2014 too!
– Next episode will have an OSW artwork showcase! If you wanna draw us anything (like an OSW Monster Truck, or Ghost Linda perhaps!) please send it to us here, twitter or email OSWreview @ gmail. com!
– I’m shocked so many noticed there wasn’t a WHAT BARRRR or Ad Break Questionarium. We did discuss What Bar during the Bam Bam match (there’s so few colours – black,white, pink we just left it be). They’ll be back!
– The Mean Gene/blooper reel at the start of the video was from Jerry Springer’s WWE Network show, Too Hot For TV episode 6 “Bloopers and Blunders”. The show itself is pretty awful (it’s Springer in front of a green screen throwing to clips) but that episode was a goldmine! My favourite was Kane breaking his sledgehammer on the tombstone!
– The Dusty promo used (SummerSlam 89, vs Honky Tonk Man) is my favourite promo of his. You can mark this one down tonight, I’mma kick your bootay, haaa!
– 2 people (so far) know what HANG TIME is.

Until next time, here’s that Ambrose/Pillman mashup!

Jay

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June 15, 2015
Super OSW 64! (Jay’s Videogame Music Show)

Hey yo! I filled in for a friend who couldn’t do his music show this week. So here’s SUPER OSW 64! A 2-hour music show hosted by Jay Hunter for 103.2 Dublin City FM (aired 6 June 2015). My goal is to let the world know how amazing video game music is. Thank you to everyone who tweeted and listened live!

iTunes
Direct mp3 download: Click here (right click, save as)
Stream it PD.net: Click here

Super OSW 64 Playlist:

1. GTA Vice City Theme Song (1:18)
2. OSW Cinematic Theme – Zeomne Delinden (1:12)
3. Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon Theme (3:05)
4. Super Street Fighter 2 HD Remix – Made in U.S.A. (Ken Stage) (1:41)
5. Ducktales Remastered – Transylvania (3:16)
6. Halo 2 Theme (Mjolnir Mix) (4:11)
7. Metal Gear Solid 3 – Snake Eater (2:57)
8. Batman Arkham City Main Theme (2:47)
9. Bioshock Infinite – Welcome To Columbia (1:01)
10. Bioshock Infinite – God Only Knows (3:09)
11. Zelda 3DS – Title Screen (0:19)
12. Zelda 3DS – Lorule Field 1 (2:11)
13. Zelda 3DS – Death Mountain (2:18)
14. Zelda 3DS – Milk Bar – Thieves’ Hideout (1:07)
15. Zelda Skyward Sword – File Select (Great Fairy Fountain) (1:36)
16. Zelda Twilight Princess – Midna’s Theme (1:33)
17. Zelda Twilight Princess – Midna’s Desperate Hour (3:09)
18. Resident Evil – Wandering About (2:04)
19. Resident Evil – A Moment of Relief (1:06)
20. Diablo II – Tristram (4:46)
21. Super Metroid – Samus Aran’s Theme (2:06)
22. Super Smash Bros Wii U – Metroid Title (2:07)
23. Killer Instinct – The Instinct (2:31)
24. Donkey Kong Country – Aquatic Ambiance (3:25)
25. Shadowrun Returns – Followed (1:35)
26. Silent Hill – Not Tomorrow (Tears of Blood aka Lisa Dies) (3:05)
27. Silent Hill 2 – The Theme Of Laura (3:24)
28. Silent Hill 2 – Promise (Reprise) (1:44)
29. Journey – Austin Wintory – Nascence (1:46)
30. Assassin’s Creed 2 – Ezio’s Family (3:41)
31. Uncharted 3 – Nate’s Theme 3.0 (1:49)
32. The Last of Us – Main Theme (3:03)
33. Red Dead Redemption – Far Away – Jose Gonzalez (4:39)
34. Red Dead Redemption, Undead Nightmare – Bad Voodoo – The Kreeps (3:41)
35. Super Mario 64 – Dire, Dire Docks (3:06)
36. Super Mario Galaxy – Rosetta’s Observatory 3 (2:44)
37. Super Mario Galaxy 2 – Throwback Galaxy (Super Mario 64’s “Athletic”) (2:41)
38. Portal – Still Alive (2:56)
39. Portal – Want You Gone (2:21)
40. Neo Geo (Inst) – FantomenK (3:52)

Clicky for my Mad Max 2 Review!

June 6, 2015
Steve Austin Podcast: Paul Heyman

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A surprising return of Stone Cold to the WWE Network, as the softball-throwing Chris Jericho had replaced him for a brace of Network interviews, and Austin’s no longer involved in Tough Enough (due to continual delays in shooting). But to keep those new Network subscribers interested, they’ve paired up two of the biggest names in wrestling for an hour-long chat. Let’s do it to it!

From San Antonio (not backstage at RAW this time). Heyman asks Austin what’s the capital of Nebraska – it’s Lincoln. Super proud I knew that! They mention they’ve both been on each other’s podcast multiple times so they had to try find something new to talk about. There’s almost no ECW talk.

Austin joining Heyman’s Dangerous Alliance in WCW.
He recounts meeting Austin and fawns over how he hit the ropes and locked up, in that it looked like a fight rather than a smooth choreographed motion. DA was supposed to be the new Horsemen but Heyman persuaded Dusty to add a 5th (Austin). Paul E. does a great Dusty impression.

Brock Lesnar
Austin asks to go hunting with Brock. Heyman mentions Lesnar always goes back to being a farmer, and loves his kids 1st, and WWE 2nd.

More clients? (Both avoid the term “Heyman guys”)
Paul smartly bats it away saying he’s Brock’s guy so it never works with other wrestlers; except for Punk, because they were friends and he can carry the ball himself (so Heyman was in a different, supporting role). No mention of Cesaro, Ryback, Axel etc. He says Punk probably wishes he joined UFC sooner, and will either shock everyone in UFC or get his ass kicked quickly, and is man enough to take his chances.

WWE’s selling
Austin uses Jake Roberts’ DDT as a springboard to rant about the STATE of selling in WWE, moreso that simple moves that used to be finishers are now ineffective. Heyman smartly turns it into pitching giving Mark Henry a headlock as a new finish, that is protected by how it’s sold/presented by commentators and keeping it up over 30 weeks. The way Heyman sold it sounded like it’d absolutely work. As long as he has to tell Orton he can’t use the headlock anymore!

WWE’s Promos
Heyman recounts getting 4 minutes to close a WCW show putting everyone over, and forgetting to sell Starrcade; Dusty asked him “Where’s the Money?” i.e. his promo drew nothing since he forgot to mention Starrcade. So “what am I selling” is the basis of his promos, telling people who he is, why he’s here and what he is getting over, e.g. Lesnar defeating the Undertaker at WrestleMania. They don’t put any specific blame on anyone; Austin just offhand mentions a pet peeve of wrestlers talking when the mic isn’t up to their mouth.

Vince McMahon Sr.
He recounts snapping a picture of Vince Sr. with Andre and making his first $50 in wrestling out of it. He absolves Vince Jr. of his ruthless territory-killing by postulating if Vince Sr. would’ve done it if he was in the position at the time. No, he wouldn’t have. Sure he was with the NWA until 1983.

Heyman leaving WWE after December to Dismember
Says the fighting with McMahon over ECW got personal, also says he was burnt out.

WCW Road stories ending in getting blacklisted from a rent-a-car in North Carolina.

Heyman asks a few questions to Austin
Cena’s Springboard Stunner: He repeats what he’d already said; it doesn’t bother him, but since everyone kicks out of it, it’s ineffective and a wasted move.
Wanna wrestle Brock at WM? : Feels very contrived, both go into shill mode about WrestleMania 32 in Cowboy Stadium and WWE flash a graphic up. WWE would want a big Texas star to get over 100,000 fans. Austin starts cutting an actual promo and pitches a Texas Death match. Disingenuous and awkward is a poor way to end the show.

Overall: A non-confrontational, easy-going chat between two friends. It lost steam with Heyman’s rambling road stories but with two extremely engaging personalities, it’s enjoyable, but not a can’t-miss listen.

If you wanna know more about Heyman’s final days in ECW (in 2006)
Paul repeatedly told Vince all day long that “the people are going to throw this back in our face” with the horrific December to Dismember booking (RVD/CM Punk out first, Lashley winning). Vince stood his ground, let his vision pan out, and it did, and was universally hated, just as Paul predicted. The following day, Heyman was sent home, still under contract, given the boot from ECW Creative. Vince cited slumping TV ratings and a disgruntled talent roster as the cause i.e. he squarely placed the blame of Vince’s failure on Heyman.
Heyman would officially leave WWE a few months later, turning down Stephanie’s offer to go back to being head of Developmental creative. The one big positive of D2D being such a failure, it cancelled all future single-branded PPVs: All specials had all 3 rosters on it from then on. From then out, under Dave Lagana and then Dusty and the WWE braintrust, ECW meandered on until it was replaced with NXT (the talent show).

Previous Podcast Reviews:
Austin with Vince McMahon
Austin with Triple H
Jericho with John Cena

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June 4, 2015