The Pacers take 2-0 series lead with 114-109 road win!
Tyrese Haliburton: 14 PTS, 11 AST
Myles Turner: 16 PTS, 3 REB, 2 BLK
Game 3 at Indiana: Sun, 5/25 at 8:00pm/et on TNT.
Smackdown time.
Be free, neurons! 🥲
"Naija to the World!"
...
"Not like that!"
Nigerians recognise this.
The USA has entered its "Government Officials Wear President's Cap To Show Loyalty" stage.
Coincidentally, when Jay-Z rapped about being made in the 80s, he specifically mentioned "Oliver North, Iran Contra". And I felt simultaneously very seen and very old.
And that was over a decade ago 😩.
🤣 Fair, fair.
The Liberals were down by 25 points just 3 months ago.
The fact they might win a majority, is UNBELIEVABLY huge and positive news.
CBC panel saying that the election results are BAD news for the Liberals is weird.
It is BAD news for the NDP and BAD news for the CPC who were up 25 points.
Seeing Oliver North become a liked and respected TV pundit was one of my earliest signs of the deep hypocrisy of the American Right.
This thing where Finn Balor is like the Fight Club narrator getting eased out by Dom/Liv as Tyler Durden is dragging a bit.
Yes I understand that the rivalry for the IC title was just a chapter, but it could have ended there.
Let's see where they go with this tag team thing (seems obvious though).
Roxanne Perez vs Rhea Ripley:
bsky.app/profile/andy...
I like where this angle is going, even though this Giulia running - expected as it was - annoyed me.
I like the well-worn idea of NXT upstarts wreaking havoc on main. Also like the Iyo-Rhea partnership.
Rhea and Roxanne are applying psychology very well. Having Rhea dominate while Roxanne occasionally evens the odds by working a knee and high-flying makes sense.
The match is giving 123 Kid vs Razor Ramon.
Promo: Seth Rollins, Paul Heyman, & Bron Breakker vs Sami Zayn:
bsky.app/profile/andy...
Sami was perfect choice to confront Seth. A good friend, popular babyface, and character now known for a strong moral compass. Plus their history of opposing both Roman & Punk. Sami can say "you're NOT the thing we've both said we are".
With ultimatum to Sami, this is clearly main Raw heel faction.
Straightforward presentation of the new stable by Seth, Heyman, and Breakker.
I would have loved to hear some talking from Paul, but Seth handled it well enough.
Walk-ins:
Rhea got a huge pop. They don't care that she Karened her way to WrestleMania.
No reaction for Roxanne Perez and Ivy Nile and American Made.
Big pop for Stephanie.
Heat for Logan Paul.
My Monday Night Raw thread.
Silly me! 🤣
WWE Tag Team Championship
Street Profits (Champs) def MCMG & DIY
AND STILL....
bsky.app/profile/andy...
Yo Triple H, how come we got New Day vs Viking Biker Raider Clashing Clan at WrestleMania instead of *this* TLC banger with Street Profits, DIY, and MCMG?!
MONTEZ FORD IS HIM!
Watching the entire crowd join the Street Profits to do their "Ooh Ooh" chant and gesture, and I'm in my feelings. So happy for these guys.
🙋🏿♂️Ooh💪🏿.🙋🏿♂️Ooh💪🏿.
🙋🏿♂️Ooh💪🏿.🙋🏿♂️Ooh💪🏿.
Please put respect on Montez Ford's name.
WrestlingThreads
US Championship
Zelina Vega def Chelsea Green (Champ).
AND NEW:
bsky.app/profile/andy...
Jacob Fatu, Solo Sikoa, Drew McIntyre, LA Knight, Promo:
bsky.app/profile/andy...
It's remarkable how many pre-WrestleMania feuds are still going after Mania.
Conventional wisdom is to blow them off at the top show (both to give fans the highest payoff and to preserve WM's aura). I'll need to analyse these feuds to see whether exceptions were justified and if so, whether so many.
It was a nice match between Drew and LA.
Is the idea that having Drew and Damian in the mix will "elevate" the US Title rather than downgrade the wrestlers?
Maybe that works. Not sure it will, but happy to observe between now and Backlash.
I'm trying to see the booking logic of not having the Women's US Championship - a NEW title - at WrestleMania, only to have Chelsea Green lose it on Smackdown the next week.
President Chelsea made something out of almost nothing with her title story and at least deserved to get to do business at WM.
A bit of a crime to see Drew down in the US Title picture after the stellar year he had between WM40 and 41. I could forgive keeping him in a holding pattern while Gunther was World Champ. But babyface Jey needs heel opponents, so why not bump Drew to WHC picture?
LA Knight is still over, though. The crowd wants Creative to know it.
Instructive:
1. Bron Breakker loses the IC Belt and goes into a main event tier storyline with Seth Rollins and Paul Heyman vs CM Punk and Roman Reigns.
2. LA Knight loses the US Belt and... stays in the US Title picture.
