The Streak Is Dead, Long Live The Streak: Now What...???

It was, and is, one of the more remarkable ways to tip your hat to a wrestler if you're part of a creative team...

To continue a behavioral pattern over more than two decades...

It didn't matter what the incarnation was: Heel, face, tweener, Undertaker, American Bad Ass... it was still the Undertaker and it was still the unbeaten streak at Wrestlemania...

It had gotten to the point of absurdity and wonder at 21 straight years of victories- having practically every big-time wrestler on the roster come up, cut massive promos in the months leading to the be-all-end-all event of Wrestlemania- and then have the opponent concede- usually to the "Tombstone" piledriver...

But not at WM30... it was Brock Lesnar of all people... a part-timer who the fans completely have a competitive dislike for, that got the victory...
((HT: WWE Network))


The build-up by Lesnar's manager, Paul Heyman, was his standard promo-cutting brilliance...
The "Eat, Sleep, Conquer, Repeat" promo was one of the better of the modern era...
But, here's a sample of the handiwork...
((HT: WWE))


The crashing of the fantasy lends us to think: "Now what...?"

Good Ol' JR, makes his always-salient points on FoxSports.com:

I assume the decision to end the Undertaker's 21-0 winning streak is based on two factors:

One, the physical status of the 49-year-old rugged veteran, who has been surgically put back together on multiple occasions and may be in more physical jeopardy than we know. Not even Dr. Frankenstein could reassemble The Deadman.

Secondly, it seems as if WWE is recommitting its marketing machine to better monetize the potential of the amazingly gifted Lesnar, who has never gotten on a roll since returning to WWE after being forced to retire due to issues with diverticulitis.

So, does this set up a rematch and an adieu that Mark is deserving- much like Ric Flair at WM24...???

Or is it more an immediate ending like JR is suggesting...???

One thing is for sure: For someone who has busted his ass (literally and figuratively) for the last three decades, Undertaker should go out on his own terms... regardless of what they are...

For the record, here's the list...

WrestleMania VII: Jimmy Snuka
WrestleMania VIII: Jake "The Snake" Roberts
WrestleMania IX: Giant Gonzalez
WrestleMania XI: King Kong Bundy
WrestleMania XII: Diesel
WrestleMania XIII: Sycho Sid
WrestleMania XIV: Kane
WrestleMania XV: Big Boss Man
WrestleMania X-Seven: Triple H
WrestleMania X8: Ric Flair
WrestleMania XIX: The Big Show and A-Train
WrestleMania XX: Kane
WrestleMania 21: Randy Orton
WrestleMania 22: Mark Henry
WrestleMania 23: Batista
WrestleMania XXIV: Edge
WrestleMania XXV: Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania XXVI: Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania XXVII: Triple H
WrestleMania XXVIII: Triple H
WrestleMania 29: CM Punk
WrestleMania XXX: Brock Lesnar

Darren Sharper Facing More Rape Charges

Yes, that's right, former All-Pro and Super Bowl winning NFL Safety Darren Sharper keeps adding to his ever growing list of rape charges.

Along with the multiple charges Sharper is facing in Los Angeles, you can now add two more charges that were filed in New Orleans. Sharper and another man are facing two aggravated rape charges in New Orleans where Sharper played for several years.

He turned himself in to Los Angeles police Thursday night, he's been ordered to not leave L.A by a judge while he's on bond for the charges in the city. Did we mention that his bail has been revoked in light of the new charges?

The other man in the New Orleans charges, an Erik Nunez, turned himself into police Friday morning.

Read more from CNN.com RIGHT HERE

A note here--Sharper has not been charged, but is a suspect in two more incidents, one in Nevada and one in Arizona. All of the incidents he's been linked to have taken place since October of last year.

We told you about the earlier incidents and the belief by many authorities that Mr. Sharper can be classified a serial rapist.

You can read the story from Feb 15th, RIGHT HERE

KCBS gives us the TV story on Mr. Sharper's adventures:

Can The Pels Get Some Immune Builder In Their Building...???

((HT: WWL-TV))

Riverfront Arena has seen a lot of stuff in its time downtown in New Orleans...

And, now, an important part of the process is getting a few years worth of naming rights on the marquee...

It's not quite as bad as the sponsor in Sacramento (Sleep Train), but it's an interesting sponsorship opportunity in Louisiana...

Smoothie King is now on the Riverfront...
Here's the recap of the new name on the old digs...
So, whaddya think...???

The HQ just hopes that the idea means that there will be plenty of inventory on hand for events...

Team Gleason Accepts Sports Talk Hosts Apologies (UPDATE: Cellini Pledges Paycheck to Team Gleason)

Proving yet again that he and his foundation are better men, Team Gleason released a statement this afternoon stating they've forgiven the DJ's from Atlanta radio station 790 The Zone who made some poor, poor jokes at his expense.

Here's the statement from Steve Gleason himself:

Regarding the DJ skit in Atlanta yesterday. I would like to thank the public for their support. 'Defend Team Gleason' now has been officially redefined. Additionally, the DJ's have provided genuine apology. Received and accepted. We have all made mistakes in this life. How we learn from our mistakes is the measure of who we are.

I think everyone can learn from this event. It's clear to me that, on a national and global scale, ALS is not understood, which is part of why its under funded and largely ignored. In the past 36 hours lots of people have been talking. Lets talk about this....There are zero treatments for ALS. If you take any action as a result of this event, I prefer it to end ALS. See what we are doing to change that at TeamGleason.org.

For more on Team Gleason, the link to his website is RIGHT HERE

If you'd like to donate to Team Gleason, the link is RIGHT HERE

Thus far, Brother Jon has handled this story and we haven't chimed in. I'm chiming in. I know and have worked with 2 of the 3 "DJ's" or Sports Talk Hosts involved.

And to hear they tried to do something like this was NOT a surprise. But like Gleason, rather than dwell on my distaste for them, I'm looking at the positive that comes from this.

Steve Gleason is a BIG man to accept their apology and that he did, just makes my respect for him and his battle only grow.

The good thing about what happened to the 3 "Hosts" is this probably should have happened years ago (them getting themselves fired), so let's call it Karma.

Like Gleason, I think a lot of good comes from what happened. It moved ALS forward in the discussion. It needs to be discussed/addressed or what ever else you want to call it.

This is a golden opportunity for people in Atlanta, New Orleans and other places to discover more of what the disease is and can do. Other than the inspiring stories of those battling it, it's a horrible affliction that needs attention.

Let's hope everyone takes advantage of the learning experience despite where it originated from.

Two side notes: Cellini has deleted his Twitter account, and according to Katherine Terrell at nola.com:

Cellini, who told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune that he had no illusions about securing future employment, made a pledge if that were to happen.

"When and if I do work in radio again, I'm going to donate my first month's salary to Team Gleason and the fight against ALS," he said in a phone call Tuesday morning. "I know that feelings are very raw, and I've very, very contrite.

"I realize what I did was a horrible, horrible thing."

Interesting to see if that happens...

Mayhem In The AM, Fired In The PM: Day 2

((HT: ESPN))

Reaction has been, understandably, against the really bad bit...

And when your parent affiliation goes after you, you know it was bad...


Rodney Ho, from the AJC, added to his column this morning:

UPDATE 6/18/13, 7:20 a.m.: This morning, the Zone has Beau Bock and Sam Radin on air. (They were obviously told not to reference what happened to Mayhem in the AM.)

Later in the evening, Cellini sent a follow-up note:

The comments that I made during the interview about Lincoln Financial were made out of pure emotion, as a result of losing my job after 16 years with the station. They've been nothing but fair to me over the past three plus years since they purchased 790 The Zone.

WWL-TV got the naturally-understandably-angry Saints fan piece last night...
Including some sound from former Falcon QB and Atlanta talk show host Bobby Hebert...

The New Orleans Side of 790TheZone's Bad Bit... (UPDATE: Dimino Apologizes)

First, here's the Saints statement, through team spokesman Greg Bensel:

“The New Orleans Saints support Steve Gleason not only for what he means to our organization and our city but more importantly what he means in his tremendous fight to find a cure for ALS...we have not heard the radio report, but if what is reported is accurate, it is grossly offensive."

Fox 8's Chad Sabadie started their team coverage
((HT: Fox8Live))
FOX 8 WVUE New Orleans News, Weather, Sports

The HQ agrees with Scott Shanle...

And now has a bit of a question... if Team Gleason knew of the bit, but wouldn't comment to WWL-TV, what was the situation surrounding the apology that Cellini apparently gave to Michel Gleason...

We digress...

Here's the ABC26 version...


The HQ now lies in wait for the rant from hell that New Orleans talk host Bobby Hebert has to say about this- and his former station...

Actually, we have some links for that...

Bobby and Deke Bellavia did two interviews on their show. One with Jane Gilbert, CEO of the ALS Association, and another with D. Orlando Ledbetter of the AJC...

2300 UPDATE: Here is the full Chris Dimino apology on his Facebook page...

So where to begin. The obvious and rightful place is with an apology. And the reality of knowing that falls short...no matter what I say...is heartbreaking.

The sheer stupidity of trying to put this as a failed attempt at humor is not lost on me.

The words "Should have known better" mean nothing to me. And shouldn't to you right now

I would like to though offer my apology. Knowing that it is everyone's right not to accept it. Or even consider accepting it for now.

My apologies go out first to Steve Gleason and his family. The weight of what he and they are going through did not need to be made heavier or worse by the pure and straight insensitivity of my actions.

I also want to offer up my apologies to all who are not only dealing with ALS..but to those who are dealing with ANYTHING that has made themself or family and friends subject to the physical and emotional heartache of any debilitating disease or condition.

As a father of two girls, I put myself in a position that I have begged...pleaded..DEMANDED..they not put themselves in. That of the bully. The mean kid. The one who thinks what they say or do comes with no consequence. It does. It always does.

I have no illusion as to what 19 years on the radio...30 years of being a grown man..and most importantly almost 10 years of being a father..and what you build up in your name and reputation over those periods of time..should and does mean.

Now I know how quickly a stupid and worse than that non thinking moment can change all of it.

I hope I get a chance to prove this is not who I want to be. It was and is who "I am" today though. That much is not lost on me.

I have spent so long not trying to put other people in a bad place because of me. Today I failed miserably.

I'm very open to any and all dialogue as it pertains to the people I have hurt and disappointed. I've had that dialogue with myself..my wife and will with my kids.

Thanks for at least this much of your time

Chris Dimino

Faulty Relay Switch Caused Super Bowl Brownout (UPDATED)

((ht: nola.com))

Well, the world can rest easy now. The reason for the power outage at last weeks Super Bowl has been found.

The power company Entergy says a "Faulty Electrical Relay Device" caused the 34 minute outage which was breathlessly reported by many news outlets as some sort of major scandal.

According to NOLA.com, the power company explained the relay was there in case of a cable failure between the switchgear and the stadium.

Read the entire NOLA.com story RIGHT HERE

**UPDATE**(3pm)---The company that makes the relay equipment tells NOLA.com that the switch worked properly, that the outage was a result of the electric load current overloading the switchgear relay and tripping it as it was designed to do."

Sorry Entertainment Tonight, it wasn't Beyonce that caused the outage. Hate to tell you ESPN and other sports outlets, its not a problem that should eliminate The Superdome from future Super Bowls. It's a bad switch.

It happens. It happens in homes, it happens in office buildings all over the country. Yeah, sure, the timing was probably not great, but it is not some sort of conspiracy, not a lack of preparation, just a bad piece of equipment.

Rest easy world. Stop castigating the NFL by saying they should have had a plan in case this happened. There's no way to know that it could have happened.

Deal with it.

Here's some sort of OK video to remind you of what happened:

Power Outage Costs Roman Numeral Classic 34 Minutes

And a lot of women went over to Downton Abbey, the HQ is quite sure...

Here's what went down...


And the jokes are all over the place...
This one's the HQ's favorite...


A lot of the HQ has been in positions of having to fill in emergency situations before...

Let us know your favorite joke related to the mess in New Orleans...

The New Orleans Pelicans?

Pelican

Really? The Pelicans? That's the best you can do?

It appears reports in December that the New Orleans Hornets were considering changing their name to the "Pelicans" are true.

The team has scheduled a Thursday morning press conference that most believe will be an announcement of just such a name change.

Read the Yahoo.com story RIGHT HERE

Yes, Louisiana folks, we are well aware that the Pelican, in all its glory is your state bird. But just let it be known the Pelican doesn't exactly sound, well, intimidating.

But then again, the performance of the current Hornets isn't exactly intimidating either.

New team owner Tom Benson (yes, he owns the Saints too), already has the rights to the name so it's a perfect fit...

Right?

Sure, New Orleans folks were stuck with the Hornets name after the team moved from Charlotte back in 2002. And yes, they have a VERY legitimate argument for changing THAT name.

But be inspired guys. Try something original. Something that stands up and gets your attention and looks cool.

Sorry we just don't see the image of a Pelican as either.