OORick
Intellectual Savior of the Masses 
Posts 3476
Registered 12-27-2001 Location - The Birthplace of Aviation Member Is Offline Mood: Flyered Up
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| posted on 7-25-2016 at 10:00 PM |
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OOfficial Discussion Thread for: RAW (July 25, 2016)
Tonight on RAW: absolutely nothing is confirmed/advertised, as this marks the very first show of a new era of exclusive rosters for both RAW
and SD, and it's a lot harder of a reset than your standard post-PPV show...
All new logos/graphics will be in place (RAW's is particularly ugly, and SD's looks disturbingly like Impact's) as well as a new
announce/broadcast crew (I fear we have seen the last of Lilian Garcia), and while SD sounds like the brand that will try the more experimental stuff,
that doesn't preclude Commish Steph or GM Foley from doing something wacky tonight to further enhance the sense that this is truly a new
era...
SummerSlam is 4 weeks away, and the only confirmed match is Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Orton, but that's a cross-brand match, and Lesnar (the RAW
half of the equation) is a bit of a lightning rod due to drug test failures in UFC... last night, WWE planted the seeds for a Jericho/Orton feud, but
that has the same cross-brand issues, without the big fight cache of a Lesnar match, so unless Orton gets permission to visit RAW (or Jericho to visit
SD), I'm not sure I see the point... plus, after all the ahrd work done to make this Brand Split seem real and unwavering, why just go an undo
it so soon?
We can probably safely guess that Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns will be RAW's top brand-specific entry to the SummerSlam line-up... but that
doesn't mean it's exactly cut-and-dry how it'll take shape.... we still don't know how/if WWE will create a split World Title,
and a double turn is definitely on the table for these two, as well...
Even a safer bet: Charlotte defends the Women's Title against Sasha Banks at SummerSlam... the thing with Bayley has been confirmed as a
one-shot, and Bayley remains property of NXT, so the fact that Sasha made Charlotte tap in a tag match to cement her #1 Contendership doesn't
exactly undo the presence of Dana Brooke in Charlotte's corner.... to me, this is a GREAT opportunity for WWE to let the women do a major
gimmick match on the WWE stage; NXT has seen ladder, cage, and ironman matches with the women, and Brooklyn would eat it up if WWE let Charlotte and
Sasha do something special, designed to prevent Dana from being a factor in the match at SS... yes, you could save it for a rematch, but there's
no guarantee of it going over half as well as it would in Brooklyn...
Beyond that, everything is wide open on RAW.... the New Day need new #1 Contenders, and it really can't be Enzo/Cass or Gallows/Anderson (as
they have their own feud to settle); that leaves the Dudleys (again), the Shining Stars (maybe, but only if Carlito returns to zazz them up), or the
Golden Truth... Rusev needs a new challenger for the US Title; Sami Zayn, red hot off his win last night, would be perfect, but he's far from
the only choice.... RAW is the home for a new Cruiserweight title/division, but we have no idea what that means; do little guys just start fighting
tonight (Sin Cara and Neville are already signed and ready to go), do we wait until the end of the CWC and build around the winner while signing other
free agents from the tourney, or what?....
There is also a very real need to do something HUGE with Finn Balor.... with all due respect, and as a big fan of his, RAW drafted Balor #2, which
seems like a major reach... so we need a debut to pay that off... to me, I think it's worth an appearance from Demon Balor (something he only
does 4-6 times per year for major, watershed shows), but you only get one chance to make a first impression, and for anyone in the mainstream WWE
audience that isn't familiar, the Demon makes a MUCH better impression than some pasty little guy who resembles Mr. Robot wearing simple tights
and a leather jacket... for me, Jericho is the ideal initial foil....
WWE's own vague "preview" of tonight's show also mentions that Kevin Owens will be on a rampage after last week's various
humiliations (drafted way too low, losing to Zayn), and that'll be too bad for whomever feels the brunt of his frustrations.... and then a
similar blurb for the increasingly disgruntled Cesaro (salty about being drafted to RAW, salty about not wrestling last night), and what he might do
to rectify things.... considering that WWE's "previews" only have 5 blurbs, to burn two of them on Owens and Cesaro makes me think they have
plans to make those fairly major plot points tonight...
Thanks to getting 3 picks for every 2 that SD got, RAW also has a surplus of established guys who are kinda directionless right now, too.... that
includes a few who might be ripe for reboots, like Bo Dallas, Curtis Axel, the newly-single Braun Strowman, or Sheamus (I swear, he's seemed on
the brink of a face turn for a while), and a few vets who won't be main players but who can steady the mid-card, like Big Show, Mark Henry, and
Jack Swagger... in other words, while WWE is actively signing some recent alumni to help pad the rosters, RAW needs free agents like it needs a hole
in the head; maybe one or two key signings (besides the cruisers, of which there should be several), but the majority of free agent additions should
be on SD...
That is all. End communication....
The flOOr is yours, OO Nation. Don't wait till after 11pm to post, either. Pre-show previewing and prognosticating is certainly welcome.
So discuss, debate, and rate!
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DKBroiler
SpeciASSl CUMedian 
Posts 1314
Registered 1-25-2008 Location One Inch Right of Philly on a Map Member Is OnlineMood: Old
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| posted on 7-25-2016 at 11:13 PM |
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I'll take a stab at some fantasy bookery.
- Balor debuts and becomes the Raw Club leader.
- Rollins verbally disembowels ReBooooo.
- Sasha and Charlotte do stuff. Royberto remains angry.
- They announce a new cruiserweight title.
- Paul Heyman verbally disembowels Randy Orton.
- Somehow we lay the seeds for Rollins vs KO and ReBoo vs Zayn.
- Steph's cans continue to be marvelous.
- Braun Stroman happens to ... Cesaro?
[Edited on 7-25-2016 by DKBroiler]
Get off my lawn.
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punkerhardcore
American Dream 
Posts 7767
Registered 7-16-2005 Member Is Offline Mood: Lickable
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| posted on 7-25-2016 at 11:18 PM |
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The only thing for certain will be a 20 minute self-aggrandizing promo from Steph. Hopefully during it she finds the time to clear up the title
situation.
I'm thinking they just do the standard tournament that'll have the finals at Summerslam... and they'll expect everyone to be
surprised and not notice that the brackets are set up perfectly to end with Rollins vs. Reigns.
Is everyone mad here?
Of course they are, and you are too... otherwise, you wouldn't have come here.
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DKBroiler
SpeciASSl CUMedian
Posts 1314
Registered 1-25-2008 Location One Inch Right of Philly on a Map Member Is OnlineMood: Old
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| posted on 7-25-2016 at 11:22 PM |
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Maybe I'm high but I think we're about to get 2 months of ReBooo becoming ReJobber to the stars.
Nope ... definitely high. Carry on.
Get off my lawn.
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Paddlefoot
Rocco Rock of Jabroni
Posts 6118
Registered 1-19-2008 Location huhhhhhh Member Is Offline Mood: Finally Deleted
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| posted on 7-25-2016 at 11:44 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by punkerhardcore
The only thing for certain will be a 20 minute self-aggrandizing promo from Steph.
I'd be willing to bet that she'll blame all of last night's defeat on Reigns and kick off another Authority-style punishment period
for him the way they always seem to do. The matches themselves as he has to run through the gauntlet of Rollins/Stroman/Cesaro/Rusev/etc. in handicap
or no-DQ stipulations will probably be the good part. The bad part will be that "jeezus, do we really have to watch this evil boss thing all over
again that they've been doing on this show since 1998", combined with the realization that instead of being punished for his public fuck-up
that we're going to be Reign-ed on just as much as before his suspension, if not more.
You know, everyone says it's not supposed to make sense, like that's the whole point, dude. And I'm just saying, you know,
that's like an excuse for lazy storytelling. Just don't sell me shite and tell me it's gold, all right? I might be stoned, but
I'm not high. You know what I mean?
- Cassidy from Preacher, commenting on The Big Lebowski and/or professional wrestling
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gobbledygooker
Sister Act 2
Posts 9104
Registered 12-17-2002 Location Charlotte, NC Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 12:45 AM |
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Originally posted by Paddlefoot
quote:
I'd be willing to bet that she'll blame all of last night's defeat on Reigns and kick off another Authority-style punishment
period for him the way they always seem to do. The matches themselves as he has to run through the gauntlet of Rollins/Stroman/Cesaro/Rusev/etc. in
handicap or no-DQ stipulations will probably be the good part. The bad part will be that "jeezus, do we really have to watch this evil boss thing all
over again that they've been doing on this show since 1998", combined with the realization that instead of being punished for his public
fuck-up that we're going to be Reign-ed on just as much as before his suspension, if not more.
Have you really been that blungeoned over the head by the endless Reigns push? Maybe I'M the one that's high but I think, between
the never-ending chorus of boos and the suspension, they are finally going to HAVE to turn him. I don't know if it will happen tonight but here
are the two scenarios I am hoping play out, the more likely one first -
A) They build it up like the Authority (or whatever Steph is now) are going to pick back up with Rollins as their go-to hero but then she'll
turn on him, either with Reigns in-hand right away or down the line.
B) They introduce a new Raw world title and act as if it will be awarded to Rollins before swerving it over to Reigns, thus kicking off their feud.
"Hulk Hogan have the sex with some dumb bitch on the TV. The girl smart if she make the $$ from his bald ass but she also desperate to have sex with
the howdy doody like Hulk Hogan. He worse than Mel Gibson and I think now %10000 he prove he have grasshopper dick and raisin balls." - The Iron
Sheik
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janerd75
The Rowdy One 
Posts 2810
Registered 1-28-2013 Location Castle Gayskull Member Is Offline Mood: Brother Nerdo
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 01:03 AM |
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No more ringside announce table. 
The science is settled: Fuck Everybody
Old Man Crunk with an early candidate for line of the night re: Nia Jaxx. "Face like Pam Grier, body like Rosey Grier."
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punkerhardcore
American Dream
Posts 7767
Registered 7-16-2005 Member Is Offline Mood: Lickable
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 01:09 AM |
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Universal Championship. Ahahahahahaha.
Is everyone mad here?
Of course they are, and you are too... otherwise, you wouldn't have come here.
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merc
Man of a Thousand Holds
Posts 1181
Registered 2-23-2006 Location New England Member Is Offline Mood: Really FN bad
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 01:12 AM |
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Big E was pretty funny - I think he mimicked everyone as they were announced including Sasha Banks.
"I wish sarcasm was available as a font." John Stuart Mill
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LoveMuscle
Creepy Little Bastard
Posts 54
Registered 6-28-2007 Member Is Offline Mood: horny
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 01:24 AM |
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So they're throwing Balor out in the opening match? Clearly he's getting buried, jerking the curtain like that.
Seriously, if they put him over, how long would it take to put on his demon paint? Or would they blow their wad on that the night of his debut?
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Paddlefoot
Rocco Rock of Jabroni
Posts 6118
Registered 1-19-2008 Location huhhhhhh Member Is Offline Mood: Finally Deleted
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 01:28 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by gobbledygooker
Originally posted by Paddlefoot
quote:
I'd be willing to bet that she'll blame all of last night's defeat on Reigns and kick off another Authority-style punishment
period for him the way they always seem to do. The matches themselves as he has to run through the gauntlet of Rollins/Stroman/Cesaro/Rusev/etc. in
handicap or no-DQ stipulations will probably be the good part. The bad part will be that "jeezus, do we really have to watch this evil boss thing all
over again that they've been doing on this show since 1998", combined with the realization that instead of being punished for his public
fuck-up that we're going to be Reign-ed on just as much as before his suspension, if not more.
Have you really been that blungeoned over the head by the endless Reigns push? Maybe I'M the one that's high but I think, between
the never-ending chorus of boos and the suspension, they are finally going to HAVE to turn him. I don't know if it will happen tonight but here
are the two scenarios I am hoping play out, the more likely one first -
A) They build it up like the Authority (or whatever Steph is now) are going to pick back up with Rollins as their go-to hero but then she'll
turn on him, either with Reigns in-hand right away or down the line.
B) They introduce a new Raw world title and act as if it will be awarded to Rollins before swerving it over to Reigns, thus kicking off their feud.
No, but I learned from the endless Cena push, that set the standard for audience dissatisfaction until the hate-fest of Reigns broke the mold. WWE is
beyond stubborn and simply aren't going to do what a vocal segment of the fans want. There was talk that Reigns would get de-pushed because
Vince isn't happy with the way the push hasn't worked, but that's just talk. There's at least a 50/50 chance that it will
continue. There's no where near the same odds that a heel turn will happen, not just because they refused to do it with Cena, but because
he's surrounded on RAW by heels like Rollins and tweeners like Lesnar. Roman was what, RAW's fourth pick in the draft? He ain't
going anywhere.
What does it matter if they flip him to heel status anyway? He's still going to get booed like X-Pac from now on no matter what they do with
him. The damage from the 2015 RR can't ever be fixed. That's just the way it is.
You know, everyone says it's not supposed to make sense, like that's the whole point, dude. And I'm just saying, you know,
that's like an excuse for lazy storytelling. Just don't sell me shite and tell me it's gold, all right? I might be stoned, but
I'm not high. You know what I mean?
- Cassidy from Preacher, commenting on The Big Lebowski and/or professional wrestling
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gobbledygooker
Sister Act 2
Posts 9104
Registered 12-17-2002 Location Charlotte, NC Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 01:50 AM |
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After watching that opening segment, the crowd really does have to have a next-level hatred for you to cheer for Stephanie when she's berating
you.
"Hulk Hogan have the sex with some dumb bitch on the TV. The girl smart if she make the $$ from his bald ass but she also desperate to have sex with
the howdy doody like Hulk Hogan. He worse than Mel Gibson and I think now %10000 he prove he have grasshopper dick and raisin balls." - The Iron
Sheik
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nOOb
The Man 
Posts 6735
Registered 5-24-2004 Member Is Offline Mood: Hot Dog!
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 01:53 AM |
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I figure that Balor will get to bust out the Demon tonight...only to lose to Roman Reigns. Past that first four-way, I'm not all that excited
about tonight to the point where I'm going to get a head start on bed.
I'm doubly worried about Smackdown, since they just established with the new "Universal Title" that Dean Ambrose's challenger pool will
essentially be John Cena and Randy Orton, which means Cena/Ambrose is most likely what we're getting for Summerslam.
"The Seahawks are cool. Me and Tubby here hung out with them once at a Bruno Mars concert."-Jay and Silent Bob representing the Broncos on FOX NFL
Sunday.
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Tevaltski
And I am AWESOME 
Posts 140
Registered 6-27-2007 Location NOVA Member Is Offline Mood: Whooooo!
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 01:53 AM |
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Seriously the guys in the production truck need to put away the rolled up $20's and nose candy and get their fingers away from the camera angle
button. Pretty sure I had an epileptic seizure during the first match
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Matte
"Family Man" 
Posts 8752
Registered 12-16-2008 Member Is Offline Mood: #BROKEN
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 01:55 AM |
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I'll be a little disappointed if Balor goes full Demon for the main event. I think that's a thing he should only bust out for PPVs and the
like.
"I'm a professional. I know exactly what I'm doing." - Jeff Hardy
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DKBroiler
SpeciASSl CUMedian
Posts 1314
Registered 1-25-2008 Location One Inch Right of Philly on a Map Member Is OnlineMood: Old
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 01:56 AM |
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I feel like I'm watching Monday Night RAM but with dyslexia.
Get off my lawn.
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Paddlefoot
Rocco Rock of Jabroni
Posts 6118
Registered 1-19-2008 Location huhhhhhh Member Is Offline Mood: Finally Deleted
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 02:00 AM |
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Roman will have to deafen himself on purpose like the way Donny did on Preacher in order to deal with the booing. If he doesn't the mental
trauma or the stomach ulcers will end up killing him.
You know, everyone says it's not supposed to make sense, like that's the whole point, dude. And I'm just saying, you know,
that's like an excuse for lazy storytelling. Just don't sell me shite and tell me it's gold, all right? I might be stoned, but
I'm not high. You know what I mean?
- Cassidy from Preacher, commenting on The Big Lebowski and/or professional wrestling
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punkerhardcore
American Dream
Posts 7767
Registered 7-16-2005 Member Is Offline Mood: Lickable
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 02:02 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by DKBroiler
I feel like I'm watching Monday Night RAM but with dyslexia.
It looks like the amount of effort their graphic designer went to was typing "RAW" into Microsoft Word, and scrolling through fonts for a couple
minutes.
Is everyone mad here?
Of course they are, and you are too... otherwise, you wouldn't have come here.
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Il Palazzo
Fella
Posts 264
Registered 2-25-2006 Location Cheddar Bay, NC Member Is Offline Mood: Stepladder
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 02:04 AM |
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Watch Monday Night RAM on your brand new Magnetbox TV!
You did it, Nibbles. Now chew through my ball sack.
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DKBroiler
SpeciASSl CUMedian
Posts 1314
Registered 1-25-2008 Location One Inch Right of Philly on a Map Member Is OnlineMood: Old
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 02:07 AM |
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RAM IS MAR!!!
Get off my lawn.
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Il Palazzo
Fella
Posts 264
Registered 2-25-2006 Location Cheddar Bay, NC Member Is Offline Mood: Stepladder
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 02:16 AM |
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This has really made me want a Mars bar. CURSE YOU, MME! You and your RAM and your SwackDomn.
You did it, Nibbles. Now chew through my ball sack.
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DKBroiler
SpeciASSl CUMedian
Posts 1314
Registered 1-25-2008 Location One Inch Right of Philly on a Map Member Is OnlineMood: Old
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 02:20 AM |
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I'm going to pretend for the next hour and 40 minutes that Demon Balor is going to beat ReBooooooo.
Get off my lawn.
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Paddlefoot
Rocco Rock of Jabroni
Posts 6118
Registered 1-19-2008 Location huhhhhhh Member Is Offline Mood: Finally Deleted
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 02:21 AM |
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You know, everyone says it's not supposed to make sense, like that's the whole point, dude. And I'm just saying, you know,
that's like an excuse for lazy storytelling. Just don't sell me shite and tell me it's gold, all right? I might be stoned, but
I'm not high. You know what I mean?
- Cassidy from Preacher, commenting on The Big Lebowski and/or professional wrestling
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janerd75
The Rowdy One
Posts 2810
Registered 1-28-2013 Location Castle Gayskull Member Is Offline Mood: Brother Nerdo
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 02:32 AM |
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Sure could use a backwoods hillbilly shitkicking mudstomp rape intervention right now. 
Okay, so Stormfront instead. 
The science is settled: Fuck Everybody
Old Man Crunk with an early candidate for line of the night re: Nia Jaxx. "Face like Pam Grier, body like Rosey Grier."
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Paddlefoot
Rocco Rock of Jabroni
Posts 6118
Registered 1-19-2008 Location huhhhhhh Member Is Offline Mood: Finally Deleted
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| posted on 7-26-2016 at 02:41 AM |
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Neville lost a lot of weight. Still muscular but not grotesque and puffy from the substances the way he was before the injury.
You know, everyone says it's not supposed to make sense, like that's the whole point, dude. And I'm just saying, you know,
that's like an excuse for lazy storytelling. Just don't sell me shite and tell me it's gold, all right? I might be stoned, but
I'm not high. You know what I mean?
- Cassidy from Preacher, commenting on The Big Lebowski and/or professional wrestling
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