This Or That (10/21/2014)

Everybody loves binary decisions, especially wrestling fans! In This Or That, we’ve forced ourselves to choose between two options that relate to wrestling.

Over four questions, @TimWelcomed, @JoeySplashwater and @TomBlargh will have to choose one of two options and give their reasoning on each of their choices. You can then vote on which one you’d choose, giving you the false impression that you’re somehow involved and we care about your opinion chance to join the conversation!

Before we start, here’s last week‘s results:

Which match would excite you more?

Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins Hell In A Cell – 51%, Sami Zayn vs. Adrian Neville Ladder Match – 49%

More likely to be a future WWE World champ?

Bray Wyatt – 53%, Rusev – 47%

Which wrestling related service would you rather get?

TweetSecret – 89%, Vince Russo’s VIP – 11%

Better PBS show?

Sesame Street – 54%, Arthur – 46%

Which new wrestling program are you more likely to watch: British Bootcamp 2 or Lucha Underground?

Two new wrestling shows debuting in the same week. Is this 1999?!

Tim:

I’m really excited about checking out Lucha Underground. I used to watch AAA when I could but I could never figure out what was going on and it seemed like it was edited weird. This has the possibility of being something pretty fresh and different. That’s something wrestling desperately needs. Hopefully it’s not doomed from the get-go and people go into it with and open mind. I mean… It’ll probably end up being shit. That’s how this usually goes but I’m going to try it.

As for British Boot Camp 2… The first one was okay. It’s a great idea for a show. This one has the best of TNA involved (outside of Al Snow) but I really have no attachment to the TNA product anymore. The “TNA” name is so damaged that I have trouble caring about anything they do, even this show which should actually be watchable and maybe even highly enjoyable.

Lucha Underground

Joey:

When it comes to TNA, I’m more prone to trust productions by Jeremy Borash so I do believe British Bootcamp 2 will be decent. Samoa Joe, Gail Kim and Rockstar Spud should add some interesting aspects as well but honestly, fuck Al Snow. He’s a less respected version of Jim Ross when it comes to being grumpy and close minded about different styles of wrestling so expect lots of elitist Al comments.

Lucha Underground is something I’m very hopeful for as I’ve started to read more about it. I want to see how a wrestling show works when structured in the form of a season. This is going to be the first time I watch a lucha-based wrestling show and the American talent provide a nice middle ground to try it out.  I’m also looking forward to seeing Ricochet and John Morrison in a setting completely different than where I’m used to watching them.

I was slightly on the fence but then I found out Drake Bell is a part of the project AND Brad Ward was told by Big Dick Johnson that it would be good. How can you top that?

Lucha Underground

Tom:

I really enjoyed the first British Bootcamp – there was a pretty heavy dose of the usual reality TV nonsense mixed into it, but it was really well put together and it was fun to see a spotlight put on the British indy scene. Series 2 can only be better, since Gail Kim, Samoa Joe and Jeremy Borash are three of the most likeable personalities in wrestling and should be enough to counterbalance that creepy old fuck with terrible opinions about modern wrestling, Al Snow. Also, with some guaranteed Grado time, it’s sure to have some funny moments.

I know very little about Lucha Underground aside from the fact that it’ll have John Morrison and Matt Striker involved to some extent. Thanks but no thanks.

British Bootcamp 2

Which rumored WWE return would interest you more: The Boogeyman or Chris Jericho?

Yes, this is a real question at this point.

Tim:

There is no bigger disappointment in all of my wrestling fandom than modern-day Chris Jericho. You can see hints of him still having “it” but he never seems fully there anymore. He’s not ever booked very well on top of all of that.

Maybe one day, when he’s gotten all of the metal band out of his system, he can get in one last good run. He needs to find a timeless version of his character. What he does now just seems contrived and fully reeks of “cool-dad.” I used to think he would always be good at reinventing himself but that was not the case. So yeah, The Boogeyman. Why not? He wouldn’t be around long and you’d get one or two “why is WWE doing this” moments out of it.

The Boogeyman

Joey:

I can’t believe I’m saying this but The Boogeyman. Seeing 2014 Chris Jericho do just about anything these days is like listening to your dad try to use today’s lingo about current hip fads. It is not fun and just makes everyone feel uncomfortable for him. I’d love to see The Boogeyman replace Alex Riley on the pre-show or post show or whatever the hell it is Alex Riley appears on.

The Boogeyman

Tom:

MAN. I’ve really hated Jericho’s runs from the past couple of years. It’s partly not his fault – even though he’s seemed really disengaged from wrestling and trying to keep his persona fresh and interesting, he’s also been stuck in the role of toothless part-time babyface, which is a fairly thankless task. I think he’s still capable of greatness if he’s given a chance as a heel again and forced to stretch himself into doing something new, but I’m not holding my breath.

A Boogeyman comeback in 2014 would be bewildering, but you know he’s just going to be doing Twisted Tea backstage segments with Adam Rose after a couple of weeks, so I’m happy for him to stay away.

Chris Jericho

Better PWG commentary legend: Chuck Taylor or Kevin Steen?

Who is better at commentating matches in Reseda?

Tim:

These two are definitely in my top five favorite funny people in wrestling. Kevin Steen is one of the most genuinely likable people in the wrestling world so it’s hard to get on his level when it comes to doing commentary. No one comes close except for Chuck Taylor. The man is great and has always had the humor on lock. His BOLA commentary did nothing but inch him closer to Kevin Steen’s status as the best wrestler at commentary in PWG but he has not surpassed him yet.

Kevin Steen

Joey:

If you asked me this a week ago, it would have been Kevin Steen and I’d have laughed at you for even asking. Then, I watched BOLA 2014 all weekend. Chuck Taylor added so much fun with his shrieking and laughing at the best moments of each match he called. PWG needs to broker a deal where Chuckie T commentates every single match, including his own. Taylor may actually be the MVP of PWG right now, all things considered.

Chuck Taylor

Tom:

I’ve enjoyed Steen the commentator as much as Steen the wrestler over the past few years, and given that he’s comfortably in my top five guys of all time, please understand that I’ve enjoyed his commentary a LOT.

I love Chuck Taylor too, and while I haven’t checked out BOLA 2014 yet, Joey’s description of his commentary antics REALLY make me want to get right on that. I think Chuckie T’s definitely worthy of stepping into Steen’s shoes as PWG’s #1 colour commentator, but brother… those are big shoes to fill.

Kevin Steen

Better bear: Grizzly bear or polar bear?

Tim:

News Flash: Polar Bears are shit and always will be shit. Grizzly Bears are majestic. They live in the damn woods with trees. Polar Bears are only liked because people have a fascination with Various Animals of The Frozen Tundra. Guess what? Give me a bear that has no hair that can sustain cold weather and then I’ll be impressed. Grizzly Bears don’t need or want gimmicks. They don’t want your attention. They do, however, command your respect.

Grizzly Bear

Joey:

I’ve gone back and forth on this one through the last few years. Polar bears have always fascinated me more than any animal but after my seeing both bears in person for the first time earlier in the Summer, I couldn’t take my eyes off the grizzly bears. I could look at them for hours trying to observe their actions or watching them swim around peacefully.

However, I visited the zoo again last week and the polar bear intrigued me more this time. It was partly due to making eye contact with me for a good full minute. Here’s the proof:

Safe to say that if you read about a bear escaping a NY zoo to hunt someone down, I’m likely no longer with us.

Polar bear

Tom:

UGH. This is super hard. Grizzly bears are the focus of one of my favourite films of all time, Werner Herzog’s ‘Grizzly Man’ – sadly, they aren’t particularly well represented there, but I still think they’re amazing animals, albeit completely terrifying.

As for polar bears… man, there’s just something pretty special about those guys (and before the sick trolls get on at me, let me clarify something: NO, it’s not because they’re white, this is NOT a race issue, JEEZ).

Polar bears (with the notable exception of the poor guy from Central Park Zoo who always seemed super depressed and might have died recently) always come off as much more active and fun-loving than grizzlies. Also, hungrier – here’s a pic I took at Philadelphia Zoo (I will NOT let Joey establish himself as the site’s primary zoo enthusiast without a fight):

LOOK AT THAT BIG BOY! WHAT A GOOD BOY!

Polar bear