Wrestling For My Life Book Review

This will be my first official Book Review, as I will review "Wrestling For My Life" the latest book by WWE Hall of Famer turned NY Times Best Selling Author Shawn Michaels. For anyone expecting this book to be simply about his career, I suggest that you read "Heartbreak & Triump" instead. This book focuses more on Shawn's transition away from the ring, and the lessons that he learned in his journey. Triple H and Stone Cold Steve Austin both write the Foreword of this book, and share their thoughts of how much Michaels has changed. Shawn starts off with the details leading up to his retirement match with Undertaker at WrestleMania 26, and how Michael Hayes and Vince McMahon presented the idea of a farewell tour. Shawn made up his mind that he just wanted the match and end with that. Shawn explains how the match with Taker at WrestleMania 25 firmly convinced him that it was time to call it a career. After that match, Shawn had been interviewed. The interviewer asked Shawn how old his son Cameron was. He told him he was 9. Right after that, the interviewer tells Shawn his son is "almost gone" meaning he was 9 years away from being 18 and becoming a young man. This made Shawn realize even more that he needed to spend time with his family. From that moment, he started looking at his life away from the industry. Shawn also talks about what led him to Christ. He opens up and becomes totally transparent about how his life was taking a downward spiral within two years of his marriage to his wife Rebecca. Shawn realized that he had hit the wall when his son Cameron said that he was "tired". Tired really meant that he was wasted from the pills that he was taking. Longtime friend Kevin Nash got into his ear and told him to get away from the pills completely. Shawn says that he tried to justify his actions, but Nash convinced him that since he was now married with a son, he could not do those things anymore. God was drawing Shawn's heart to repent and accept Christ as his Savior. Rebecca was making her way back to Christ, and her example led Shawn closer to God. Shawn's steps were being ordered to Christ in many different ways, including when Rebecca buys him a Bible. Finally, Shawn found himself in the parking lot of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, where a Minister asks him if he would like to invite Jesus Christ into his life and he openly accepts. Shawn talks about his life growing up as he had been a Catholic before this. He was the typical story of a person who had grown up going to church for religious reasons, but not for a relationship. He did it as a way to check it off of his list, but not in a way to know Jesus for himself. Everyone knows Shawn's reckless lifestyle, and he explains how it led him to this point. After accepting Christ, Shawn became fully involved in the Ministry at his church, along with even becoming a Sunday School Teacher. Michaels talks about how the mentors that God placed in his life challenged him to become the Christian Warrior that he is now. Michaels also talks about how he and Triple H reconciled after his conversion. He goes deeply into his Church involvement, and how he has become a mentor himself. It is great to see how Shawn talks about how God used his experiences in wrestling to help him apply them into his Christian walk. He talks about how being in teams with the likes of Marty Jannetty in the Rockers to Triple H in DX helped him understand what it was like to work in a team with his wife to walk with Christ. Shawn compared his first retirement to his second retirement, and says that when he left in 1998, he was not in a great place. Injuries took their toll, drugs and alcohol plagued his life, and he was very miserable as a result. In his last match with Austin, Shawn was in intense pain. Meanwhile, he was much happier in his last match with Taker. His family was there to witness his last match, as they had time to bond after the show. Shawn is also open about the stages in his Christian life. He says that in his first book, he was in the brighter, colorful stages of his Christian walk. However, this time Shawn admits that he is in a place that his character is being strengthened. I admire how open he was about this season of his life, and how God has given him grace. Another fun fact is that Shawn opens up each chapter with a Bible verse. Shawn explains the issues that he faced when looking for the right balance of being a Christian Wrestler. His understanding of Christian Theology is very impressive by the way. It was also fun to see him share how God gave him the confirmation to get back into wrestling, as he got a call from WWE while in service. Shawn also says that his purpose to return to wrestling was that WWE would be his platform to glorify God. God opened many different doors for Shawn to share his faith and pray with and disciple others in the locker room. He says that during his absence, the locker room environment had changed, which was the right time for him to make the return. He says that Vince was very accepting of his family commitments and respected what he had to do to find a balance between his career and life. God made provisions and move the heart of the king (Vince) like the rivers of water (Proverbs 21:1). He and Vince have always had a close bond anyway, so this helped even more. Shawn has even been asked to lead the locker room in prayer. At this point, Shawn was at a much happier place in both his life and career, as he even says himself that this was the best time of his career. God redeemed and rejuvenated him for that season. He also talks about how he discovered hunting during his time away from WWE. As we all know, Shawn has a hunting show. Michaels talks about the friendships that he has built on the show as well. Finally, Shawn talks about the power of forgiveness as the best example that he gives from his career is how he and Bret Hart reconciled following the Montreal Screwjob. Shawn's story doesn't fell complete without him explaining the way that him and Bret finally cross paths to bury the past. The way that both men made peace truly had to be an act of God, and Shawn admits that himself. The book starts strong and ends strong as things come full circle. I appreciate the different angle that Shawn takes as he goes beyond the surface of the glitz and glamor of his career to dig into the dirt behind it. This is a story of redemption from near tragedy to ultimate triumph, as Shawn shows what it is like to truly do all things through Christ that strenghens you. God's prize and high calling are far more important than any title or award that Shawn has ever won.  Outstanding book. I give it 4/5 Stars. As far as belt ratings, I would give it 5 out of 5 HBK Intercontinental Championship belts.

Undertaker: Phenomenal 50



Today, we will celebrate one of the wrestling's true icons reaching a tremendous milestone. Mark Calaway (aka The Undertaker) will become the big 5-0. 50! As the sun sets on the Undertaker's career, I would like to take the time to speak of how phenomenal (pun intended) and remarkable his legacy is to the world of wrestling. For the past 25 years, Undertaker has been a pillar for WWE, and the world of wrestling overall. After paying his dues in territories such as World Class along with a brief stint as Mean Mark in WCW, Taker joined WWF in November of 1990. From that point on, his career would never be the same. Undertaker made his monumental debut at Survivor Series joining the Million Dollar Man's Team with Brother Love as his manager. Taker and Brother Love were a very strong contrast, considering Bruce Pritchard's character was a parody of Televangelists in the South. Meanwhile, Undertaker was a mortician. However, the partnership would soon end as Brother Love introduced the man that would shape The Deadman's career into something even greater: Paul Bearer. In reality, Bearer actually was a mortician, so it was the perfect combination. What is really interesting is that when Taker was in World Class as Eric the Red, his first manager was Percy Pringle. Funny how things come full circle. Undertaker made waves from the moment that he made his debut, as he has been constantly in the top spot for the course of his whole career. His Survivor Series legacy started that night, and his WrestleMania legacy would start at WrestleMania VII. That night, he conquered Superfly Jimmy Snuka in convincing fashion. As history shows, Undertaker's debut was one of the highlights of WrestleMania VII. Taker would continue his impressive run throughout the year, including a feud with Ultimate Warrior that became the top feud of the year for PWI. During that summer, Taker was aligned with Jake The Snake Roberts. Undertaker continued to make a name for himself when he attacked Hulk Hogan in the legendary funeral parlor segment where he came out of the casket to nail Hogan in the back of the head with the urn, as both he and Flair attacked the Hulkster. Savage and Piper would run to the stage with chairs to fight off the Deadman, as this is one of the most memorable segments of history. Five legends in one segment. Undertaker's feud with Hogan would earn him a shot at the WWF Title at Survivor Series. A year after he made his debut as a member of DiBiase's team, Undertaker continues his Survivor Series legacy by defeating Hogan to become the new Champion. Fans even cheered for him, despite the fact that he was a heel. This was a sign that Taker was one of the leaders of the future. However, Taker would lose the title at Tuesday in Texas to Hogan resulting in a Royal Rumble to crown the champion. Taker would settle his feud with Jake The Snake at WrestleMania VIII, before feuding with Kamala. Taker would defeat Kamala at Survivor Series '92. Long before becoming a WrestleMania legend, Undertaker was a Survivor Series legend. After legends like Hogan and Andre faded off of the scene, Stars like Undertaker, Bret Hart, and Shawn Michaels would take the mantle of the company and they did not disappoint. Undertaker was able to make the best out what was given to him during those lean years where he did not have his best dance partners. It wasn't until 1996 that Undertaker's rivals started to improve, with the exception of Yokozuna. Undertaker's WrestleMania legacy started to improve with his match against Diesel at WrestleMania XII after Diesel cost him the WWF Title match with Bret at Royal Rumble '96. From that point moving forward, The Deadman would battle the likes of Mankind, Bret, HBK and later Austin. Undertaker's biggest WrestleMania moment to date at the time was winning the title from Sid at WM 13. He would carry the belt into Summerslam as he would lose to Bret Hart with a chair shot from Shawn Michaels. This match would create a number of effects, as Taker would feud with HBK while the feud with Shawn and Bret would culminate in Survivor Series. Meanwhile, the Deadman and HBK would create something fantastic at Badd Blood '97 with HIAC. This would transition into the storied feud with Kane. After Kane cost him another match with Shawn Michaels at Royal Rumble '98 (Casket Match), The Undertaker and Kane story would reach the pinnacle at WrestleMania XIV. If there was any point where Kane could have ended the Streak, it was at this time where Taker was in his prime. Undertaker would continue to be one of the key players on Team WWF during the Monday Night Wars. Ironically, Undertaker was one of the rejects of WCW and was made into a Megastar. In 2000, Undertaker made his return as he reinvented himself as a Biker. He would come to the ring on a motorcycle and jeans. Undertaker would continue competing at a high level, as he would compete in a 6-man HIAC match at Armageddon. He would also team with Kane as The Brothers of Destruction. Together, they would win the tag titles and play a major role in the Invasion storyline by wiping out teams like DDP and Kanyon. Undertaker's biker gimmick would develop even more of an edge in 2002 as he became a heel. He would defeat a legend like Ric Flair at WM X8, and an Icon like Hogan to win the WWE Championship on Judgment Day just as he did 11 years earlier at Survivor Series. Taker would drop the title to The Rock in a very entertaining Triple Threat Match that featured Kurt Angle. Undertaker would continue the Biker run until Survivor Series 2003 when he was Buried Alive by Kane. The Deadman would return at WM XX to defeat The Big Red Monster before becoming finding new life in the Ruthless Aggression Era as a cornerstone of the Smackdown Brand. Like Shawn Michaels, Undertaker would engage in the finest matches and feuds of his career from new faces like Randy Orton and Batista to freshly established main event stars such as Edge. Even though Taker would find himself in a few forgettable feuds here and there (Great Khali, Boogeyman) for the most part, his work overall was special. Lately, Taker would also clash with familiar faces such as Shawn Michaels and Triple H. Even though he has not been known to put over people the way that Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho have by losing, he has found ways to bring the best out of his dance partner. Kane greatly benefits from working with Taker. I would even say that Kane needs Undertaker more than Taker needs Kane. The Deadman can adapt from working with opponents of Batista to Shawn Michaels. It doesn't matter because he can tell a special story as a Big Man. Undertaker's WrestleMania dominance would come to an end at WrestleMania XXX at the hands of Brock Lesnar. Even though there were mixed reviews about it, the bottom line is that it created a whirlwind of attention. Now, Taker sets his sights on Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 31. Taker's final resting place could be in Dallas at WrestleMania 32, which is the attraction that fans are waiting with great anticipation. We could potentially see his long awaited match with Sting to end a remarkable career. I would not be surprised to see Undertaker go into the Hall of Fame as the Headliner in Dallas before his last match, just like Ric Flair did the night before his last match with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXIV. The Undertaker is a brand, and a marketing machine as his Streak was even more of a draw than the WWE Title or World Heavyweight Title. As we move closer into the future, it is time to think about the life of WWE without Undertaker. It may be hard to imagine, but Taker has left footprints that are too large to fill. In the process, Undertaker has become a 7-time World Champion, multi-time Tag Champion, 2007 Royal Rumble Winner, Match of the Year Award Winner, 5-Star Match Award Winner, and ushered in Casket Matches, HIAC Matches, along with Inferno and Boiler Room Matches. His consistency over a long period of time is remarkable, from a physical standpoint and a character standpoint. Vince McMahon has done very well in protecting The Undertaker's character by not making him too shallow, but at the same time not making him too much of a comedy character. Even though his debut may look cartoonish today, he brought a side that no one had ever seen before. Lately, Undertaker has become humanized as we have seen more pictures of him out of character with his wife Michelle McCool. This means that when it is time to say hello, it is time to say goodbye. The more access The Undertaker gives to his persona away from WWE, that is a sign that he is on his way out of the door. When The Undertaker calls it quits, his DVD Documentary and potential Autobiography would break records. I firmly believe that. Thank you, Undertaker, for all that you have given to the company and to the fans.

Moses Malone: Unsung Hero



I would like to take this time to highlight one of the Unsung Hero's in NBA History as he reaches a milestone. NBA legend Moses Malone reaches 60. Moses was a pioneer, as he became the first player to come out of high school to become a star in the pros. Had it not been for Malone doing what he did, we would not see future Hall of Famers like KG, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James. Moses jumped from St. Petersburg HS to the ABA in 1974 only at age 19. He started his career with the Utah Stars. There were flashes of brilliance in his game, as he was obviously much lighter as Moses had yet to fill out his 6'10" frame. After one season, Malone went to the Spirits of St. Louis, where he would spend his last ABA Season as the ABA merged with the NBA in 1976. Moses had a rocky start coming into the NBA as he was selected by the Portland Trailblazers in the ABA Dispersal Draft. However, the 21-year old Moses never played a single game for Portland, as he was traded to the Buffalo Braves for a 1978 first round draft choice in the first game of the 1976-77 season. Ironically, Portland would win the championship that season. After two games with Buffalo, Moses was traded to the Houston Rockets, where he would first make his mark as a star in the NBA. In Houston, Moses would establish himself as one of the most dangerous rebounders and premiere players in the league. His strength was offensive rebounding, as he was critical for creating second chance points. Malone finished the season with 13.2 ppg and 13.1 RPG. Very even season, as he ranked third behind only Bill Walton and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in rebounding. That year, he also set a record for most offensive rebounds in a season with 437. Malone also ranked 7th in blocked shots with 2.21 big. In the playoffs, Moses took his game to another level when he led the Rockets to the Eastern Conference Finals where they would lose to his future team, the Philadelphia 76ers. Malone averaged 18.8 ppg, and 16.9 ppg in 12 playoff games. The 1977-78 season would prematurely end for the rising young star when he suffered a stress fracture in his right foot, causing him to miss the final 23 games. However, Malone still led the NBA in offensive rebounds again (380) and finished second in rebounding average (15.0 RPG). That season, Moses made the first of 12 consecutive All-Star appearances. Had he gone to college, this would have been his senior season. Moses finished with 19.4 ppg, finishing third on the team behind Calvin Murphy (25.6) and Rudy Tomjanovich (21.5). During his first two seasons in Houston, Moses wore #21. In 1978-79, Moses switched to #24, which is the number he used for the remainder of his time with the Rockets. That was also Malone's breakout season, as he averaged 24.8 ppg, and a career-high 17.6 RPG to win his first NBA MVP Award at only age 24. If Moses had accepted the scholarship that was offered to him coming out of Petersburg, this would have been his rookie season. Instead, he was in his fifth campaign as a pro. Part of his success, this season came after adding 15 pounds in the offseason, bulking up to 235 lbs. Malone led the league in rebounding for the first time, and broke his own regular season record for most offensive rebounds with 587. That season, Moses also shot a career-high 54% from the field. Malone was the starting Center for the East in the All-Star Game, as he also made his first appearance on the All-NBA First Team along with All-Defensive Second Team honors. On February 9, 1979, Moses would grab a career-high 37 rebounds against the New Orleans Jazz. Houston made it to the playoffs but were swept by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. Moses continued to carry the load for Houston, as he would average 25.8 ppg (5th) and 14.5 RPG (2nd) during the 1980 Season. Malone made his third straight All-Star Game Appearance as the Starter for the East. He would make the All-NBA Second Team, as Kareem would make the First Team by winning MVP that season. Moses' will and blue-collar dominance would lead the Rockets past the San Antonio Spurs in the first round, as he scored 37 points and pulled down 20 rebounds in the third and final game, as Houston would win 141-120. The Rockets would lose to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. In the 1980-81 season, the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs would be moved to the Western Conference (Midwest Division). That season, Malone would lead the franchise to their first NBA Finals appearance with 27.8 ppg, and 14.8 RPG in 80 games. He also made his 4th All-Star Team. In the playoffs, Malone would average 26.8 ppg with 14.5 RPG to help the 40-42 Rockets advance to the Finals. Houston would fall to the Boston Celtics in six games, as they were led by second-year star Larry Bird. In 1982, Moses would continue to produce spectacular numbers as he averaged a career-high 31.1 ppg with 14.7 RPG to capture his second MVP Award. This would be his second straight rebounding title, as he would finish second in scoring to George Gervin (32.3 ppg). Moses also led the league in minutes played and minutes per game (3,398, 42.0 mpg) along with offensive rebounds (558). This was a testament to how Moses was the ultimate workhorse in NBA history. He would also make the All-NBA 1st Team for the second time in his career. This would eventually be the last season for Moses in a Rockets uniform, as Houston would be eliminated in the first round by Seattle in three games. Moses was also instrumental in mentoring a young promising Big Man from Nigeria named Akeem (later Hakeem) Olajuwon during the offseason when Olajuwon was a freshman at the University of Houston.

At this time, the Houston Rockets were in the process of rebuilding, as they allowed restricted free agent Moses Malone to explore his options in the free agent market. On September 2, Moses Malone signed a contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. Houston matched the offer, only to trade Moses to Philly anyway for Caldwell Jones and a 1983 first-round draft choice. In the end, the Sixers had the last laugh as Moses would lead them in scoring with 24.5 ppg (5th in NBA), along with rebounding with 15.3 RPG (1st in NBA). Moses was the final piece that the Sixers needed to win the championship. Dr. J had struggled for 6 NBA Seasons as Philadelphia lost in 3 NBA Finals appearances, as time was winding down for him to become an NBA Champion to further cement his legacy. Moses was clearly the right name, as he led the Sixers through the Red Sea of the NBA and to the Promise of the NBA Crown. That first season with Philadelphia was the best of Malone's tenure with the team, as he won his third MVP Award as the Sixers would pound the Showtime Lakers of Magic and Kareem in 4 games during the Finals. That would be considered as the defining season of his career, as he helped save Julius Erving's NBA legacy. The team could not be any better for Moses, as he completed a great starting lineup of the legendary Dr. J, Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney, and Bobby Jones. The Sixers were a powerhouse, as they cruised on the Moses Express. Moses was named NBA Finals MVP in dominant fashion with 26 ppg, and 15.8 RPG. At this point, Moses reached his pinnacle and pretty much peaked out with stratospheric numbers from the span of '79-'83. He was the clear-cut most dominant player in the league by this point. In 1983-84, Moses would be limited to 71 games from an ankle injury. He would average 22.7 ppg that year. The Sixers suffered an upset in the first round at the hands of the New Jersey Nets. Malone still led the league in rebounding once again with 13.1 RPG. Boston Celtic Small Forward Larry Bird would take control of the MVP Award from this point. In 1984-85, Malone would average 24.6 ppg for his eighth All-Star appearance. On November 28, 1984 Moses Malone scored his 15,000th point and grabbed his 10,000th rebound on March 29, 1985. With the addition of rookie Charles Barkley, the Sixers would make it back to the Eastern Conference Finals as they would ultimately lose to the Boston Celtics. As time would take its toll on the team (especially Dr. J), the Philadelphia 76ers would start a steady decline in the pecking order of the Eastern Conference as the Detroit Pistons would make their emergence. Moses Malone's 10th NBA Season would be his last with Philadelphia as it was cut short from a fractured orbital in his right eye. Without him, the Sixers would fall to the Milwaukee Bucks in 7 games in the ECSF. His reign as the rebounding king would come to an end as well. By the start of the 1986-87 season, Moses Malone was traded to the Washington Bullets. Malone bounced back in his 11th season with 24.1 ppg, and 11.3 RPG to make his 10th straight All-Star Game. On April 12, 1987 Moses scored his 20,000th career point. Malone would make another All-Star team with the Bullets in 1988, before signing with the Atlanta Hawks for the 1988-89 season to join Dominique Wilkins in the frontcourt. In his first season with the Hawks, Moses would record his 10th straight season averaging at least 20 ppg and 10 RPG. Although Moses was far from the player that he was in his glory days with the Rockets and Sixers, he still managed to make his 12th straight All-Star Game in Houston, the place where his NBA Career would start. Moses would fail to average 20/10 in 1989-90, which was the first time since his second season. Malone would spend his twilight years being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks before going back to the Sixers and ending with the San Antonio Spurs in 1995. By the way, in 1995 the Spurs were led by MVP David Robinson along with another Rebounding Stud named Dennis Rodman. He retired from a pretty great team. In 1996-97, Moses Malone was named one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players. In 2001, Moses was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as Dr. J was his presenter. When you factor his ABA Career along with his stellar 19-year NBA Career, Moses Malone's resume is outstanding:

• 29,580 Career Points (20.6 ppg, 7th All-Time in Points)
• 17,834 Career Rebounds (12.2 rpg, 3rd All-Time in Rebounds)
• 1,936 Assists (1.4 apg)
• NBA champion (1983)
• NBA Finals MVP (1983)
• 3× NBA Most Valuable Player (1979, 1982–1983)
• 12× NBA All-Star (1978–1989)
• 2× ABA All-Star (1975–1976)
• 4× All-NBA First Team (1979, 1982–1983, 1985)
• 4× All-NBA Second Team (1980–1981, 1984, 1987)
• NBA All-Defensive First Team (1983)
• NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1979)
• ABA All-Rookie Team (1975)
• 6× NBA rebounding leader (1979, 1981–1985)
• NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
• ABA All-Time Team
• No. 24 retired by Houston Rockets

In an era that featured the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, Moses managed to shine in his own way. What he achieved during that time is remarkable. He would be the bridge between Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the reign Hakeem Olajuwon as the NBA's premiere Big Man from 1984 into the future. What Malone lacked in style, he more than made up for with incredible substance. Mr. Moses Malone was truly an unsung hero. "Fo, Fo, Fo".

 

 

Top 5 NFL Players of All-Time

1. Jerry Rice
2. Walter Payton
3. Jim Brown
4. Joe Montana
5. Lawrence Taylor

1. Jerry Rice:
1,549 Receptions (1st),
22,895 Receiving Yards (1st),
207 Touchdowns (1st- 197 receiving, 10 rushing)
Pro Bowls- 13
All-Pro Selections-12 (11x 1st Team All-Pro)
Member of Pro Football Hall of Fame (2010)
3x Super Bowl Champion (XXIII, XXIV, XXIX)
Super Bowl XXIII MVP
2x NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1987, 1993)
Holds numerous NFL records
49ers All-Time Leader in Career Receptions (1,281)
49ers All-Time Leader in Career Receiving Yards (19,247)
49ers All-Time Leader in Career TDs (187)
NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
Most 1,000 yard receiving seasons (14)
Most consecutive games with with a pass reception (274)
Most consecutive games with a touchdown reception- (13-1986-1987)
Most seasons with 50 or more receptions (17)
4 seasons with 100+ receptions
6 seasons leading the league in receiving yards
Led the league in touchdown receptions 6 times.
Postseason Records:
Most postseason games (29)
Most postseason touchdowns (22)
Most postseason receiving yards (2,245)
Most postseason receptions (151)
Most consecutive games, 100 or more receiving yards-3 (1988-1989)
Super Bowl Records:
Career points-48 (1st)
Receptions-33 (1st)
Receiving yards- 589 (1st)
Touchdowns- 8 (1st)
Receptions in a game- 11 (1st)
Receiving yards in a game- 215 (1st)
Ranked 1st for NFL Network's Top 100 Players of All-Time
Ranked 2nd for Sporting News Top 100 Players of All-Time
San Francisco 49ers #80 retired

The Consumate definition of consistency and work ethic. What else can be said about the imprint that Jerry Rice has left on the NFL? While other positions can be highly debated, no one can dispute the contributions that Rice has made during his 20-year tenure. His name is written all across the NFL Record Books. Rice's dedication, professionalism, drive and exceptional play are what have made him the legend that he has become. Rice was the most valuable weapon for San Francisco's Super Bowl Success. He was the lead option of the West Coast Offense, as he and HOF QB's like Joe Montana and Steve Young engineered legendary drives and amazing games that will go down in history. Rice is the automatic first pick for any NFL All-Time Team. Jerry's most notable achievements include being first all-time in Receptions (1,549), Receiving Yards (22,895) and Touchdowns (207). Rice is also the NFL All-Time Leader in Receiving for the Postseason, along with being a member of both the 80's and 90's All-Decade Teams. Jerry Rice was, is and will always be the San Francisco Treat.

2. Walter Payton
3,838 Carries (2nd)
16,726 Rushing Yards (2nd)
125 Touchdowns (110 Rushing-4th, 15 Receiving)
1977 NFL AP MVP
1977 NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year
1985 Bert Bell Award (Player of the Year)
Super Bowl Champion (XX)
Member of Pro-Football Hall of Fame (1993)
Pro Bowl Selections: 9
Pro Bowl MVP (1978)
All-Pro Selections: 9 (6x 1st Team, 3x 2nd Team)
10 seasons with 1,000 yards rushing (1st)
Most seasons with 1,300 or more rushing yards (9-1st)
6 Consecutive seasons with 1,000 yards rushing
Led the league in Rushing Attempts 4 times
NFL Rushing Champion (1,852-1977)
League leader in Rushing Touchdowns (14-1977)
League leader in Yards from Scrimmage (1977, 1978)
Career-high 275 rushing yards in one game (Nov. 20, 1977 vs Minnesota Vikings)
Games with 100 or more yards rushing, career: 77
Consecutive Games with 100 or more yards rushing: 9 (10/13/85-12/8/85)
Yards from Scrimmage, Career: 21,264 (3rd)
All-Purpose Yards, Career: 21,803 (3rd)
Average Yards Per Game, Career: 88 ypg (7th)
NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
Ranked 5th for NFL Network's 100 Greatest Players list
Ranked 8th on Sporting News 100 Greatest Players list
Chicago Bears #34 retired

Walter Payton has to be considered one of the best all-around players in NFL History. He was a dynamic combination of strength and agility, and played with intense physicality. His 5-10, 200 pound frame packed a powerful punch. Coming out of small Jackson St., Sweetness was exceptional from the start. In 1977, Walter won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award as he led the league in Rushing for 1,852 yards with 14 TD's. The highlight of that season came when he rushed for a then Single-Game Record 275 yards against the Minnesota Vikings on November 20, 1977 in a home game in Chicago. As a bonus, he played with the flu. Payton was also named Offensive Player of the Year that season. Sweetness was the embodiment of the Chicago Bears franchise, as he has left a giant stamp on that organization. For 7 long years, Payton carried a Bears squad that was often mediocre at best. By 1982, Mike Ditka became the coach of Chicago, and started making a turnaround to bring him help. With the addition of fellow Hall of Famer Mike Singletary, Chicago built a defensive machine that would take the weight off of Walter's shoulders while he still continued to produce at a very high level. In 1984, Walter Payton joined Jim Brown on the Rushing Mountain, as he surpassed him to become the NFL's All-Time Leader in Rushing. A torch had been symbolically passed, and there was no one more deserving than Sweetness. In 1985, Walter finally put the icing on his legendary cake as he won his first and only Super Bowl when the Chicago Bears wiped out the Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. In 1987, Payton retired with 16,726 yards with 125 Touchdowns. Walter also had 10 seasons with 1,000 or more rushing yards. He was also a 9-time Pro Bowler, and 9-time All-Pro Selection. In 1993, Payton was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Sadly, he passed away in 1999 at the age of 45. His legacy will continue to be held in the highest regard as his influence has been seen years after his retirement. Payton was also named to the 70's and 80's All-Decade Teams, along with a selection on the NFL 75th Anniversary Team. His nickname was Sweetness, but Payton was like Wolverine on the field.

3. Jim Brown:
2,359 Carries (25th)
12,312 Rushing Yards (9th)
126 Touchdowns (106 Rushing-5th, 20 Receiving)
3x NFL MVP (1957, '58, '65)
Pro Bowl Selections: 9
9x All-Pro Selection (8x 1st Team, 1x 2nd Team)
8x Rushing Champion ('57-'61, '63-'65)
Average Yards Per Game, Career: 104.3 ypg (1st)
Average Yards Per Carry, Career: 5.2 ypc (1st)
Yards from Scrimmage, Career: 14,811 (21)
All-Purpose Yards, Career: 15,459 (24th)
NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
Member of Pro-Football Hall of Fame (1971)
Ranked 2nd on NFL Network's 100 Greatest Players list
Ranked 1st on Sporting News 100 Greatest Players list
Cleveland Browns #32 retired

Jim Brown was simply a man among boys during his time. He was a revolutionary running back that you could take from his era and you can guarantee that he will have success in whatever time frame or system that you put him in. Like Wilt Chamberlain in Basketball, Jim Brown was a force to be reckoned with on the Football Field. In his rookie campaign (1957), Brown won his first NFL MVP Award, along with his first Pro Bowl Selection and Rushing Title. Brown would win another MVP in his second season ('58). In 1963, Jim set the original single-season rushing record of 1,863 yards. Brown would make the greatest impression in a short time span of any player in NFL History. Brown would finish his career with 12,312 yards, which is still good enough for ninth all-time. His 126 TD's still rank 5th among all players. Brown's averages are still at the top of all rushers, as he averaged 104.3 yards per game with 5.2 yards per carry. In translation, he averaged half of a first down. Brown monopolized the running back position, and practically carried defenders to the end zone. Jim Brown was the quintessential player of his time, as he was in a class of his own. If you were to build a prototype running back, Jim Brown would be the ultimate model. Brown was a unanimous choice for the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, along with the 60's All-Decade Team. Brown raised the bar exceptionally high, and was in a class of his own.

4. Joe Montana:
Completions: 3,409
Attempts: 5,391
Percentage: 63.2%
Passing Yards: 40,551
Touchdowns: 273
Interceptions: 139
QB Rating: 92.3
Super Bowl Champion (XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV)
Super Bowl MVP (XVI, XIX, XXIV)
4x NFC Champion (1981, 1984, 1988, 1989)
Pro-Bowl Selections: 8 (1981, '83-'85, '87-'90, '93)
3x AP First-Team All-Pro ('87, '89-'90)
2x AP Second-Team All-Pro ('81, '84)
NFL AP MVP (1989-'90)
NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year (1989)
2x AP Sportsman of the Year (1989, '90)
Sporting News Sportsman of the Year (1989)
Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year (1990)
NFL 1980's All-Decade Team
NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
Member of Pro-Football Hall of Fame (2000)
Ranked 4th on NFL Network's 100 Greatest Players list
Ranked 3rd on Sporting News 100 Greatest Players list
San Francisco 49ers #16 retired

Joe Montana was the perfect Quarterback to captain Bill Walsh's West Coast Offense in the 1980's. Montana was overlooked coming into the NFL, because of his lack of size. However, what he lacked in arm strength he more than made up for with his IQ and precision. Joe also had great mobility along with a laser arm. His footwork and motion were brilliant. Montana was the king of comebacks, and game time heroics. When you are looking for a clutch QB to build a team around, Montana would be the guy. Joe would decimate opponents with short to medium passes as Jerry Rice and John Taylor excelled in slant routes during the Niners march to victory. Joe Montana has a flagship career with 4 Super Bowl trophies and 3 Super Bowl MVP Awards. Montana could manufacture a comeback victory (Super Bowl XXIII), or he could rip a team to shreds (Super Bowl XXIV). He also won two MVP Awards, along with other honors. Montana was exciting and is a standard bearer for other QB's to model themselves after. He was the chief QB of the 80's All-Decade Team, and the 75th Anniversary Team. In 2000, Joe Montana Joe Cool was one of a kind.

5. Lawrence Taylor
10× Pro Bowl (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990)
10× All-Pro (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990)
2× Super Bowl champion (XXI, XXV)
AP NFL MVP (1986)
PFWA NFL MVP (1986)
NFL sacks leader (1986)
Career Sacks (132.5-11th)
3× AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1981, 1982, 1986)
NEA NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1986)
2× UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year (1983, 1986)
AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1981)
Bert Bell Award (1986)
NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
New York Giants No. 56 retired
Ranked 3rd by The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players
Member of Pro-Football Hall of Fame (1999)

Lawrence Taylor reshaped the linebacker position from the moment he stepped into the NFL in 1981. Taylor changed how offenses schemes were run, as his dominance led to coaches implementing a two Tight-End System. Lawrence was an intense blend of strength, quickness and athleticism as he was able to spin past defenders to get to his assignment, whether it was the Quarterback or Running Back. LT was a menace as a pass rusher, as he would terrorize QB's on the blitz. In his 1981 rookie season, Taylor was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, and Defensive Player of the Year. This would be his first of three DPOY Awards, as he won his second straight in 1982. That season, he also made his first of ten consecutive Pro Bowls and All-Pro Teams. 1986 is considered to be Taylor's finest season of his career, as he became the first Defensive Player in 15 years to win the NFL MVP Award. That season, he lead the league in Sacks (20.5) along with his third DPOY. Taylor was the Unanimous choice for MVP that season, as he was the engine that led the Giants defensive machine to win their first Super Bowl in history. Taylor would help the Giants win another Trophy in SB XXV, before retiring in 1993. When you consider how dominant he was at his peak while looking at his entire body of work, Lawrence Taylor is the greatest defensive player of all-time. Taylor ranks 11th all-time in sacks with 132.5. LT took his rightful place in the HOF in 1999.

Top 10 WrestleManias of all-time

With the biggest show of the year around the corner, I figured that I would come up with a list of the best WrestleManias of all-time in my view. With a great history of moments and matches that stand the test of time, the GrandDaddy of them all is the ultimate attraction of sports-entertainment. With so many to choose from, I decided to narrow my list to ten. The greatest moments in wrestling history took place at Mania:

Hogan slamming Andre
Austin winning the title
Shawn jumping off of the ladder
Savage winning a tournament to become champion
Warrior defeating Hogan
Austin bleeding in Bret's Sharpshooter
Undertaker ending Shawn's Career
Lesnar Breaking the Streak

WrestleMania has been the place where stars shine the brightest. Names such as Hulk Hogan, Undertaker, Stone Cold and Shawn Michaels have elevated their game to superhuman lengths on the biggest stage. Their greatest moments and matches have happened at the Show of Shows. Now, John Cena has become a modern day WrestleMania Icon, with the stats to prove his legacy. Now, it is time to review what I would consider the best Mania shows of all-time. Although this kind of list is widely subjective, the most important criteria that are established are:
Historical Importance
Quality of the Card
Drawing Power (Strength of Main Event)
Highlights of the show

Time to unveil the Top 10:

1. WrestleMania X7
2. WrestleMania III
3. WrestleMania 21
4. WrestleMania X
5. WrestleMania XIX
6. WrestleMania XX
7. WrestleMania XIV
8. WrestleMania 23
9. WrestleMania XXVIII
10. WrestleMania X8

1. WrestleMania X7- Like WrestleMania XIX, this show was stacked from start to finish. One could make the case that XIX had a slightly better card. However, WrestleMania X7 holds greater significance because it officially signaled the end of the Attitude Era. WrestleMania X7 took place at the Reliant Astrodome in Houston, Texas in front of 67,925 fans. This was the biggest Mania crowd next to WM III in Pontiac during that time. The production was spectacular from top to bottom. This was a record-breaking attendance for the Astrodome as well, grossing $3.5 million. Of all days, this WM took place on April 1, 2001. I have learned that whenever WM takes place on that day, you should expect some kind of twist. This was also the same day that WM VI, XXIII, and XXVIII took place. The show started very well, as Chris Jericho defeated William Regal to retain the Intercontinental Championship. Tazz and the APA defeated Right To Censor. Kane defeated Raven and Big Show in a Triple Threat match to become Hardcore Champion. Eddie Guerrero defeated Test to become European Champion. Kurt Angle defeated Chris Benoit. Chyna defeated Ivory to become the new Women's Champion. Shane McMahon defeated his father Vince McMahon, Jr. in a Very Entertaining Street Fight. Next, Edge and Christian defeated their rivals The Dudley Boyz and the Hardy Boyz in another blockbuster TLC Match to regain the World Tag Team Titles. After such a stellar match, Iron Sheik won a Gimmick Battle Royal when he last eliminated Hillbilly Jim. This was the comedy filler to cool the fans down after watching such a thrilling match. The show would turn things back up, when Undertaker defeated Triple H in a great NO DQ Match. This would be their first encounter at WM, as Taker would extend his Streak to 9-0. Finally, the most electrifying match of the night as The Rock would defend the WWF Championship against Stone Cold Steve Austin. This was the sequel to their trilogy, and it outshined the first match in so many ways. Rock and Austin pulled out everything and used each other's moves. Both men even used the Sharpshooter. The match ended in the biggest swerve of all-time. Since this was April Fool's Day, WWE tricked the fans in a huge way as Stone Cold destroyed The Rock with multiple chair shots to win the title after hitting a final Stunner. This led to Austin joining forces with the Ultimate Evil Boss, Vince McMahon himself. What a way to end the Attitude Era.

2. WrestleMania 3- This WrestleMania may not have the deepest card as far as match quality, but it can be considered the most important of all-time. WrestleMania III was the first show of that time to have a strong card and it was also the first to really create a high demand for more Manias. WrestleMania III took place on March 29, 1987 in front of 93,193 fans at the Pontiac Silverdome, in Detroit, MI. The show started with the Can-Am Connection (Rick Martel and Tom Zenk) defeating Cowboy Bob Orton and Don Muraco. Billy Jack Haynes vs. Hercules ended in a double countout. Hillbilly Jim, Haiti Kid, and Little Beaver defeated King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo and Lord Littlebrook by DQ in a gimmick mix tag match. Harley Race defeated The Junkyard Dog in a Loser Must Bow Match. Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake defeated The Rougeau Brothers. Roddy Piper defeated Adrian Adonis in what was considered at the time to be his farewell match. The Hart Foundation with Danny Davis defeated the British Bulldogs with Tito Santana. Butch Reed defeated Koko B. Ware. The show gets even stronger from this point on, as Ricky Steamboat challenges "Macho Man" Randy Savage for the WWF Intercontinental Championship. The story for this match was about Steamboat seeking revenge for Savage crushing his larynx (voicebox) with a ring bell. The match raised the bar for future WrestleMania matches, as well as the WWF/E style of wrestling. After a series of near-falls, along with a Savage Elbow Drop, The Dragon defeated The Macho One to become the new IC Champion. The Honkytonk Man defeated Jake The Snake Roberts. The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff defeated The Killer Bees by DQ. In the Main Event, Hulk Hogan put his WWF Championship on the line against Andre The Giant. The Irresistable Force (Hulkster) vs. The Immovable Object (Andre). This was the first time where a Champion looked like an underdog, as Hogan took on the most colossal challenge of his run as champion. What the match lacked in technique and fast paced excitement (Savage/Steamboat) it made up for with suspense and drama. The defining moment of that match and the night was Hogan slamming a 500+ pound Giant followed by the Leg Drop for the win. This was the premiere WrestleMania of the Hogan/Golden Era of Wrestling.

3. WrestleMania 21- This WrestleMania has to be considered one of the most stacked shows of all-time. WrestleMania XIX took place at Safeco Field in Seattle, WA the home of the Seattle Mariners. This was the second WrestleMania that took place outdoors (WM IX was the first 10 years earlier in Vegas). However, this WM put the one in Vegas to shame on so many levels. The show started with a Title match, as Matt Hardy defended his Cruiserweight Title against Rey Mysterio in Rey's Mania debut. Matt retained the championship. Next, Undertaker defeated Big Show and A-Train in a Handicap match. Like Giant Gonzalez and King Kong Bundy, this was another throwaway match in Taker's 21 win resume. Trish Stratus defeated Victoria (champion) and Jazz in a Triple Threat Match to recapture the Women's Championship. In a Triple Threat, Tag Match, Team Angle (Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas) defeated Los Guerreros (Eddie and Chavo) and Chris Benoit and Rhyno to retain the WWE Tag Team Titles. The show would become more exciting as we head into the match between Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho. This was the return match for Shawn and the typical Teacher vs. Student Storyline. Shawn was the Teacher, Jericho the Student. The match had flashes of Steamboat vs. Savage with how fast paced the match was. Jericho proved to Shawn and the world that he was truly a prime time star and gave HBK a run for his money. In the end, HBK won. However, when Jericho gave Shawn a hug to celebrate, he follows up by kicking Michaels in the groin. A Great way to end. Next, we had Triple H defending his World Heavyweight Championship against Booker T. What this match lacked in a star-studded excitement compared to the others, it was very old schoolish. Booker T pulled out everything in his arsenal, including the Harlem Hangover leg drop from the top rope. Triple H even used the Indian Deathlock. After Booker used the Harlem Hangover, he hurt his knee which gave Trips time to recover and drill him with the Pedigree to secure the win. Next, we witnessed Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan in a Street Fight. This was a typical Vince McMahon match that he had with everyone (Austin, HBK, etc). This was a feud that was nearly 20 years in the making between the two men that built a Dynasty in the 80s known as Hulkamania. There was nothing but bloodshed in this match. Later, Roddy Piper interfered as he hit his archrival Hogan with a pipe. This pretty much became a 1984 reunion between the three. However, it would not stop Hogan from retaliating by hitting Vince with the Big Boot and Finishing with the Leg Drop to win in typical Hogan fashion. Next was the finale of the greatest Trilogy in Wrestling: Stone Cold vs. The Rock. As Shawn made WrestleMania return after five years, Stone Cold was making his exit that same night. Talk about full circle. Rock and Austin ended on a very high note, in spite of Austin's health deteriorating. They pulled the best out of each other like they usually did. The Rock was on a mission to do what he never did, which was beat Stone Cold at WrestleMania. Like WM XV, they started with a brawl. Like X-7, they used their own finishing moves against each other (Rock hit the Stunner, Austin hit The Rock Bottom). In the end, Rock hit Austin with three Rock Bottoms to put away his greatest foe. Rock would move deeper into his Hollywood career. In the final match of the night, we witnessed Royal Rumble winner Brock Lesnar battle Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship. The Next Big Thing was set to face the Veteran Olympic Gold Medalist for the gold. The match started with grapples back and forth until Kurt countered a shoulder block into a German Suplex. When Brock went to execute the F-5, Angle countered into an Angle Lock that Brock was able to escape from. After escaping, Brock would find himself caught in an Angle Slam. However, he countered into an F-5. Brock would then nail the signature botch of his career, when he missed a Shooting Star Press. Thankfully, it did not end his career. Angle would go for the cover, but Brock kicked out at two. Brock would finish off Kurt for another F5 to close the match to win his second WWE Championship. This show featured one book adding a new chapter (Shawn Michaels) while another book closed (Stone Cold Steve Austin). WrestleMania XIX went out in style.

4. WrestleMania 10- This was the 10th Anniversary of the Greatest Show in the World of Professional Wrestling. As with the first, this WrestleMania takes place in Madison Square Garden, the place where it all began. This Mania is significant, because it was the first without Hulk Hogan. This was the chance for the New Generation of WWF/E to show what they could do in front of the MSG Crowd, and it did not disappoint. The first match was spectacular, as the show opened with Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart. This match was a great technical contest, as they showed the crowd what the pace of the show would be from this point moving forward. Bret and Owen started their feud during the start of the year, when Owen kicked Bret in his injured leg. This was an intense sibling rivalry, as Owen wanted to prove to Bret and the whole world that he could make a name for himself. On this night, Owen surprised everyone with an upset victory over his older brother. Jerry Lawler said it best, Owen jumped out of Bret's shadow. That was followed by Bam Bam Bigelow and Luna Vachon defeating Doink and Dink the Clown as one of the filler matches. Next, Macho Man Randy Savage defeated Crush in what would be Macho Man's final WrestleMania. Alundra Blayze defeated Lelani Kai to retain the Women's Championship. Men On A Mission defeated The Quebeckers by countout in another filler match that nobody really cared about. Yokozuna had his first WWF Title defense of the night against Co-Royal Rumble Winner Lex Luger. Yoko won by DQ when Lex pushed Special Referee Mr. Perfect. Next, Earthquake would defeat Adam Bomb. Then, the show heats up with the Match that raised the bar for not only WrestleMania X, but for ladder matches moving forward. Shawn Michaels challenged newly crowned Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon to a Ladder Match to determine the real IC Champion. Shawn returned from suspension claiming that he was never defeated, as he presented a counterfeit title. This match transcended that era of wrestling, as it was nothing short of amazing. This was the match that put both Shawn and Razor on the map, especially HBK. This was his first moment to show that he was the Showstopper. In the end, Razor grabbed both belts to be the undisputed IC Champion. To end the show, we had Yokozuna vs. Bret Hart in a rematch from the previous year's WrestleMania in Las Vegas, NV. This time, Roddy Piper was the Special Referee. Bret took the fight to Yoko from the start, and did not let up. When Yoko was ready to crush Bret with the Banzai Drop, he lost his balance and fell. Bret moved out of the way just in time to score the pinfall to win his second WWF Championship. The show ended as Bret was held up by Lex Luger, and Razor Ramon as he wore the belt around his waist. Randy Savage led the celebration with others like Gorilla Monsoon, Pat Patterson and others came in to join. This was a great way to celebrate the 10 year Anniversary of Mania.

5. WrestleMania 19- The Showcase of the Immortals took place at the City of Angels, The Staples Center in Los Angeles. This was the second WrestleMania that took place in Hollywood, with WrestleMania VII being the first in the LA Sports Arena. The Theme was all about Hollywood, and the stars came out in a big way. The show started strong, as Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio put on a match that would kick start their rivalry that year. Mysterio came out as the winner. It was not at the level of the match they had at Halloween Havoc, but was still enough to boost the card. Then, we witnessed the first ever Money In The Bank Ladder Match. The match included Edge, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Shelton Benjamin, Kane, and Christian. Edge made history as the winner of the first MITB Briefcase, as he would write his legacy from that point forward. Next, the Legend Killer Randy Orton challenged The Undertaker's Streak. This was the biggest test for Orton as the Legend Killer, and another stellar opponent for Taker to defend the streak against. Undertaker established control early on. Orton's dad, 2005 Hall of Fame Inductee, Cowboy Bob Orton interfered by attacking Taker with his cast. Undertaker then attempted a chokeslam, but Randy countered with an RKO that resulted in a two-count. Orton even mocked Undertaker with the Deadman's signature Throat Slash taunt, signaling for the Tombstone. When Randy attempted the Tombstone Piledriver, Taker reversed it, and gave him the definitive Tombstone for the victory. The Streak would live for another year, extending to 13-0. The next match was for the WWE Women's Championship between Trish Stratus and Christy Hemme, with Lita in Christy's corner. Trish would retain the title by nailing Hemme with the Chick Kick. Next was the match that would define the show for me and many other fans, as Kurt Angle went into battle with The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels. Shawn would surprise Kurt by starting the match with mat wrestling. The action would later intensify, as midway through, Michaels would nail Angle with a low blow on the apron as the ref was not looking. Michaels knocked Kurt off the apron as he landed onto the table. This setup the highlight of Shawn leapfrogging from the apron onto the announce table, laying out Angle in the process. Kurt would later gain control as he trapped Shawn in the Angle Lock, forcing HBK to submit. This was not only a great test for Shawn in his second run, but Angle's best match. We would be entertained by the Piper's Pit segment with Stone Cold Steve Austin, as Austin stunned newly inducted Hall of Famer Rowdy Roddy Piper. The next match was simply filler and slightly damaged the card, as Big Show lost to Akebono in a Sumo Match. I wish it never happened. Then, we move into the double main event. First, we had John Cena vs. JBL for the WWE Championship. The match was nothing special in itself, but it signified the start of the John Cena Era, as Cena dethroned JBL with the F-U to become the new WWE Champion. The eighth and final match of the night featured Royal Rumble Winner Batista challenging former Evolution partner Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship. The match was highly intense from start to finish, as Triple H would finish the match covered with blood. In the climax of the match, Batista would drill The Game with The Batista Bomb to become the new World Heavyweight Champion. The show closed in very strong fashion. Certainly this is worthy to be in any top 5 list.

6. WrestleMania 20- On the 20th Anniversary of WrestleMania, WWE returned to the place where it all started, Madison Square Garden. To start off the show, we had John Cena challenge the Big Show for the United States Championship. In a stark contrast of today, John Cena actually received cheers from the MSG crowd. This is a huge surprise for modern fans that only know him for "Hustle, Loyalty, Respect". After one F-U, Big Show kicked out. Yet, Cena used a pair of brass knuckles to nail Show while the ref was not looking to weaken him. This led to a second F-U to help Cena capture the United States Title, the first of his career. Cena would start his Mania legacy in this debut, as Big Show would soon flounder as a Mania afterthought. We also saw Chris Jericho vs. Christian. The match was fairly decent, but no one would mistake it for Jericho's match with Shawn Michaels the previous year. The best element of the match was the Love Triangle storyline that between Y2J, Christian and Trish Stratus. Trish distracted Y2J for Christian to win the match. Following that, you had The Rock and Mick Foley reunite to take on Evolution. The match was very solid, even though Foley had not competed in four years while Rock's Hollywood career was getting in full gear by this point. We finally saw Rock in the ring with Flair and Orton. As Foley was getting ready for the Mandible Claw, Randy nailed him with the RKO to end the match. We also had the Cruiserweight Battle Royal, which felt forced to say the least. The lowlight of the show was Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg w/Stone Cold as Special Referee. Both men were booed out of the Garden from start to finish. Goldberg wins, as Stone Cold stuns both him and Brock on their way out. The show gets stronger towards the end, as Eddie Guerrero and Kurt Angle clash for the WWE Championship. This match is what took the show to another level, as Eddie and Kurt brought the best out of each other. During the end, Eddie would unlace his boot. When Kurt put on the Angle Lock, Eddie was able to slide his foot out of the boot. After Angle fell for the trick, he ran towards Guerrero just to be caught into the Small Package, as Eddie Guerrero picked up the win to retain the WWE Championship. Undertaker and Kane squared off in a rematch of WM XIV. Both men went through changes in between. Kane was unmasked, and Taker became the Big Evil Biker. However, The Phenom returned to his deadman gimmick. The match lacked the intensity of the first match six years prior, but was still an attraction as Undertaker defeated Kane with one Tombstone. Then, we have the Main Event for the World Heavyweight Championship. This is considered to be one of the top 10 matches in the history of this event, except in the WWE Universe after the events of June 2007. Triple H defended his World Heavyweight Championship against blood rival Shawn Michaels and Royal Rumble Winner Chris Benoit in a Triple Threat Match. The match was spectacular, as all three legends gave it their all while beating the daylights out of each other. Shawn went for the Sweet Chin Music, before Benoit dumped him over the top rope. The Rabid Wolverine then ran into a Triple H Pedigree. However, he countered it into a Crippler Crossface. The Game tried hard not to give in, but he finally submitted as Chris Benoit was crowned the World Heavyweight Champion. Eddie Guerrero would join him in the celebration as they closed out the show. This WrestleMania now has a black cloud hanging over it, because of the tragedy that Benoit and Guerrero faced in the years after this. In terms of just the show, it was a watershed moment that validated two legendary figures that perfected their craft all around the world.

7. WrestleMania 14- This WrestleMania is very significant to me, because it was the first WM of the Attitude Era. The Main Event was Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. WWF Champion Shawn Michaels with Iron Mike Tyson as the Special Enforcer. This was the highest grossing WrestleMania to date, and was the one that I remember the most fondly as a child. WWE was involved in a heated battle with WCW during a Monday Night Ratings War, and this was the pendulum that they needed to swing in their favor. In the main event, Austin defeated HBK to win the WWF Championship with the Stone Cold Stunner. The match might not have been the best by either men's standards, but the moment with Austin being crowned champion overshadows everything else. This symbolized the crowning of Austin 3:16, as well as the turning point of the Monday Night Wars. It was special to see Stone Cold be coronated as he was on fire at this point. While at the same time, it was sad to see Shawn leave after this. Moving on, you also had the Undertaker defeat Kane in the first match of their rivalry that started at Bad Blood, when Kane broke the cell door to cost the Undertaker the match. This was the first match that they had with each other, and they told a great story as Big Men. The Deadman would defeat The Big Red Machine with not one, not two, but Three Tombstone Piledrivers. At this point, Kane proved to be Undertaker's toughest opponent at WrestleMania. He would go on to become Undertaker's greatest rival. On the undercard, Triple H defeated Owen Hart to retain the European Championship. Even though Chyna was handcuffed to Sgt. Slaughter, she threw powder in his face so that she could nail Owen with the Low Blow. (Today, that term could be used for one of her films. Nevermind.) Triple H would only emerge even more after this, as he would become the leader of DX the next night on RAW. Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie defeated The New Age Outlaws in an entertaining dumpster match to win the World Tag Team Titles. The matches that drag this show are the tag team battle royal won by LOD 2000, the IC Title match with Rock vs. Shamrock, and the Light Heavyweight Championship match. Overall, this was a groundbreaking WrestleMania that shaped the Attitude Era, and the course of wrestling overall.

8. WrestleMania 23- This WrestleMania took place 20 years after the pioneering WrestleMania that held 93,000 people in the Pontiac Silverdome. However, this took place at Ford Field since the Detroit Lions changed their location during this time. Ford Field drew in 80,103 people which was still outstanding. On this night, you had the third annual Money In The Bank Ladder Match. Participants included Hall of Famers such as Edge and Booker T, along with future Hall of Famers like Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy (when he returns) and CM Punk (time will only tell). Other participants included Jeff's brother Matt Hardy, Mr. Kennedy and Finlay. The highlights were Randy Orton giving CM Punk the RKO off of the ladder, and Jeff Hardy giving Edge the leg drop from the ladder. That was shades of their legendary TLC and Ladder Matches together. Mania started out in strong fashion with this match, as Mr. Kennedy would win the MITB briefcase. The middle of the card still held things together, as Kane was the first man to slam The Great Khali. Khali would still win. MVP and Chris Benoit put on a great match for the US Title, as Benoit would retain the gold. This holds up as one of, if not the best match of MVP's career. The card moved on to Undertaker vs. Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship. This proved to be the first main event of the night, because it was for the WHC. Many could say that this was Batista's best match ever, and one of the best in Taker's long resume of great matches. The action was incredible, as both the title and streak were on the line. Undertaker nailed the Animal with a Chokeslam and Last Ride, but Dave still kicked out. Batista drilled Taker with spears, running powerslams, and Batista Bombs, but it would not be enough to keep the Dead Man down. Undertaker finished off his monstrous opponent with a Tombstone to not only win the title, but to keep the Streak alive as well. Following this would be the ECW Originals vs. New Breed Tag Match, which is what slightly brought the card down for me, as ECW was a shell of what it once was. That was followed by the "Battle of the Billionaires" as Umaga and Bobby Lashley had a match with Billionaires Vince McMahon and Donald Trump in their corner. Stone Cold served as Guest Referee. This was the typical celebrity involvement to lighten things up, as Lashley picked up the win. Vince would have his head shaved after the match. After getting the typical Vince McMahon sports entertainment fix, the fans would be treated to the final match of the show. It was Shawn Michaels vs. John Cena for the WWE Championship. This match ended Mania on an exclamation point, as Cena raised his level even higher against who would be his greatest challenge on the Grand Stage: Mr. WrestleMania himself. Cena brought his A-Game, as Shawn brought his usual weapons to the fight. Shawn dominated at the start, with Cena fighting back in a huge way. After a series of F-Us, Superkicks, and even a piledriver on the stairs, Cena defeated Michaels with an STFU when he reversed the Sweet Chin Music to lock Shawn for the submission. The success of the World Title matches was enough to land this show a spot on the Top 10.

9. WrestleMania 28- "The Once In A Lifetime" Match took place in Miami, hometown of The Rock. This was the highest grossing WrestleMania of all-time. I would say that this was the best WrestleMania of the Modern-PG Era of Wrestling. This had 3 Main Event Matches. The Headliner was the typical Generation vs. Generation Match, like with Rock vs. Hogan a Decade Earlier. This time, it was The Rock vs. John Cena in front of a loaded Miami Crowd. The match did not disappoint, as The Rock defeated Cena in a terrific match. On the card, you also saw The Undertaker defeat Triple H in an "End of an Era" Hell In A Cell Match with Shawn Michaels as Special Guest Referee to go 20-0. You also had CM Punk defeat Chris Jericho to retain the WWE Championship. Those three matches alone are what put this in my Top 10. The flaw that keeps it from going higher is the undercard. Kane defeats Randy Orton. Big Show defeats Cody Rhodes to win his first IC Title to make up for his overall abysmal legacy at WrestleMania. Kelly Kelly and Maria Menounos defeat Beth Phoenix and Eve Torres. Team Johnny defeats Team Teddy in a gimmick Tag Match of Smackdown vs. Raw (Teddy loves tag matches), while in the opener Sheamus defeats Daniel Bryan in 18 seconds to win the WHC.

10. WrestleMania 18- This was WrestleMania's return to the Toronto Skydome, home of the Ultimate Challenge from WrestleMania VI (Hogan vs. Warrior), as the REAL Headliner and Main Event of the night was the Icon vs. Icon match between The Rock and Hulk Hogan. It was a battle of two generations colliding. After being away for nine years, The Hulkster made his return to the place that made him the Global Icon that he is today. Hogan entered the match as the heel, because he was the leader of the NWO at the time. However, the fans did not care, because many of them still remember his match with Warrior from 12 years earlier. The Hulkster was wildly cheered, while The Rock actually received more boos than Hogan. What the match lacked in quality, it made up for with drama and crowd reaction. The Rock was in the Warrior role as he was the young lion taking on the veteran lion in Hogan. Just like Warrior, the Rock won as it signaled the confirmation that the torch had been passed. The original plan was Austin vs. Hogan. However, this was a great audible. Then, you had the Undisputed Championship match of Triple H vs. Chris Jericho. Trips returned from a quad injury to win the Royal Rumble to challenge Y2J for the Undisputed Title. The match was very well executed, as The Game emerged as the Champion to close out the show. This was a great moment for Jericho as well, as he was in the Main Event of WrestleMania in front of his homecrowd. Although it was a better quality match than Rock vs. Hogan, it was still overshadowed because of the match they had to follow. Undertaker pulled a very nice match out of Ric Flair, 10 years after Naitch's biggest Mania match at that point with Macho Man Randy Savage. On the undercard, Stone Cold Steve Austin defeated Scott Hall in a subpar match. Kurt Angle defeated Kane, RVD defeated Regal, Edge defeated Booker T., while Too Cool and Albert defeated Mr. Perfect, Lance Storm and Test. You also had Jazz defeat Trish and Lita to become the Women's Champion, while DDP defeated Christian
for the European Title. Great Overall Mania, but a few inconsistencies in the mid-card keep it from being better than what it was.

What if Sting were in WWF?

I would like to introduce a new series called the "What If?" Series. I will examine the biggest "What If?" Scenarios that many people often talk about or perhaps think deeply in the back of their mind (I don't know what anybody really thinks, but I will just throw ideas out there.).

Prime Examples Include:

"What if Len Bias never overdosed?"

"What if Michael Jordan never played Baseball?"

"What if Shaq and Penny stayed together?"

Today, I would like to examine one of the greatest questions in wrestling history. What if Sting joined the WWF instead of WCW in his prime? As fans, we all know the story of the BladeRunners, and the success that Sting and his late HOF tag partner Ultimate Warrior enjoyed when they went their separate ways. In 1986, Sting went to UWF before making the jump to Jim Crockett's National Wrestling Alliance in 1987. From that point on, we know how the story went as Sting had a flagship career as the centerpiece of World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Meanwhile, Warrior made the jump to World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) in Texas as the Dingo Warrior. The following year, Warrior went in the opposite direction of Sting by going North to join Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation in the New York/Connecticut Area. The Ultimate Warrior would reach incredible heights in his own way.

Both men are famous for their colorful appearances, as their facepaint has become their trademark that fans recognize them for. However, I would like to take the time to see how things would have been had they switched places. Now, I would like to travel back to 1987, which is when both men started to make their mark.

Warrior made his WWF debut in June 1987, as he dominated the likes of Barry Horowitz, Mike Sharpe, Steve Lombardi and others. He made his TV debut on October 25, 1987 as he continued his dominance before losing to future WWF rival Rick Rude. Meanwhile, Sting made his NWA debut in July 1987. In November, Sting made his PPV debut at Starrcade 1987, as he teamed with Michael P.S. Hayes and Jimmy Garvin in a 6-man tag match vs. Eddie Gilbert, Rick Steiner, and Larry Zbyszko that ended in a 15-minute time limit draw. Sting would receive an even heavier push to the top when he challenged Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at Clash of the Champions I, on March 17, 1988. The match ended in a draw, as Sting was a made man after that. This event clashed (pun intended) with WrestleMania IV, as Ultimate Warrior was victorious in his PPV debut against Hercules Hernandez. At this point, Sting has a slight edge. However, Warrior would gain momentum as he would defeat The Honky Tonk Man to win his first WWF Intercontinental Championship at the first Summerslam in 1988. By this point, both men are making incredible rises. During 1989, Warrior would feud with Ravishing Rick for the IC Strap, as Sting would feud with The Great Muta in NWA over the TV Title. By the end of the year, both Sting and Warrior had become clear cut fan favorites and the top choices to contend for the World Titles of their respective promotions.

By 1990, both men would take the torch for their brands as this is where I would like to make the fantasy switch. At WrestleMania VI, Ultimate Warrior dethroned Hulk Hogan to retain his IC Championship while becoming the new WWF Champion. The match is considered an historical turning point, because of how symbolic the win was. Both Warrior and Hogan were at the top of their game, but the start of the 90's was the turning of a new chapter, as Ultimate Warrior defeated the King of the WWF during the 80's. Vince McMahon was signaling the start of a new chapter, as he was setting Hogan's successor in place by this point. Meanwhile, Sting defeated Ric Flair for the NWA/WCW Championship at the Great American Bash which was the WCW equivalent to Warrior defeating The Hulkster. Sting took the WCW torch that night, and ran with it for the rest of the decade. Sting defeated the King of the NWA for the 80's. Warrior had the more memorable win, because it took place on a larger stage at WrestleMania in front of 60,000+ fans in a larger company. However, the course of Sting's career would rise to greater levels than Warrior during their championship runs.

With that said, let us put Sting in Warrior's position heading into WM VI. Sting and Rude would feud in WCW, so by this point their rivalry can kick off to an earlier start over the IC Title. Warrior was a great draw as Intercontinental Champion, but I think Sting would do great things for the prestige of that title as well. Sting's matches with Rude would mirror their battles in WCW from '92-'94, as the Intercontinental Title would continue to be the workhorse title. Sting would be more of a workhorse champion than Warrior. Meanwhile, Warrior and Muta would be a clash of two outrageous characters, as it would create an interesting scenario. Muta would be more of the ring general in this situation. Going into WrestleMania VI, Sting would prove to be more of a stable challenger to Hogan in the ring than Warrior was. Sting and Hogan would have a better feud than what they had in WCW, because Sting at his core was built for WWF. He was just in a smaller region than Warrior and Hogan. A match between Sting and Hogan at WrestleMania VI would have created an even better quality match, along with a great storyline heading into the PPV. Sting would have put on a more athletic and explosive contest with the Hulkster. Who knows? Maybe Sting would not have suffered that severe knee injury like he did in WCW during that time. Sting's strength, and agility would have had the fans completely at the edge as he would have turned the match level up even higher. You would still have the test of strength, but with more intensity and quickness involved. On the other hand, Flair would have to hide Warrior's weaknesses more than he did for Sting.

As far as their title runs, Sting's first run as WCW Champ had more substance as he held it for 7 months before losing it back to Flair in a Starrcade rematch on January 11, 1991. During this time, Sting defeated contenders from Sid Vicious to Ric Flair himself. Sting would go on to have the best matches in the company during this time, even without the gold. On the other side of the coin, Warrior is more remembered for winning the title than his actual reign as he was not the box office draw that people expected him to be when he wore the crown. Warrior lost the WWF Title the following week at the Royal Rumble (January 19, 1991) to Sgt. Slaughter. On the bright side, this would lead into a feud with "Macho King" Randy Savage that culminated in a classic WrestleMania VII match that continues to be mentioned in the history books.

Now, time to turn the tables. Sting did not have the kind of ego that Warrior had, and he could have kept Hulk Hogan off of his thrown as champion. However, if Sting were to lose the title like Warrior, a match with Savage would have been even better. Sting vs. Savage in their primes could have been better than Warrior vs. Savage as it would have been a strong contender for Macho Man's greatest matches. After going through Savage, Sting could set his focus back on the WWF Title and gain another victory over Hogan. By 1991, Sting firmly held WCW together when Ric Flair left for the WWF while taking the Big Gold Belt with him. This was a testament of Sting's commitment and showed that he was the better employee. This is not a Warrior bash fest, so follow along with me. Meanwhile, Warrior was involved in a messy dispute with Vince McMahon that led to his first departure following Summerslam. Sting was the company cornerstone, while Warrior made an unexpected departure. This has created a large gap between them when it comes to their legacies. While in WCW, Warrior and Lex Luger would look like mirror images of each other during their matches because they had identical physiques. They also had identical ring skills, but Warrior just had more excitement and flair than Lex ever did. Sting could have had a longer feud with Jake than Warrior did, and he could have had an encounter with The Undertaker even BEFORE becoming the Crow.

Going into 1992, Sting would continue to fit perfectly in the WWF landscape as they were making the transition from Hulk Hogan. Sting and Flair would continue to have incredible chemistry as they would battle over the WWF Championship in as much of a compelling way as they did over the WCW Title, as stars like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels would come to the horizon. However, I believe that is the biggest question mark. Would Bret Hart still be the star that he became if Sting were in WWF during that time? I think Bret would still be a star, and it will turn out to be a great rivalry over the top spot. Bret might be the champion a little bit later, but he would still be great no matter what the circumstance. During this transitional stretch from the Hogan Era into the New Generation, Sting would fill the space that guys like Warrior and Jake left behind after their fall outs with Vince. The IC & WWF Title pictures would be more entertaining if Sting were in that mix with Bret, Taker and HBK. One can only imagine the WrestleMania matches and other PPV matches that Sting could have with stars like that. Him and Shawn Michaels would grab at least one or two Match of the Year Awards. Both men in a singles or ladder match would tear the place down. Bret vs. Sting in a Submission match would be electrifying as well. The Hitman vs. Sting would be much better than a storyline with Bret vs. a past his prime Jerry Lawler.

During that watershed time of 93-96 before the rise of Austin 3:16, Sting would continue his wave of momentum as the Surfer Sting before transitioning into the crow. This would create compelling storylines with an emerging Stone Cold Steve Austin, a darker Undertaker, Mankind and a rising star named Rocky Maivia (later known to be The Rock). Sting would help maintain the morale in the locker room as he and Undertaker could be the enforcers to stand up to the poison that the Kliq was spreading at that time.

Sting could add so much of an amazing element going into the Attitude Era as the Crow, that his merchandise numbers would explode even more with the WWF Marketing Powerhouse supporting him. Warrior could have some brutal wars with Vader, Ron Simmons, Booker T, and even an up and coming Bill Goldberg. That was the dream match of many for years.

On the other hand, I am not sure how Warrior would have benefited in the WCW Locker Room because of his inconsistencies as far as appearances are concerned. More importantly, how would he do in the same environment in WCW as Hogan, Nash, & co, but with Eric Bischoff calling the shots instead of Vince? Actually, there were multiple bosses, which would have increased the tension for him anyway. 1998 was enough of a glimpse. During this time, Warrior was making sporadic appearances on WWF Television.



Overall, Sting could have displayed how consistent he was in the ring and out of the ring in a larger environment like the WWF. Sting was tailor made for WWF, but kept his allegiance to WCW. If Sting were in WWF, who knows what would have happened to WCW? Maybe they might have died earlier. On the other hand, maybe the NWO does not have the same impact if Warrior is in that position that Sting was in as the savior of WCW. In other ways, Sting's legacy might not have been perceived in the best way by the anti-WWF fans. He might not be as highly accepted by those fans, because they would see him as another star who was aided by the Vince McMahon System. In my view, he would have done fine. As far as Warrior's legacy, would there be a passing of the torch from him to Goldberg? How would he and Hogan do in a year long buildup to Starrcade? Only time can tell what could have happened. It is always fun to imagine.