WWE Network
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<p>The <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://podcastone.com/Talk-Is-Jericho?showAllEpisodes=true'><strong>Talk Is Jericho</strong></a> podcast is also highly recommended (tho' unlike Stone Cold, Jericho features both wrestling and non-wrestling guests, ie. singer for Anthrax, a gold medal bobsleigher, and even his father who was a 14-year NHL veteran). </p>
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<p>I was just listening to Jericho's interview (pt2) with Steve Austin, and Stone Cold asks him if he'd seen the documentary "ECW: Barbed Wire City."</p>
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<p>Jericho hadn't seen it (neither have I), but Austin highly recommends it. Here's an extended trailer.</p>
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<p>Am I correct in thinking that WWE Network is going to have all the ECW PPVs? </p> -
<p>(ESPN Grantland's) Bill Simmons and David Shoemaker have just spent the first 10 days using the WWE Network subscription.</p>
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<p>They like it. Here's their report:</p>
<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://grantland.com/features/welcome-to-the-wwe-network/'>http://grantland.com/features/welcome-to-the-wwe-network/</a></p>
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<p>Money quote:</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:'Harriet Text', Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;font-size:16px;">I would have charged $14.99 a month to start, and even that would have been a deal. This feels too cheap. I feel like I’m stealing money from Vince McMahon, actually. Wait, I’m stealing money from Vince McMahon!!!</span>
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<p>To add something from earlier - this is the moment and commentary I was talking about:</p>
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<p>The commentary from JR as Foley goes through the announce table after being hurled off the top of the cage is fantastic, and great for any footage of big hits etc.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="red terror" data-cid="417691" data-time="1394154810">
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<p>The <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://podcastone.com/Talk-Is-Jericho?showAllEpisodes=true'><strong>Talk Is Jericho</strong></a> podcast is also highly recommended (tho' unlike Stone Cold, Jericho features both wrestling and non-wrestling guests, ie. singer for Anthrax, a gold medal bobsleigher, and even his father who was a 14-year NHL veteran). </p>
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<p>Austin used to feature loads of non-wrestling guests on his shows. Not so much this year though.</p> -
<p>Psst! Last night's episode of RAW (which I think is televised in a couple days in NZ) felt kinda historic.</p>
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<p>Get ready for the...</p>
<p>[spoiler]Occupy Raw Movement.[/spoiler]</p> -
<p>I don't want to live on this planet anymore</p>
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<p><img src="http://smotruonline.ru/uploads/posts/2013-12/thumbs/1387404106_smotruonline.ru_skubi-du-tayna-restlmanii-2014.jpg" alt="1387404106_smotruonline.ru_skubi-du-tayn"></p> -
<p>Another big night of RAW. The storytelling, definitely, but also...of particular interest, they are offering a free week of the WWE Network and are having Undertaker wrestle live for the first time in many months tomorrow night (Tuesday), so they're looking to get a lot of "free" registered subscribers signed-up tonight. They'll get that exclusive plus a chance to check out the archives and features. Smart marketing angle. </p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="red terror" data-cid="419511" data-time="1395111179">
<p>Another big night of RAW. The storytelling, definitely, but also...of particular interest, they are offering a free week of the WWE Network and are having Undertaker wrestle live for the first time in many months tomorrow night (Tuesday), so they're looking to get a lot of "free" registered subscribers signed-up tonight. They'll get that exclusive plus a chance to check out the archives and features. Smart marketing angle.</p>
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The best thing from Raw - Stephanie McMahons pants. You could almost see her erection in them when <span style="background-color:rgb(247,247,247);font-size:12px;">[spoiler]the whole Danial Bryan BDSM thing was going on[/spoiler]</span></p> -
<p><img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bi-JwSfIEAA0it2.jpg" alt="Bi-JwSfIEAA0it2.jpg"><br>
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<p>The Ireland rugby jersey is a very popular clothing item up here on St. Paddy's Day -- even for people who aren't Irish and who know nothing about rugby. Was cool to see Sheamus wearing that -- obviously incredibly timely. Funnily enough, I saw JBL's twitter feed on Saturday morning when he was asking his subscribers to point him to a free live stream of the IRE vs. FRA test 'cos he didn't want to sign up for a pay service. Pretty sure VKM does not approve of impoverished college students doing the same for WWE events. </p>
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<p>Ya know, I haven't followed any updates, so maybe you've heard rumours that I'm unaware, but I will say I was wincing several times during the live show, he took a severe beating and I really wondered about what the hell I was seeing. Bret Hart in the "Wrestling With Shadows" documentary mentions early in his WWF career when Dino Bravo broke Hart's collarbone and fans were giving him the business, not being able to separate when he's "selling" being hurt and when he is in-fact really hurt. I was at that actual match and was down on the floor, and I didn't think anything out of the ordinary, I thought he was acting. Watching Bryan on Monday night, I was thinking it was really-really good "selling," meaning, I think he probably took some legitimately brutal physical abuse.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/31/business/media/the-body-slam-is-buffering.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-nytimes&_r=0'>New York Times</a>, yesterday:</p>
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<div><strong><span style="font-size:18px;">WWE Network Is Loud Introduction to the Video Streaming Ring</span></strong></div>
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<div>And on April 6 ... the entertainment industry and Wall Street will be watching as closely as wrestling fans.</div>
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<div>Shares of the WWE, a publicly traded company based in Stamford, Conn., have <strong>more than tripled over the last year </strong>with the introduction of the subscription network and takeover rumors. Mr. McMahon, 68, controls the company, and his ambitious WWE Network could be his final act in charge, industry watchers say. [...]</div>
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<div>[...]</div>
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<div>It was also a big change for some of the WWE’s longtime partners, who were not as excited about the new venture. Dish Network, which had sold WWE’s pay-per-view specials, decided not to offer the “Elimination Chamber†event in February. On its Facebook page, Dish criticized WWE, complaining that it was not willing to adjust its costs for satellite and cable companies, “which is unfair to their customers.â€</div>
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<div>In part to placate its traditional distributors, WWE will show WrestleMania 30 through cable, satellite and telecom providers like Comcast and Dish. But the vast majority of the wrestling company’s advertising for WrestleMania 30 heavily promotes the option of watching the event through its network.</div>
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<div><strong>“Realistically, the company needed to untether themselves from the pay-per-view business,â€</strong> said Bradley Safalow, founder of PAA Research, an independent research firm.</div>
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<div>[...]</div>
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<p><strong>ONE DAY AWAY FROM 'MANIA!!</strong></p>
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<p>Here's one official betting line:</p>
<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://sports.bovada.lv/sports-betting/wrestling.jsp'>http://sports.bovada.lv/sports-betting/wrestling.jsp</a></p> -
<p>A pair of snippets of Warrior's incredibly long - and totally amazing!! -- HoF speech.</p>
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<p>The Jake induction was also incredible.. Check the whole ceremony if you get a chance.</p>
