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Original WWE Network idea discussed 3 years ago.

Hey Scott,

 

I stumbled across this while looking through your older content and 3 years ago Vince made mention of creating what we know today as WWE Network you even made a post about the subject on this very blog, which I have linked:

 

http://www.rspwfaq.net/2011/09/vince-goes-completely-insane-film-at-11_23.html

 

Do you still stand by your original comments of how it is the worst move possible the WWE could have made?

 

Cheers.

Well it's not like it's doing very well at the moment, and they've basically cannibalized their PPV business.  I'm glad they did it, but I have to think that they're regretting jumping in with all appendages at once like they did.  Yeah, they can make it work by cutting the shit out of all their expenditures, but the launch was kind of a debacle.  But what's done is done.  

Comments

  1. They shouldn't have included PPV's with The Network. I don't think it would have hampered their subscriber numbers all that much and they'd have still kept their PPV revenues alive.

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  2. Schotts-Sparano-Marty is quite the murderer's row.

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  3. I think Morningwood is an above average OC. He's not a magician or anything but he's solid. Definitely an upgrade over Schotty and especially Tony S.

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  4. They should've kept the B-show pay per views as bonuses with Network Subscriptions. Since those are usually among the lowest buyrates anyways, not much loss there. But KEEP the Big 4 as Pay Per Views.

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  5. I wonder who the most delicious person here is...

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  6. They also could have kept live PPV's off the network, but added them after 2 months or so. Long enough for the carriers to air all replays, at least.

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  7. WWE had to do the Network. Yes they are losing money now, but do people think people will buy PPVs 5 or 10 years from through traditional means for 50-60 bucks, especially with how easy streaming piracy is now (and how easy it is to get on the big screen with a laptop and hdmi cable). WWE is losing money now, but I bet they'd be losing a lot more money years from now if they didn't.

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  8. Perfect drive for the Niners. They eat clock, they eat yards and once again I feel like they're not playing well yet they might lead at the half. They keep doing that.

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  9. Mitch, The GodfatherOctober 5, 2014 at 3:44 PM

    And now the defense hasn't looked as good this year as they have been.

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  10. There's a restaurant that is doing Walking Dead themed burgers that taste like human flesh.

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  11. Kyle Orton is like Randy Orton. They're both boring but with the right help and in the right conditions they'll do the job and look good at it.

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  12. I guess the argument could be that they could have launched it in 3-4 years, while PPV is still shockingly still used by lots of people. Maybe they were a bit TOO ahead of the curve, but who knows.

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  13. I canceled mine and they keep sending me email telling me how I let it expire and I need to re-sign up. Not once did they email asking why I canceled. I had to unsubscribe because the emails were so frequent.

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  14. Chargers bringing the pain on the Jets. They might want to play all their games when it's over 100 degrees, the formula is working so far.

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  15. So why did you cancel?

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  16. Jets are one awful team.

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  17. hahah, I watched that just last week!

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  18. God, I love watching Bears fandom go wild after a loss. Among the gems: "Cutler ran Urlacher off the team for this?!"

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  19. Amazing their fans are clamoring for Vick though, not like he'll be the answer

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  20. For those in BoD Fantasy Hockey:


    The draft room is open now, draft in 35 minutes.

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  21. Would making the Big 4 Network-Only do much to improve the subscription numbers? Food for thought...

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  22. This new or am I just not remembering them from past election cycles....hit ads against the opposition with long drawn out preambles how the ad's not part of any committee? In the past they'd at least be honest and say while not paid for by X, they'd like you to vote for him

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  23. The most commonly heard versions I've seen in literature/pop-culture/urban legend are:

    A.) Pork. Humans are sometimes referenced in these stories as 'long pork'

    B.) SPAM. Polynesian societies seeming love for SPAM is due to it having a similar taste to human flesh. SPAM's name is a portmanteau of 'spiced ham' so this seems to jibe with A.)

    That being said, as the WWE reminds us: 'Don't Try This At Home!'

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  24. Do you think Rex finally gets fired?

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  25. Honestly, the problem is that a lot of their fans, basically anyone from the midwest or the south, think it's actually a channel.

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  26. Jellystone Bears got the #1 pick

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  27. Rex's defense is predicated on man coverage and having his CBs able to hang with the opposing WRs long enough for the defense to put pressure on the QB. They actually led the league in sacks coming into this week (I think) but their secondary has been dreadful. Milliner's been hurt since preseason and before today only played (visibly hurt) against the Packers. The rest of the CBs are just random guys. Idzik not making a better play for Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie, a play at all for Revis or any of the other FA's is one of the great mysteries of the Jets offseason. The Jets have plenty of cap room and while they're gonna be able to roll some/a lot of it into next season to give them even more capspace (soon enough they'll have to pay Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson), failing to sign one of the bigger CBs seems like a total disaster.


    On the other hand, you could argue that Rex should be less stubborn and adjust his defensive schemes to better fit his personnel but I'm not gonna go crazy. The defense usually plays good enough but the offense is so bad that the D is always on the field and often gives the opposing offense a short field due to Geno's turnovers.

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  28. No, that's been a thing for a while. Basically since the Swiftboaters in 2004.

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  29. He was lameducked by the GM, I wouldn't be surprised if he goes in season at this point

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  30. I hadn't considered this too closely, but they do seem to have painted themselves into a corner.

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  31. Studio guys are saying it's time to go to Vick.


    As an Eagles fan, like that would help.

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  32. That guy with the Mcdonalds milkshake as an avatar would be my guess.

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  33. Thanks for the 21-0 blowout in the Prime Time slot CBS!


    Fucking TV deals.


    New England/Cincinatti is going to be a blowout to. I should just watch some Big Bang Theory on BluRay.

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  34. Hm,but weren't they doing like the "Yeah, we're not paid for by Bush, but you should vote for him"? Type thing? In CT, Malloy backers are going apeshit with ads making the Repub look like Hitler Jr, then back off any type of endorsement at the end

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  35. I think the Pats are gonna win. Bill and Brady's record off losses is incredible. They're also a very good home team. Pats as home underdogs for the first time since 02 or 03 I believe. I wouldn't lock it up, but I definitely don't see a blowout.

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  36. Probably groups taking advantage of/abusing 501(c)(3) status are running those ads.

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  37. Eh, definitely, just seems a weird tactic, the kind of voters that those ads would work on, probably need to know which candidate they'd like you to vote for

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  38. I don't think so. They can say, "Barack Obama is a terrorist and he has gay sex orgies in the Lincoln bedroom and he wants to make Muslim the religion of Amercia." But I think if they say "Vote for Romney!" then it looks like it's part of a coordinated effort with that campaign and it has to be disclosed?

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  39. Maybe he enjoys the show and thus decided he'd like to own it on Blu Ray.

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  40. In most cases though, if they know they aren't going to vote for choice X, that just leaves choice Y.

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  41. I'm so glad my two viewing options are the shitty Jets and the Cards/Broncos...ugh

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  42. Stranger in the AlpsOctober 5, 2014 at 4:08 PM

    Baseball.

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  43. THEY'RE BENCHING GENO!


    SAN DIEGO, HIDE YOUR PUPPIES!!!!!!

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  44. BETTER THAN ONE VIEWING OPTION.

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  45. Yes. I think this Jets season will look like how most people thought last season's would play out. Rex wasn't an Idzik guy and one of the rules for when the Jets hired a GM in 2013 was that they had to keep Rex for a year. The Jets shocking the world and going 8-8 forced Idzik's hand but assuming the Jets go 5-11 or something around there, Rex will be done. It'd be the 4th straight season of no playoffs. Rex won with Mangini's players and lost with his own.

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  46. You don't have a Fox game?

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  47. Agreed. I don't see how Vick is gonna do anything special. He didn't look great last year and that was in Chip Kelly's offense with far more playmakers.

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  48. It's a one game day on Fox, and if you had the Fox early game you gots no late one.

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  49. What fucking channel? They seriously dropped the ball putting this shit on FS1, half the fucking country doesn't get it. Almost as embarrassing as the NHL playoffs on OLN.

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  50. There's something to be said for that.


    Take if you will, the example of the Sega Dreamcast. It had a modem for online sports games play (Although it was 56K and had almost no support), it had a little screen on the joystick, (A tiny digital display that cost a lot, but didn't do anything of note.)


    Nobody else at the time had such things, they were WAY ahead of the curve. And everyone has those things now. (Admittedly much better versions of those things.) But they came out too early, It was way too expensive, and ultimately the company went out of business shortly there after.

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  51. Stranger in the AlpsOctober 5, 2014 at 4:10 PM

    TBS. O's up 2-0 in the 6th. Buh-bye Detroit.

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  52. Uhhhh yeah that's totally the issue

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  53. That really blows...maybe they'll bring in Ronald Mexico here soon.

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  54. I've adopted the Royals and Orioles.

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  55. Oh well that makes sense. Thanks for clarifying. You importer/exporter you.

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  56. Personally I expect them to offer it in an over the top online service. Probably a streaming channel with an on demand service. I'd imagine the on demand library would be pretty sweet but they'll be no rhyme or reason or to what they put up and a lot of people will probably get frustrated with it.

    I'd imagine they end up charging something like 9.99 for it and it will probably do around 700k sub's domestic. The international roll out will probably be a disaster but domestic will be sweet.

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  57. The sideline reporter just said they're benching Geno.


    As an owner of the SD defense I couldn't be happier. But unless Shane Vareen has like a 2 score day I'm fucked.

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  58. Stranger in the AlpsOctober 5, 2014 at 4:11 PM

    The night game is on TBS also. Sunday evening thread is impending.

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  59. I import answers and export questions.

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  60. If the NFL has taught you anything this year, you're never safe.

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  61. IIRC, one of the requirements of 501(c)(3) status is NOT endorsing a candidate in any way whatsoever.


    In utopia, they would simply state "Here are the candidates' views on Issues X, Y, and Z, make sure to vote this November." But, a bunch of assholes think "well if we try to play nice, our guy is going to get walloped by the fuckers on the other side... so let's take our shots anyway." And thus attack ads seem to overwhelm the political discourse.


    And EVERYONE is guilty, whether directly or by inaction.

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  62. Self cannibalism seems like a great way to lose weight.

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  63. I'm really surprised the Nads are sucking the meat missile.

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  64. I simply adore how Bears fans keep going "Cutler is the WORST QB in the league" and then go "Geno who?" when someone brings up his record.

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  65. Stranger in the AlpsOctober 5, 2014 at 4:13 PM

    Giants are a whole other beast in the postseason. They turn it up to 11.

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  66. Thanks for the well-thought answer. How very...delicious of you...

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  67. I bet they'd have half as many sub's if they did that though

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  68. For me, I don't care much about the current product, and the novelty of catching up on old shows that I missed is wearing off.

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  69. There are so many QBs worse than Cutler


    Tannehill
    Manuel
    Geno
    Locker
    Ponder
    Orton
    Stanton
    McNown
    Vick
    Henne


    I could go on all day

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  70. Going back to SF with Bumgarner throwing...If he's half as good as he was against the Pirates, it's over.

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  71. Vick coming off the bench in 2010 worked because teams were expecting a pocket passer and got VIck using his sick speed to make people miss and you almost believed it was 2004 again. But not it's 2014, Vick ain't that fast and even if he were, the gameplan for Smith and the gameplan for Vick is the same.


    This ain't gonna work New York.


    Goodbye Rex.

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  72. Cade McNown is still in the league? Lol I know who you mean though...

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  73. You are my new prophet.. All Hail Jobber123!!!

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  74. LOL. Seriously. Look I love Scott as the next rampagingly hetero dude, but why are people asking him questions like this as if he's some sort of monumental business maven?!? He's an internet wrestling pundit, not Warren Buffett.

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  75. Yeah, messed up that but McCown sucks too

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  76. I read somewhere that someone called Geno the "Jamarcus Russell of Appalachia..." Seems fitting.

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  77. Many older fans may have that issue, which I think they could have sidestepped with a different name.

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  78. No matter how bad, all scandals blow over in a few weeks time. You just have to duck and weave long enough to weather the initial onslaught of bad publicity.

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  79. Wouldn't you gain exactly as much as you lost?

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  80. I was spitting little snow/ice chunks here last night...Oct. 4 first bit of winter precipitation...Fuck...

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  81. Why would anyone go to Wendy's for pork barbeque?

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  82. Yeah were really fucking stupid in the Midwest. Still think that dinosaurs never existed

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  83. Another tangential note, Sheetz' chicken sandwiches are legit.

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  84. Geno ain't got shit on Jemarcus when it comes to terribleness.

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  85. It's not bad. The spicy version of it is actually pretty decent. It's not like you'd go out of your way for it but if you're at a Wendy's it's a decent change of pace item.

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  86. Yep. Dark times my friend. Dark times.

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  87. Yesterday was why I love college football, encapsulated all nice and neat like

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  88. It's just a discussion point, calm your tits.

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  89. Calories would be lost in the butchering, mastication, and digestion processes.

    And quite probably a lot of blood... so it'd be a net loss

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  90. Adam "Colorado" CurryOctober 5, 2014 at 4:24 PM

    Drew Margary. "Why Your Team Sucks" is always hilarious.

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  91. I heard people in the Midwest think math is a TNA wrestler!

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  92. I'd be shocked if it wasnt a Giants/Orioles World Series.I said that at the beginning and am sticking to it

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  93. Cavs vs. Maccabi, who needs the NFL?

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  94. The people in attendance for that game

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  95. Mitch, The GodfatherOctober 5, 2014 at 4:29 PM

    Draft time, bitches.

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  96. And over half the teams aren't logged in.

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  97. Well, after the first round this draft should go quickly.

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  98. Vick is better than Cutler but he's too injury prone now

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  99. I bet you get tired of people acting like your dog died when you tell them you're a raider fan...

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  100. Must have been where I saw it

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  101. You always want to be the smart company that has the idea second. See Dreamcast vs Playstation. Luckily, there is no second competitor.

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  102. They live somewhere lacking in decent BBQ

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  103. Your body burns calories.

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  104. Could be the other way around. "Dear Mr. Buffett, do you think CM Punk was justified in walking out after Royal Rumble '14?"

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  105. I hear you've still got geocentrists ou there!

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  106. Well I live in the Bay Area so most are either A) Fellow Raider fans who know the struggle or B) 49er fans who just laugh at me.

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  107. Looks like somebody's angling for a new BoD Raw gimmick.

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  108. Because people like seeing their words posted on a blog that gets 25 million hits?

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  109. I emailed him the question simply as an observation.

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  110. Ugh...that Steeler/Jacksonville game set football back three years...Worst 3-2 team I can remember seeing.

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  111. Something can't be both a question and an observation at the same time.

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  112. Are you always this much of a dick?

    See what I did there?

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  113. Aw, shit. You mean we're being held accountable for stuff we wrote three years ago?

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  114. Yes.

    No.

    Next question?

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  115. Well, you know what they say...the best gimmicks are those that are extensions of a person's true personality...

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  116. I would be really curious as to how a major sport company would do with this concept. NFL Network following this format could be interesting for example. A bunch of NFL films stuff on demand, all the Super Bowls, maybe they add some entire seasons. I would be curious to see what kind of business something like that would do.

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  117. I'm honestly kind of hoping you're a tiny white guy. Cuz tiny white Kamala would be the funniest idea ever.

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  118. I'm more a skinny black dude. So Kamala on DDP Yoga?

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  119. My Panthers survived that one today. Tough stretch coming up: Cincinnati, Green Bay, Seattle, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Atlanta. After the last two brutal weeks against Pittsburgh and Baltimore, Carolina needs at least 4 wins in that bunch.

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  120. That works too. The skinny part is what makes it.

    Unsuccessful Canibal=ratings!

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  121. My subscription ends tomorrow and I've been getting the daily e-mails reminding me to renew and, honestly, I just don't feel an overwhelming urge to do so. I feel like I've more than than gotten my $60 in content but there just doesn't seem to be anything to keep that going. I enjoy MNW in a perverse "What bit of history will they rewrite next?" sort of way and I'll sometimes watch Countdown if the topic is interesting enough but mostly it's just the PPVs (I really don't even watch Raw anymore) and having the ability to go back and watch old stuff at a moment's notice. But I'm not sure I can justify $10/month just to be able to easily access Booker T/Sting Vs Road Warriors like I did today.

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  122. Really? How many people signed up because they were able to get free PPV's? I've assumed that the biggest draw for subscribers was the library.

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  123. HE RUINED MY SHEEN!

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  124. Have you read the short story 'survivor type' by Stephen King? A surgeon is stranded on a desert island with plenty of water, but nothing to eat. After having
    to amputate a foot, he gradually eats body parts to stay alive. It goes about as well as you’d expect.

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  125. A shame he never learned how to fish.

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  126. Lions lose.
    Tigers about to lose.
    Lost $20 bet to win $180
    Going to lose in Fantasy

    What a great marvelous piece of shit fucking day

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  127. Nice comeback there. With the next few games, today's was pretty much do or die. I know that sounds silly in week 5, but look at the upcoming schedule.

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  128. It normally ends up in my junk folder but I check since it's worth a laugh.

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  129. Really? I've been wondering about their food, but I haven't tried anything yet.

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  130. I signed up pretty much exclusively for the free PPV's. Between all of the DVD's I own and the VHS's I used to tape, and even YouTube, I have access to pretty much anything I would want to look up. I order WrestleMania and the Rumble every year, and usually 1 or 2 other PPV's, so the Network as a no-brainer.

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  131. usually the first company has a huge headstart on everybody else and the second guy is seen as inferior or copying (examples itunes vs everybody else; netflix vs everybody else; redbox vs everybody else)

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  132. Those niner fans don't have much to brag about this year. I can't figure that team out

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  133. Sure for you and me. But not for the majority of fans.

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  134. I could have written this exact same email. Mine expires today and had no desire to renew.

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  135. I disagree. I think they would have received significantly less subscribers had they not included the PPV's.

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  136. I rarely watched the library. I just mainly got it for main event/nxt and the ppvs

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  137. But in Chicago, it's always "get rid of Cutler, Bears are winners."
    Yes because in 2011, they were doing great at 7-3, Cutler goes out with broken thumb and they end up 8-8 proves that theory right.
    Seriously, Cutler is to blame for missed field goal, Conte going out, Forte's fumble, defense bad calls, all of it, amazing to see.

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  138. Oh no, Bears fans are all "we should have kept McCown!" Yep, that would have worked out.

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  139. Come now, that's putting an unnecessarily negative spin on a skinny cannibal.

    A health-conscious, progressively-minded cannibal is your clear baby-face.

    Has a built in gimmick as well, the heels always want the big blow-off to be in a cage... because then they aren't free-range.

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  140. COX! COX! COX!

    The boyhood dream... has come true... for Alex Smi... wait, it didn't.

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  141. Did you say 9.99? Only 9.99?

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