>and remember it gets better.

WM IX. It is easily the worst Mania that could've been good that I can remember. 1 and 2 somehow get a pass because...well...they were the first two Mania. Shit didn't get real until the 3rd one.

The last 10 years of Manias almost always have at least one 'damn that was good' match. 27 might end up getting more hate as years go on. Cena/Miz mained it..Rock intervened and interfered as the 'host' of WM...whatever the hell that was.

During the apex of my free time and wrestling nerdness (1997-2004-ish), I watched all of the Manias in full and in order. 7 doesn't get enough hate dropped on it for my taste. 9 and 13 were just powerfully bad though. Of course, 13 had the epic Hart-Austin double turn match so folks are willing to do some forgiving. 14 had some matches on it but I remember sooo many folks hating the HBK/Austin match. The match should've been absurd, but Austin was working while recovering from the neck injury. And HBK was so roided, 'medicated', and hurt up BEFORE he tweaked his back during the match again...it is amazing he could even put on a match. And of course having Tyson was dope too.

Yesterday, I was cleaning out a room and closet in my house where I basically threw a bunch of random stuff when I moved in a couple years ago. My CD collection, 'movies' on VHS, old computers and video games and systems, wires, plugs, cables, all sorts of silly shit. In one box of CDs, I 'found' a Gamecube and 2 controllers. I forgot all about that joint. Wind Waker!

To my surprise, I also came across a gang of non-adult VHS tapes. Some old Raws, Texas vs USC 2005 (aka the Vince game), the BET awards where Rick James and Teena Marie came outta nowhere and sang Fire and Desire (and we got an amazing 'I'm Rick James, Bitch!' at the podium), Japan wrestling video comps (Best of Kobashi from like 2000), etc.

There's also a Raw Benoit vs HHH 1-hour Iron Man Match. Thanks the heavens that I was a decent tape labeller most of the time! I'm gonna watch the shit outta that sometime soon. And after that, I'ma find and watch the Raw/Smackdown combo where Benoit took on HEEL Austin twice. I firmly remember those two matches being THE shit. Benoit was german suplexing all over the place trying to win a title, and Austin was as good as he had been in years in the ring to try to make that heel run go until they could moonwalk out of it. I contend that Austin was a wrestling mofo. His brawlathon era makes folks forget that.

I'm clearly ready for Mania tonight. It is on in this bitch!

Jimaveli