Welcome to the return edition of the Phat Daily Column. I must apologize for the absence of the Weekend column, for the load of school work became too overwhelming. I figured that this past weekend would be an easy one, however, I was stuck researching for a paper, preparing for a presentation, and getting ready for a delayed midterm, which I took today. I was too burned out to even think about wrestling, let alone write about it.

I was planning to read more of Mick Foley's second book for a future review this weekend, but I wasn't even able to touch it. Argh! Well, since all of my midterms are over, hopefully, I can find some time to read that damn book, and then move on to Kurt Angle's book. If I was only paid to write this column everyday, instead of working and going to school to better myself, then life would be so nice and I would have much more free time to sit down and read a book about wrasslin'. Instead, I have to read a book over a long period of time.

Today, we'll take a look at what could be in store for the "Follow up RAW to the Best Ever RAW", or whatever. No Heat review, because I didn't have time to watch that heaping pile of shit of a show. Actually, I never really plan on making time to watch that show on a regular basis. I did hear, however, that the show was more stacked than usual, and I probably would have liked to have seen the Booker T vs. Edge match. Ah well, I'm sure RAW will recap something.

I highly doubt that this Heat stacking will last for long. The WWF creative team will cite that it's too hard on their schedules, although they never write in advance for any shows. Hmmm... since the WWF does the booking on the fly stuff, would that mean that the creative staff only works 3 times a week, if that? Probably not, but from wasting what could have been great Invasion angle, I'd say they write like it.

And here's one more thing about Sunday Night Heat. If the WWF is starting to stack Sunday Night Heat, where will that leave the regular wrestlers always wrestle on Heat? Uh oh, the WWF sharks could be lining up for some talent cuts very soon. That's something that I do NOT wish upon any wrestler trying to get by, but yet getting over trumped by the WWF writers or Vince McMahon.

Speaking of which, it must feel sickening to be a wrestler, knowing that a bunch of writers and ex-wrestlers on a creative team hold your fate, your career, and your well being on the line. Like, say for instance, you get depushed in the storylines. The long term effects are quite harmful if you so choose to make a living as a wrestler. You wonder why a lot of wrestlers cuddle up to the writers, bookers, or owners of a company.

At times, it makes me feel good to just write about wrestling, and not live it. No matter what I say, no matter how bad I criticize a wrestler, I will always give props for the effort and the determination a wrestler has to stay in the business, despite having their backs to the wall. I might seem like a bastard at times when criticizing someone, but I'll never fault how they got to where they are at, nor will I lose respect for them being a wrestler.

Some of the stuff that wrestlers go through, like the daily stress, are way above most of the viewers who enjoy watching wrestling every week. I'll always admire the wrestler's persistance.

But anyway, let's hype RAW (no longer called IS WAR) and send this one home!

RAW HYPE!

No Mercy is this Sunday, so look for some quickly half-assed writing to fill up the card. What else do we expect from booking on the fly anymore, along with an insane Vince McMahon and his me, myself, and I thinking children?

In one match, already signed by the WWF, we'll be seeing Kurt Angle and a mystery partner take on Stone Cold Steve Austin and a mystery partner, who will be selected by the Alliance. You can just guess that Rob Van Dam will be selected as a partner of either Angle or Austin. The other partner, well, that's unknown. Maybe someone like Booker T, or in that realm. Maybe Angle/Undertaker vs. Austin/Booker T? I'm not sure.

Also on the card, we'll smell the ratings with a Handicap match. *Yawn* I swear, I've seen more handicap matches or 6 man matches than I can personally handle. I guess that's what happens when you have extremely unoriginal creative minds on the WWF booking staff, including McMahons. The match will be the Dudley Boyz against Big Slow. If the Duds lose this match, then what point will it be to have Big Show having a partner at No Mercy?

I'm actually looking foward to how the Rock and Chris Jericho feud plays out. To keep a very hot feud going, one would suggest for Chris Jericho to win the match at No Mercy, since the feud just started. However, it's the Rock we're talking about, who is very hard to beat at a Pay Per View (besides Austin and Triple H, who are known to have booking power), and Chris Jericho isn't exactly a favorite among WWF officials for his blown spots and at times, sloppy and stiff moves. Who knows?

Just note that we're in Canada, tonight, (Ottawa), so the reception for Chris Jericho, against the Rock, could be tremendous. The WWF will most likely do something to protect the Rock from negative cheers, just like they did for the Christian match at the Toronto RAW. They do that because if you remember, Bill Goldberg was booed, and hard, at a Canadian Nitro a while ago, in which WCW put the noise boxes (machines playing crowd noise) up full blast.

RAW has no "Best Ever RAW" hype to live up to this week.

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@That's all for today. I hope to be back, tomorrow, with a full review on RAW. Until then, check out the LoP Message Boards for discussions on wrestling, sports, music, movies, and more!

Take Care, and Thanks for Reading.

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