Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Unbalanced.
A Look Back: Edge and Undertaker's 2008 Feud
This month, WWE celebrated the 25th anniversary of the beginning of the storied career of WWE Hall of Famer Edge. What a career! Understatement, I know, but still. SummerSlam 1998 was his first PPV bout, as he served as Sable's tag team partner, and we know the rest after that. Became part of The Brood, teamed with Christian and won various tag titles, went solo and finally worked up to becoming an iconic main eventer, only for his career to come to a premature end barely a week after WrestleMania 27. Nearly nine years later, Edge returns at the 2020 Rumble, and has since been involved in several different and amazing angles since then.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
CFL Week 5 Recap: Close, but No Cigar
There are a lot of things I love about the Canadian Football League, and on that list is the league's rules. The CFL is so different from the NFL in many different ways, especially when it comes to scoring. Because of the rules, it creates so many ways for a team to win, but it also creates such crazy ways to lose as well. Just ask the Edmonton Elks.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
NBA In-Season Tournament Announced
I've been hearing talk/suggestions about an in-season tournament for the National Basketball Association for a few years now, but never thought much of it because I didn't think we'd see this happen. Well...it's happening. The NBA announced that starting with the upcoming season (2023-24), an in-season tournament will take place, and all 30 teams will be involved. I'm a little bit familiar with some sports doing this. I want to say Major League Soccer does something like this, but I could be mistaken.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
CFL Week 4 Recap: Canada Day Weekend
The first holiday that the CFL just happens to land on is, of course, Canada Day. The holiday is celebrated every July 1, and in this calendar year, it took place on a Saturday. Even with Canada celebrating the grand holiday, Week 4 of the 2023 season was abbreviated. Only three games took place, beginning with a Friday night matchup between the Edmonton Elks and the Ottawa Redblacks. Edmonton was coming off yet another home loss against the Toronto Argonauts, though they would be on the road this time, playing in the Canadian capital.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Reviewing Money in the Bank 2023...and Its Many Shockers
The first thought I had as I watched the pre-show for this year's Money in the Bank event: the titular match has been around for 18 years! It doesn't seem like it. It seems like yesterday that I watched the very first Money in the Bank Ladder Match, but it was actually 18 years ago: April 3, 2005 at WrestleMania 21. In the years that have passed, Money in the Bank continued as a WrestleMania staple until 2010, when the namesake event was born. For those of you who are new to this phenomenon, here are the details.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Found a Way: A Look at the 2021-22 Colorado Avalanche
There were three main reasons why I was looking forward to the 2021-22 season. One, the season was back to normal. I did enjoy the bubble playoffs from 2020, the Round Robin and Qualifying Rounds that were followed by four thrilling rounds played all in Canada. I also enjoyed the shortened 2020-21 season with localized divisions. But it was nice to see the first full season with the normal divisions since 2018-19. Two, it was a new day for NHL telecasts in the United States, as the greatest sport in the universe was returning to the ESPN networks for the first time since the 2003-04 season, and was also debuting on Turner Sports. Thirdly, and most importantly, it was because I had a good, strong feeling that it would be the Colorado Avalanche's year.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
CFL Week 3 Recap: Home is Not Where the Wins Are
Alberta's capital city of Edmonton has to be cursed when it comes to sports. Look at the Oilers. They have, arguably, the best player in the league, yet they are nowhere close to a Stanley Cup. You would think that the Elks would ease their pain, right? After all, they are a hallowed franchise. They are second all-time in Grey Cups behind the Toronto Argonauts, with Edmonton's last win coming in 2015. Sadly, the Elks have been saddled with one little problem: they can't win at home!
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
The Hallowed Career of Jarome Iginla
Earlier this month, it was announced that Jarome Iginla would return to the team where he still serves as a household name: the Calgary Flames, but in a front office position, as the advisor to the general manager. I often beam when I hear the name Jarome Iginla, not just as a diehard hockey fan, but as a diehard Black hockey fan as well. The man affectionately known as "Iggy" set a huge bar overall for hockey, but for Black players and hockey fans, he would become the undisputed measuring stick.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
CFL Week 2 Recap: The Champs Are Here
And so it begins. It was a grand day for the Toronto Argonauts. They received their beautiful Grey Cup Championship rings, and they raised the banner in front of a raucous crowd at BMO Field in Toronto. For this Argos fan, I was waiting for this day, the Argos' season opener. I still remember the happiness I felt as I watched the Argos win the Grey Cup against a Winnipeg Blue Bombers team who was looking to win their third straight. When the season opened last week, I would find out that I'd have to wait an additional week for the Argos, as the champs had opening week off.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Reviewing AEW Collision's Premiere Episode
I remember being excited over the premiere of AEW Collision, especially due to what would come with the show. Based on what I read, this show is part of AEW's equivalent of a "brand split," if you will. The idea is due to some growing tensions between some members of the AEW roster, so the company decided to add a second two-hour program with a separate roster from their flagship show, Dynamite--with the move also including the shutdown of web shows Dark and Dark: Elevation. The last few weeks prior to the premiere saw announcements regarding future destinations for the show, as well as the site of the premiere episode: Chicago.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Pros and Cons: Bianca Belair's Slow Burning Heel Turn
I've been a fan of Bianca Belair since she started in WWE, and it's hard to believe that she's actually been in WWE for seven years now! She started out in NXT as a villainess, proclaiming herself as the "EST of WWE," using every superlative to describe herself in the brash-EST (see what I did there?) of fashion. Though she never won the NXT Women's Championship, Bianca built one hell of a tenure on NXT before getting her call-up to the main roster. In her debut, Bianca became a babyface and came to the aid of the Street Profits, consisting of Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford (the latter half being Bianca's real-life husband).
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Stanley Cup Final Game Five: What Happens in Vegas...
Well, it happened. The Vegas Golden Knights are the 2023 Stanley Cup Champions, and they did not mess around in Game Five of the Stanley Cup Final. The Florida Panthers were completely demoralized entering this game; they couldn't muster a comeback in Game Four on their home ice, and even worse, they had to play Game Five without their anchor, Matthew Tkachuk. Something told me that this would be it for the Panthers, and while I was right, I was not expecting the Panthers to completely phone it in.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
