Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Unbalanced.
Reviewing the NXT Women's Division's 1st Show After WrestleMania
The women of NXT shined at Stand & Deliver on April 2, and after Raw had their Post-Mania show, it was NXT's turn. Two women's matches were set for Post-Mania NXT, first off, the tag title rematch from Stand & Deliver, with Toxic Attraction's Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne challenging new champions Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai. The pair, as well as NXT Women's Champion Mandy Rose, vowed to regain their titles, claiming that Wendy Choo's appearance was the only reason why they were dethroned. All the while, Dakota and Raquel referred to the defeated duo as being afraid of the new champions, and vowed to retain.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Clinch, but the Mission Isn't Complete Yet
The Colorado Avalanche became the second team to clinch a spot in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the first Western Conference team to do so. The Avs entered their game against the Pittsburgh Penguins only needing one more point in the standings to get in, and decided to go for two and the proverbial jugular. Colorado won 6-4 behind two goals from Nathan MacKinnon, as well as Josh Manson and Arturri Lehkonen scoring their first goals since being traded to the team, and for the Avs, it's a season series sweep, with both wins coming in a span of four days.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Rhea Ripley's Headed on a Dark Path, but Will She Do So Alone?
OK, so I decided to wait until after this year's Post-Mania Raw to post this, mainly because I wanted to see if what I figured would happen would kick off. It certainly did. So Sunday's second night of WrestleMania saw Edge defeated AJ Styles and gain an ally in his dark quest...in the form of Damian Priest. This alliance is actually a few months in the making; back in January, Edge was shown in a backstage segment with Priest--this was back when he was in his feud with The Miz, which happened to involve their wives. So what we saw on Sunday was a rare bit of continuity, as well as fate--Edge and Priest's heel turns took place on the same episode of Raw.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Reviewing an Amazing WrestleMania Weekend for WWE's Women's Division
WrestleMania weekend took place in the cities of Dallas and Arlington this year, and it was an immensely amazing showcase for World Wrestling Entertainment's women's division. Counting NXT, five championships were defended in WWE's women's division, and the action kicked off with NXT's Stand and Deliver event, which actually took place early that Saturday afternoon (Saturday morning for those of us in the western half of the country).
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Florida Panthers Become the 1st to Clinch; Can They Finally Win a Series?
We finally have a playoff clinch in the 2021-22 NHL season. The Florida Panthers defeated the Buffalo Sabres by a score of 5-3, behind a pair of goals from Anthony Duclair, and a late power play goal by Mackenzie Weeger that sealed the game. With the win, the Panthers became the first team to clinch a spot in this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, locking in their third straight playoff appearance, but only their eighth in the team's history. We know the story; the Florida Panthers debuted in the 1993-94 season, the same year as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, and the same year that the Minnesota North Stars moved to Dallas. Their third season was their most successful one, as they went 41-31-10 and reached the playoffs for the very first time--a run that saw them go all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, where they were swept by the Colorado Avalanche.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Reviewing Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez's Reunion
Eight months prior, I wrote a story about the end of the alliance between Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez; an alliance that began back in February of 2020. The pair joined forces due to a shared belief that they had been ignored in the NXT Women's Division, and as a unit, Dakota and Raquel entered and won the first ever Women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, with their reward being the honor of serving as NXT's first ever Women's Tag Team Champions. Though they quickly lost the titles on that same night, the pair remained together even during Raquel's successful quest to become NXT Women's Champion.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
NFL Changes Overtime Rules...But There's a Catch
As I've said before, the NFL's overtime rules have been repeatedly scrutinized for nearly 50 years. For the first several decades, the NFL didn't have overtime, but that changed in 1974, when the sudden death OT was added. In this format, any score could end it, and it often resulted in a vast amount of games ending with a field goal in the opening possession. Despite decades of complaints, the NFL didn't change OT until 2010, and in this version, an opening possession field goal will give the other team a chance to either tie it or win it, while an opening possession touchdown wins the game. If both teams trade field goals, or if the opening possession results in no points, the sudden death rules apply.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: Canadiens Eliminated After Dream Season
We have our first elimination of the 2021-22 NHL season, and it belongs to the Montréal Canadiens. The Washington Capitals' 4-3 shootout win over the Buffalo Sabres on March 25 ended up eliminating the Canadiens (who were idle on that evening) from playoff contention; marking the end of a very disappointing season that has seen so many unexpected negatives. The Canadiens' last two seasons prior to this one were surprisingly stellar, and to think, the team's good seasons and good fortune were the result of the league being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Women's Dusty Classic Winners Crowned, But Their Focus Changes
Shortly after Diamond Mine won the Men's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, the second-ever Women's version took place, with eight teams vying for a shot at the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship, held by Toxic Attraction's Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne. The latest edition of NXT featured the finals of the tournament, which pitted Io Shirai and Kay Lee Ray against the makeshift team of Dakota Kai and Wendy Choo. The match served as the main event, and it would end with the dream team of Io and KLR emerging victorious and winning the Dusty Cup.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
A Wild "Flower" Blooms in Minnesota
I remember learning about the Minnesota Wild's debut into the NHL two years before it actually happened. The Wild were part of an expansion wave that spread out during the 1990s and entering the 21st century; in fact they were one of four teams who debuted in three straight seasons. 1998 gave us the Nashville Predators, 1999 gave us the Atlanta Thrashers (who moved to Winnipeg in 2011), and 2000 gave us not only the Wild, but the Columbus Blue Jackets as well. It only took them three seasons to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time, and it would see them reach the Western Conference Final.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Stand Back! The Hurricanes Are Coming Through!
Hard to believe that it's been 25 years since the Hartford Whalers moved from Connecticut to Raleigh, North Carolina and became the Carolina Hurricanes. The Whalers' relocation to Raleigh made them the 3rd straight team to move, following the footsteps of the Quebec Nordiques in 1995 (becoming the Colorado Avalanche) and the original Winnipeg Jets in 1996 (becoming the Phoenix Coyotes). In the quarter-century they've played in Raleigh, the Carolina Hurricanes have enjoyed a level of success that they never had in Hartford, which included two trips to the Stanley Cup Final in 2002 and 2006, with the latter year seeing them hoist the Cup.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Thunder Rosa Captures the AEW Women's World Championship
On March 16, 2022, All Elite Wrestling aired their second annual St. Patrick's Day Slam episode of Dynamite, and it was main evented by a steel cage match for the AEW Women's World Championship between entering titleholder Britt Baker, and challenger Thunder Rosa. This is the second title meeting between the two rivals in a week and a half; they faced off at Revolution on March 6, but the usual interference from Britt's cohorts, Rebel and Jamie Hayter, helped Britt retain. Thunder Rosa won her way to another title opportunity three days later on Dynamite by defeating Leyla Hirsch in a Championship Eliminator match, and the steel cage environment was made to keep anyone (including and especially Britt's cronies) out.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
