Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Unbalanced.
Toni Storm Released by WWE
Days before 2021 came to end, wrestling fans were hit with one more shocking release from World Wrestling Entertainment: Toni Storm. The news hit all over wrestling sites that Toni Storm's tenure in WWE has come to an end after four years, with reports stating that she requested to be released. Even so, this release joins a vast collection of departures in the women's division alone, including Nia Jax, B-Fab, and Taya Valkyrie (among many others).
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Top Dogs Battle for Home Field (NFC Week 17)
I am a Green Bay Packers fan who is quite excited for Week 17, and the reason is obvious. There are four teams jockeying for the #1 position, and not only are the Packers in the race, they're on top of it. It's a very tight race up top, and there's also a very interesting battle in the Wild Card standings as well. Here's a look at the National Football Conference's standings entering the penultimate week of the season.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
The Conference Royal Rumble Continues (AFC Week 17)
For the first time since 1993, Week 17 will not serve as the final week of the season. It is now the penultimate week with the NFL season now being 18 weeks long--on a permanent basis. Prior to this season, Week 17 ended the season, and it was fitting, as Week 17 has often fallen either on the final weekend of the year or the first weekend of the New Year, which is what I loved about Week 17. In this case, Week 17 opens on the 2nd day of 2022 with 15 games, with a 16th taking place on the following day. Even with the permanent shift in the schedule, Week 17 remains pivotal in the NFL season, as a lot can be settled during the season's penultimate week.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Week 16 Recap: Giving and Receiving
Week 16 of the NFL season always falls on Christmas time, and every year, it can be cause for celebration for a select few teams in the league. This year's NFL Christmas weekend was no exception, as five more teams joined the Green Bay Packers in the 2021 playoffs. One such team was the Dallas Cowboys, who looked to win the NFC East this week. They received their gifts before taking the field for their Sunday Night Football clash against the Washington Football Team.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
One Down, 13 To Go (Week 16)
I love Week 16, and it's mainly because it occurs during Christmas time. Until this season, the Christmas and New Year's weeks served as the final two weeks of the NFL season, but now we have the additional week, so the holidays serve as a festive lead in to the final climax. Though Week 16 is now the antepenultimate week of the season, it's still pivotal to teams jockeying for playoff position. In the case of this season, it's extra pivotal. Only one team is officially in the playoffs entering Week 16, leaving a whopping 13 spots up for grabs in the final three weeks. Seven of the spots could be filled this week, and five division titles could be wrapped up. Without further ado, the playoff picture.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Week 15 Recap: A Division Clinched & Tuesday Night Football
Week 15 featured quite a few shakeups to the schedule, mainly caused by the horrendous wave of players testing positive for COVID-19, with the report that some of the positives are from the Omicron variant. The Los Angeles Rams and Cleveland Browns were among several teams that were hit the hardest, and that led to the NFL juggling the Week 15 schedule. Schedule shifts like this were nearly a regular thing in the 2020 season due to positive tests, and that year, it resulted in Monday Night doubleheaders, some games on Tuesdays, and even a Wednesday game. Until Week 15, those moves had been avoided, and time will tell if any of the following three weeks will be impacted as well.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
A Look at the Semifinalists of AEW's TBS Championship Tournament
On October 6, 2021, it was announced that All Elite Wrestling's flagship series, Dynamite, would move from TNT to TBS, doing so to make way for TNT's NHL coverage. AEW already began the process by airing on Saturdays for the first few weeks; allowing TNT to begin their NHL relationship with doubleheaders on Wednesdays. Afterwards, Dynamite returned to Wednesdays, airing live coast-to-coast for the rest of the year, followed by a single Wednesday Night Hockey game at 10PM EST/7PM PST.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
So Many Clinching Scenarios, So Little Time (Week 15)
For only the third time since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978 (it's 17 games now), Week 14 ended with no playoff spots clinched. So with four weeks remaining, all fourteen slots in this year's NFL Playoffs are all open, though after Week 15, seven of them (an even 50%) could be filled. Before we get to the scenarios, here's the playoff picture.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Week 14 Recap: Death, Taxes, and Aaron Rodgers Owning the Bears
In a world where uncertainties are increasing by the bulk, it is refreshing that one thing remains true and constant: Aaron Rodgers owns the Chicago Bears. Week 14's Sunday Night Football matchup featured the Green Bay Packers hosting the Bears--the first meeting since Rodgers stated the obvious to Bears fans back in October. It was a bit of a shaky start for the Packers; special teams was a total mess for the Green and Gold, though Rodgers delivered two first half TDs, and Rasul Douglas picked up another Pick 6 interception (his second in as many games).
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
108th Grey Cup Recap: Dirty Dozen
When the Winnipeg Blue Bombers won the 107th Grey Cup in 2019, it was an emotional win. It was the Bombers' first Grey Cup Championship since 1990--at the time, the longest drought in Canadian Football League history. The 108th Grey Cup saw the same ending: the Blue Bombers emerging as Grey Cup Champions. Like the last one, it was emotional, but for a different reason: because they had to wait just over two years to defend their championship, and they were successful.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
A Look Back: Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio's 2005 Feud
Until recently, the wrestling related stories I've written here on Vocal solely centered on women's wrestling. Originally, this story was going to be the one that broke my trend, and I'll explain why it wasn't later on. I'll just open with this: one of the best feuds I watched in the last near 20 years was the 2005 angle involving Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio. I've watched every bit of this feud so many times; so much that I can pretty much describe it all, bit by bit. 2005 was a wild year in WWE, without question. I remember that WWE filled a void for me that was left by the absence of the NHL, as a lockout canceled the entire 2004-05 season, so stories like this ended up making up for that missing piece. Without further ado, the players.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
A Look Back: The 1st Undisputed Champion (Vengeance 2001)
One of the most legendary and memorable moments in WWE's history happened just 20 years ago: the crowning of the first-ever Undisputed Champion. It was on December 9, 2001 that the then-named World Wrestling Federation held the first Vengeance pay-per-view event, which served as the spotlight for the aftermath of a very heated Survivor Series event. So what led to this momentous event? As "Stone Cold" Steve Austin would say, "Here's the bottom line":
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
