2014: A Mixed Bag of All Sorts

Hello everyone! As you may know, this is my last blog post of 2014. Primarily because this is the last day of 2014. So here is a reflection of 2014 from my personal standpoint.

Basically, the year of 2014 was a mixed bag for me. Personally, it was a great year for me. However, it was a terrible year for all of my favorite sports teams. Here is how it was terrible in a nut shell:

• +New York Yankees- missed postseason
• +New York Jets - missed postseason w/ losing record
• +New York Rangers - lost the Stanley Cup to the LA Kings
• +New York Knicks - missed postseason w/ losing record
• +Toronto Argonauts Football Club - missed postseason w/ losing record

In addition, Team USA got eliminated in the Knockout round during the FIFA World Cup. However, that was more of me rooting for the country more than the team itself since I started following soccer recently (cut me some slack, folks!).

If you have noticed the list, only one team made the postseason in that calendar year and that was the New York Rangers. However, the loss to the Kings still stings a lot considering that they haven't won the cup since 1994.

Now, let's move on to me since the good definitely outweighed the bad. For me, 2014 was a life-changing year for me since I started the year off as a college student and finished the year as a college graduate with a job. Here are the positive things that happened to me or have witnessed personally.

• Visited Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom for the first time since 2002 and got to greet a talking version of Mickey Mouse.
• Covered a Rutgers Men's Basketball Game as a member of the media with press credentials (even if it was for one night)
• Got an internship (which led to a temporary/full time position)
• Interviewed an up and coming professional wrestler for a profile (to be uploaded)
• Attended a game at Yankee Stadium to see Derek Jeter play in his final year
• Graduated Kean University with a B.A. in Communication
• Was part of a big celebration for a wedding in my family
• Celebrated with friends and family about graduation from college
• Volunteered at Techweek and got to connect with individuals from many different parts of the tech industry
• Visited Cancun for the first time (definitely worth it)
• Attended a Knicks game with friends at MSG

Going back to sports, not everything was all bad. There were some bright moments:

• Derek Jeter's walk off base hit in his final game at Yankee Stadium
• Geno Smith getting a perfect passer rating in the game against the Dolphins (every bad QB has their bright moments people)
• Seeing the Rangers run to the Stanley Cup
• The whole country of the USA chanting "I believe that we will win!" to show their support for Team USA
• KC Royals headlining a World Series for the first time since 1985 (not my favorite team, but was fun to watch)

Before I forget, there was also professional wrestling. For the most part, WWE hasn't had the best year since injuries occurred to star performers, but there were moments where I marked out as a little kid.

• Daniel Bryan beating all three members of Evolution (Triple H, Batista, and Randy Orton) to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania
• Sting making his debut in the WWE for the very first time at Survivor Series

To sum it all up, it has been an interesting year. I know for a fact to start 2015, WWE is not off to a good start. However, that will be discussed later. Fortunately, professional wrestling has some upside since New Japan has a TV deal with AXS TV to telecast their events as well as TNA Impact Wrestling moving to it's new home Destination America. Also, a regional promotion in my area called Pro Wrestling Syndicate has a television deal with WLNY TV 55/10 to televise their shows.

Let's see what 2015 has in store. Until then, stay gold. Happy New Year!

 

Percy Harvin traded to New York Jets- What does this all mean?

I know I have been away for quite some time since I have been making a decision on how to re-brand Wrestling with Green Pinstripes. However, today is the day I officially break my silence.

As you are all aware, the +Seattle Seahawks have traded WR Percy Harvin to the +New York Jets in exchange for a conditional draft pick yesterday evening. The Jets made the announcement official this morning:

We've released WR David Nelson & acquired WR-KR Percy Harvin from SEA. Welcome @Percy_Harvin!- http://t.co/hdBRGEqs2u pic.twitter.com/jBeJPlJDia
— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 18, 2014

Jay Glazer from FOX Sports originally broke the news, and since then the media and the fans are trying to wrap their heads into the details. I also don't know too many details either on why Harvin was traded, but here's what this all means for the Jets.

•  Evaluate for the 2015 season

At the record of 1-6 and in last place in the AFC East, the New York Jets already know that they are out of contention for 2014 and decided to make the trade for Percy Harvin to evaluate for next season. This will also determine whether Geno Smith is the future for the franchise going forward since he will get a full evaluation now that there are two playmakers on the offense. 

• Low Risk, High Reward

With plenty of cap space going forward, the New York Jets managed to get Harvin in exchange for a conditional draft pick. NFL Network's Ian Rappaport broke it all down:

The #Jets have traded for #Seahawks WR Percy Harvin, source confirms (as @JayGlazer reported). Compensation is conditional mid-rounder
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 17, 2014

Percy Harvin has no more guaranteed money due to him after this season, though he’s to earn $41.5M over the next 4. A tryout for him.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 17, 2014

The #Seahawks received a conditional 6th round pick in 2015 that can become a 4th rounder in exchange for new #Jets WR Percy Harvin.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 18, 2014

This means that if Harvin doesn't pan out, the Jets can release him without penalty. If he does manage to get on the same page with New York, Harvin will be on the Jets payroll going forward. Once again, this is a low-risk, high reward move that Idzik and Schneider negotiated to get Percy Harvin come over to the Jets. After all, with the record of 1-6, there is nothing left to lose.

• R-E-L-A-X 

Ever since the trade was announced, both Seahawks and Jets fans are still digesting how this trade will work out. There is one thing I have to say to both fanbases: RELAX. It's still early to make judgements and when the games are played, we will find out.

That's all I have to say for now. Take care.

Where have I been?

So you're all wondering, where have I been? As you all know, I've been working full time since late July and haven't had a lot of time to write blogs. However, I will try my best to write a few blogs per month. Also, I am rebranding the blog to write once a week, releasing on Saturdays only (subject to change).

More details will be shared later. Stay gold.

7/25/2014- Yankees def. Texas 3 out of 4, Mets def. Mariners 2 out of 3, review of WWE Raw

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a great week. Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Here we go!

MLB
Earlier this week, the Yankees hosted the Texas Rangers in a 4 game set. The Yankees lost the 1st game due to the team committing 5 errors, but made up for it in the remaining 3 games. Wednesday's game was notable due to heavy downpour that caused the game to be called. On the other side, the Mets were in Seattle to face the Mariners in a 3 game set. The Mets lost the 1st game, but won the remaining 2 games. Wednesday's game was famous for Bartolo Colon pitching a no hitter until the 7th inning.

The Mets faced the Milwaukee Brewers last night and lost the 1st game. The Mets will continue their series against Milwaukee, while the Yankees will host the Toronto Blue Jays in a 3 game set.

WWE
 This past Monday on Raw was the show after the Battleground PPV. Here are some notable highlights.

That's all I have to say for now. Have a good weekend!

7/21/2014- WWE Battleground Results, Yankees sweep Reds, Padres def. Mets 2 out of 3

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend this weekend. Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Here we go!

WWE

Last night was the WWE Battleground PPV, where it emanated from Tampa, FL. Here are the results of the card:

Kickoff

• Adam Rose def. Fandango
• Cameron def. Naomi

PPV

• The Usos def. The Wyatts to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship
• AJ Lee def. Paige to retain the Divas Championship
• Rusev def. Jack Swagger via countout
• Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose ended in a forfeit for Rollins due to Ambrose's ejection from the arena
• Chris Jericho def. Bray Wyatt
• The Miz wins the Battle Royal to become the NEW Intercontinental Champion
• John Cena def. Kane, Randy Orton, and Roman Reigns in a Fatal-4-Way to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship

MLB

After the All-Star Break, both New York teams returned to work. The Yankees hosted the Reds in a 3 game set, in which they have swept the Reds. Yesterday's game was notable since the Yankees won the game via "bloop single" from Brian McCann

Meanwhile, the Mets were in San Diego facing the Padres in a 3 game set. The Mets won the 1st game, but lost the remaining two.

The Yankees will host the Texas Rangers in a 4-game set, while the Mets are facing the Seattle Mariners in a 3 game set.

That's all I have to say for now. Have a good week!

- NYCKNP

7/18/2014- Baseball returns to "Business as Usual"

Hello everyone! It's been a while since I last posted here. Let's cut to the chase, shall we?

MLB
Tonight, the New York Yankees will host the Cincinnati Reds to start the 2nd half of the season. As you all know, the Yankees have had an inconsistent 1st half of the season as they finished the 1st half with a .500 record. 4/5 of the starting rotation went on the disabled list, which led them to call up pitchers who are unproven for the most part. The question is, are the Yankees buyers or sellers at the trade deadline?

The New York Mets will be in San Diego to face the Padres this weekend to start the west coast trip. The Mets started out the season struggling out of the gate, but have played better baseball near the end of the 1st half. The question is, can the Mets finish the season on a positive note?

6/30/2014- WWE Money in the Bank results, Red Sox def. Yankees 2 out of 3, Pirates def. Mets 3 out of 4

Hello everyone! It's been a while since I posted here. Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Here we go!

WWE

Last night was the Money in the Bank PPV, where it emanated from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Overall, there were eight matches on the card and all of them were on the PPV as the Kickoff show was dedicated to Daniel Bryan's in-ring interview with Michael Cole. Bryan announced that he may need to get another surgery due to arm problems and could be out longer than expected. Here are the results for the main card:

• The Usos def. The Wyatts to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship
• Paige def. Naomi to retain the Divas Championship
• Adam Rose def. Damien Sandow
• Seth Rollins won the Money in the Bank briefcase in the Money in the Bank ladder match. Participants in this match were Dean Ambrose, Dolph Ziggler, Kofi Kingston, Rob Van Dam, and Jack Swagger
• Goldust and Stardust (Cody Rhodes) def. Ryback and Curtis Axel
• Rusev def. Big E
• Layla def. Summer Rae (with Fandango as special guest referee)
• John Cena wins the vacant WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the Money in the Bank ladder match. Participants in this match were Randy Orton, Alberto Del Rio, Sheamus, Bray Wyatt, Roman Reigns, Cesaro, and Kane

Overall, it was a decent PPV. There were too many filler matches that could have been saved for Raw or SmackDown. I know Cena's win was unpopular with the fans, but it could be possible that he is a transition champion holding the title warm for a serious contender.

MLB

This past weekend, the Yankees hosted the Boston Red Sox in a 3 game set. Yankees won the 1st game, but lost the remaining two as the Yankees struggled to hit on Saturday and pitching struggled last night. The sad fact I found was that the last time the Yankees won a series on a weekend was back in May against the Pirates (one of those games I was in attendance). Yankees need to find a way to play on a more consistent basis if they want to play October baseball.

After the Mets split the series against the Oakland A's, they went to PNC Park to face the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 4 game set. The Mets lost the series, but avoided a sweep with Saturday's win.

The Yankees host the Tampa Bay Rays tonight in a 3 game set while the Mets are in Atlanta to face the Braves in a 3 game set.

That's all I have to say for now. Have a good week!

- NYCKNP

6/9/2014- Seth Rollins defects to Evolution, Royals def. Yankees 2 out of 3, SF Giants sweep Mets, more

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a good weekend! Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Here we go!

WWE

As you all know last Monday, 24 hours after The Shield def. Evolution at Payback, the unexpected occurs. Batista would quit Evolution (and the WWE) altogether in the beginning of Raw. At the conclusion of Raw when there is a scheduled match between Roman Reigns and Randy Orton, Seth Rollins turns on The Shield and defects to Evolution.

No explanation was given that week, but there could be one tonight on Raw. Also, there have been reports that Daniel Bryan's rehab will be longer than expected and will not be able to compete at the Money in the Bank PPV. As Stephanie McMahon mentioned last week on Raw, if Bryan isn't able to compete, the title will be vacated and will be the prize for the Money in the Bank ladder match.

I, for one, don't agree with the idea of the title being vacant, but I really hope that Bryan comes back and becomes champion again. If he does not get the championship back, all of the momentum will come to waste. As for Stephanie calling Bryan a "B+" player, he is an A+ player all the way. There is a reason why he's one of the best wrestlers in the industry. Steph, on the other hand is a D+ player.

MLB
The Yankees started their road trip with a 4 game set against the Kansas City Royals. The Yankees won game 1, but lost the remaining 2 games. The Yankees will conclude the series tonight against KC before heading to Seattle to face the Mariners. Mets, on the other hand were in San Francisco to face the Giants and were swept in all 3 games, despite having early leads.

The Mets will be back home this Tuesday with a home stand against the Milwaukee Brewers in a 3 game set.

UPDATE: Tonight's Yankees/Royals game has been postponed due to incliment weather. No makeup date has been announced yet. 

NHL
I know I don't talk about hockey a lot, but tonight is Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the New York Rangers and the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings have won the first 2 games, both in OT at the Staples Center. Games 3 and 4 are in Madison Square Garden and Rangers are hoping to end the miracle rallies the Kings are having.

That's all I have to say for now. Have a good week!

- NYCKNP

6/2/2014- WWE Payback results, Twins def. Yankees 2 out of 3, Mets to conclude series against Phillies

Hello everyone! Let's cut to the chase shall we? Here we go!

WWE

Last night was the WWE PPV Payback where it emanated from Rosemont, Illinois and have aired on the WWE Network and PPV. Here are the results of the show:

Kick-Off

• El Torito def. Hornswoggle in a Mask vs. Hair match. 

Main

• Sheamus def. Cesaro to retain the United States Championship
• Ryback and Curtis Axel def. Cody Rhodes and Goldust in a tag match
• Rusev def. Big E
• Bo Dallas vs. Kofi Kingston ended in a no-contest after Kane interfered
• Bad News Barrett def. Rob Van Dam to retain the Intercontinental Championship
• John Cena def. Bray Wyatt in a Last Man Standing match
• Paige def. Alicia Fox to retain the Divas Championship
• The Shield def. Evolution in a 6-man elimination tag match

The WWE World Heavyweight title was not defended due to Bryan's injury, but did remain a focal point in the show. Stephanie threatened to fire Brie Bella if Bryan did not surrender the title. The good news is that Bryan is still the champion because Brie quit (kayfabe) from the WWE and slapped Steph in the face. It was reported that there was some minor incident from Steph, but that is all speculation right now.

MLB

This past weekend, the Yankees hosted the Minnesota Twins in a 3 game set. The Yankees lost the first game, won the second game, and completely collapsed on the third as Robertson blew a massive save.

Meanwhile for the Mets, they have won 3 out of 4 games in Philadelphia and are currently concluding the series tonight in hopes of making it 4 out of 5.  After tonight, the Mets go to Chi-town to face the Cubs in a 3 game set.

Yankees are currently making up the Mariners game that was rained out in April tonight. After that, the Yankees host the Oakland Athletics in a 3 game set.

That's all I have to say for now. Enjoy your week!

- NYCKNP

Reason why there should be an Interim WWE World Heavyweight Champion

Hello everyone! It's been a while since the last time I posted here. Let's cut to the chase, shall we?

(Bryan as WWE World Heavyweight Champion)

WWE

As you all know, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan recently had successful neck surgery. This means that the future of the championship is now in the air. This past Monday on Raw in London, England, Bryan's theme song played in the arena. Rather than Bryan coming out, it was Stephanie McMahon who came out instead mocking the "Yes!" Chant. McMahon, who appeared in a sweater that emphasized her copious mamilla and a leather skirt, drew the ire of the fans.

(Stephanie McMahon addressing the crowd)

Initially, Stephanie teased about stripping the title, and awarding it to someone. At the end, she decided that Bryan will appear on Raw next week and surrender the title. 

This is where my thoughts come in. Instead of vacating the title, there should be an interim champion while Bryan is recuperating. Most people speculate that Bryan will be out of action for only 1-2 months. Some may say longer, but who knows. The reason why is that Bryan has only been champion for just a month and removing the title from him will kill all the momentum he had.

There are many names that can step in as the interim champion. 

1. Cesaro- Cesaro is in the middle of a big push, and having him contend for the title will help him in the long run. He is over with the fans and despite the fact that he's a heel, fans are cheering when he does his "swing".

2. Roman Reigns- I know that Reigns is currently in a feud against Evolution with The Shield, but he was the one who broke Kane's record at the Royal Rumble and got him over. With Reigns winning the title, he can slowly phase away from The Shield and start transitioning to a singles career.

3. Randy Orton- I know this is an unpopular opinion, but he was the former champion and does have a "rematch clause". That's the only reason he is considered.

4. CM Punk- this is a stretch, but let's say Punk does come back around Payback. What will happen then? Will he still get the push that he wanted before he walked out. Punk is indeed a former champion and is also an alumnus of Ring of Honor (which is where Bryan was from too). He can fill the void and take Bryan's place of feuding with The Authority.

Once Bryan returns, he can start a feud with the interim champion and both of them can fight to undispute the title. It worked in 2011 between Cena and Punk at SummerSlam. Why won't it work now?

What do you think? Share your thoughts below. 

Going on Hiatus... For Now

Hello everyone. Let's cut to the chase, shall we?

Since I have final papers and exams going on, I'm putting Wrestling With Green Pinstripes on hiatus. The reason why is because creating posts take up a lot of time, which is something I don't have right now. Therefore, no new posts until I announce my return. The return date is TBD.

Until then, you can like Wrestling With Green Pinstripes on Facebook on Wrestling with Green Pinstripes Facebook page 

Also, you can hit me up on twitter: @NYCKNP or @WGPinstripes

I'll be using those a lot more for the time being. Until then, stay gold.

- NYCKNP 

4/18/2014- Yankees sweep Cubs, Mets sweep Diamondbacks, Evolution reunites

Hello everyone! Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Here we go!

MLB
After the series against the Red Sox, the Yankees hosted the Cubs in a 2 game set. Originally, it was going to be a 2 day series, but due to the bad weather, it became a doubleheader Wednesday. The Yankees swept both games in the doubleheader, with the credit to effective pitching from Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda, respectively.

After the nightmare in Anaheim, the Mets hoped to bounce back in Phoenix to face the Diamondbacks and managed to sweep the series against Arizona. With the sweep, the Mets are over .500 this season thus far. Also, it was reported not too long ago that the Mets have traded Ike Davis to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Mets faithful are definitely rejoicing since Davis was losing popularity with the fanbase.

The Yankees started a 4 game set against the Tampa Bay Rays at St. Petersburg, and won the 1st game. They hope to win the remainder of the series this weekend. Meanwhile, the Mets are home to face the Atlanta Braves in a 3 game set.

WWE
In case you missed it, the group known as Evolution (minus Ric Flair) reunited and started a feud with The Shield.

I had a feeling this was going to happen since Summerslam after Triple H and Randy Orton formed an alliance. This may mark the halt of a feud between Daniel Bryan and Triple H.

That's all I have to say for now. Have a good weekend!

- NYCKNP

4/14/2014- Yankees def. Red Sox 3 out of 4, Angels def. Mets 2 out of 3, more

Hello everyone. I hope all of you had a great weekend. Pardon the appearance of this post as today's post is being done from a mobile device. Here we go!

MLB

The New York Yankees were home this weekend to face the Boston Red Sox in a 4 game set. The Yankees won the 1st game, lost the second, and won the third and fourth game to win the series. This is the 1st time that the Yankees won a series against the Red Sox at home since 2012.

Meanwhile, the New York Mets were in the west coast to take on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in a 3 game set. The Mets lost on Friday, won on Saturday, and got crushed on Sunday to lose the series.

The Mets will be in the southwest as they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks starting tonight in a 3 game set. The Yankees have the day off, but will be back to work tomorrow to face the Chicago Cubs in a 2 game set.

WWE 

In case you have missed it, The Ultimate Warrior has passed away last Tuesday at the age of 54. Warrior's death came after his appearance last Monday on Raw and appearances at the WWE Hall of Fame and WrestleMania. It was reported today that Warrior died of cardiovascular disease. A tribute is scheduled for him tonight on Raw.

R.I.P. Ultimate Warrior. Gone, but never forgotten.

That's all I have to say for now. Have a nice week. 

- NYCKNP

4/7/2014- WrestleMania 30 Results

Hello everyone! Let's cut to the chase, shall we?

WWE

Last night was the "Showcase of the Immortals" as WrestleMania 30 took place. Here are the results:

Pre-Show

• The Usos def. Los Matadores, Real Americans, and Rybaxel to retain the WWE Tag Team Championships

Main

• Daniel Bryan def. Triple H. Bryan is inserted into the WWE World Heavyweight Title match
• The Shield def. Kane and The New Age Outlaws
• Antonio Cesaro wins the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal Trophy
• John Cena def. Bray Wyatt
• Brock Lesnar def. The Undertaker to end the undefeated streak
• AJ Lee wins the Vickie Guerrero WWE Divas invitational to retain the Divas Championship
• Daniel Bryan def. Randy Orton and Batista in a triple threat match to become the NEW WWE World Heavyweight Champion!!!!!

No, this is not a typo. Daniel Bryan won the WWE title and Undertaker got his 1st loss at WrestleMania. Overall, this was a bittersweet Mania because a part of my childhood died when Undertaker lost, but at the same time I wanted Bryan to succeed.

3/31/2014- Nationals def. Mets on Opening Day, preview of WWE Raw

Hello everyone! It's been a while since I was here. Since today is March 31st, that means that today is officially the start of baseball season. Also, this week is the final week heading into WrestleMania. Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Here we go!

MLB

Today, the New York Mets kicked off Opening Day against the Washington Nationals in a losing effort. Even though the Mets had the lead early on in the game, their bullpen was not strong enough to finish the job as they sacrificed the lead and lost the game. Don't worry Mets fans, it's just Game 1. There are still 161 games left in the season.

The New York Yankees will have their season opener tomorrow as they face the Houston Astros in Minute Maid Park. In a way, the Yankees are starting the season right where they left off.

WWE
Tonight on Raw is the final Raw before WrestleMania 30. I have to say, the build up has been below-average this year. The only match that is being hyped up is Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H and that match worries me a lot. The reason why is Triple H is known to be a career killer. Hopefully the rest of the card will be finalized tonight before the crew heads to New Orleans for WrestleMania 30 week.

Here is a recap of WWE in 5:

That's all I have to say for now. Enjoy the rest of your week!

-NYCKNP

3/14/2014- Eric Decker officially a New York Jet, Raw Recap, more

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a great week this week. Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Here we go!

NFL

In case you missed it, former Denver Broncos wide receiver signed a 5-year contract with the New York Jets. Many have questioned the signing due to the fact that he was a receiver in the "Peyton Manning system", but believe it or not, Decker was a Bronco before Peyton joined them. Also, this is a massive upgrade over Santonio Holmes as well as the wide receivers the Jets had these past 2 seasons. However, I don't think the Jets are done in terms of filling needs in free agency.

Here are some notable transactions from both the +New York Jets and +New York Giants:

Jets Departures

• Antonio Cromartie (cut)
• Santonio Holmes (cut)
• Isaiah Trufant (signed w/ Cleveland Browns)
• Austin Howard (signed w/ Oakland Raiders)

Jets Additions

• Breno Giacomini (previously w/ Seattle Seahawks)
• Eric Decker (previously w/ Denver Broncos)

Giants Departures

• Linval Joseph (signed w/ Minnesota Vikings)
• Ryan Mundy (signed w/ Chicago Bears)
• Brandon Myers (signed w/ Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
• Keith Rivers (signed w/ Buffalo Bills)
• Justin Tuck (signed w/ Oakland Raiders)

Giants Additions

• Rashad Jennings (previously w/ Oakland Raiders)
• O'Brien Schofield (previously w/ Seattle Seahawks)
• JD Walton (previously w/ Denver Broncos)
• Jameel McClain (previously w/ Baltimore Ravens)

More departures and additions will come later on as time goes by.

WWE
This past Monday on Raw was the hype up of the Road to WrestleMania season. To kick off the night, Hulk Hogan announced that there will be a battle royal to determine who would win the "Andre the Giant Memorial Trophy" at WrestleMania 30. Also, Triple H finally accepted Daniel Bryan's offer to face him at WrestleMania. The stipulation of that match is that if Bryan wins, he earns a shot to be in the main event match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Here are the highlights:

BellatorMMA
Tonight is Bellator 112: Straus vs. Curran 3. The event will emanate from Horseshoe Hammond Casino in Hammond, Indiana. Prelims will air on the Bellator app, while the main card will air on Spike TV.

UFC
Tomorrow night is UFC 171: Hendricks vs Lawler PPV. The PPV will emanate from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

That's all I have to say for now. Have a good weekend!

-NYCKNP

3/10/2014- NFL Free Agency Begins, preview of WWE Raw

Hello everyone! Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Here we go!

NFL
As you all know, the NFL Free Agency period will begin for the 2014 season. Prior to the start of free agency, the New York Jets cut Antonio Cromartie and Santonio Holmes. More will be announced as the time goes along.

WWE
Announced by WWE Mobile, Daniel Bryan will be teaming up with a mystery tag team partner. Tune into Raw to find out who is the mystery tag team partner.

Here is a recap of last week in the WWE:

That's all I have to say for now. Have a good week, and for those who have Spring Break, enjoy your break from school.

- NYCKNP

2014 New York Mets Spring Training Schedule

Here is the 2014 New York Mets Spring Training Schedule:

• 2/28- vs. Nationals
• 3/1- vs. Marlins
• 3/2- at Cardinals
• 3/3- at Braves
• 3/4- vs. Astros
• 3/5- vs. Marlins (SS)
•      - at Nationals (SS)
• 3/6- at Astros
• 3/7- vs. Cardinals
• 3/8- at Tigers
• 3/9- vs. Braves
• 3/10- vs. Marlins
• 3/11- at Cardinals
• 3/12- vs. Cardinals
• 3/13- at Nationals
• 3/14- vs. Marlins
• 3/15- vs. Twins (SS)
•        - at Cubs (SS)*
• 3/16- at Cardinals (SS)
•        - at Cubs (SS)*
• 3/17- at Marlins
• 3/18- vs. Tigers
• 3/20- vs. Braves
• 3/21- at Twins
• 3/22- at Marlins
• 3/23- vs. Nationals (SS)
•        - at Braves (SS)
• 3/24- vs. Cardinals
• 3/25- at Nationals
• 3/26- at Astros
• 3/27- vs. Nationals
• 3/28- at Blue Jays**
• 3/29- at Blue Jays**

*- game is being played in Las Vegas

**- game is being played in Montreal
(SS)- split squad

2014 New York Yankees Spring Training Schedule

Here is the 2014 New York Yankees Spring Training Schedule:

• 2/25- vs. Florida State Seminoles
• 2/26- at Pirates
• 2/27- vs. Pirates
• 2/28- at Tigers
• 3/1- vs. Phillies
• 3/2- at Blue Jays
• 3/3- vs. Nationals
• 3/4- vs. Orioles
• 3/5- at Rays
• 3/6- at Phillies
• 3/7- vs. Tigers
• 3/8- at Astros
• 3/9- vs. Rays
• 3/11- at Nationals
• 3/12- vs. Tigers
• 3/13- at Phillies (SS)
•        - vs. Orioles (SS)
• 3/14- vs. Twins
• 3/15- at Orioles (SS)
•        - vs. Marlins (SS)*
• 3/16- vs. Braves (SS)
•        - vs. Marlins (SS)*
• 3/17- at Pirates
• 3/18- vs. Red Sox
• 3/19- at Braves
• 3/20- at Red Sox
• 3/21- vs. Pirates
• 3/22- at Twins
• 3/23- vs. Blue Jays
• 3/25- vs. Phillies
• 3/26- at Blue Jays
• 3/27- at Pirates
• 3/28- vs. Marlins
• 3/29- vs. Marlins

*- Game is being played in Panama

(SS)- split squad

2/24/2014- Hulk Hogan returns to WWE, WWE Network launches, more

Hello everyone! I hope all of you had a great weekend. Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Here we go!

WWE

As you all know, Hulk Hogan will be making his return to the WWE after spending a few years with TNA Wrestling. Hogan will be making his return to Raw and will be the host of WrestleMania 30. 

In addition, WWE Network has officially launched today. As I am typing this up, I am currently watching the pre-show of Raw. The best part of the WWE Network is that all of the Pay-Per-Views are included at no additional cost.

In case you didn't know, last night was the Elimination Chamber PPV. Here are the results from the PPV:
Pre-Show

• Cody Rhodes and Goldust def. Curtis Axel and Ryback

PPV

• Big E Langston def. Jack Swagger to retain the Intercontinental Championship
• The New Age Outlaws def. The Usos to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship
• Titus O'Neil def. Darren Young
• The Wyatt Family def. The Shield
• Cameron def. AJ Lee via DQ. AJ retains the Divas Championship
• Batista def. Alberto Del Rio
• Randy Orton retains the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the Elimination Chamber

Elimination Chamber order:

1. Sheamus eliminated by Christian
2. Christian eliminated by Daniel Bryan
3. Antonio Cesaro eliminated by John Cena
4. John Cena eliminated by Randy Orton due to interference from Bray Wyatt
5. Daniel Bryan eliminated by Randy Orton due to interference from Kane

That's all I have to say for now. Raw is about to start. Have a good week!

- NYCKNP

2/17/2014- UFC Fight Night results, preview of WWE Raw

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend! Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Here we go!

UFC

UFC Fight Night took place at Jaragua de Sul in Brazil this past Saturday on FOX Sports 1. Here are the results:

Please forgive me using Wikipedia directly. I am using an iPad to type up this post today.

WWE

As I mentioned earlier, if WWE and NBC Universal can't come to an agreement, WWE is allowed to meet with other partners. As of this weekend, WWE is officially a free agent in the US television market. More will be mentioned when news breaks out. Also, tonight's Raw is the go-home show to the Elimination Chamber PPV. What's notable about this is that Elimination Chamber is the last PPV under the traditional model as WWE Network launches the day after the PPV.

That's all I have to say for now. Have a nice week!

-NYCKNP

2/10/2014- WWE TV rights with NBCUniversal set to expire February 14th

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend. As you all know, the NFL season has ended and MLB season hasn't started yet so from now up to WrestleMania, Wrestling with Green Pinstripes will be "wrestling heavy". MMA will be covered as well, but that's a discussion for another time. For now, let's discuss the WWE, shall we? Here we go!

WWE

As you have heard, WWE is currently re-negotiating a deal with NBCUniversal in terms of getting a new TV deal. This comes not too long after WWE announced their plans for WWE Network. Today, an update has emerged from the New York Post about this.

An exclusive negotiating period ended last week with no deal in sight. We hear the pressure is on for a deal to get done in the next few days.

An industry source told On the Money, “NBCU has until Friday, Feb. 14, to respond to WWE’s final offer.”

To read more on this: http://nypost.com/2014/02/08/valentines-breakup-nbcuniversal-and-wwe-may-split-up/. That means if a deal is not reached by the end of this week, WWE is open to listening to other networks for carriage rights to Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown (which currently air on USA Network and Syfy, respectively). However, NBCU is allowed to match the offer as well later on. Once more details are shared, I will pass along the information.

YES Network covered this topic about the WWE getting new TV deals during their show called "Forbes SportsMoney". Keep in mind, this is a few months outdated but for the most part it's spot on.

Speaking of Raw, tonight Raw will be emanating from Los Angeles, CA. Betty White is scheduled to guest star on the show.

That's all I have to say for now. Have a good week!

-NYCKNP 

2/3/2014- Seattle Seahawks win Super Bowl XLVIII, preview of WWE Raw, more

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend. Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Here we go!

NFL

As you all know, yesterday was the season finale of the 2013-14 NFL Season. And that means the Super Bowl took place between Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. Not only did Seattle won the Super Bowl, they completely massacred the Denver Broncos. If you did not see this game, you didn't miss a thing. This game was completely a disaster for Denver and no effort was shown at all. You can say the game was already over before halftime. This isn't the first Super Bowl to end in a blowout, but it was the first Super Bowl that Peyton Manning participated that ended in a blowout. Manning will always be known as a great quarterback, but this was not his finest hour at all. Here are the highlights:

Congratulations to the +Seattle Seahawks on winning Super Bowl XLVIII. Now that the NFL season is officially a wrap, time to focus on baseball season. Which means you won't be hearing anything football related (unless circumstances warrant) after this until preseason.

WWE
If you haven't heard, CM Punk walked out on the WWE last week, likely due to burnout. It is unknown whether Punk will return to WWE or not. Here is a recap of what happened last week in the latest edition of "WWE in 5".

UFC
UFC 169 took place in Prudential Center in Newark, NJ this past Saturday night. Overall, there were 12 fights on the card. 3 were streamed on UFC Fight Pass, 4 aired on FOX Sports 1, while the rest aired on PPV. Here are the results:

UFC Fight Pass

• Neil Magny def. Gasan Umalatov via unanimous decision
• Rashid Magomedov def. Tony Martin via unanimous decision
• Clint Hester def. Andy Enz via unanimous decision

FOX Sports 1

• Al Iaquinta def. Kevin Lee via unanimous decision
• Nick Catone def. Tom Watson via split decision
• Chris Cariasso def. Danny Martinez via unanimous decision
• Alan Patrick def. John Makdessi via unanimous decision

PPV

• Abel Trujillo def. Jamie Varner via KO at Round 2
• Ali Bagautinov def. John Lineker via unanimous decision
• Alistair Overeem def. Frank Mir via unanimous decision
• Jose Aldo def. Ricardo Lamas via unanimous decision to retain the UFC Featherweight Championship
• Renan Barao def. Urijah Faber via TKO at Round 1 to retain the UFC Bantamweight Championship

That's all I have to say for now. Have a good week!

- NYCKNP

1/27/2014- WWE Royal Rumble results, UFC on FOX 10 results, more

Hello everyone. I hope you all had a nice weekend! A lot more has to be shared, especially my thoughts on last night's Royal Rumble. Let's get right to it, shall we? Here we go!

NFL
As you all know, the NFL season is coming to an end and that means Super Bowl XLVIII is just around the corner. Both the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks arrived in New Jersey yesterday to prepare for the Super Bowl. The Seattle Seahawks will be practicing in Quest Diagnostics Performance Center (Giants practice facility) in East Rutherford, while the Denver Broncos will be practicing in Atlantic Health Training Center (Jets practice facility). More information will come later this week about the Super Bowl.

UFC

UFC on FOX 10 took place this past Saturday night at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Overall, there were 11 fights on the card. One preliminary fight aired on UFC Fight Pass while the rest aired on FOX Sports 1. The main card aired on the FOX Network. Here are the results:

UFC Fight Pass

• Nikita Krylov def. Walt Harris via TKO at Round 1

FOX Sports 1

• George Sullivan def. Mike Rhodes via unanimous decision
• Daron Cruickshank def. Mike Rio via TKO at Round 2
• Hugo Viana def. Junior Hernandez via unanimous decision
• Chico Camus def. Yaotzin Meza via unanimous decision
• Eddie Wineland def. Yves Jabouin via TKO at Round 2
• Alex Caceres def. Sergio Pettis via submission at Round 3

FOX

• Jeremy Stephens def. Darren Elkins via unanimous decision
• Donald Cerrone def. Adriano Martins via KO at Round 1
• Stipe Miocic def. Gabriel Gonzaga via unanimous decision
• Benson Henderson def. Josh Thomson via robbery decision

WWE

Last night was the Royal Rumble PPV. Here are the results before I share my thoughts on this:

Pre-Show

• New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg and Billy Gunn) def. Goldust and Cody Rhodes to become the NEW WWE Tag Team Champions
• Bray Wyatt def. Daniel Bryan
• Brock Lesnar def. Big Show
• Randy Orton def. John Cena to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
• Batista wins the Royal Rumble****

Here are the eliminations and participants of the Rumble:

Draw	Entrant	Order	Eliminated by	Time	Eliminations
1	CM Punk	27	Kane*	49:11	3
2	Seth Rollins	24	Reigns	48:31	2
3	Damien Sandow	1	Punk	2:08	0
4	Cody Rhodes	11	Goldust		1
5	Kane	2	Punk	0:56	1*
6	Alexander Rusev	3	Kingston, Punk, Rhodes, & Rollins		0
7	Jack Swagger	6	Nash		0
8	Kofi Kingston	7	Reigns		1
9	Jimmy Uso	5	Ambrose		0
10	Goldust	12	Reigns		1
11	Dean Ambrose	25	Reigns	33:46	2
12	Dolph Ziggler	8	Reigns		0
13	R-Truth	4	Ambrose		0
14	Kevin Nash	9	Reigns	2:29	1
15	Roman Reigns	29	Batista	33:41	12
16	The Great Khali	10	Reigns, Ambrose & Rollins		0
17	Sheamus	28	Reigns	28:11	1
18	The Miz	16	Harper		0
19	Fandango	13	Torito		0
20	El Torito	14	Reigns	1:26	1
21	Antonio Cesaro	26	Reigns		0
22	Luke Harper	23	Reigns		2
23	Jey Uso	17	Harper		0
24	John "Bradshaw" Layfield	15	Reigns	0:21	0
25	Erick Rowan	18	Batista		0
26	Ryback	19	Batista		0
27	Alberto Del Rio	20	Batista		0
28	Batista	-	Winner	12:52	4
29	Big E Langston	21	Sheamus	2:41	0
30	Rey Mysterio	22	Rollins	2:00	0

At the end of the day, I'm very glad I did not buy this pay per view. The ending of the Royal Rumble wasn't a good move by the WWE. The reason why it wasn't a good move because Batista just returned to the WWE last Monday on Raw and he is being pushed to the moon, despite the fact that his popularity has been way past peak. That makes the main event of WrestleMania way too predictable. Also, the fans at the Console Energy Center in Pittsburgh were chanting for Daniel Bryan and booed the final entrants in the Rumble, including the winner Batista. This is the 2nd year in a row that the WWE had a disappointing ending to their Royal Rumble match and you know it's bad when former and current wrestlers criticize the ending of the PPV. Listed below are some notable reactions after the PPV.

Mick Foley: "Does WWE actually hate their own audience? I've never been so disgusted with a PPV".  @realmickfoley 

Brie Bella: "Daniel Bryan should of been in the #royalrumble. He should be going for the championship! We hear you..."  @nicoleandbri 

Daniel Bryan: "Sorry guys, the machine wanted me nowhere near the Royal Ruble match. But I thank everyone for their support. YOU are the #YESMovement. 

They try to keep US down and away from the top spots, but they can't ignore the reactions forever. Keep voicing your opinions."  @WWEDanielBryan

Shane Helms: "Sadly WWE is still run by "Muscle Marks". It is what it is folks." @ShaneHelmsCom 

Matt Hardy: "To truly do what's best for business" in 2014, u have to understand your fans & what THEY want. U can't force-feed them into what YOU want". @MATTHARDYBRAND 

There were many more expressions from various wrestlers, but these are the ones that stand out. Mick Foley even mentioned on Facebook that he plans to throw a brick through his TV due to what happened last night. Now I wouldn't go too far to destroy an object, but this move was not best for business. Since Batista won this Rumble, I feel that this Rumble never happened and it was all a "Royal Fumble". If you have any thoughts, chime in and share it. I want to hear your reactions to all of this.

Now that I got this off my chest, that is all I have to say for now. Have a good rest of the week.

- @NYCKNP