Shawn Michaels heads solid 2011 WWE Hall of Fame Class

One of the great things about Wrestlemania week is superstars and alumni get together the night before the big event to celebrate the new class of WWE Hall of Fame inductees. This year I will attend the ceremony which will be held at Philips Arena. And the class is a good group of individuals who put their mark on the industry. Well… there’s one inductee that is questionable, but I’ll let you decide. Here’s the list of inductees for the 2011 WWE Hall of Fame.

“Bullet” Bob Armstrong – Never really made a mark on the WWE, but was a major player in the NWA, winning several regional championships. Armstrong has four sons that are all wrestlers including Brian Armstrong who is better known as the “Road Dog” Jesse James.

Abdullah the Butcher – One of the greatest hardcore wrestlers to step into the ring. Has held many titles in different organizations including the NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship. He lives in the Atlanta area.

Drew Carey – This is the one inductee that is questionable. The reason for his induction is he made an appearance in the 2001 Royal Rumble match where he was the fifth entrant, only to eliminate himself as soon as Kane got his hands on him. Honestly, I forgot about his appearance in the Rumble and I’m surprised he was inducted. I like when they induct celebrities in the Hall of Fame but Carey’s appearance wasn’t that memorable.

Sunny – Sunny is considered as the first WWE Diva. She was not a wrestler in the WWE, but was one of the most successful managers during that time. She is also the youngest person to be inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame as she is 38 years young. She was easy on the eyes then and she is still easy on the eyes now.

Legion of Doom with Paul Ellering – The L.O.D. was the best tag team in the history of wrestling. And Ellering was the long time manager for L.O.D that led them to numerous titles from various organizations. Their induction is long overdue.

“Hacksaw” Jim Duggan – While he may not have the titles, he was a fan-favorite in the WWE throughout the 80’s and the 90’s. He did win the first Royal Rumble match in 1988 and did win a couple of titles in WCW. I want him to say “HOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” when he finishes his speech.

Shawn Michaels – Simply put he is the greatest of all-time. He was not the best wrestler, but he could be never outperformed. He was the first Grand Slam Champion in the WWE and is called “Mr. Wrestlemania” for his great matches at the event. When he gets up on the podium on Saturday, expect the “ONE MORE MATCH” chant to start early and often.

So there it is. This year’s class is not like the 2005 class where you have Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, Paul Orndorff and “Cowboy” Bob Orton, but any class that has Michaels and Sunny, you can’t go wrong. It’s going to be a fun night and I’m certainly looking forward to it.

Get ready, because it's Wrestlemania time!

It’s here.

After years of not coming to Atlanta, Wrestlemania will be live at the Georgia Dome this Sunday. And I will be there covering the event for Score Atlanta. But even if I wasn’t going to Wrestlemania as a reporter, I had a ticket to go, because I was not going to miss this event no matter what how much it cost.

But why is Wrestlemania a must for any wrestling fan to attend? Mania is like the Super Bowl for professional wrestling. Many celebrities come to watch the spring event and some have even taken part in the festivities whether it’s being a wrestler, a guest referee, a guest host or a speical enforcer. There is an also a full week of events leading up to the event. It started yesterday when the wrestlers arrived to Atlanta. Mark Henry, John Morrison and WWE Divas champion Eve Torres were at the Braves game signing autographs. Wednesday marks the Wrestlemania Art event and it’s where some of the superstars and legends showcase their artistic side. That is happening at the Fabulous Fox Theatre.

From Thursday until Sunday, the WWE will take over the Georgia World Congress Center with Wrestlemania Axxess. It’s kind of like the NFL experience but with WWE divas, superstars, legends and celebrities. Plus, there is a ring located in the center of the World Congress Center where several live matches will take place. I will attend the event on Saturday where The Undertaker, Rey Misterio and Harley Race will be there signing autographs and taking pictures.

But I’m going have to hustle as soon as the event ends because I will be attending the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony which will be held at Philips Arena. This year’s class will include Abdullah the Butcher, Bullet Bob Armstrong, Drew Carrey (yes, that Drew Carrey who had his own sitcom on ABC and is now the host on the Price is Right), the original WWE Diva Sunny, the Legion of Doom with Paul Ellering, Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Mr. Wrestlemania Shawn Michaels. Solid class and I will have more to say about it on Thursday.

And Sunday is the big day. The show will last four hours and there should be plenty of surprises and tons of excitement. I’m going to get more in depth with the event later on in the week, but I have to say I’m glad to see the Rock back as the guest host for Wrestlemania. He has provided the spark to promote the event and it should be interesting what role he will play on Sunday.

There is no question it’s a big week here in the ATL. There has been a buzz about this event for the last five weeks and as the event grows closer, I’m getting more excited. This week I will have several blogs talking about the Hall of Fame class, which match I’m looking forward to, a look back at some of the best matches in Wrestlemania history and a big Wrestlemania preview. It’s going to be a fun week.

McDonalds All-Amercian game features three players from the Peach State

There is no question the state of Georgia is a hotbed when it comes to finding some of the best high school basketball players in the country. College coaches all over the United States flock to the Peach State to see who can be their future star. But college coaches don’t have to travel just to Georgia to find some of the state’s best players. On March 30, McDonalds will host their annual All American High School Basketball game at the United Center in Chicago, and three players from Georgia will take part in one of the most prestigious all-star high school basketball games in the country.

Shannon Scott from Milton and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope from Greenville will play in the boys game which will tip-off at 10 p.m. In the girls game, which starts at 7:30 p.m., Briana Banks from Fayette County will represent Georgia.

REPPING THE ATL …

Scott played the point guard position at Milton where he led the team to a state title in 2010 and another appearance in the state finals this season only to lose to Norcross in one of the greatest upsets In GHSA history. Scott is still upset about not getting that second state title.

“It hurts a little bit,” Scott told Patch.com last week.

But he also said he is getting over it and is ready to move on to the next step in his life which is playing college basketball for Ohio State.

“I feel like I had a great high school career,” Scott added.

Scott should fit in with the Buckeyes right away. During his high school career, he showed he can run a team and can make good decisions. Those are just one of the many reasons he was chosen to play in the game with some of the best high school players in the country.

Banks was one of the key contributors on a Fayette County team that won the 4A state title. She is ranked 24th in the nation by ESPN and is the Fayette County’s first McDonalds All-American selection.

“This is a great accomplishment for Brianna and her family,” Fayette County Head Coach John Strickland said to Fayette County News last month. Brianna Banks is the total package.”

And the total package are the right two words to describe Banks because she can pull up jumper and can play tight defense as well. She can also create moments at both ends of the floor. Banks will head to Connecticut in the fall to help the Lady Huskies continue their dominance.

SHARP SHOOTER …

Caldwell-Pope is considered by many as the best basketball player in Georgia. So it’s no surprise that he made the All-American team. But what is surprising is how well he can shoot at any point on the floor. Caldwell-Pope has the ability to create his own shot and has great court vision. According to Rivals.com, he is the 11th best player in the country. He will play for Mark Fox and the Georgia Bulldogs next which makes him the first McDonald’s All-American from Georgia to commit to UGA since 1992.

How will Mark Richt be evaluated during the 2011 season?

It all begins on September 3 when the Bulldogs take on Bosie State at the Georgia Dome.

It not only marks the beginning of the 2011 season for Georgia, but it also marks a season long evaluation of head coach Mark Richt.

Last year, Georgia put together a 6-7 record, the first time the Bulldogs posted a losing record since 1996. In the last two years, the Bulldogs’ SEC record is 7-9 and they also did not finish in the top 25 in those two years.

It’s safe to say Richt is on the hot seat and in order for him to keep his job he is going need to do just one thing and one thing only.

Win football games.

He can’t just win the big game, such a Boise State in the opener. Georgia has to win the SEC East and the SEC title in order for Richt to keep his job. That may seem a little too much, but with the hype surrounding the recruiting class and the fact you have players such as Aaron Murray coming back, fans want this team take a huge step forward.

Now the question is: Can it be done? Can Richt lead the Bulldogs to an SEC title? They have some work to do, but it’s possible if the young players produce and the veteran players improve their play.

If they do win against the Broncos on September 3, it will be a great start for the Richt and the Bulldogs and that will give them some momentum when they play South Carolina the following week. If they win that game and go 2-0, it’s already a better start than last year and that will set the tone for the Bulldogs for the rest of the season.

If they somehow go 1-1 or 0-2, then the hot seat conversations will come again up again and Richt will have to win out in order to keep his job. The reason is 8-4 or 9-3 will not cut it for Georgia fans, especially when Richt has had six 10-win seasons in his 10 years at Georgia.

One thing to watch for this year is Richt is four wins away from winning 100 games at UGA. Only Wally Butts and Vince Dooley have more wins at Georgia so why will Richt be evaluated so closely this season when he has done so much for the program?

The one thing that Richt does not have that Dooley and Butts have is a National Championship. Richt has come close in 2002 and 2007 with a No. 2 final ranking in the polls, but fans are tired of being close, especially when Auburn, Alabama, Florida and LSU have won the last five BCS National Championships.

The last five years for Richt at Georgia has not been as good as the first five. From 2001-2005, Richt has won two SEC titles and finished in the top 10 four times. From 2006-2010, Richt has won zero SEC titles and finished the top 10 once.

As good of a job Richt has done for Georgia, the fans, students and alumni want more. And if he doesn’t deliver, and Georgia has another 6-7 season, the search for the 26th head coach for the Georgia Bulldogs will be well underway in January in 2012.

A look at the 2011 NCAA Tournament venues

This is a piece I did for February/ March edition of Hooters magazine which is currently out in newsstands all across the country. This is the unedited version.

March madness is right around the corner, and it’s a time where some of the best college basketball games are played all over the country. This year will be no different, as the Final Four tournament will be hosted by venues that are some of the best in the country. The semifinals and finals will take place at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Tex., which is a state-of-the-art facility. But the other venues that are hosting tournament games are no slouch either when it comes to providing fans the game day experience. Here’s a look at the venues and cities that will be hosting tournament games in March.

FIRST AND SECOND ROUND

This year the NCAA tournament will have a First Four round where four at-large teams and teams that are the 65 through 68 seeds go to war. The games will be played at the University of Dayton Arena in Ohio. It has hosted the “play in” game for the NCAA tournament since 2001 and many who have been in the arena have said it’s one of the best in the nation.

As for the venues that are hosting first and second round games, they include the Verizon Center in Washington D.C., the McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz., the Pepsi Center in Denver, the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, the United Center in Chicago and the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla. Out of those eight venues, the Verizon Center and the United Center are the most inexperienced when it comes to hosting tournament games. One note on the Verizon Center is when they were the host for the region finals venue in 2006 the game was George Mason vs. Connecticut where George Mason upsets the Huskies and they become the first team that was a double digit seed to reach the Final Four;

One venue that is new to the tournament game is the BOK Center which was opened in 2008. This 19,000-plus seat arena is home to the Tulsa Shock, the Tulsa Talons and the Tulsa Oilers, but in order for the arena and the city to gain more national recognition, they are starting to host regional and national tournaments and there is no better way to start than the NCAA tournament.

THE REGIONAL ROUND

The sweet 16 and the elite eight rounds are always compelling games and those games have to feature arenas that are also compelling. The arenas, centers and stadiums that will host the regional finals are the Honda Center in Anaheim, the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, the Alamodome in San Antonio and Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.

The Honda Center will host the west regional and was also one of the venues for the NCAA tournament in 2008. The center is no stranger to hosting big events, as it has hosted the Staley Cup Finals, two Wrestlemanias and several UFC pay-per-view events. The New Orleans Arena is also no stranger to hosting big events and games from the 2007 and the 2010 NCAA tournament took place in the arena that opened in 1998. The Alamodome is a 65,000 seat facility that is used for football and basketball games. It’s is no stranger to hosting the NCAA tournament, hosting the semifinals and finals in 1998, 2004 and 2008. The 2008 Final Four Championship game featured Kansas and Memphis and Kansas came out on top in overtime to win their first title since 1988.

The Prudential Center has not hosted the finals or semifinals matches, but the 18,000-plus seating facility a few basketball teams such as Seaton Hall, the New Jersey Nets and the New York Liberty. And with “The Rock” opening in 2007, it’s a arena that has many cool features such as 750 flat screen televisions and 76 luxury suites which is the most in North America.

THE MAIN EVENT

When the tournament gets down to four teams after the second weekend of action, those four teams will head travel to Houston to play their semifinal game at Reliant Stadium. The facility opened in 2002 and its main occupier is the NFL team Houston Texans. It’s the first stadium in the country to have a retractable roof and the facility can hold over 71,000 people. But the stadium obviously is not used for just football. It was part of the 2008 NCAA tournament as they hosted the south regional part of the bracket. The four teams that were part of that region were Memphis, Sanford, Texas and Michigan State and it was the Memphis Tigers that came out on top and went on to San Antonio for the Final Four round.

The stadium was also home for the 2010 South Regional Finals and the four teams that took part in that were Duke, Purdue, St. Mary’s and Baylor. When it was all said and done, Duke came out on top in that region and went on to defeat Butler in the national championship game. Because of the much success it has gained since hosting NCAA tournament games, they will once again host the Final Four in 2016.

Reliant Stadium was an idea the Houston NFL Holdings group came up with in 1997 because they wanted the first ever stadium with a retractable roof so fans can enjoy outdoor football, but have the same comfort as an indoor area. Ground was broken in 2001 and the stadium was opened in 2002 when the Texans, who was playing their first game ever, facing the Dallas Cowboys. Since then the Stadium has been home for many rodeos, The Texas Bowl and Wrestlemania 25.

With a stadium like they way Reliant is constructed, one would think the features would be outstanding. Well, they are right, as there are numerous bars, 7,000 club seats and largest multiple lounges and bars.

So why is Reliant Stadium host of the Final Four and not a typical basketball area? It’s the same reason the Georgia Dome and Alamodome has hosted the Final Four. Its size and capacity of the those stadiums attracts NCAA officials and it’s going to be that way for a while. Also Reliant is a state-of-the-art facility and if the NCAA wants the fans to have a great experience when they come to the stadium.

Another reason Reliant Stadium is a hot spot for the college basketball tournament is the stadium is a part of Reliant Park entertainment complex named after Reliant Energy. The complex features Reliant Center, Reliant Arena, Reliant Astrodome (which closed in 2004), Carruth Plaza as well the stadium. So this gives the NCAA opportunities to host tournament events such as awards banquets, fans fares and concerts.

The NCAA announced that Houston would be hosting the Final Four back in 2003. Along with Reliant Stadium, the University of Houston and the Greater Houston Convention and Visitor’s Bureau were responsible for making this all happen. And like the Super Bowl, Wresrlemania and the Texas Bowl, the Final Four hopes to bring more attention to Reliant Stadium and more importantly, an economic boost for the city of Houston.

One thing’s for sure, when March Madness arrives, these 14 stadiums will be on fire with fast-paced basketball action along with die-hard fans that travel miles to watch their team try to reach Houston. And once the four teams get to Houston, the place will be on fire all week with events going on at Reliant Stadium related to the Final Four. It should be an exciting time and based on what has happened in Houston when it comes to the tournament in 2010, the 2011 Final Four should be one that folks will talk about for years to come.

Georgia Force are back in town, win season opener

After losing to the Cleveland Gladiators in the playoffs three years ago at the Gwinnett Arena, the Georgia Force made their return on Sunday with a 53-47 win over the Tulsa Talons in their season opener.

But it wasn't just about getting that important first win of the season. It was playing for a loyal fan base that were out in full force (no pun intended) to support the team that dawns black and blue.

"This is my first game here," defensive lineman Jerry Turner said who was named Defensive Player of the Game for nothing a sack and blocking a field goal early in the third quarter. "It's going to be a great place to play as long as we win."

The Force were able to get off to early lead, being up 27-19 at halftime. Thanks to a two key defensive stops in the third quarter and scoring on four consecutive drives the Force were up as much as 20 points in the fourth quarter.

The offensive explosion was led by quarterback Brett Elliott, who threw for three touchdowns and led four other touchdown drives. He was named Offensive Player of the Game for his efforts.

"I thought we played very well," Elliott said after the game. "There were a lot of penalties. We got to clean that up and execute better in the one-minute range. But other than that, I thought we played very well.

Elliott was right when it comes to the penalties. Numerous holding calls on the offensive line as well as personal foul calls could have limited the scoring for the Force. But they were able to hang in there and make the big plays when they needed it.

"One bad drive set us back a little bit," Force head coach Dean Cokinos said talking about the drive at the end of the first half where it was the only time they scored zero points. "I think we controlled the game."

Benji McDowell and C.J. Johnson also had big games for Georgia. McDowell had two rushing scores including the first touchdown of the game which came midway through the first quarter. Johnson had one of the plays of the game in the second quarter, returning a kick for a 56-yard touchdown to give the Force the lead going into the half.

So with the win the Force start their season with a 1-0 record, but they will be on the road the next two weeks as they face the Jacksonville Sharks and the New Orleans Voodoo. Like the Force, the Voodoo are making their return to New Orleans after stopping operations in 2008. But the Sharks, who the Force will play next week, are coming off a 12-4 2010 season and won the South Division.

The Force accomplished a lot on Sunday with a return the Atlanta area and earning that first win, can they pass another test with a road victory against a playoff-caliber team?

"I would like to think so," Elliott said. "You never know until you get there. But I feel good about this group of guys. At this level, you don't always get really good guys so it's nice to be around."