My top 5 Wrestlemania matches of all-time

WWE Superstar Chris Jericho has said that if you have a great match at Wrestlemania, everyone will remember it. I have to agree with him, because some of my favorite matches have come from the big event, and with the matches on this year’s card like CM Punk vs. Randy Orton and Triple H vs. The Undertaker, there’s a chance a few of these matches will go down as some of the greatest in Wrestlemania history. Here’s my five best Wrestlemania matches of all-time:

5. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon, Wrestlemania X – It was the first ladder match in Wrestlemania history and it did not disappoint. Both men were Intercontinental Champions and the winner would the undisputed champion. Michaels and Ramon fought back-and-forth but it was “The Bad Guy” who came out on top. However, it was the beginning of many great performances for Michaels.

4. Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior, Wrestlemania VI – This had to be the most anticipated matches at the time because both men were at the top of their game. Hogan was the WWE Champion and Warrior was the Intercontinental Champion. While not a technically sound match, both athletes put on a show for the fans. In the end, it was Warrior that became the new WWE Champion. It was one of the most memorable matches when I was growing up.

3. Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin, Wrestlemania 13 – This match is what made Stone Cold a star. He gave Hart fits all throughout the match but the Hitman was able to put his patented sharpshooter on Austin. The rattlesnake refused to give up and passed out in his own blood. Stone Cold may have lost the match which was for the WWE Championship, but he won the respect of every fan in that area that night and the rest is history.

2. Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant, Wrestlemania III – This match was HUGE to say the least. Hulk was the champion, but he was facing a guy that was 7-feet-4 and 500 pounds and was undefeated for the last 14 years. When they faced each other for the championship at the Pontiac Silverdome, Andre looked to remain undefeated. But thanks to all 93,000 Hulkamaniacs, Hogan used every muscle in his body to body slam Andre and earn his biggest win of his career. It was a big moment for Hogan, but in the later years, Andre said it was a proud moment for him because it was kind of like a passing of the torch between him and Hogan.

1. “Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, Wrestlemania III – This has to be my favorite match of all-time and many wrestlers on the current WWE roster have echoed the same sediments. Savage was the Intercontinental champ was going up against Steamboat who lost to Savage a few months prior. The match lasted 15 minutes and both guys did everything they could to take each other out. Nobody knew how this match was going to end, until Savage attempted a scoop slam, but Steamboat reversed the move into a small package to earn the win. It’s a match every wrestling fan has to see because it was an absolute classic.

So there’s my list. I know there are some matches that should have made the cut such as the Rock vs. Hogan at Wrestlemania X-8 or Savage vs. The Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania VII. The five that I chose were the ones that I feel had the most impact on the WWE. Can this year’s Wrestlemania produce some matches people will remember for a lifetime? I’ll let you know in my Wrestlemania preview.

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.