This Sunday is the grand daddy of them all, Wrestlemania.

Last Year’s Wrestlemania XXXI

When it was first announced that Mania would be in Dallas, my friends and I were planning on going. We attended two years ago in New Orleans and it was quite epic. I say epic, not only because my man crush, The Rock was there and I got to meet Hulk Hogan, but because it truly was the spectacle of all spectacles.

This year’s mania just doesn’t have the appeal of Mania’s past. After seeing the card, my friends and I decided against going.

Injuries have hit the WWE hard in recent months. John Cena, Seth Rollins, Cesaro and Bray Wyatt, all fan favorites have been sidelined with injuries.

So, this year’s main event is scheduled to be Undertaker, yes he’s still alive, and Shane McMahon.

Shane-o Mac’s appearance on Raw several week’s ago was epic, but the WWE’s writing has been complete shit. While fans are still excited to see McMahon take on the Dead Man, the match seems kind of pointless. My prediction is John Cena shows up and somehow slips into the Hell in the Cell, challenging Taker to a career vs. career match next year at Mania in Orlando.

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It’s Reel Spoilers 170: ‘Allegiant’ Starring Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Naomi Watts, Jeff Daniels.

You’ve been warned.

Starring: Tom O’Keefe, Kevin Brackett, Dan Graney, Joe Buttice
Run-time: 56min

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The Cardinals added some middle infield depth early on Friday by signing free-agent shortstop Ruben Tejada to a one year 1.5 million dollar contract.  Tejada, who is 26 years old, was placed on waivers by the New York Mets earlier last week.  Prior to being waived by the Mets, Tejada was scheduled to make $3 million in the upcoming season. 

There was speculation earlier in the week that the Cardinals would submit a waiver claim for Tejada after learning all-star shortstop Jhonny Peralta will be out until the middle of the season with a thumb injury.  If the Cards had claimed Tejada off waivers, they would have been on the hook for the entire $3 million owed him.  When Tejada cleared waivers, however, he became a free agent, and a new contract would have to be agreed upon. 

Tejada was signed by the Mets as a 16-year-old from Panama in 2006.  Throughout the early part of the decade he was considered one of baseball’s top prospects and the heir apparent to shortstop Jose Reyes.  Tejada made his major league debut in 2010, playing in 78 games primarily in a backup role with 216 at bats and a .213 average.  The following two seasons, however, Tejeda seemed to blossom into a major league talent.  In 2011, he played in 96 games with a batting average of .284 and an on-base percentage of .360, and in 2012, he played in 114 games, batting .289 and was on base at a .333 clip.  The Mets fell out of love with Tejada the following season, questioning his work ethic and motivation, and after a poor start to the 2013 season, Tejada was returned to the minors for what the team called “poor conditioning.”  Tejada was told to slim down and get in better shape prior to the 2014 season, which he did, however he never regained the stats from the prior seasons.  In 2014 and 2015, Tejada played in a combined 235 games with a .249 average.  For his career, Tejada is a .255 hitter with 10 homeruns, 99 doubles, 148 RBIs, and an on-base percent of .330.  He has 328 career strikeouts compared to 187 career walks and a total of 16 stolen bases (out of 27 attempts). 

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Zootopia is still raking in the cash. So we talk about that, plus the history of The Honeymooners, how Louis CK writes his stand-up and what the hell happened to Borat?

It’s Reel Spoilers 169: ‘Allegiant’ Box Office Report.

You’ve been warned.

Starring: Tom O’Keefe, Kevin Brackett, Dan Graney, Joe Buttice
Run-time: 59min

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Have you ever wondered, in your daily life, “what if?” For most people, thousands of decisions are made at regular, without a thought going to what might happen if they were to choose differently, or how the smallest choice may have vastly different outcomes if made differently. “If” I do this, “Then” this might happen. That is exactly the premise for “If/Then,” an original and fascinating look at one woman’s life which splits into two very different paths – all based on what seems like a trivial choice. The outcome is a brilliant new musical that makes you think harder about your own decisions, and just how life may turn out upon travelling a different route.

The story follows Elizabeth (JACKIE BURNS), a recently divorced woman who moves back to New York after over a decade in Phoenix. One day while meeting up with her old boyfriend Lucas (ANTHONY RAPP) and neighbor Kate (TAMYRA GRAY) at the park, she is forced to make what would seem like a trivial decision. Should she go listen to music in Brooklyn with Kate, or protest a city development project with Lucas? Yet either decision will shape here entire future into drastically different circumstances, and it is here where the show is split into two stories: one following “Liz” who dons her glasses while riding the subway with Kate and her girlfriend Anne, and one where “Beth,” with her perfect vision (or contacts), joins Lucas for his protest. The glasses or lack thereof are how we keep the stories straight, and are a quite effective tool.

With music by Tom Kitt, the man responsible for one of my favorite musicals of recent years – Next to Normal (Read our reviews of the Fox and New Line performances) – the songs throughout the show are extremely catchy, and quite memorable. Being a newer show, I hadn’t had the opportunity to hear any of them previously, but was delighted to find so many instant hits. Listening back to the original cast recording after the show, I realized that this would be one I’d instantly want to add to my musical playlist.

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