And when I'm asked to commit 180 minutes of my life to Monday Night RAW
WWE Diva Alicia Fox continued her crazy crusade last Monday night on RAW (watch it here), blowing a gasket after getting pinned (yet again) inside the squared circle. Some of her antics included an Austin-esque soda shotgun, an atomic wedgie, and the dreaded peck of doom.
Some folks had a problem with that last part.
Chief among them was Cageside commandant Geno Mrosko, who attacked the lip service during his post-RAW reaction piece (read it).
Here's a snip:
"The forceful kissing isn't okay, though, and should stop immediately. She can get over with her craziness just fine without going to those lengths."
I think what's important to note here is the context of the kiss.
This was not a romantic gesture, or an act of sexual gratification. Fox's smooch was a mea culpa for bullying an innocent bystander, a display of sorrowful affection intended to heel heal aforementioned wounds. In a way, it was akin to a parent kissing their child's boo boo.
Because it was not borne from attraction -- and was instead intended to (insincerely) make amends -- the kiss itself became the final act of humiliation.
Awww, poor wittle beh-beh had hid fee-wings hurt, let Foxy kiss it and make it beddah.
Like a lot of Cagesiders, I was okay with the kiss, because it felt appropriate in the moment. Longtime readers of this site will know I'm the first guy on the soapbox when it comes to the mistreatment (or bungled handling) of women in sports entertainment. This, however, didn't feel to me like a line had been crossed.
I'm not sure The General agrees, evidenced by the follow-up to his initial complaint, using the comment section:
"It isn't okay for a man to do it, and it's not okay for a woman to do it."
I guess now is as good a time as any to mention that a man currently does do it, and that it is okay.
His name is Bray Wyatt, and he forcefully kisses other men.
That includes Darren Young, who earlier this year announced that he was gay. When Wyatt gave him "Sister Abigail" -- a violent finishing move preceded by a kiss to the forehead -- I didn't hear much from the peanut gallery about how the angle might be perceived.
Likely because of its context.
"Her touch could save the world, but her kiss burns it to the ground."
Wyatt's peck is not about physical attraction. It's a kiss goodbye. Or in his case, kiss your ass goodbye because you're about to get served. We sometimes have to resist the temptation to affix real-world labels in places where they are not welcome.
What Fox has done and will likely continue to do is, at face value, a character study. She's taking what AJ Lee did -- the crazy girl shtick -- and sailing it into uncharted waters. Color commentator "JBL" made a great point during her latest tirade, wondering why WWE referees -- who love to run down to the ring at the first sign of trouble -- were nowhere to be seen when Fox lost her shit.
The interpretation is that nobody knows quite how to proceed. Do they send out an army of mat-slapping zebras to restrain her? Call the men in white coats? Just get the hell out of her way and let her blow off some steam? It's exciting to watch WWE pretend Nike Mercurial Vapor VIII FG it doesn't know what to do.
And when I'm asked to commit 180 minutes of my life to Monday Night RAW, anything that has me wondering what happens next is a good thing, especially when it's just six days away from Payback. Like Fox, I agree there are plenty of things to go crazy about when it comes to WWE.
WWE Diva Alicia Fox continued her crazy crusade last Monday night on RAW (watch it here), blowing a gasket after getting pinned (yet again) inside the squared circle. Some of her antics included an Austin-esque soda shotgun, an atomic wedgie, and the dreaded peck of doom.
Some folks had a problem with that last part.
Chief among them was Cageside commandant Geno Mrosko, who attacked the lip service during his post-RAW reaction piece (read it).
Here's a snip:
"The forceful kissing isn't okay, though, and should stop immediately. She can get over with her craziness just fine without going to those lengths."
I think what's important to note here is the context of the kiss.
This was not a romantic gesture, or an act of sexual gratification. Fox's smooch was a mea culpa for bullying an innocent bystander, a display of sorrowful affection intended to heel heal aforementioned wounds. In a way, it was akin to a parent kissing their child's boo boo.
And therein lies the brilliance Nike Mercurial Vapor VIII AG of the kiss.
Because it was not borne from attraction -- and was instead intended to (insincerely) make amends -- the kiss itself became the final act of humiliation.
Awww, poor wittle beh-beh had hid fee-wings hurt, let Foxy kiss it and make it beddah.
Like a lot of Cagesiders, I was okay with the kiss, because it felt appropriate in the moment. Longtime readers of this site will know I'm the first guy on the soapbox when it comes to the mistreatment (or bungled handling) of women in sports entertainment. This, however, didn't feel to me like a line had been crossed.
I'm not sure The General agrees, evidenced by the follow-up to his initial complaint, using the comment section:
"It isn't okay for a man to do it, and it's not okay for a woman to do it."
I guess now is as good a time as any to mention that a man currently does do it, and that it is okay.
His name is Bray Wyatt, and he forcefully kisses other men.
That includes Darren Young, who earlier this year announced that he was gay. When Wyatt gave him "Sister Abigail" -- a violent finishing move preceded by a kiss to the forehead -- I didn't hear much from the peanut gallery about how the angle might be perceived.
Likely because of its context.
"Her touch could save the world, but her kiss burns it to the ground."
Wyatt's peck is not about physical attraction. It's a kiss goodbye. Or in his case, kiss your ass goodbye because you're about to get served. We sometimes have to resist the temptation to affix real-world labels in places where they are not welcome.
Save those remonstrations Nike Mercurial Vapor VIII TF for when WWE tries to play both sides (won't be long).
What Fox has done and will likely continue to do is, at face value, a character study. She's taking what AJ Lee did -- the crazy girl shtick -- and sailing it into uncharted waters. Color commentator "JBL" made a great point during her latest tirade, wondering why WWE referees -- who love to run down to the ring at the first sign of trouble -- were nowhere to be seen when Fox lost her shit.
The interpretation is that nobody knows quite how to proceed. Do they send out an army of mat-slapping zebras to restrain her? Call the men in white coats? Just get the hell out of her way and let her blow off some steam? It's exciting to watch WWE pretend Nike Mercurial Vapor VIII FG it doesn't know what to do.
And when I'm asked to commit 180 minutes of my life to Monday Night RAW, anything that has me wondering what happens next is a good thing, especially when it's just six days away from Payback. Like Fox, I agree there are plenty of things to go crazy about when it comes to WWE.