Finally. Nelson --------------- [1] On a scale of 1 - 10, with 10 being awesome, 5 being average, and 1 horrible, rate In Cold Blood. ~ 8.8 [2] With that being said, was this pay-per-view better, worse, or on par with our last pay-per-view? ~ "On par, but remember, I-Slash puts out the best damn show!" ~ "On par. Pretty much every PPV we do is top-tier stuff." ~ "I'd have to give this one a slight edge." ~ "Worse, but don't take that as a negative. November Pain was one of the very best PPV's I have ever seen. This one was "just" very very good." ~ "With such a strong mid-card, I give the nod to ICB." ~ "Worse... but only because the last one was so fucking good." [3] So, on a scale of 1-5, how did you think each match was? 5, being totally kick-ass, and 1 meaning that it's something you'd expect to see on WWF Metal. Feel free to add comments on why you liked/disliked the matches... [3.1] Bounty Match: Echo Dare & Cardiac vs. Killing Machines [3.4] Intercontinental Title: Viper vs. Shannon vs. Concrete vs. Allen [3.2] Tag Team Titles: Infinite Justice vs. Super/Coles vs. Stone Foundation [4.1] Life or Death: Maverick vs. Trevor Storm [4.5] EWA Heavyweight Title/45 Min. Iron Man: Travers vs. Spector vs. Ensassarol [4.2] Alaskan Death Match: Gunnar Gaines vs. Matthew Reason [4.8] World Title/Slash n' Burn: Paul Kiljoy vs. Nate McMannis [4] Where there any results you did not agree with? Which were they? ~ "Reason v. Gunnar...nothing against Gunnar, but I think Reason has been unbelievable.." ~ "I think Maverick had Storm beat personally, but it was too close to call... otherwise, well done I think." ~ "Although I'm a huge proponent of Allen, I don't feel VVV should have been given the loss after an acceptable RP and no RP competition from the jester. Reason should always be expected to win, no matter what the occasion." ~ "Nah, I think you got it about right. Gunnar deserved to beat Reason this time. Kiljoy deserved to beat McMannis. Travers' match was very close, but I can't argue with that either." ~ "Just one, the IC Title, I think honestly should've gone to either Triple V or Concrete. " ~ "A world champion retaining at a PPV? Something about that feels wrong. I've been doing this awhile, and that has to be a first. ...Is no tradition sacred to you 'crazy' Islashers?" ~ "Nothing I disagree with horribly or anything. I think Reason should've went over, but ya know it was a close feud throughout... Reason had a win, Gunnar deserved one, too. I think Reason won the feud. I just didn't like the ending with the BS detector flame thrower. It was a fantastic match until then, that left a really bad taste in my mouth." ~ "Gaines going over on Reason...that cycle seemed like the best work from Reason I've ever read...I'm surprised he didn't take it." ~ "IC Title match: I have a problem with a new guy coming in and winning the belt World Title match: Not because he's my stable mate, but because I thought he was better the entire cycle" [5] What was the biggest shocker, if any, of the event? ~ "Temple, McMannis losing, Allen winning the IC title" ~ "Other than my title win? :-D 2 Words, CALEB TEMPLE...Hell...Im a new member of the "Loop" and I have heard of him. And also, NO AIDS? Wow..didnt see that coming" ~ "Double shocker. Caleb Temple's entrance and Paul Kiljoy retaining." ~ "Umm...Caleb Temple. I don't think there's any question about that one." ~ "... Caleb Temple's debut. Well writen attack, solid promo and tied together with logic rather than just thrown into the mix." ~ "Super Scott gets some gold." ~ "A welcome one-- the return of Chad Allen." ~ "I'll go with Temple, not because it was shocking so much as because it was cool. For shocking, I'd say the gun thing." ~ "Several. Of course everyone will say Temple, but in the way that it was done, it was absolutely incredible. The buildup was better than sex. Also making the list was the Hades/Mack vignette, the way Storm won, and that Nate and Paul are still alive." [6] In the past couple of months, what feud/angles have you enjoyed the most? Least? What stories would you like to see develop throughout the next cycle? ~ "As far as most, I've liked just about everything. Johnny Coles has been unbelievable. Spector's doing great. This cycle started very slow in the holiday season, but it had picked up big time the last 2 months. As far as least, this is really nitpicking here. Gunnar Gaines is doing great. Loving him. But drop the BS detector already! It was great .. once." ~ "Very excited to see where Reason/Kiljoy goes. The conclusion of the Arcola angle was fitting and very well done. Caleb Temple's impact in the I Slash is unspeakable, and his upcoming battle with Travers should be very thought-out and well done - I think the feud has the capability to trespass any league and any match." ~ "The Greater Good has been pretty interesting, as has the buildup between ED&C vs. Killing Machines...those have really caught my attention, even if the "evil president" angle is somewhat tired." ~ "Loved McMannis/Kiljoy, and Gaines/Reason. Next cycle?... Kiljoy vs Storm vs Mav. I expect Arcola/Nelson to heat up too." ~ "The Greater Good ... Least? Weddings." ~ "I we'd all be happy, no, we _need_ more of Gaines/Reason... wait... WHAT THE HELL AM I THINKING? Oh, and Trevor Storm should be given a run at the world title." ~ "Most: This whole Kiljoy/Reason/Samantha/Baptist thing. Absolute gold and innovative. Super as VP has been great. Loved the big four on four tag match... and the Spector/Travers stuff. Hey, and the revival of Cooper. The Greater Good has been good. Love their role, perfect fit, perfectly cst. Least: I have to say... I think Mack and Sabby are bad, bad matches. I know they like each other and all that... but they don't gel well. I personally think Mack is great. He's is one of my favs in the fed, but when him and Sabby are together it drags. Also, I like Maverick and Storm but I'm not fan of like a lot talking between wrestlers that are feuding angles. It feels too scripted, imo. I like to see action between, maybe some talk but not a lot. Like to set things up it is cool, but through the angles it gets a bit stale imo. Stories to develop.... I'd like to see more Trifecta oncard stuff as in in-ring promos. I'd like to see some tension in the ranks with 'em all, too. But love the group. I think they should stick together. Can't wait for Kiljoy/Reason stuff. Mack and Allen, right? That could be cool. I'd like to see Hades thrown in with someone good... like a Gaines." ~ "I really liked the presidential race, and the payoff was pretty damn unexpected too, even WITHOUT the Caleb Temple appearance, it would have been awesome. Looking forward to what happens with Travers, Temple, Nelson, and Arcola." ~ "Kiljoy/McMannis and Gaines/Reason were solid, especially when they began to weave together. _That's_ how you headline a PPV. I'm not going to stop bitching about the EWA being such a big deal in this fed, but that's just a pet peeve of mine. Reason's rise to the top is something I've long awaited to see as a fan of his. Now that he and Kiljoy are the I/W's Axis of Evil, I'm curious to see where they go and what they do. And I'd really mark out if Caleb Temple gets his ass handed to him by Travers. :)" [7] What do you currently like and dislike about the I-Slash? ~ "like - top writers with top talent dislike - HIV angle" ~ "I love all the controversial shit that we all -- and particulary I -- have the freedom to tackle here. "Controversey" in wrestling is almost always watered-down and made marketable, but still treated like a big deal. But where else would you see a president manipulate a gay man into thinking he has AIDS, adultery, and a man threaten another man with a loaded gun all in the same night? " ~ "MOST: Reason v. Gunnar and Kiljoy v. McMannis...also anything with Mack and Hades is excellent... LEAST: The Stone Foundation is OK...never been big on Killing Machines... NEXT CYCLE: More with Reason/Kiljoy, More Super Cool, and bring back RRJ, I miss the guy..." ~ "I like the fact that there's SO many good RP'ers in the fed and the angles are so well done. I would like to see some of the guys that've been in the league for a longer time (i.e. Maverick, Mack Ensassarol) getting a bigger push then some of the newcomers that haven't really earned their stripes in the fed... the writing is fabulous, and Brian does a great job, so all in all I can say that I'm happy to be in the I-Slash. :)" ~ "Think I've covered everything I like. Love Slash J, btw. Dislike... ugh, the B.S. detector." :)" ~ "Like the handlers and the quality of the cards Dislike that we've gotten eratic with cards not coming out on time. Writers (me included) need to get their shit together and get this stuff in on time." ~ "Great roster, seems to be more about fun and and developing cool angles than records and beating people." ~ "There seems to be an obsession with hardcore deathmatch wrestling, that, while fun, gets really old sometimes. Also, as mentioned above, the "evil president" angle has been played over and over again by everone, including myself. LOL As for what I like...the RP and match quality is TOP NOTCH. I haven't seen a fed with a talent base like this in a long time...dare I say it? Since the Double Eye. " ~ "All of these people are buddies and genuine nice guys. Good to see so many friendly faces from the past. The dedication of all of the writers is incredible. I feel that morale is high right now. I definitely think this could be the start of the I Slash's big breakthrough year. The every-other-week format has worked well IMO.|" [8] Who do you think are currently the top roleplayers in the I-Slash? (besides yourself!) ~ Most Mentioned (in no particular order): Steve Spector, Johnny "Cool" Coles, Gunnar "Grizzly" Gaines, "Legacy" Paul Kiljoy, Super Scott, "Epic" Eric Travers, "Suicidal" Nate McMannis, Maverick, Matthew Reason, Mack Ensassarol, "Vile" Vince Viper, Justin Arcola, Trevor Storm, Echo Dare & Cardiac [9] How do you feel you have been treated recently? ~ "Better than great" ~ "No complaints" ~ "Excellent" ~ "Quite well" ~ "Well enough" ~ "First you don't kick me out for inactivity. Then you tag me with Super Scott against Razor Ron. For the first time in a year, I get matches back to back. Without a storyline, I make it on the GREATEST PPV of the YEAR... hell, I even sucessfully retain the title... AND NOW you take it away? YOU BASTARD! :)" ~ "Like a returning king :-D" ~ "Really, really, really well. Too good, man. :) Having a blast." [10] Any final comments? ~ "You are the man, Brian... wait... You the man Brian... wait... You DA man. Yes." ~ "Keep up the good work. Being a guy that very rarely has the time to offer to write matches, I think all you guys who spend time on writing really great matches, and STILL have time to RP well need to be applauded." ~ "Thank you for putting all of your hard work into this (that goes to everyone from the wrestlers to the owners to match writers...) working with EVERYONE has been a pure joy for me..."