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Bully Ray slams AEW's plastic bag spot
AEW has once again found itself in hot water.
Tony Khan's company pushed the boundaries of professional wrestling on Saturday, as it produced one of the most violent pay-per-views in its history. One spot in particular was seen as particularly dangerous and graphic.
Shortly after beating Jack Perry to retain his AEW World Heavyweight Championship, Bryan Danielson was attacked by the Blackpool Combat Club, with John Moxley attempting to suffocate him with a plastic bag. That stunt has only been pulled two times in mainstream professional wrestling, first between Rick Flair and Terry Funk and second between Lance Archer and John Moxley for New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Due to the graphic nature of the attack on Bryan Danielson, we will not be sharing the footage. AEW does not condone such actions.
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 8, 2024
During a recent episode of "Busted Open Radio," Bully Ray explained why Vince McMahon was so strict on the type of weapon used during a match. Ray also explained how such a spot could lead to issues among a younger audience.
“Vince did not want any weapons used that could be deemed regular household items," Ray said. "Vince didn’t want a child to be able to watch Monday Night Raw or Smackdown or any WWE programming and see them use a weapon they could find in their house and go use on their little brother, their little sister, or somebody at school. So I could see somebody who may be allowed their children to watch AEW who’d be like, ‘I’m upset because my 10-year-old saw the plastic bag spot and then immediately went into the kitchen and took a plastic bag and put it over his brother’s head.'”
AEW has been accused of trying to earn fans via "shock factor" wrestling, leaning on dangerous spots for quick thrills that earn online virality. While moments like the one involving Danielson can be great for pushing a storyline and making an impact, the risk they run with the younger fanbase isn't worth it. Wrestlers are role models, after all.
Khan and AEW's creative team must find a middle ground. Their violent and intense style of wrestling is what sets them apart and what draws the older generation of wrestling fans. However, they've crossed the line on multiple occasions over the past year, which runs the risk of alienating some of their fanbases and pushing them toward their competitors.
Being a challenger brand is tough. Until AEW finds a healthy balance, it will be open to criticism from all corners of the wrestling industry.
More must-reads:
- The most memorable wrestling feature films and documentaries
- Big Ten's College Football Playoff expansion idea is 'absurd,' ESPN host says
- The 'Wrestler catchphrases' quiz
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49ers pull off trade for disgruntled Commanders star
Brian Robinson‘s tenure with the Washington Commanders is coming to an end as expected. The fourth-year running back will spend the coming season in San Francisco. The San Francisco 49ers and Commanders agreed to terms on a Robinson trade Friday, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. A 2026 sixth-round pick will head the other way as a result of the swap. San Francisco had been in the market for a backfield addition, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Efforts to pull off a move have now paid off ahead of roster cutdowns. Washington will retain a portion of Robinson’s 2025 salary ($3.4M), Garafolo adds. It recently became clear Washington was looking to move on from Robinson, who did not dress in the team’s second preseason game, with a trade looming. The team’s Dan Quinn-Adam Peters regime has been open to a trade since last year, and with a swap now agreed to it will proceed with its other in-house RB options. Washington has veteran Austin Ekeler in the fold along with 2023 draftee Chris Rodriguez and seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who has enjoyed a strong training camp. Quarterback Jayden Daniels led the Commanders in rushing last year, and today’s deal indicates he will once again be counted on as a central element of the team’s ground game. Expectations are high after Washington made a surprise run to the NFC title game during Daniels’ rookie campaign. Robinson will not play a role in the team’s efforts to duplicate that success, though. Racking up 570 carries across his three seasons in the nation’s capital, Robinson was a key figure on offense with the Commanders. The former third-rounder saw his touchdown total and yards per attempt figure increase with each passing campaign. That included eight scores and 4.3 yards per carry in 2024. Instead of retaining Robinson on the final year of his rookie pact, however, Washington will proceed with a less expensive backfield. The Commanders will recoup draft capital in this swap, something which is needed given the number of veterans on their roster. For the 49ers, meanwhile, today’s deal marks another addition on offense for the 2025 season. A trade was worked out on Wednesday for Skyy Moore, giving San Francisco a healthy receiver option. Moore, like Robinson, is a pending 2026 free agent. The 49ers have Christian McCaffrey atop the RB depth chart, and all parties involved will aim for a healthier season this time around than 2024. After trading away Jordan Mason, the team was in position to have 2024 fourth-rounder Isaac Guerendo handle backup duties. Now, he and Robinson will compete for playing time in the backfield (although using McCaffrey and Robinson on the field together could be an option, per Garafolo). Robinson’s market will of course be dictated in large part by the level of success he has with his new team. San Francisco entered Friday with nearly $49M in cap space. Taking on Robinson will eat into the figure, and it will be interesting to see how much Washington retained on his pact to finalize the trade. The Commanders, meanwhile, should see partial cap savings and thus add to their roughly $17M in available funds ahead of cutdowns. As both NFC teams prepare for the campaign in the coming days, they will do so with differences in their backfields.
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Former Yankees Outfielder Rips Aaron Boone, Brian Cashman
The New York Yankees have been having a rough couple of months, losing their once-dominant lead of the AL East. Now, both Yankees manager Aaron Boone and general manager Brian Cashman are on the receiving end of some tough words by a former player, outfielder Clint Frazier. Boone has been criticized by a number of analysts (not to mention Yankees fans) for lineup and mid-game moves that range from head-scratching to downright bizarre, especially for a team that has been having a hard time securing wins. Cashman has repeatedly defended Boone, arguing that is knowledge of the players' capabilities is driving his decisions. To Frazier, Cashman's defense of Boone is self-serving because Cashman is the person who is responsible for Boone's tenure as manager. “When Cashman comes out and gives support to Boone, lowkey, I kind of feel like that’s self-preservation,” Frazier said on his podcast. “I know his resume is insane, but when he gives the confidence boost to Boone, I was saying ‘he’s got to, because Booney is the frontline of defense for him. I brought this guy in, and I have to support him, because he’s my guy.' Boone is Cashman’s shadow a little bit." Frazier, who played for the Pinstripes from 2017 to 2021, went on to discuss the Yankees' playoff chances, criticizing Boone for his lineup and mid-game decisions, which he claims will impact the team negatively during the post-season. “You need to make sure that you aren’t walking into it with bad decisions, because these are the decisions they’ll be doing in the playoffs,” he said. “They’re going to be way more under the microscope in the playoffs... You’ve got to make sure that you’re buttoned up and ready to go. If you start firing from the hip, it becomes a mockery of what every guy is trying to do.” While the Yankees are doing better now than they were at the time of Frazier's comments, surpassing the Boston Red Sox for second place in the AL East and securing the top spot in the AL Wild Card standings, they still aren't consistent. For New York to secure a trip to the World Series for the second year in a row, they're going to have to play better, which requires Boone to make better decisions. Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more! Yankees Have Advantage in Cody Bellinger Sweepstakes Former Yankees Pitchers Swap Places On NL Contender Hall of Famer Explains Leaving Red Sox for Yankees Mariano Rivera's Injury End of Yankees Old-Timer's Game? Four Yankees Among MLB's Top 25 Free Agents
These college QBs are set to earn millions in 2025
Quarterback is the most important position in football, and the money given to top signal-callers — both in the NFL and at the collegiate level — supports that. On3's Pete Nakos detailed on Thursday what some of the top quarterbacks in college football will earn during the upcoming season. Nakos writes that at least five QBs will make roughly $3 million in the 2025 campaign, while more than 20 starting quarterbacks will command at least $1 million. It's important, for context, to note that these financial figures include direct revenue-sharing from schools and/or NIL deals from third-party collectives. Leading the way among 2025 quarterbacks is Duke's Darian Mensah. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound redshirt sophomore, from San Luis Obispo, Calif., will earn $4 million this year, part of a two-year, $8 million contract with the Blue Devils. Mensah transferred to Duke from Tulane, where in 2024 he threw for 2,723 yards with 22 touchdowns against just six interceptions. True freshman Bryce Underwood of Michigan is set to collect $3 million this season, which is a massive number for someone who has never taken an official snap in college. Still, the 6-foot-4, 228-pound Underwood is a significant contender to win the Wolverines' starting QB job in 2025. The native of Belleville, Mich., was the No. 1 national prospect in the 2025 recruiting class. Redshirt senior Carson Beck transferred from Georgia to Miami in the offseason, and he will make $3 million to $3.2 million this season to start, in a deal that could be worth up to $6 million with incentives, per Nakos. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Beck, who is from Jacksonville, Fla., tallied 3,485 passing yards with 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2024. According to the On3 article, Nebraska's Dylan Raiola will earn more than $3 million in total compensation during the 2025 season. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound sophomore, who hails from Buford, Ga., threw for 2,819 yards with 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions as a true freshman. Last year, Raiola guided the Cornhuskers to a 7-6 record and a bowl-game triumph. Drew Allar will look to lead Penn State on another deep College Football Playoff run in 2025, and the senior quarterback will earn at least $3 million during the upcoming campaign. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound Allar, from Medina, Ohio, threw for 3,327 yards with 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions a year ago as Penn State made the CFP semifinals. The Nittany Lions are No. 2 in the preseason Associated Press top-25 poll. Other quarterbacks who are expected to make big bucks in the 2025 season include Oklahoma's John Mateer ($2.5 million to $3 million), Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia (at least $2 million), Kansas State's Avery Johnson (at least $2 million), South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers ($1.8 million), TCU's Josh Hoover ($1.75 million) and Cincinnati's Brendan Sorsby ($1.5 million to $1.7 million), among others.
Falcons HC speaks out after offensive starter gets carted off practice field with concerning injury
Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris announced that starting right tackle Kaleb McGary will miss “significant time” with a left leg injury suffered in Wednesday’s practice. "The thing I will say to you now is that he will miss significant time," Morris said after the Falcons' last preseason game in Dallas, per the team's official website. "Looks like it will be IR, whatever the case may be, we will have to see there, but he will miss significant time for us." McGary went down during individual drills and had to be carted off the field. Although Morris indicated that the six-year veteran will land on injured reserve, that could come with a return designation if the Falcons believe he can return this season. The 30-year-old just negotiated a $3.5M raise earlier this month with a two-year, $15M extension. With Michael Penix Jr. entering his first full season as a starter, McGary may have had some added leverage as the left-handed quarterback’s new blindside protector. McGary’s injury will stretch an already-injured tackle room even further. Swing tackle Storm Norton is recovering from ankle surgery and former UDFA Tyrone Wheatley Jr. is out for the year. If Norton isn’t ready for Week 1, it’s unclear who will start at right tackle. Morris specifically mentioned Elijah Wilkinson as a player who is expected to step up amid the injuries. He’s currently listed as the backup left guard on the Falcons’ unofficial depth chart, but the eight-year veteran moved to left tackle for the team’s second preseason. He also has 20 career starts at right tackle, though the last came in 2021. Brandon Parker is listed as Atlanta’s backup right tackle, but has lined up at left tackle in the preseason. Like Wilkinson, he has plenty of past experience at right tackle as well. Rookie Jack Nelson could also be a factor after starting both preseason games at right tackle, but the seventh-rounder may not be trusted to protect Penix’s blind side right away. If McGary and/or Norton begin the season on IR, UDFA Jordan Williams could make the roster as extra depth after getting a handful of snaps at right tackle in the preseason.
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