Fans love a good rivalry and few are better in all of professional sports today then that of the Toronto Rock and the Buffalo Bandits. These cross border rivals have rekindled a dormant hatred for one another during the pre-season and last weekend in Buffalo.

The now legendary pre-season brawl has been well documented with 32 players being disciplined by the National Lacrosse League and the match itself actually being stopped. To add further drama the Bandits dealt Toronto their 1st loss of the season at Buffalo in a heart stopping 15-14 overtime win. So the theme this weekend for the Rock as they return to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto Saturday night at 7pm is one word…redemption.

Coming off of an emotionally draining 15-14 overtime victory at home versus Boston the day before, Toronto was riding high as the only undefeated team in the NLL. Who better to end that streak then Buffalo? Rock goaltending legend Bob Watson was chased from the net and according to general manager Terry Sanderson, although the double header was entertaining lacrosse the defense left something to be desired. “Glad the fans enjoyed it, we as a coaching staff didn’t. We have no business giving up late leads like we did Friday and Saturday,” explains Sanderson. “We’re happy to get a chance at redemption so soon.”

Buffalo head coach Darris Kilgour was certainly pleased picking up the ‘W’ on the Rock and is itching to square off again, “we’re looking forward to the challenge of coming into Toronto and giving them another tough game.” Disappointment on defense was also a sore spot for Kilgour, “the trouble was the lack of truse some of the guys had in one another.” He continued, “we got too cautious and allowed Toronto to dictate the pace on offense.”

Red hot Rock forward Stephan Leblanc has been nothing short of spectacular with 26 points and along with linemate Garrett Billings, the sophmore duo are ranked 3rd and 4th in league scoring. GM Sanderson commented, “Leblanc is one of the top forwards in the NLL and for a 2nd year player that’s incredible”. Set up man Billings is marked day-to-day with nagging injuries, but is expected to suit up against Buffalo.

Toronto Rock roster moves this week:

- The Rock picked up Ryan Sharp in exchange for a 1st round pick in the 2013 draft. “We feel Ryan is very good in the transition game and makes us a little grittier,” said Terry Sanderson. Sharp was an All-Star in 2006, but has only played in 1 game during the 2011 campaign for Minnesota. He is currently in his 5th season and was selected in the 2nd round by Calgary in 2005.

- Drew Petkoff is back on the active roster after being placed on the injured reserve last week. This meant that Glenn Bryan, who made his NLL debut last week replacing Petkoff was released.

- 3rd string goalie Gee Nash was released and then reacquired and placed on Toronto’s practice squad. Bob Watson and Pat Campbell are the club’s two active goaltenders.

Games around the National Lacrosse League:

Fri. January 28:

- The Blazers crumbled at home in Boston as the Philadelphia Wings soared to a 11-5 road win.

- Calgary @ Edmonton

Sat. January 29:

- Colorado visits Philadelphia

- Boston rides into Rochester

- Minnesota hosts defending champs Washington

- The battle of Alberta: Edmonton at Calgary

Be sure to follow me on Twitter @: http://twitter.com/AndyMc81, keep an eye on the “Inside The Rock” blog, and visit NLL.com for all the latest Toronto Rock and National Lacrosse League action.

Andy McNamara is a sports broadcaster for the Toronto Rock lacrosse on the NLL Network, along with collegiate and minor league hockey, baseball, basketball, football, volleyball, and OCW pro-wrestling across the GTA on Rogers TV, Cogeco, and Durham College/UOIT.

For the second night in a row the Toronto Rock found themselves tied at 14-14 and heading into extra time. On Friday it resulted in a thrilling 15-14 victory at home over the upstart Boston Blazers. Saturday had Toronto ride into Buffalo for an emothional rematch from their pre-season meeting, which resulted in a massive brawl and 32 total players being disciplined by the National Lacrosse League.

The Bandits embraced the high energy of their 16,685 HSBC Arena fans and lept out to a quick 3-0 advantage. The Rock regained their composure before long and fought back to tie things up at three a piece. The two heated rivals exchanged several leads in the opening half with Buffalo going into the third quarter up 9-8.

A note on Toronto captain Colin Doyle is that his second quarter goal put him in sole possession of 4th place all-time in the NLL for goal scoring and he finished the night with 4G, 2A. More history took place Friday night in Toronto as Rock player Kasey Beirnes secured his 200th career score.

 In a rare occurence, future Rock hall of famer goaltender Bob Watson was pulled from the net after allowing two goals in just over the first three minutes coming out of the half. Back-up Pat Campbell initially did not fair much better as he let in a shot right away with Buffalo now in a commanding 12-8 lead.

It took until the fourth quarter for Toronto to show why they were the only undefeated club in the NLL by taking full control of the tempo, scoring five unanswered points. With Campbell pulled and the Rock trailing by one, scoring phenom Stephan Leblanc played the hero card for the second consecutive evening by popping it by with 10.1 seconds remaining in the fourth.

Following a missed Toronto shot Buffalo defenceman Scott Self zipped down the floor on a breakaway and delivered the Rock their first loss of the 2011 season at 4:01 into overtime. Although overall play was aggressive there were no bench clearing brawls as in the now legendary pre-season rumble.

Toronto will have their chance at redemption this Saturday when the Buffalo Bandits invade the Air Canada Centre at 7pm. Hopefully the hometown fans will come out in spades, as the Buffalo faithful did yesterday, to rock the house and witness the hottest rivalry in the NLL.

Results from around the National Lacrosse League on Saturday January 22:

- The Blazers dropped their second in a row with Rochester Knighthawks squeaking out an 11-10 ‘W’ in Boston

- In another tight matchup, Minnesota sent the home crowd away happy with a 9-8 victory over the winless Edmonton Rush.

- In the 4th one goal game of the night, Philadelphia grabbed an important 11-10 win in Colorado

- The Roughnecks could not hold off the surging defending league champions as the Washington Stealth came out of Calgary 19-14 winners.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter @: http://twitter.com/AndyMc81, keep an eye on the “Inside The Rock” blog, and visit NLL.com for all the latest Toronto Rock and National Lacrosse League action.

Andy McNamara is a sports broadcaster for the Toronto Rock lacrosse on the NLL Network, along with collegiate and minor league hockey, baseball, basketball, football, volleyball, and OCW pro-wrestling across the GTA on Rogers TV, Cogeco, and Durham College/UOIT.

In what was deemed as a possible playoff preview, the battle of the only two undefeated teams in the NLL more then lived up to the hype. 60 minutes was not enough time for the Boston Blazers and Toronto Rock to decide who would be the Beast of the East as each squad kept an intensely fast and physical pace.

In front of a rowdy Air Canada Centre crowd the Rock did not disappoint as Stephan Leblanc’s 5th goal of the game came with 6:04 remaining in overtime after it went off of Blazers defenceman Jack Reid’s foot. The atmosphere was electric for the entire match,  but especially when there was under 1 minute left in the 4th and Toronto had a 2 goal lead. Kevin Buchanan utilized his rocket of a shot for his 5th score of the evening to pull Boston to within 1, and then Casey Powell burst through with seconds remaining to pot goal number 5 on 9 total points to send this one to OT.

Boston’s “Big Three” of all-stars Powell, Dawson, and Sanderson lived up to their name as the trio dominated on offense and also led the way in physicality such as when Powell attempted to take on the entire Rock bench  or when Sanderson literally stepped on a Rock defender after checking him to the floor! Rookie of the Week standout Aaron Pascas kept his goal scoring streak alive for Toronto as Billings and Manning were a continual aggressive presence and were key contributors throughout. Toronto captain Colin Doyle was setting screens and clearing bodies for his teammates all night long, as well as delivering a beautiful behind the back goal.

However, the story of the game revolved around the two goaltenders. Especially in the closing minutes of the 4th quarter and into the extra frame Boston’s Anthony Cosmo and Toronto’s Bob Watson displayed why they are the premier goalies in the league. The 3rd game of the season could have ended over a dozen times by either side if not for numerous highlight reel saves and heart stopping moments. For this Play-by-Play man it was truly one of the most exciting contests I have ever called in any sport.

The incredible stats seem endless for both squads, but there is no rest for the wicked as Boston and Toronto must each play again tonight. The Blazers must try to shake off the disappointment of Friday as they host the feisty Rochester Knighthawks, while the Rock will have to refocus as they invade Buffalo for a much anticipated rematch from their pre-season brawl.

Games around the National Lacrosse League tonight:

Toronto Rock @ Buffalo Bandits

Rochester Knighthawks @ Boston Blazers

Edmonton Rush @ Minnesota Swarm

Philadelphia Wings @ Colorado Mammoth

Washington Stealth @ Calgary Roughnecks

Be sure to follow me on Twitter @: http://twitter.com/AndyMc81, keep an eye on the “Inside The Rock” blog, and visit NLL.com for all the latest Toronto Rock and National Lacrosse League action.

Andy McNamara is a sports broadcaster covering Toronto Rock lacrosse on the NLL Network, along with collegiate and minor league hockey, baseball, basketball, football, volleyball, and OCW pro-wrestling across the GTA on Rogers TV, Cogeco, and Durham College/UOIT.

Tonight will determine who is the Beast of the East as the only two undefeated teams in the NLL square off at the Air Canada Centre. 7:30 pm faceoff. This also marks the start of back to back games for each squad.

The newly revamped Boston Blazers are looking at a title run in their 3rd season as they have signed some impressive names. The new “Big Three” consist of former Toronto Rock and 2010 NLL scoring leader Josh Sanderson, 2009 league MVP Dan Dawson, and 2010 NLL MVP Casey Powell. An intimidating trio, but Toronto GM Terry Sanderson is not concerned with the hype, “Lets get them in here and get things going.”

The Blazers are coming off of a tight 10-7 home win over Edmonton and will be welcoming in Rochester tomorrow to the TD Garden. The Rock head into Buffalo Saturday night for a much anticipated rematch from the pre-season, and are looking to remain perfect after the dominating victory over the Knighthawks in Rochester last weekend.

Toronto will have a rowdy ACC crowd behind them, but also need the continued spectacular play of the seemingly ageless Bob Watson in between the pipes, along with the point bunches coming from Stephen Leblanc and Garrett Billings as in the first two matches.

 To add to the intrigue of this evening’s action the Blazers have former Rock assistant coach, Matt Sawyer behind their bench. Sawyer joined the Blazers on December 28 so in the weekly league conference call GM Sanderson was asked if Toronto will have to adjust their playbook since Sawyer left days prior to the season opener. “We are going to keep playing our game, our way. We won’t go and try any extra schemes or tricks. They still have to stop our players.” Coach Sawyer told media that he has fond memories of his time with the Rock and took away a solid work ethic, which he now instills in his Blazers.

On January 19, an interesting timing of a trade was made as Toronto dealt practice squad player Ryan Dilks to Boston in exchange for a 3rd round pick in the 2013 draft. Dilks could get a chance to suit up tonight and try to prove that his old squad made a mistake.

The Rock made other roster moves this week as Drew Petkoff was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform List. This allowed Glen Bryan to receive the nod and be brought onto the club’s active roster.

Other news from around the National Lacrosse League:

The NLL announced that the league has reached an agreement with VERSUS to air nine games during the 2011 season. The national television package will feature regular-season and playoff games, culminating with the NLL Championship Game. The broadcast schedule will begin with the live telecast of the 2011 All-Star Game. 

The National Lacrosse League has reached agreement with the Oneida Indian Nation to serve as host and presenting sponsor of the league’s 2011 All-Star Game.  The game takes place at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York on February 27 at 2 PM.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter @: http://twitter.com/AndyMc81, keep an eye on the “Inside The Rock” blog, and visit NLL.com for all the latest Toronto Rock and National Lacrosse League action.Andy McNamara is a sports broadcaster covering Toronto Rock lacrosse on the NLL Network, along with collegiate and minor league hockey, baseball, basketball, football, volleyball, and OCW pro-wrestling across the GTA on Rogers TV, Cogeco, and Durham College/UOIT.

The Rochester curse is finally over for the Toronto Rock. After 7 years and 15 regular season games Toronto was able to break the streak over their cross border rivals.

Each squad looked impressive in opening week victories, however, it is Toronto that move to 2-0 with a 12-9 win. The Rock are now tied with the Boston Blazers atop the East Division. Those same Blazers ride into Toronto this Friday for the first of back to back games for the Rock.

Like a fine wine Rock goalie Bob “Whipper” Watson gets better with age. He was spectacular inbetween the pipes making 53 saves (including his 6000th career save) and continues to be the cornerstone of Toronto’s defense. “When we get lost on D, he comes up with huge saves,” says Rock head coach Troy Cordingley. “I’ll say it again and again, he’s the best to ever play the game.”

New Toronto captain, Colin Doyle, led again by example, collecting 5 points on the evening. Rookie Aaron Pascas matched his game one goal total of two, while sophmore Garret Billings led both teams with 8 points. Stephan Leblanc is quickly showing that he is possibly Toronto’s most dangerous offensive weapon as he picked up a hat trick and 3 assists.

It is not as if Rochester didn’t show up for the match as they were peppering Watson with shots and had many high potential scoring opportunities. Knighthawks goaltender Matt Vinc, who was the centerpiece in a trade with Colorado, was shaky at times, but settled down to help his mates keep it a close game. Rookie sensation, Cody Jamieson, displayed why he is the future of Rochester as he sparked the Knighthawks with three goals and three assists.

Toronto’s much touted off-season conditioning program will be put to the test as they host Boston Friday, then make their way into Bandits territory in Buffalo the very next night.

Action from around the National Lacrosse League:

Fri. Jan. 14- Minnesota swarmed defending league champs Washington 16-8.

Sat. Jan. 15- The Blazers joined the Rock as the only undefeated team in the NLL by edging Edmonton 10-7 in Boston.

- The Buffalo Bandits grabbed an important road win over Philadelphia Wings 9-6.

- In a western battle, Colorado Mammoth squeaked out a narrow victory versus the Roughnecks in Calgary 8-7.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter @AndyMc81, keep an eye on the “Inside The Rock” blog, and visit NLL.com for all the latest Toronto Rock and National Lacrosse League action.

The Toronto Rock ride into Rochester to battle the Knighthawks this Saturday evening in a building that Toronto has not won in since 2003. However, that last victory was a big one as it was for the NLL championship. So entering week 2 in the 25th anniversary season of the National Lacrosse League we see two 1-0 teams in a classic cross border battle.

 Looking back to week 1, the Rock dominated Edmonton at home 13-7 with a stand out performance from goaltender Bob “Whipper” Watson that earned him the league Overall Player of the Week award. First year player Aaron Pascas popped in a pair of goals to capture the NLL Rookie of the Week prize. 

On the weekly coaches conference call, Toronto general manager, Terry Sanderson had some mixed feelings on the play of his award winning rookie, “Pascas gave good support production with his scoring, but turned the ball over a few times, which needs to be worked on. Did well for his first game”. Pascas will have to limit those turnovers versus the Knighthawks, along with the rest of his teammates, or it could turn into yet another long night in Rochester for his squad. Sanderson also commented on the win in general, “I was satisfied with the win as a whole, but we didn’t shoot the ball as well as I would’ve liked.”

Rochester is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 7-9 season that saw them miss the post season. A huge part of the improvement process will involve the highly touted rookie Cody Jamieson. The NLL newcomer has heavy expectations on his shoulders, and started living up to them by gathering 2 goals in his first ever match. “He’ll be really good. No secret he’ll be one of the good ones in the league,” commented GM Sanderson.

Knighthawks assistant coach, Paul Day, explained that he has a lot of respect for the reigning East Division champs, especially new Rock captain Colin Doyle. It will take the visitors firing on cylinders from other top producers, like youngsters Leblanc and Billings, to give Toronto a chance to break the 7 year losing streak in the Blue Cross Arena.

Around the National Lacrosse League:

Friday Jan. 14- Minnesota Swarm double up the NLL champion Stealth in Washington

Saturday Jan. 15- Edmonton Rush @ Boston Blazers

- Buffalo Bandits @ Philadelphia Wings

- Colorado Mammoth @ Calgary Roughnecks

Be sure to follow me on Twitter @AndyMc81, keep an eye on the “Inside The Rock” blog, and visit NLL.com for all the latest Toronto Rock and National Lacrosse League action.

Andy McNamara is a sports broadcaster covering Toronto Rock lacrosse on the NLL Network, along with collegiate and minor league hockey, baseball, basketball, football, volleyball, and OCW pro-wrestling across the GTA on Rogers TV, Cogeco, and Durham College/UOIT.

The Toronto Rock started off the 2011 National Lacrosse League season in style with an entertaining 13-7 win over the Edmonton Rush in front of a good sized crowd here at the Air Canada Centre. Tonight was the official opening of the NLL’s 25th season.

The Rock spread the scoring out nicely with stand out performances from Blaine Manning (1G, 5A), sophmore Garrett Billings (2G, 2A), and captain Colin Doyle (1G, 1A). Toronto goalie Bob “Whipper” Watson was outstanding with many key saves that stopped the Rush from getting any 2nd half momentum. Edmonton was stifled once again in Toronto as they were looking for their frist ever win in the Air Canada Centre.

Edmonton came out of the gate strong with 2 goals in the first quarter and were able to stay in the game with the incredible play of last year’s playoff goaltending hero Matt Disher. However, Toronto was able to wear down the Rush’s defense, which resulted in odd man rushes and off positioning that left Disher all alone many times. Lead scorer from 2010, Ryan Ward, stepped up once again to be the top Rush scorer as he put up 2 goals and 1 assist.

Edmonton is on the road next Saturday versus the Boston Blazers, while Toronto rides into Rochester to face the Knighthawks the same evening.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter @AndyMc81, keep an eye on the “Inside The Rock” blog, and visit NLL.com for all the latest Toronto Rock and National Lacrosse League action.

Andy McNamara is a sports broadcaster covering Toronto Rock lacrosse on the NLL Network, along with collegiate and minor league hockey, baseball, basketball, football, volleyball, and OCW pro-wrestling across the GTA on Rogers TV, Cogeco, and Durham College/UOIT.

The National Lacrosse League (NLL) kicks off its 25^th season this Saturday evening with 5 of the 6 scheduled match-ups taking place January 8.

The Toronto Rock start the 2011 campaign at the Air Canada Centre Saturday night versus the Edmonton Rush at 7pm on TSN2 and online at the NLL Network. Toronto will look to bust out quick and fire up their fans as they have one thing on their mind…redemption.

The Rock fell just short of their 6th NLL championship and first since 2005 with a narrow 15-11 defeat at the hands of the Washington Stealth. Head Coach Troy Cordingley and General Manager Terry Sanderson have both clearly stated that they are making another, more aggressive run at the title this year and have made some strategic moves to bolster their 23 man active roster by adding 11 new players. Captain Colin Doyle returns to lead an impressive offence, while Sandy Chapman will be wearing the “A” and was Defensive Player of the Year in 2010.

Goaltending initially posed an intriguing situation as 3 net minders (Pat Campbell, Gee Nash, Bob Watson) were kept on the Rock’s line-up. After speaking with GM Sanderson he confirmed that Bob “Whipper” Watson would once again stand between the pipes for the home opener as he enters his 13^th season in Toronto. Sanderson also mentioned that Toronto’s overall off season conditioning program was more rigorous from last year, which will surely benefit 2010 leading team scorers Stephen Leblanc, Blaine Manning and Colin Doyle.

Despite the Rock’s formidable attack, they will have their hands full with Edmonton who are coming off a solid season where they finished 10-6 and made it to the West Division finals. The Rush’s lead man behind the bench, Derek Keenan, said that they are disappointed in the loss of defenceman Chris Mcelroy and Ryan Powell. However, he is excited about his squad’s size on defence with the addition of Bruce Murray, and the dangerous diversity of transition man Brodie Merrill. Brodie will actually be squaring off against his brother Patrick on Saturday, who will be wearing the Toronto jersey.

Other Rock News:

A pre-season scrum between Toronto and Buffalo re-ignited a bitter rivalry, sending shockwaves across the league as the match was actually cancelled due to both benches clearing. Officials were unable to get control as brawl after brawl broke out, which forced the NLL head office to hand down numerous suspensions and fines.

On Dec. 28 Toronto Rock Assistant Coach Matt Sawyer signed on as the new Head Coach of the Boston Blazers following the termination of Tom Ryan. The Rock receive three 2nd round entry draft selections from Boston for nabbing Sawyer. The first 2 will be in the 2011 draft.  1 being Boston’s own pick and the other being a pick Boston acquired from Minnesota.  The 3rd draft choice is the Blazer’s 2nd rounder in 2012.

NLL League News:

A new rule change regarding face-offs will be officially implemented at the beginning of the 2011 season. During face-offs opposing player sticks must now be 8 inches apart, where previously the distance was only 2 inches. The change was tried out during the pre-season and it has resulted in faster face-off wins, quicker transitions, and an overall smoother start to a possession.

The National Lacrosse League recently signed a multi-year deal with IMG Consulting to handle the all league’s international media and sponsor rights. “The NLL has had a very successful first 25 years,” said George Pyne, President of IMG’s Sports and Entertainment Group. “I am very confident that IMG’s global experience in media, sports, brand development and sponsorship will provide the NLL with the necessary capabilities for additional expansion and growth of the sport and its brand into the future,” Pyne concluded. (Thanks to NLL.com)

On a personal note, I cannot wait to get started as the new Play-by-Play voice of the Toronto Rock on the NLL Network. Make sure to follow the Rock’s drive to the Champion’s Cup all year long here right here on the blog and on Twitter

(follow me @: http://twitter.com/AndyMc81).

Andy McNamara is a sports broadcaster covering Toronto Rock lacrosse on the NLL Network, along with collegiate and minor league hockey, baseball, basketball, football, volleyball, and OCW pro-wrestling across the GTA on Rogers TV, Cogeco, and Durham College/UOIT.

Happy New Years Eve FAN Wrestling Nation! With 2011 coming at the stroke of midnight this evening lets have a look back at some of the top stories from around the world of professional wrestling over the past twelve months.

The ascension of The Miz

One of the most unlikely and inspirational stories out there, kind of like an evil Rudy. Miz has overcome legitimate harassing backstage politics and was not taken seriously by anyone. He worked his butt off, developed a terrific heel persona, ran with the MITB briefcase angle and has finally obtained world gold. The question now will be if he is given a chance to go on a proper championship run.

I’m very surprised HBK hasn’t resurfaced yet as his loss to Undertaker at WrestleMania marks one of the longest retirements in recent wrestling history. An amazing storyline, incredible match, and classy exit makes this a truly memorable 2010 moment. Something tells me that we’ll see Michaels back in 2011.

I know Jon and Bob didn’t rank this one too highly, but I thought it was a huge deal…for old school fans. Hell froze over and Bret returning to WWE closes a nasty chapter in his life and finally gives closure to the Montreal Screw Job. Hart’s Mania match with McMahon was awful, although his contributions on Raw were effective and entertaining. For newer WWE followers, however, I would think that this storyline must not have meant much.

A great idea…if it was done 5 years ago. ECW is dead and gone, killed slowly by Vince’s wretched repackaging of it. The extreme originals at least got a better send off then with WWE, but with their stars a few years older and slower it just didn’t have that special nostalgia feeling that TNA was hoping for.

For more year-end reviews be sure to check out the SLAM! Wrestling website now. Follow me on Twitter @: http://twitter.com/AndyMc81

Andy McNamara is a SLAM! Wrestling writer and the new Play-by-Play voice for Toronto Rock Lacrosse home games on the National Lacrosse League Network (NLL.com). He also does play-by-play and host/reporter duties on Rogers TV, TV Cogeco, OHL, and Durham College for basketball, hockey, baseball, football, volleyball, and pro wrestling (Ontario Championship Wrestling)

The year 2010 has come and gone already so it is time again to look at the best and worst of the year. The below categories are always fun to debate about so let me know what your picks are!

Male Wrestler of the Year- AJ Styles

-With the guidance of Ric Flair, Styles evolved into an awesome heel champion with the ‘stylin’ and profiling’ gimmick. He showed that he could step out of the babyface role and be a hated bad guy. Excellent character development while still showcasing his incredible athleticism.

Female Wrestler of the Year- Natalya Neidhart

-With the women’s division so bland for so long, it was nice to see someone with the pedigree of Natalya to get a chance to showcase her skills. She has improved her character’s charisma and was well rewarded with the gold.

Tag Team of the Year- The Motor City Machine Guns

-The Guns continued strong work rate and overall entertaining style makes them stand out in a business where significant tag team wrestling has in general been put on the back burner.

Canadian of the year- Edge

-Edge deserves on the fact alone that he has had to work with Kane so much! The Rated R Superstar makes the best out of a bad situation and actually makes his angle with Kane tolerable.

Worst wrestler of the year- Ken Anderson

-The time for “potential” is gone. Mr. Anderson has not developed into the main eventer most hoped for and seems doomed to continue to have average matches and uninteresting promos. There are worse technical wrestlers, but with all the pushes and hype taken into account, he tops my list.

Best Announcer- Mike Tenay

-The Professor remains consistent, professional, and a true throwback to what a classic face announcer is supposed to be.

Worst Announcer- Michael Cole

-I have never been a Cole fan, but with his confusing face/heel comments during every show and interfering with matches it has become unbearable. Why again is Joey Styles not good enough to broadcast Raw?

Best Show- Raw

-Although the program in general is stale it is still better then Smackdown and the huge disappointment of TNA Impact. Nexus kept things interesting for a while and the themed shows made for some interesting television. Raw is more winner by default.

Worst Show- Raw

-Yes I am picking Raw as best and worse show, simply because no one else could step up. Between guest hosts, mystery computer GM, Michael Cole, and the blandness of John Cena’s character the flagship show stayed stuck in neutral for another year. The rise of Nexus had Raw on the edge of something fresh for a few weeks, but that sputtered out as well. Maybe instead of worse I should say Raw has been the most disappointing.

Best entrance music- Edge

-Edge’s entrance music is an oldy but a goody. The “You think you know me” and guitar is one of those songs that can pump you up and captures the Superstar’s energy.

Best signature move- RKO

-Randy Orton builds the anticipation for the RKO better then anyone since HBK. The finisher looks good, appears like it can actually knock someone out, and is known by fans worldwide.

Promotion of the year- Ring Of Honor

-ROH lost a lot of talent, but continue to creatively retool and put on a strong in-ring product. Unfortunately without the backing of a billionaire they will always be a distant third to WWE and TNA.

Be sure to check out more on New Years day on the SLAM! Wrestling website along with a look back at some of the top stories in pro-wrestling.

Follow me on Twitter @AndyMc81

Andy McNamara is a SLAM! Wrestling writer and the new Play-by-Play voice of Toronto Rock Lacrosse on the National Lacrosse League Network. He also does play-by-play and host/reporter duties for Rogers TV, TV Cogeco, and Durham College/UOIT for collegiate and minor league basketball, hockey, baseball, volleyball, football, and Ontario Championship Wrestling (OCW).