Pat McAfee and Adam Cole shock the world, and NXT Takeover XXX delivers like Takeovers do. What does Greg think?

Welp, another Takeover is upon us, and I am going to compile my thoughts in real time. Right now the Kickoff Preshow hasn’t started, but I am excited about this event. I am friends with someone works in production for NXT, and he said excitement is at a peak level in the building as of this morning. The set-up is rumored to be cool, and I think this event–which I look at as a rebuilding effort for NXT–could still steal the weekend.

Before we get going, I will give you some “pre-thoughts.” I’ll leave them here and we’ll see how dumb I look when this is over:

• I am surprised by the lack of an Undisputed Era vs. Imperium match. Given the nature of the finish, I can see the justification of a rematch. At the same time, you can use that result as part of a future issue within Undisputed Era. So we’ll see. Sucks for Imperium to be NXT Tag Team Champions and not have a match at Takeover.
• I am really excited for Adam Cole vs. Pat McAfee. Cole has been at this for a decade, and I bet her never imagined wrestling a former NFL Pro Bowler at Full Sail. Yet here we are. If this match is great, that is a HUGE feather in the cap of Cole, who you know I regard as the best damn wrestler walking God’s green earth.
• I would have added Rhea Ripley vs. Mercedes Martinez to this show, BUT we also need matches for the weekly TV show on the USA Network. That said, we are also getting Finn Balor vs. Timothy Thatcher, which could be the match of the night.
• While I think Bronson Reed should win, I expect Damian Priest to become North American Champion tonight. He is a star on the rise.
• Lastly, I have to admit I don’t have high hopes for Karrion Kross vs. Keith Lee. Kross has been dominant, and now we will see how he fares in an even match-up. I hope I am wrong in these hopes.

NXT Takeover XXX Kickoff

• Pat McAfee is easily a better heel villain than 95% of the those playing that role on the WWE roster today.
• I can’t shake the feeling that Karrion Kross is better suited for the “main roster” shows than NXT. But if the plan is to take NXT on the road for TV after this pandemic is over, then I can see him staying. Either way, I can’t see him winning tonight.
• Correction — I can’t see Keith Lee losing tonight. I think Kross eats his first loss in WWE tonight.
• Booker T sees a “pro” in Dakota Kai and that’s why he’s picking her. Does that mean he doesn’t see a pro in Io Shirai?
• I love that Imperium is holding gold across multiple brands.
• Digging the set with the XXX. Not loving Breezango in this match. It’s hard to take them seriously as a tag team contending for anything.
• Still surprised we can’t get a NXT Cruiserweight Championship match at Takeover. Santos Escobar has made this championship important–treat it that way!
• The white ropes with the longer XXX stage/set make this “look bigger.” It’s Full Sail with the fake fans, but it comes off like a bigger deal.
• Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch might go down as one of the most underrated teams in wresting history.
• Oh look, Breezango won. Hopefully the match will be good, but I hope they don’t unseat Imperium.

Kickoff Match: Breeango beat Legado del Fantasma and Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch when Tyler Breeze pinned Lorcan to earn an NXT Tag Team Championship match

• Finn Balor vs. Timothy Thatcher is a hell of a match to start the show. Love that announcement.
• I know William Regal said McAfee’s buddies (and we’re not focusing enough on them, they have name value) and the rest of Undisputed Era can’t get involved. I really hope they do. This match needs shenanigans.
• If Adam Cole loses to Pat McAfee, there better be a rematch. Otherwise, what does that say about NXT, WWE, and the business in general? Especially when McAfee, in character, has buried it.

NXT Takeover XXX

• No one does video packages better than WWE. No one.
• We got some pyro in Full Sail!
• Love seeing Corey Graves pair up with Vic Joseph and Beth Phoenix tonight. I am guessing Mauro had another gig.

Finn Balor vs. Timothy Thatcher

• Finn Balor is a great example of what I’ve been saying about faces and heels not mattering anymore, and it instead being heroes and villains. Thatcher is the villain tonight, and Balor is the hero. But both are heels. And that’s okay.
• Not gonna lie, I miss the NXT crowd. Even at Full Sail. But imagine this in Boston?
• Timothy Thatcher might not be the only person in WWE who likes to utilize this style, but he damn sure is the best.
• Thatcher works a style that could really work on the “main roster.” I know he’s already 37, but I could actually see him pulling off a huge WrestleMania match someday, even as a show closing talent.
• Starting a single-leg crab, and Thatcher just lays kicks into Finn instead. Damn, dude is SO GOOD. I really hope more people take notice in this match.
• On the flip said of the Thatcher-WM comments, you have Finn Balor who damn well better close a WrestleMania before he’s done. I hate to say he’s wasted in NXT, but I can’t think of a better word.
• Balor going over and Thatcher doesn’t even kick out of a finisher–not that he would want to–seems like a missed opportunity. Is losing to Balor really a break-out opportunity like they want us to think?

Finn Balor pinned Timothy Thatcher following 1916

• Love that Sasha Banks and Bayley are in the crowd, fangirlling, tonight.

North American Championship Ladder Match: Cameron Grimes vs. Bronson Reed vs. Damian Priest vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Velveteen Dream

• Cameron Grimes strikes me as someone who should be residing in WrestleHouse. I don’t mean he shouldn’t be in NXT, but when he goes home, it should be to WrestleHouse.
• Beth unintentionally making the comparison between Damian Priest and Razor Ramon is one I can’t disagree with. If he can have that type of WWE career, he will have done well.
• Also makes sense since I picked Priest, and the North American Championship really is the modern day Intercontinental Championship.
• “Johnny Gargano calls himself the hero that NXT deserves.” See, Gargano already knows–it’s Heroes vs. Villains!
• I really wish they had kept Bronson Reed with Malcolm Bivens.
• I want to love Priest mimicking Razor Ramon, Reed honoring Bam Bam Bigelow and Velveteen Dream channeling Scott Steiner, but let these characters stand on their own.
• Damian Priest selling that DDT by….crawling out of the ring? Roll Damian. Roll.
• I know I just criticized him, but Damian Priest could be the best striker in NXT, possibly in WWE.
• That split spot for Cameron Grimes was creative. And it’s hard to do that in a Ladder Match in 2020.
• Corey Graves on an NXT broadcast just feels right.
• This might be the most blueish-purple in any NXT match in history.
• Bronson Reed really adds an element that NXT has been missing.
• That was a creative Tower Of Doom spot. And it’s hard to do that in 2020.
• I really feel for these guys, doing this without a crowd–a crowd that would be on their feet going nuts for this.
• THICCBOI gonna fly!
• Cameron Grimes worked really hard to get a ladder into the ring…which already had a ladder in it.
• A splash from Bronson Reed is bad enough. Throw 110 pounds of Candice LeRae on the back? Ouch.
• Velveteen Dream is a dumb ass for not realizing the title was up there, and then going LOWER on the ladder before trying to grab it.
• I feel bad for Damain Priest, having to sell Dream’s superkick that didn’t come within a foot of hitting him.
• Honestly, Velveteen Dream is the least impressive person in this match.
• I really wanted someone to stop Cameron Grimes, which means he’s done his job.
• And despite the weird finish, the right guy wins.

Damian Priest retrieves the belt in a Ladder Match to become the new NXT North American Champion

.@ArcherOfInfamy will #LiveForever as he has etched his name in the history books as NXT NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPION! #NXTTakeOver #AndNew pic.twitter.com/bx6zmjYt9t

— WWE (@WWE) August 22, 2020

• That was one hell of a spot for Velveteen Dream, one you can’t do outside of this environment. I feel like it didn’t get sold long enough–that was a crazy spot!

It’s good to be the champ. Congratulations to the NEW @WWENXT North American Champion, @ArcherOfInfamy! #ThePoint #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/nrdZi8KG5B

— Triple H (@TripleH) August 23, 2020

Adam Cole vs. Pat McAfee

• Why is the main event going on third?
• This is when we see just how damn good Adam Cole is. (He’s really damn good, btw.)
• Pat McAfee not entering vi the backdoor is a missed opportunity.
• Pat McAfee didn’t have to read his promo. Take that Dominik Mysterio!
• Matt PacAfee?
• Having this match start as catch-as-catch-can wrestling kinda proves that Pat McAfee is playing wrestler, AMIRIGHT?
• War Games 2020?
• Not gonna lie, Pat McAfee ain’t bad at this.
• Okay, LOVE Corey Graves pointing out that McAfee has friends to teach him some tricks. Considering one of those main friends is COREY GRAVES.
• And now Corey Graves is calling out Beth Phoenix contradicting herself. Damn I miss Corey Graves on NXT.
• PAT MCAFEE CAN PUNCH BETTER THAN MOST OF WWE!
• Pat McAfee > Dominik Mysterio. Some things can’t be taught.
• I love seeing Twitter do a complete 180 on Pat McAfee. Great job Adam Cole!
• Pat McAfee is a goddamned pro wrestler.

Adam Cole pinned Pat McAfee following the Panama Sunrise

• One thing to keep in perspective here: Corey Graves added SO MUCH to this match on commentary. He’s really grown into one of the best.
• And you, Adam Cole? Still the greatest wrestler walking God’s green earth.

Landed. On. His. Feet.

HOW IS HE DOING THIS? #NXTTakeOver #ColevsMcAfee @PatMcAfeeShow @AdamColePro pic.twitter.com/N9Oaq2nXVN

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) August 23, 2020

NXT Women’s Championship: Io Shirai (champion) vs. Dakota Kai (with Raquel Gonzalez)

• Sucks for these talented women to have to follow that match.
• I feel bad, I am watching this match (which is good) thinking about how much money Triple H and Vince McMahon need to throw at Pat McAfee.
• Dakota Kai could be a star. Not sure what she needs to take this to another level, but she’s right on the cusp of stardom.
• No, not STARDOM. Stardom.
• Io Shirai might be the best women’s wrestler in the entire world. Might be the second best in the world overall (behind Adam Cole, BAY BAY.)
• Maybe this match is bringing out what Dakota Kai needs to be a star. She’s killing it.
• REF BUMP!
• Could we see Bayley and Sasha here?
• Nope, just Raquel.

Io Shirai pinned Dakota Kai following a moonsault to retain the NXT Women’s Championship

• Damn good match that won me over–and that’s saying a lot considering I was still reeling from Cole-McAfee.
• We gonna use Rhea Ripley to build Raquel Gonzalez now?
• Tommaso Ciampa returns Wednesday? I guess he’s not seeking retribution after all…
• Look at Damian Priest stealing Joey Janela’s girl!

NXT Championship: Keith Lee (champion) vs. Karrion Kross

• Imagine a Karrion Kross entrance at WrestleMania.
• Glad to see Scarlett finally has the timing of the words down.
• Karrion Kross’ pyro went off before the match. Using the Kane Principle, that means he’s losing.
• Can you see The White Rabbit as NXT Champion?
• I really love how they use the guard rails in this new, Plexiglas environment.
• This is very much a “main roster” match right here, and that’s appropriate since both men could do well there–if they don’t get lost in the shuffle.
• Keith Lee has been really…..helpful in this match.
• Keith Lee for “main roster?”

Karrion Kross pinned Keith Lee following a Doomsday Siato Suplex from the second rope to capture the NXT Championship

#WWENXT is now in the hands of the #KrossCult. 🔥#NXTTakeOver @Lady_Scarlett13 @WWEKarrionKross pic.twitter.com/quj0K88NI5

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) August 23, 2020

• Don’t love taking the NXT Championship off of Keith Lee this fast, making him a transitional champion. But that might have been the plan all along. Sometimes the title win is someone’s peak, and that might have been it for Keith Lee.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this NXT Takeover. It was really a rebuilding show, but it will be remembered for the Pat McAfee appearance no one saw coming.

Greg DeMarco returns with another movie review! This time around it’s his #1 favorite movie, Ocean’s Eleven.

As we continue to expand our content offerings at The Chairshot, I am here with a review my my all-time favorite movie–Ocean’s Eleven! This is my second movie review here on the site, as the first was for this year’s Dave Batista offering, My Spy. I got some feedback that my last review was too synopsis heavy and not enough review. Thanks to that feedback, this review is formatted differently.

(That feedback came from someone who has written movie reviews, and taught people how to do them. She’s also my wife, the Lovely & Talented Mrs. DeMarco).

Ocean’s Eleven: My favorite movie…ever.

I first saw Ocean’s Eleven on a random Friday afternoon as part of a work outing that I planned for my team while working as a manager at Capital One. I loved it so much that I went back and saw it again…that night. This movie turned me on to heist movies because of the twists and turns, along with the amazing ensemble cast.

If you’re familiar with Ocean’s Eleven–GO WATCH IT NOW! But in all seriousness, it’s a heist movie where Danny Ocean (George Clooney) leads a band of sophisticated criminals (including Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle and many others) into the vault of The Bellagio, The Mirage, and The MGM Grand. As you’ll learn, those are Terry Benedict’s casino’s, and Benedict happens to be dating Tess Ocean, Danny’s estranged (and allegedly former) wife. Like any good heist movie (and this is the best), it’s full of twists, turns, and a big reveal at the end.

Why do I love this movie so much? Read on and see!

Amazing and Eclectic Cast Of Characters

One of the biggest strengths of Ocean’s Eleven is the cast. It’s unheard of to get this type of group together, and it becomes increasingly challenging in the rest of the trilogy. Danny Ocean’s crew features 11 in total (hence the name), and each is equally amazing and diverse:

• Danny Ocean (George Clooney) – Career thief who immediately violates parole when released from prison so he can travel to Las Vegas and plan this insane heist.
• Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) – Career thief who is partially responsible for putting Danny in jail, but is right there when he wants to take down Benedict’s trifecta of casinos.
• Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould) – Former casino owner who also basically invented casino security. He was muscled out by Terry Benedict, and is the money man behind the operation.
• Virgil (Casey Affleck) & Turk (Scott Caan) Malloy – The Malloy Twins from Utah are the classic henchmen of the bunch, playing numerous roles throughout the film.
• Basher Tarr (Don Cheadle) – Munitions expert fresh off of a job that pales in comparison to the one that will require him to knock out all of the power in Las Vegas.
• The Amazing Yen (Shaobo Qin) – Tent-act acrobat that is key to avoiding the sensors inside a heavily guarded vault.
• Frank Catton (Bernic Mac) – Card dealer and thief who can’t get past the gaming board–a fact that comes back into play throughout his show-stealing performance in this movie.
• Saul Bloom (Carl Reiner) – Legendary thief who’s still got it, as he proves after threatening Danny for merely asking if he’s up for the role.
• Livingston Dell (Eddie Jemison) – Technology guru that hacks into the impenetrable surveillance system at The Bellagio.
• Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon) – Pick-pocket son of a crime artist who doesn’t want to trade on his father’s name…and after this job he won’t have to!

The movie also features two key characters who aren’t part of the Eleven, but who make this movie go:

• Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) – Casino owner who forced Reuben out of the business, and happens to be dating Danny’s (supposed) ex-wife.
• Tess Ocean (Julia Roberts) – Supposed ex-wife of Danny Ocean who divorced him while he was in prison…or did she?

I’m not a huge fan of listing out the cast, but for this movie it’s 100% appropriate. And what a crew this is!

The Dialogue

The best part of Ocean’s Eleven (and that’s saying a lot) is the dialogue. So much is said during this film, including things that are said without words. Plenty of the dialogue was improvised, but much of it was also the brainchild of director Steven Soderbergh (Erin Brockovich, Traffic, and more) and writer Ted Griffin (Ravenous, Matchstick Men).

Check out some of these gems!

• Rusty: You’d need at least a dozen guys doing a combination of cons.
  Danny: Like what, do you think?
  Rusty: Off the top of my head, I’d say you’re looking at a Boeski, a Jim Brown, a Miss Daisy, two Jethros and a Leon Spinks, not to mention the biggest Ella Fitzgerald ever!
• Reuben: You guys are pros. The best. I’m sure you can make it out of the casino. Of course, lest we forget, once you’re out the front door, you’re still in the middle of the f***ing desert!
• Danny (to Rusty): Ten oughta do it, don’t you think? You think we need one more? You think we need one more. All right, we’ll get one more.
• Danny: Tess, you’re doing a great job curating the museum, the Vermeer is quite good, simple, vibrant, but his work definitely fell off as he got older.
  Tess: Remind you of anyone?
  Danny: And I always confuse Monet and Manet. Now which one married his mistress.
  Tess: Monet.
  Danny: Right, and then Manet had syphilis.
  Tess: They also painted occasionally.
• Reuben: Look, we all go way back and uh, I owe you from the thing with the guy in the place and I’ll never forget it.
  Danny: That was our pleasure.
  Rusty: I’d never been to Belize.

There are so many “you had to be there” moments listed above, but that’s another reason why you need to watch this movie. The dialogue is so damn good!

The Plan

The Heist (capitalized on purpose) itself is basically a character in the movie, and a pivotal one at that. From the introduction of the heist by Danny to the crew to the fake-out filmed in a mock-up to Danny being “out” of the heist to the phone call placed from Rusty to Terry right in the middle of it all, this heist is brilliantly planned and executed. Whenever a plan is executed in a movie there are holes that you can poke, but those don’t expand beyond simple suspension of disbelief, and definitely don’t change what we see on screen.

Like most movie heists, there is an ulterior motive, and here it’s Danny working to get Tess back. Of course that all comes to a head with her boyfriend Terry Benedict, who owns the casinos they are robbing. Add in the show masterful performances of Clooney, Roberts, and Garcia, and this has greatness written all over it.

Overall Impression of Ocean’s Eleven

You already know, this is my favorite movie. I fell in love with heist movies from here, including Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen. Those pale in comparison to this, so much so that I don’t even consider them as sequels when evaluating how great they are. That’s not a knock on 12 or 13, it’s a testament to how much I love this movie.

This movie has it all, from dialogue to intrigue to action, and all in small doses. It’s easy to follow, yet still surprising in the end. I haven’t watched it in a few months–surprising since we’re sitting home in the middle of a pandemic–but I am going to pop that DVD in this weekend!

Greg DeMarco’s Rating: 5/5