Seth Rollins Rips CM Punk, Seems to Be Setting Up Match: TRAINA THOUGHTS
1. Seth Rollins knows how to burn it down. He proved that with an explosive appearance on the SI Media Podcast in June.
Rollins is once again stirring things up with some pretty harsh words for CM Punk.
The two have been going back and forth this week because Punk said on FS1's WWE Backstage that Rollins needs to stop tweeting.
Rollins unloaded on Punk during a radio interview Friday and nailed some key points.
The Beast Slayer started his rant by saying, "Here's someone who's been in the doldrums for the last few years because he got his butt kicked in the Octagon so bad he didn't want to show his face anywhere, now he shows back up on a WWE show. It's called WWE Backstage show. You can say it's an FS1 show all you want, which it is, and you may be paid by FOX, but that show doesn't exist without our company, the company that you left five years ago."
Rollins couldn't be more spot on here. Everyone associated with WWE Backstage has said repeatedly that WWE Backstage is an FS1 show—and it is. But you'd have to be a complete fool to think that the WWE is totally out of the mix. The second it was announced that Punk would be part of the show, I said, "He will be in a match at WrestleMania."
This whole thing with Rollins just makes me believe that even more.
Yes, this could all be a big work to get attention for WWE Backstage, but why would the WWE care so much about promoting WWE Backstage if it was just an FS1 deal?
Here's the full clip of Rollins ripping into Punk, which includes Rollins saying that Punk "couldn't bust a cherry in a fruit fight."
Clearly, this is leading up to Rollins vs. Punk at WrestleMania 36 next April and no one should be surprised when it happens.
2. Former NFL player James Thrash was one of the people who heard the Myles Garrett-Mason Rudolph case and then made a decision on suspensions. I'm going to guess that Thrash doesn't have a ton of experience with Twitter because this is pretty much the worst thing you can tweet when you want to be left alone.
UPDATE: It appears that James Thrash has deleted his entire account. The tweet said, “Please stop tweeting me about the decision. This was a grueling process and the outcome is final. Player safety is what’s most important!!!”
3. Inside the NBA host Ernie Johnson was given a surprise celebration Thursday for his 30th year at Turner Sports and it was quite moving.
4. This is very inside New York, so I apologize, but it's absolutely preposterous that Michael Strahan was a Giant his entire career and still doesn't know that Houston Street is pronounced How-Ston.
5. Giannis seems to be a fan of MTV's The Challenge.
6. This week's SI Media Podcast features an interview with FOX Sports' lead college football analyst Joel Klatt.
Topics discussed include why Klatt hates calling blowouts, having to be careful about getting in too deep with X's and O's, what it's like working with Gus Johnson, whether he's competitive with Gary Danielson and Kirk Herbstreit, how he feels about the potential for 9 a.m. kickoffs for Pac-12 games, and much more.
You can listen to the podcast below or download it on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Play.
7. RANDOM YOUTUBE VIDEO OF THE DAY: We close out our week of Survivor Series memories with what might be the most important event in pro wrestling history.
Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher. You can also follow Jimmy on Twitter and Instagram.