Red Devil-Taker316

Aaron Rodgers has apparently agreed to a 5-year, $110 million deal. This sets the mark for highest annual salary in league history. He will make $40 million next year, the most ever.

Rodgers' deal is a bit weird, apparently it is really frontloaded. Taking the average salary for his total contract now (7 years, $130.1 million), it's still less than Flacco's 5/$120M.

Russell Westbrook has to have surgery on a Torn Meniscus. No timetable for return, but returning in the playoffs is uncertain. Opens up the West a little bit.

I'd even argue this was LeBron's best regular season yet (and one of the best, if not the best in modern NBA history). 27-8-7, 1.7 SPG, 56 FG%, 40 3P%, best player on a 65 win team with a 27 game win streak and elite defense at all five spots. Even advanced metrics favor him, as he'll may set a WS48 record of .322 (beating Jordan's modern record of .321, at least 30% usage).

Just insane all around.

I admire Kobe for perhaps being the toughest player in the league, but come on on that MVP talk. The only player remotely in that discussion not named LeBron was Durant, and that ended with the 28 (or whatever it was) game winning streak.

I'm not a huge Kobe fan, but I did want to see what the Lakers had for the playoffs.

Mike D'Antoni though. I once respected him as a coach with Phoenix, but he wrecked Amar'e in NY and now Kobe. Really just coaches for the short term. It's pretty awful.

I am hoping for 1,000 Riddler Challenges.

I love both games and I hope this is a great third.

There's an epic five year bump.

Poor Brandon Knight. 1st the Irving thing at ASW, now this.

WWE have announced the passing of Bill Moody, aka Paul Bearer.

So assuming he's still in the database, he needs to be removed.

He's in there as Percy Pringle =(

I wonder if I am doing something wrong.

Similar to what DJ Taylor said. The link in the 2/3/13 post with the DATA just sends me to the first page of the thread.

Pretty sure that Hogan was Mr. America in 2003, not 2002.

Yes! My fault on that one.

I'll edit this post with some notes in the scenario, which is awesome for the record.

-British Bulldog needs to be removed. He died in May 2002.

-Ric Flair shouldn't be a non-wrestler.

-Arguably, The Rock should be a non-wrestler. His last full time schedule as around Wrestlemania X8.

-Tazz should be a non-wrestler (or even removed and put in as staff). He retired in 2002 and became Smackdown's full-time announcer in April 2002.

-Randy Orton should be on Smackdown and not in development. He debuted in April.

-K-Kwik's name should be Ron Killings.

-Disco Inferno's name should be his real name, Glenn Gilbertti.

-If the intent is for the game to begin on June 1st, Jerry Lynn should be a free agent.

-Gangrel should be The Vampire Warrior.

-Tiger Ali Singh should be on the WWE roster.

-DDP should be a non-wrestler. He injured his neck in April and never returned full-time (even announcing his retirement in June).

-Albert shouldn't be a fun babyface anymore, as he attacked Scotty 2 Hotty and turned heel in April.

-RVD should be IC Champion.

-Hurricane should be Cruiserweight Champion.

-The Sandman should be XPW World Champion.

-Following teams need to be de-activated. Dudleyz, Tazz and Spike, Hart Brothers, Bros. of Destruction.

-Ric Flair and Scott Steiner should have a dislike relationship based off of Flair's book.

-Bret Hart and Goldberg shouldn't have a relationship.

-Undertaker and Paul Bearer with a dislike relationship?

Joe Flacco is likely the worst player ever to lead his league in salary.

Did Gilbert Arenas, Allan Houston, or Rashard Lewis ever lead the NBA in salary?

No. Shaq/Garnett led at Houston's time, Kobe and maybe someone else for the other two.

Great data, absolutely love it so far!

Remove John Nord, Manny Fernandez and Maxx Muscle from WCW

Lower The Renegades overness to 54

Deactivate Yokozuna and Owen Hart

Lower George Souths wages to 20000

Remove the loyalty relationship between Hogan and Savage.

Nord was hired in WCW in late 97 and lasted till 98 (jobbed to Goldberg).

I'm in the camp that Alex Smith was strictly a system QB and that this will end disasterous for the Chiefs.

Sad I missed this. The top 10 overall though seems pretty solid.

That Nationwide Race was crazy. Larson's car was torn in half.

Portland's 26 points at Halftime last night was the lowest in the Shot-Clock Era. Quite remarkable as well considering they were playing New Orleans.

Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose says he is making progress in his rehab from reconstructive knee surgery but his left leg "still isn't right."

Speaking with reporters after Wednesday night's 71-69 loss to the Celtics in Boston, Rose said he won't rush back just to play this season if he isn't ready.

"If it's where it's taking me a long time and I'm still not feeling right, I wouldn't mind missing this year," he said Wednesday night in the visitors' locker room at TD Garden.

"I would love to play this year. I would love to. That's why I approach my rehab and my workout so hard. I'm trying to get back out there on the court as quickly as possible. But if I have anything later on there's no point."

Rose tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a playoff-opening win over Philadelphia, and the top-seeded Bulls wound up losing to the 76ers in the first round. He has not played this season, but he has been practicing and traveling with the team.

Although he has given few interviews, Rose told USA Today in a story posted Tuesday that he wouldn't come back until he was "110 percent," adding that he was "far away, far away" from being ready.

"My leg still isn't feeling right," he said in Boston on Wednesday, adding that he is unable to dunk. "I know if I could dunk off stride, I know I'd be out there playing. But I can't."

Rose said the team is not rushing him to come back.

"It's really on me to make a decision when I'm going to play again. So that's cool that they left it up to me," he said. "That's the last thing I'm thinking about, coming back too soon. I know it's all on me. I've just got to make a decision when I'm ready."

One concern, Rose said, is that he doesn't want to have to avoid contact. Although he's working on his outside shot, he doesn't want to limit his game once he returns.

"I'm working on my shot, but you're not going to label me as a shooter," he said. "My game is always going to be driving."

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said in Chicago on Tuesday that nothing had changed in the team's outlook.

"He's right on schedule," he said. "When he's ready, we'll know. We'll go from there. That's why we've approached it the way we have. The team has to concentrate on their improvement and their next opponent. He has to do his rehab, and then at some point, he'll rejoin us and we'll go from there."

Rose said he played three-on-three and one-on-one recently and hasn't had any setbacks.

"That's a good thing right now, to go in every day just knowing you're getting better," he said.

The Bulls had the best record in the Eastern Conference last season and were among the favorites to reach the NBA finals before losing Rose and bowing out to the eighth-seeded 76ers. This year, they weren't expected to do much - at least until he returns.

But Chicago is fifth in the East heading into this weekend's All-Star break, and just a half-game away from home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

"It's great knowing that they are winning games," Rose said. "It seems like they are fighting for me out there. So I don't have anything but to respect them, for how hard they've been working out there in practice and when they are going out there playing as a team."

I teared up a little...

Also, Hedo Turkoglu was suspended for failing a steroids test, he's looking at 20 games for this

Randomly noticed this. 26 points is not the lowest point total in a first half in the shot clock era.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199904100CHI.html

Ah, I saw you said you were going to keep Storm/Jericho, but I think Storm/Jericho should be a loyalty. Jericho has constantly said that Storm was his best friend in the business.

Jerry Buss passed away today.

The Jarrett/Austin one basically seems like Jarrett doesn't have hard feelings toward Austin, but Austin didn't like Jarrett dating back to Austin's early days in the business when Austin was working in Memphis for Jerry Jarrett and Austin got a payoff that was lower than expected. Jarrett apparently told Austin "it ain't gonna get bigger by looking at it" and Austin didn't forget it. That story is in Austin's book.

In another book called Wrestling Mysteries solved (which really isn't the best I guess), stated that Austin also didn't like Jarrett's late 1997 WWF return (when he was work-shooting everything) as Jarrett did an interview about Austin 3:16 being blasphemous, and Austin told him that "he didn't like that he was talking bad about his money".

I just want to say again, thank you for making this, it is pretty awesome and I'm really excited to use it in the future.

My thoughts in regards to relationships is how it effects the game. In terms of friendship, I'd wonder, if Y was released should X's morale drop? Or is X was signed would Y's morale increase etc.?

I am aware of Taker/Kama/Yoko/Crush etc.

Kane I figured.

So looking through, here's what I would change

Relationship Change to None

Steve Austin/Ric Flair, currently as dislike, both seem to have nothing for respect for one another which is displayed in Austin's book, Flair's book and one of Austin's DVDs.

Steve Austin/Undertaker, currently as friends.

Bam Bam/HHH, currently hate. I understand the whole Kliq vs. Bigelow in 1995, but feels odd as HHH was new and a lot of people didn't like the Kliq. Maybe it is something I don't know.

Cactus Jack/Billy Gunn, Bradshaw, Faarooq, Jarrett, Kane, Miavia, Syxx. Maybe Undertaker as well. Taker is tough as everyone seemed to respect him even then.

The Canadians are tricky (as are a lot of the Mexicans). Christian/Benoit, Christian/Jericho, Edge/Jericho, Edge/Benoit I don't think existed yet (although for Jericho did know Edge and Christian at that point.) Same for Christian/Storm and Edge/Storm. Adittedlt not sure on these, but they seem too early.

Kane/Bearer, Austin, Taker.

Rock/Austin, Cactus, Vince.

HBK/Taker, currently dislike. HBK's book seems to show nothing but respect between the two in late 97, especially when working with one another. Other than the Mania 14 rumor of Taker taping his fists (which I don't believe) and some Bret comments, nothing indicates a dislike.

HBK/Flair: Flair and HBK had a lot of respect for the other, but I wouldn't say they were friends at this point.

HBK/Sid: Friendship. Nothing indicates this.

Vince/Lawler: Currently loyalty. Don't think this is the case at this point.

Chavo/Jericho: Currently friends.

Benoit/Rey Jr.: Currently friends.

Jericho/Zbyszko: No indication of this at the time.

Jericho/RVD: Currently dislike.

Jericho/Saturn: Currently friends.

Relationship Adds

Austin/Jarrett: Dislike. Austin talks a bit about the check comment in his book. Austin also was said to not want to work with Jarrett in 1998 at all.

Jim Cornette/Cactus Jack: Friendship. Got to know each other in WCW, got close in SMW.

Eddie/Nash: Dislike. Eddie wrote in his book that throughout his time in WCW (and afterwards) he thought Nash was genuinely evil.

Heenan/Monsoon: I'd up this to loyalty. Heenan absolutely loved Monsoon.

Wow this is amazing.

I'll do some skimming. Awesome work.

I'm just going to edit things as I see them. Just suggestions of course.

Kane: Speaks No

If this scenario is from January 1998 (which I am seeing), Kane's character didn't speak.

Sho Funaki: Nationality Japanese

He's American in the data.

Steve Corino: Nationality Canadian

He was born in Canada. Not sure what he was billed from in his time in ECW.

Mr. Fuji: Nationality Japanese

I get that he was born in Hawaii, but mostly billed from Japan (if not entirely).

Cactus Jack/Rocky Maivia: Relationship None

I don't believe they were friends in 1998, and according to Foley's 1st book Foley advocated the WWE releasing the Rock in mid 1997.

Chris Benoit/Perry Saturn: Relationship None

Seems early for this.

Chris Jericho/Lance Storm: Relationship Loyalty

Reading Jericho's books, it's clear him and Storm are very very close. His "best friend" in the business.

Taz/Sabu: Relationship Dislike

I believe Taz and Sabu didn't like the other at all, despite the friendship relationship listed. Taz said that (I believe in the Rise and Fall of ECW documentary) that his hatred of Sabu is what helped make their feud so memorable.

Kevin Nash and Scott Hall/Hulk Hogan: Relationship None

Hogan talks about in his book (which seems off anyway) that he, Nash and Hall put their past differences aside to look out for one another in 2002. So I doubt the friendship.

Chris Jericho/Bret Hart: Relationship None

I understand the Dungeon connection, but Jericho seems to barely know Hart, in his book once referencing how he randomly gave Bret a finish in 1995. I doubt they were friends in 1998 when Bret just got to WCW.

Shawn Michaels/Sid Vicious: Relationship None

Nothing in Michaels book indicated Sid and HBK were friends. He mentioned that he got a nice match out of Sid.

Bret Hart/Sid Vicious and Vader: Relationship None

No indication of a friendship either (for both Bret/Vader, Bret/Sid).

Ric Flair and Chainsaw Charlie: Relationship None

Flair seems to think highly of Funk in his book.

Overall, I would say a lot of relationships should be deleted. A lot of the friendships just seem unnecessary. A lot of them seem based on whether or not guys worked with one another (Bret Hart/Yokozuna, Bret Hart/Kevin Nash, Taker/Kane)or were a tag team or a group (Hogan liking Nash, Hall, (forgot off the top of my head who seemed to violate this) or guys who may have some connection to one another because it seems like it made sense (Jericho/Bret, Bret/Henry, Jericho/Rey Jr.)

Ahmad Bradshaw was released. I'm sure he'll get some attention from some teams.

Gotta hand it to the Ravens. They withstood the comeback and held on.

Yes..there sure was holding there at the end...

If the catch was a shoe-in I'd complain about it more, but Crabtree still had to make a leaping grab and get both feet in, not a guarantee. I'm usually all for let them play.

Gotta hand it to the Ravens. They withstood the comeback and held on.