Mar

31

Welcome Russ

Filed Under Pro Wrestling/MMA, Russ Cohen, Sports | Leave a Comment

McD Note – Russ Cohen, the founder, owner and top writer at Sportsology.com (as well as a host on XM’s Home Ice channel) ,  has become a good friend of mine through our travels covering the Flyers and the Phillies. Russ is an easy-going guy who can hold his own discussing a wide range of topics: music, computers, sports, films…you name it and Russ has a well formed opinion. He won’t bash you over the head with it (unlike me) and he makes logical points to balance his opinions. So when he found out about my ‘lil thing going on over here he offered to write…and I took him up on it. I think this might be a good place to let Russ loose without the restrictions of a “formal” website.

Anyway, hope you enjoy Cohen’s stuff as much as I do.

Lisa Marie Varon was better known as Victoria (r, photos by Sportsology) in the WWE and now that she’s retired the federation will take yet another hit in the already weakened women’s division.  Having her lose her final match against Michelle McCool was yet another slap in her face. She was a former two-time champion and these days when you leave the WWE its almost always with a loss and that’s sad.

I had the chance to interview her before Wrestlemania XX and the Hair vs. Title match with Molly Holly. Before she got into character she had noticed my last name and said, “Hello Russ, by the way I’m in the tribe”. I was stunned, and really caught off guard. She told me about her Sephardic Jewish heritage, which explains her exotic good looks. She also mentioned that her father was from the Bronx and I knew she was telling the truth by the way she was pointing her finger at me – no not that finger.

She then told me about some times that she used to spend in New York, in the Bronx and in her uncle’s barber shop. Again it was a nice unexpected conversation that I had with her and that showed me how personable she really was.

That night I had the chance to interview Trish Stratus, and Torrie was there but she was too swamped to talk to but I thought Victoria was easily the best interview of the evening. Don’t get me wrong Trish was great, but Victoria was just a bit better maybe because she didn’t get bombarded like the other two did that night or maybe because she felt more comfortable in New York.

She was always a hard worker and fun to watch even when the federation was ruining her character, and make no mistake at times they did just to have a “hot chick” try and climb the charts in the women’s division. Varon could wrestle but many of the women in the last few year’s can’t. I think we all know who they are.

I can’t wait to see what she does next. Who knows if she will be in the public eye or not but I will keep an eye out for her because she knows how to entertain. If nothing else I can always get my car worked on at Black Widow Customs in Louisville, Kentucky where she is likely to be spending some time in the future.