SummerSlam 2016 is this Sunday (+Every Summer Slam Match Ranked...1-228)

About 2 decades ago, I started giving previews/reviews of WWF PPVs to Kirk Hiner; how did Kirk Hiner find out about the Austin 3:16 promo - I read it to him after the show.  Perhaps losing something in the translation.

That's turned into my previewing the "big 4" WWE PPVs in this space, which I've been doing since 2008.  Summer Slam is this Sunday, it's in Brooklyn, and it's going to be a happening.

WWE Title: Dean Ambrose v. Dolph Zigger
-When last we left, at Mania 32, Roman Reigns (boooo!....boooo!) was stubbornly continuing an unopular babyface title run, a couple of months ago that belt was moved to a returning Seth Rollins and then immediately to a briefcase cashing in Dean Ambrose, all 3 members of the Shield WWE Champions on the same night.

Subsequently, WWE engineered a "brand split" - making Ambrose exclusively a Smackdown wrestler.  Ziggler won a multiple man match to make him #1 contender and they've done a babyface/babyface program "they're friends, I guess, but they'll do anything to win the title, hey, that wasn't so friendly what he did - hey, they're gonna go right now, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE A SUMMERFEST!"

Neither man is at his hottest, despite the title belt, Ambrose feels more homogenized than his best historical antecedents (Pillman...Piper...) he's a kid friendly crazy man.  Ziggler, in a different timeline is 21st century Shawn Michaels as opposed to a guy seen by the promotion as just an interchangeable body.

Should be a very good match, Ambrose should keep the belt - a heel turn by Ziggler would make sense.

Edit - it was a very basic match, Ambrose kept. 15 min 3 stars

WWE Universal Title: Seth Rollins v. Finn Balor
-Given that the Olympics are in Rio - an angle claiming that this belt was created in a Brazilian tournament would have been my preference.  Since Smackdown's got the title - RAW needs one to, so this becomes the other Heavyweight belt.  Rollins was gifted this slot, Balor beat the aforementioned Reigns, in a significant shift away from the direction of the promotion given that it was Balor's debut on the main roster.

The build has focused on what...I guess...is an alternate persona of Balor's "The Demon King" - which is Balor with face paint; it's unclear if he'll be presented as having mystical powers (or if he'll eat worms; his entrance is a little too Boogeyman for me).

Should be an excellent match; it's Balor's main roster PPV debut, fair to call it his biggest ever match; lower than 4 stars would be a disappointment.  I'd expect a Balor win and a short title run.

Edit - Balor fought through a torn labrum and a crowd that wasn't really into most of the match to win the title, 19 min 4 stars

Brock Lesnar (w/Heyman) v. Randy Orton
-Intriguing match here, Orton's returning from a long injury related layoff and is apparently ready to resume a spot at the top of the card on the babyface side - it's Lesnar's return from a successful UFC fight (PED failure taking the shine of that success, admittedly).  Brock, rightly so, doesn't lose a helluva lot, given his performance and nature of the character - but a loss would be a weird way to re-debut Orton.   Lesnar's work record, up until Mania 32, was pretty unimpeachable in this run - but this is a match that might not come together.  Not sure how motivated Brock will be to put a guy like Randy Orton over - which, I think, is the more likely outcome.  Dominant Lesnar match - RKO - Orton wins.

Edit - Brock won in 11 on a brutal blood stoppage that I dug the most.  3 1/2 

AJ Styles v. John Cena
-AJ came into the promotion after a hot run with New Japan and apparently surprised some in management with his level of name recognition to a fanbase which had never been exposed to him via WWE television. He lost more than won, because that's how WWE does you, then turned heel to begin this program with Cena.  AJ's marginally had the better end of the deal, but that should come to an end here in a good match.

Edit - 23 min, it was a very good match with Syles going over clean it what seemed like a match a guy loses who is leaving the territory 4 1/4

US Title Rusev (w/Lana) v. Roman Reigns
-The masked Kalisto was the US Champ when last we left - he dropped to Rusev, who has returned to his original ass kicking Eastern European with the superhot valet (now wife) gimmick.  The honor of the US is being defended by Reigns, whose PED suspension and continued inability to get over at the level needed of a babyface world champion, has resulted in his slide down the card.  It's a solid powerhouse program; Reigns won a long, not particularly good, match on the go home RAW which would seemingly indicate the match goes the other way here; if it does, it's a screwjob, so we'll pick that and say the feud must continue.

Edit - match didn't happen, they brawled before bell.  

Tag Team Titles New Day v. The Club
Anderson and Gallows were ass kicking tag champs in Japan, so now they're doing a comedic act with lab coats and urine.  New Day is the longest reigning tag champs ever, but are (maybe) going without Kingston here, as he was storyline injured in the program.  I'm not a big New Day fan; wrestling comedy, as mentioned in this space before, is sort of like comedy in porn, even when its not terrible it's not why you're at the game.  A title change makes some sense here.

Edit - 9 min, Jon Stewart involved, there wasn't really a finish, it was bad, 1 1/4 stars

IC Title: Miz (w/Maryse) v. Apollo Crews
-Miz's wife joined the act since last we left; he took the IC from Zach Ryder, improbable winner at WM32, and now is programmed against young Crews, just up from developmental - this seems the most likely of the screwjob leading to a rematch booking scenarios.  Crews is good - Miz is Miz.

Edit - 5:30, Miz clean, nothing match. 2 stars

Women's Title: Sasha Banks v. Charlotte
-This is the new belt, launched at Mania with Charlotte winning, and switched over to Sasha since.  Ric is now out of his daughter's act and has left the promotion - Charlotte's a limited worker (all the women are sort of limited, outside of Asuka in developmental, but don't say that too loudly) Sasha's better, and she probably gives back the belt in a good match.

Edit - Charlotte did get the belt back in a 14 minute match, it was a mess. 2 3/4 

Kevin Owens/Chris Jericho v. Enzo/Cass
-Speaking of limited, lets discuss Cass and Enzo, who have become popular since coming up from developmental in spite of being...not great...in the ring.  Owens and Jericho are a makeshift heel team that is put together to break up and feud, only question is when that happens.

Edit - 12 min, solid enough, basic but well done basic, 3 stars, heels going over.

Best of 7: Cesaro v. Sheamus
-New workrate feud, Cesaro and Sheamus are launching a Best of 7 series that should be good; Sheamus isn't at Cesaro's level as a worker but he should still be game for some good matches.

Edit - pre-show match, good, 3 1/2 stars. Sheamus went over

There's also a 6 Woman tag just made this week.

Edit - and it was 11 minutes of boring 1 star.

This is a good show; I'd go out of my way to see Rollins/Balor and there are 3-4 other matches that I'd expect to deliver.  It's a show worth the PPV money they should still be charging in a smarter business model.

Some number of these matches will be on the pre-show and not make their way to the below list - where I've ranked every one of the 228 matches in SummerSlam history.

1.       1994 WWF Title Cage: Bret Hart d. Owen Hart 32 min 4 ¾

2.       1992 IC Davey Boy Smith d. Bret Hart 25 min 4 ¾

3.       2000 Tags: TLC: Edge/Christian d. Hardys d. Dudleys 15 min 4 ½

4.       1995 IC Ladder: Shawn Michaels d. Razor Ramon 25min 4 ½ 
5.    2013 No DQ: Brock Lesnar d. CM Punk 25min 4 1/4  

6.       1991 IC: Bret Hart d. Mr. Perfect 18 min 4 ¼

7.       2009 WWE Title TLC: CM Punk d. Jeff Hardy 21:30 4 ¼ 
8.    2013 WWE Title Daniel Bryan d. John Cena 27 min 4 1/4 

9.       2011 World Title No Holds Barred: Christian d. Randy Orton 23:30 4 ¼

10.       1996 WWF Title: Shawn Michaels d. Vader 22 min 4

11.       2002 Nonsanctioned: Shawn Michaels d. HHH 27:30 4

12.   2000 2/3 Falls Chris Benoit d. Chris Jericho 13 min 4

13.   2008 HIAC: Undertaker d. Edge 26 min 4

14.   2011 WWF Title: CM Punk d. John Cena 24 min 4
15        2014 WWF Title: Brock Lesnar d. John Cena 16:30 4

16.   1989 Brainbusters d. Hart Foundation 16 min 4

       

17.   2004: World: Randy Orton d. Chris Benoit 20 min 3 ¾

18.   1998 IC Ladder: HHH d. Rock 26 min 3 ¾

19.   2001 WWF Title: Kurt Angle d. Steve Austin 22:30 3 ¾

20.   2003 WWF Title Kurt Angle d. Brock Lesnar 21 min 3 ¾ 
21.       2015 WWF Title: Seth Rollins d. John Cena 19 min 3 3/4
22.       2015 Kevin Owens d. Cesaro 14:30 min 3 3/4

23.   2012 Brock Lesnar d. HHH 18:30 3 ¾

24.   1999 WWF Title: Mankind d. Steve Austin/HHH 16:30 3 ¾

25.   2010 Team WWE d. Team Nexus 35:30 3 ¾

26.   1989 Rick Martel/Rougeaus d. Rockers/Tito Santana 15 min 3 ¾

27.   2004 Kurt Angle d. Eddie Guerrero 3 ½

28.   2001 Hardcore Ladder: RVD d. Jeff Hardy 16:30 3 ½

29.   2002 IC: RVD d. Chris Benoit 16:30 3 ½

30.   1997 IC: Steve Austin d. Owen Hart 16 min 3 ½

31.   1998 Lion’s Den: Ken Shamrock d. Owen Hart 9 min 3 ½

32.   2012 Chris Jericho d. Dolph Ziggler 13 min 3 ½

33.   2009 IC: Rey Mysterio d. Dolph Ziggler 12:30 min 3 ½   

34.   1997 WWF Title: Bret Hart d. Undertaker 28 min 3 ½
35.       2015 Undertaker d. Brock Lesnar 17 min 3 1/2  

36.   1990 Tags: Hart Foundation d. Demolition 15:30 3 ½

37.   1992 Ultimate Warrior d. Randy Savage 26 min 3 ½

38.   1997 Cage: Mankind d. HHH 16 min 3 ½ 
39.  2013 World: Alberto del Rio d. Christian 12:30 3 1/2

40.   2003 Eddie Guerrero d. Chris Benoit/Tajiri/Rhyno 10:30 3 ½

41.   2009 DX d. Cody Rhodes/Ted Dibiase, Jr. 20 min 3 ½  

42.   1993 Tatanka/Smoking Gunns d. Bam Bam Bigelow/Headshrinkers 11 min 3 ½

43.   1988 British Bulldogs draw Rougeaus 20 min. 3 ½

44.   1996 Boiler Room Brawl Mankind d. Undertaker 27 min 3 ½

45.   2005 Ladder: Rey Mysterio d. Eddie Guerrero 20:30 3 ¼ 
46.       2014 Bray Wyatt d. Chris Jericho 13 min 3 1/4 

47.   2002: Edge d. Eddy Guerrero 12 min 3 ¼

48.   2011 Wade Barrett d. Daniel Bryan 11:30 3 ¼   

49.   1995 Hakushi d. 123 Kid 9 min 3 ¼ 
50.       2015 Roman Reigns/Dean Ambrose d. Bray Wyatt/Luke Harper 11 min 3 1/4 

51.   1999 Test d. Shane McMahon 12 min 3 ¼

52.   1998 Hair: 123 Kid d. Jeff Jarrett 11 min 3 ¼

53.   1998 WWF Title: Steve Austin d. Undertaker 21 min 3 ¼

54.   2000 WWF Title: Rock d. Kurt Angle/HHH 20 min 3 ¼

55.   2006 WWF Title Edge d. John Cena 15:30 3 ¼  

56.   2010 RAW Title: Randy Orton d. Sheamus 19 min 3 ¼ 
57.       2015 Sheamus d. Randy Orton 12 min 3 1/4 

58.   1993 Tags: Steiners d. Heavenly Bodies 9:30 3 ¼ 

59.   1989 IC Title: Ultimate Warrior d. Rick Rude 16 min 3 ¼

60.   2002 Kurt Angle d. Rey Mysterio 9 min 3

61.   2001 IC: Edge d. Lance Storm 11 min 3

62.   2001 Jr: XPac d. Tajiri 7 min 3
63.       2014 Seth Rollins d. Dean Ambrose 11 min 3 

64.   2006 I Quit: Ric Flair d. Mick Foley 13 min 3 

65.   2001 WCW Title: Rock d. Booker T 15 min 3

66.   2005 WWF Title John Cena d. Chris Jericho 15 min 3

67.   1988 Tags: Demolition d. Hart Foundation 10 min 3

68.   1994 IC: Razor Ramon d. Diesel 15 min 3

69.   2002 WWF Title: Brock Lesnar d. Rock 16:30 3

70.   2004 Dudleys d. Rey Mysterio/Paul London/Billy Kidman 8 min 3

71.   2011 Rey Mysterio/John Morrison/Kofi Kingston d. Miz/R Truth/Alberto del Rio 9:30 3

72.   1993 Bret Hart d. Doink 10 min 3

73.   2007 Rey Mysterio d. Chavo Guerrero 12 min 3

74.   2008 MVP d. Jeff Hardy 10 min 3

75.   1996 Owen Hart d. Savio Vega 13:30 3

76.   2008 World CM Punk d. JBL 11 min 3

77.   2012 World: Sheamus d. Alberto del Rio 11:30 3

78.   1995 Bret Hart d. Isaac Yankem 16 min 3

79.   2012 IC: Miz d. Rey Mysterio 9 min 3

80.   1992 Shawn Michaels draw Rick Martel 8 min 3

81.   1991 Virgil d. Ted DiBiase 13 min 3

82.   2007 WWF: John Cena d. Randy Orton 21 min 3
83.       2014 Roman Reigns d. Randy Orton 16:30 3

84.   2008 Batista d. John Cena 13:30 3

85.   2003 Elimination Chamber 19 min 3

86.   1999 Tag Team Gauntlet 16:30 3

87.   1997 Davey Boy Smith d. Ken Shamrock 7:30

88.   1999 Lion’s Den: Ken Shamrock d. Steve Blackman 9 min

89.   2000 Hardcore: Shane McMahon d. Steve Blackman 10 min

90.   2007 ECW: John Morrison d. CM Punk 7 min
91.      2014 IC: Dolph Ziggler d. Miz 8 min

92.   2005 Randy Orton d. Undertaker 17 min

93.   2004 IC: Edge d. Chris Jericho/Batista 8:30 min

94.   2001 Chris Jericho d. Rhyno 12:30

95.   1994 Women: Alundra Blayze d. Bull Nakano 8 min

96.   1999 IC/Euro: Jeff Jarrett d. DLo Brown 7:30

97.   1993 Razor Ramon d. Ted DiBiase 7:30

98.   1996 Goldust d. Marc Mero 11 min

99.   1998 Euro: DLo Brown d. Val Venis 15:30

100.   2005 Edge d. Matt Hardy 5 min

101.   2012 WWF Title: CM Punk d. John Cena/Big Show 14:30

102.   2006 Chavo Guerrero d. Rey Mysterio 11 min

103.   2012 Daniel Bryan d. Kane 8 min
104.       2015 Tags: New Day d.. Prime Time Players/Los Matadores/Lucha Dragons 10 min
105.       2014 Rusev d. Jack Swagger 9 min

106.   2002: Ric Flair d. Chris Jericho 10:30

107.   2004 HHH d. Eugene 14 min

108.   2010: Smackdown Title: Kane d. Rey Mysterio 12:30

109.   2003: Kane d. RVD 12:30

110.   2005 Kurt Angle d. Eugene 5 min

111.   2007 IC: Umaga d. Carlito/Ken Kennedy 7:30

112.   1989 Hulk Hogan/Brutus Beefcake d. Randy Savage/Zeus 15 min

113.   1988 Hulk Hogan/Randy Savage d. Ted DiBiase/Andre the Giant 14:30 min

114.   1990 Power&Glory d. Rockers 6 min

115.                        2011 Mark Henry d. Sheamus 9:30

116.                        2007 Kane d. Fit Finlay 9 min

117.                        1999 Hardcore: Al Snow d. Boss Man 7:30

118.                        1999 Rock d. Billy Gunn 10 min

119.                        1993 WWF Title: Lex Luger d. Yokozuna 18 min

120.                        1991 Ricky Steamboat/Davey Boy Smith/Kerry von Erich d. Warlord/Power&Glory                                                                                                                                                 10:30

121.                        2005 Hulk Hogan d. Shawn Michaels 21:30

122.                        1993 Shawn Michaels d. Mr. Perfect 11:30

123.                        2009 Tags: Chris Jericho/Big Show d. Cryme Tyme 9:30

124.                        2012 Tags: R-Truth/Kofi Kingston d. PTP 7 min

125.                        2009 WWF Title Randy Orton d. John Cena 21 min
126.            2013 Cody Rhodes d. Damien Sandow 6:30

127.                        2008 WWF Title HHH d. Khali 9:30

128.                        2007 Booker T d. HHH 8 min

129.                        2006 DX d. Vince McMahon/Shane McMahon 13 min

130.                        2006 World Batista d. Booker 10:30

131.                        2004 JBL d. Undertaker 17:30 min

132.                        2005 World: Batista d. JBL 9 min

133.                        2002 Un-Americans d. Goldust/Booker T 9:30

134.                        1999 Tags: Undertaker/Big Show d. XPac/Kane 12 min

135.                        2001 Tags: Undertaker/Kane d. DDP/Kanyon 10 min

136.                        2006 ECW Title: Big Show d. Sabu 8:30

137.                        2009 MVP d. Jack Swagger 6 min
138.                   2015 IC: Ryback d. Miz/Show 5:30 min

139.                        1995 Barry Horowitz d. Skip 11:30

140.                        1991 Big Boss Man d. Jacques Rougeau 9:30

141.                        2001 Dudleys/Test d. APA/Spike Dudley 7 min
142.            2013 Ring of Fire: Bray Wyatt d. Kane 7:30

143.                        1997 LOD d. Godwinns 10 min

144.                        1988 Powers of Pain d. Bolsheviks 5:30

145.                        1994 Bam Bam Bigelow/IRS d. Headshrinkers 7 min

146.                        1993 Jerry Lawler d. Bret Hart 6:30

147.                        2004 Kane d. Matt Hardy 6 min

148.                        1996 Smoking Gunns d. Bodydonnas d. New Rockers d. Godwinns 12 min
149.                   2015 Neville/Stephen Amell d. Stardust/Wade Barrett 7:30 min
150.                  2014 Women: Paige d. AJ Lee 5 min

151.                        1989 Ted DiBiase d. Jimmy Snuka 6:30

152.                        1990 IC: Kerry von Erich d. Mr. Perfect 5 min

153.                        1993 IRS d. 123 Kid 6 min

154.                        1990 Hulk Hogan d. Earthquake 13 min

155.                        1990 WWF Title Cage Match: Ultimate Warrior d. Rick Rude 10 min

156.                        1991 Tags: Street Fight: LOD d. Nasty Boys 6:30

157.                        1991 Hulk Hogan/Ultimate Warrior d. Sgt. Slaughter/Mustafa/Adnan 12:30

158.                        1995 HHH d. Sparky Plugg 7 min

159.                        2010 IC Dolph Ziggler no contest Kofi Kingston  7 min
160.                   2015 Dolph Ziggler no contest Rusev 11 min

161.                        1997 Boriquas d. DOA 9 min

162.                        2003 Tags: LaResistance d. Dudley Boys 8 min

163.                        1998 Tags: New Age Outlaws d. Mankind 5 min

164.                        2000 IC: Eddy Guerrero/Chyna d. Val Venis/Trish Stratus 7 min

165.                        2011 Women: Kelly Kelly d. Beth Phoenix 6:30

166.                        2000 XPac d. Road Dogg 4:30

167.                        2004 John Cena d. Booker T 6 min

168.                        2003 Undertaker d. A-Train 9 min

169.                        2002 Undertaker d. Test 8 min
170.                   2014 Stephanie McMahon d. Brie Bella 10 min

171.                        2010 Big Show d. CM Punk/Luke Gallows/Joey Mercury 6:30
72                   2015 Team PCB d. Team Bella d. Team BAD 15 min

173.                        1989 Mr. Perfect d. Red Rooster 3:30 
174.            2013 Dolph Ziggler/Kaitlyn d. Big E Langston/AJ Lee

175.                        1988 Big Boss Man d. Koko B. Ware 6 min

176.                        1990 Jake Roberts d. Bad News Brown 4:30

177.                        1990 Warlord d. Tito Santana 5:30

178.                        1993 Ludwig Borga d. Marty Janetty 5 min

179.                        1996 Sid d. Davey Boy Smith 6 min

180                        2000 Jerry Lawler d. Tazz 4:30

181.                        2000 RTC d. Rikishi/Too Cool 5 min

182.                        1992 Tags: Natural Disasters d. Beverly Brothers 10:30

183.                        1992 LOD d. Money Inc  15 min

184.                        1991 IRS d. Greg Valentine 4 min

185.                        1990 Randy Savage d. Dusty Rhodes 2 min

186.                        2005 US: Chris Benoit d. Orlando Jordan 30 sec

187.                        1988 IC Title: Ultimate Warrior d. Honky Tonk Man :30

188.                        2009 ECW Christian d. William Regal :30

189.                        2011 WWF Title: Alberto del Rio d. CM Punk :30

190.                        2008 ECW Matt Hardy d. Mark Henry :30
191.            2013 WWF Title: Randy Orton d. Daniel Bryan :30

192.                        1992 Undertaker d. Kamala 3:30

193.                        1990 Hacksaw Duggan/Nikolai Volkoff d. Orient Express 3:30

194.                        1995 Smoking Gunns d. Blu Brothers 6 min

195.                        1992 Crush d. Repo Man 5:30

196.                        1988 Dino Bravo d. Don Muraco 5:30

197.                        1989 Hacksaw Duggan/Demolition d. Andre the Giant/Boss Man/Akeem 7:30

198.                        1998 Edge/Sable d. Marc Mero/Jacqueline 8:30

199.                        2003 Shane McMahon d. Eric Bischoff 10:30
200.                        2006 Hulk Hogan d. Randy Orton 11 min

201.                        1989 Greg Valentine d. Hercules 3 min

202.                        1988 Rick Rude d. JYD 6:30

203.                        1992 Nailz d. Virgil 4 min

204.                        1997 Goldust d. Brian Pillman 7 min

205.                        1994 Tatanka d. Lex Luger 6 min

206.                        2009 Kane d. Khali 6 min

207.                        1988 Bad News Brown d. Ken Patera 6:30

208.                        1991 Natural Disasters d. Bushwackers 6:30

209.                        1998 Oddities d. Kaientai 10 min

210.                        2008 IC/Women Santino/Beth Phoenix d. Kofi Kingston/Mickie James 5:30

211.                        2000 Undertaker no contest Kane 6 min

212.                        1993 Undertaker d. Giant Gonzalez 8 min

213.                        1994 Jeff Jarrett d. Mabel 6 min

214.                        1989 Dusty Rhodes d. Honky Tonk Man 9:30

215.                        1988 Jake Roberts d. Hercules 10 min

216.                        1994 Undertaker d. Undertaker 9 min

217.                        1995 WWF Title: Diesel d. Mabel 9 min
218.            2013 Natalya d. Brie Bella 4 min

219.                        1995 Women: Bertha Faye d. Alundra Blayze 5 min

220.                        1999 Women: Ivory d. Tori 4 min

221.                        2000 Women: Kat d. Terri 3 min

222.                        2010 Women: Melina d. Alicia Fox 5:30

223.                        2007 World: Batista d. Khali 7 min

224.                        1996 Jerry Lawler d. Jake Roberts 4 min

225.                        1995 Undertaker d. Kamala 16:30

226.                        1990 Sherri d. Sapphire (forfeit)

227.                        2007 Diva Battle Royal 7 min

228.                        2004 Diva Dodge Ball 3 min

Tendown August 7, 2016

236 is here. This is Tendown 237.

1. Reich v. Hedges

Reich: I think that Hillary will be a good president, if not a great president. This is not just trucking in fear, Chris. But I do fear Donald Trump. I fear the polls that I saw yesterday. Now, polls, again, this early in a campaign still—we’re still months away from the election, but they are indicative. They show Donald Trump doing exceedingly well, beating Hillary Clinton. And right now, given our two-party system, given our winner-take-all system with regard to the Electoral College, it’s just too much of a risk to go and to say, "Well, I’m going to vote—I’m not going to vote for the lesser of two evils, I’m going to vote exactly what I want to do." Well, anybody can do that, obviously. This is a free country. You vote what you—you vote your conscience. You have to do that. I’m just saying that your conscience needs to be aware that if you do not support Hillary Clinton, you are increasing the odds of a true, clear and present danger to the United States, a menace to the United States. And you’re increasing the possibility that there will not be a progressive movement, there will not be anything we believe in in the future, because the United States will really be changed for the worse.

Hedges: You can’t build movements in a political system where money has replaced the vote. It’s impossible. And the Democrats, you know, their bedside manner is different from the Republicans. You know, Trump is this kind of grotesque figure. He’s like the used car salesman who rolls back the speedometer. But Hillary Clinton is like, you know, the managers of Goldman Sachs. They both engage in criminal activities that have—and Clinton’s record, like Trump, exposes this—that have preyed upon the most vulnerable within this country and are now destroying the middle class. And to somehow speak as if we are in a functioning democracy, or speak as if there are any restraints on capitalism, or speak as if the Democratic Party has not pushed forward this agenda—I mean, Obama has done this. You know, he has been as obsequious to Wall Street as the Bush administration. There’s no difference.

2. Clinton's Record

Donald Trump is a scary and unpredictable bigot who should never hold public office. Yet, Clinton is far from being progressive, let alone liberal, and in fact is an agent of the status quo: a nation of unprecedented social inequity, economic inequality, militarism and structural racism. Additionally, there is no evidence to support claims that Clinton will actively support "reasonable" gun laws, LGBTQ rights and parental leave. There is, however, evidence that she will perpetuate legal and institutionalized racial violence against Black and Brown people through the "war on drugs," mass incarceration, economic austerity, militarism, immigration policy, the ongoing subjugation of Native people and summary executions by the police. While Clinton may "heed" climate science, her past and present cozy relationship with the fossil fuel industry does not bode well for her taking a lead in advancing urgent solutions for climate change. Yes, she will support Obamacare because it is in line with her market-based worldview. Still, let's stop perpetuating myths about Obamacare. It is a highly inequitable and ineffective system that mandates people to buy increasingly expensive plans that provide extensively inadequate health care coverage from nefarious insurance companies. Under the reign of Obamacare, the less money you have, the shi**ier the health care coverage you get. We must only support candidates that will advance a comprehensive single-payer healthcare system. In terms of fear about Supreme Court nominees and the overturning of decisions like Roe v. Wade -- as with the 14th and 15th Amendments and the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision -- the age-old problem of federal enforcement and states rights have systematically been reversing Roe v. Wade, particularly within the last 5 years. Even if Clinton wanted to take such action (more than likely halfheartedly), she cannot do anything about those structural realities that impede lasting legal solutions that protect civil and human rights.

At the very least, if you choose to support Clinton out of fear of a Trump presidency, then do so without perpetuating the multitude of myths and lies that portray Clinton as a champion of equity and social justice.

3. Did You Know This About Dental Floss?

When the federal government issued its latest dietary guidelines this year, the flossing recommendation had been removed, without notice. In a letter to the AP, the government acknowledged the effectiveness of flossing had never been researched, as required.

The AP looked at the most rigorous research conducted over the past decade, focusing on 25 studies that generally compared the use of a toothbrush with the combination of toothbrushes and floss. The findings? The evidence for flossing is "weak, very unreliable," of "very low" quality, and carries "a moderate to large potential for bias."

"The majority of available studies fail to demonstrate that flossing is generally effective in plaque removal," said one review conducted last year. Another 2015 review cites "inconsistent/weak evidence" for flossing and a "lack of efficacy."

4. Paying for Punishment

Perhaps the most important lesson to be learned from the brutal history of American debt peonage and convict leasing is that many of the foundations of racial inequality are economic. Racism and white supremacy are often understood as either psychological or socially constructed ideas, thoughts, and feelings. But Jim Crow’s coercive labor practices; race-based contract housing, redlining, and subprime lending; and today’s cycle of debt and imprisonment remind us that the economic life of racism is arguably its most enduring feature. While public discourse and protocol have changed since the civil rights movement—presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump not withstanding—successful challenges to the deeper material inequities of racialized wealth and opportunity have proved more elusive. The foreclosure crisis triggered by the Great Recession, which impacted twice as many black homeowners as it did white, is another reminder that racism is at its most destructive when intertwined with economic structures that facilitate profiting off the misfortunes of others.

5. Cindy Sheehan

The next time someone says that Trump is singular in his attacks on the Khans, consider...

“Cindy Sheehan is a clown,” said Bush’s senior adviser and dirty trickster Karl Rove, whose management of the media ecosystem was unparalleled. The Washington Postreported at the time that Sheehan was a frequent topic of conversation between the president and his advisers. And somehow, some way, Rove’s sentiment trickled down into every pore of the conservative press. Bill O’Reilly called Sheehan “dumb enough” to get “in bed” with the radical left. Glenn Beck called Sheehan a “tragedy pimp” who was “prostituting her son’s death.” Rush Limbaugh said she was somehow lying about having lost her son.

And now consider her views on Democrats.

She sounded unsurprised by the state of the party in 2016, shaken by a primary challenge from a (relatively) dovish, social-democratic coalition led by Sen. Bernie Sanders. Sheehan sighed at the idea of people at the DNC chanting “no more war” at the ex-director of the CIA and getting drowned out by a distinctly Trumpish chant of “U-S-A! U-S-A!”

“What Trump says is rhetorically belligerent,” she said. “But what Clinton and the Democrats actually did, it killed people. Why was the Khans’ son in Iraq? Why was my son in Iraq?” (Khizr Khan has made the same point, albeit a little more gently: “As a Muslim American I feel that these policies are not in the interest of the United States of America. ... We have created a chaos.”)

“That’s where the debate should be,” Sheehan went on. “If you support Hillary, I don’t really care, but you need to know what you’re supporting.

6.

7. Trump is cratering.

Not Clinton caused, obviously.  Trump is just a disasterous general election candidate who would have lost to any Democratic nominee.

So why were there so many articles about how Sanders wasn't electable - about how the Trump crackerjack opposition research would have attacked him as a dirty atheist commie such that it would render him unelectable?  Could it be all of that was just nonsense - that Clinton, deeply unpopular Hillary Clinton was, in fact, not a better bet than Sanders to win the general election?  That, much like 1976, this election is a layup for the Democrats to head as left as they'd like without electoral penalty.

And the choice is Hillary Clinton.  Just like she's the choice for neocons, the CIA, and Republican billionaires.

8. Did I Mention the CIA?

9. Always Read Jeb Lund.

Trained for years by a conservative movement that condemns all reporting and excites their every terror without taking steps to alleviate it, they have adopted a commitment to dietrologia that would feel familiar to any shrugging Italian political wonk searching for the hand of intent behind government sclerosis, corruption and indifference.

They have internalized that “behindology” way of thinking, programmed by a system that orchestrates fanatical, verbally violent opposition in ultimate service to gridlock and stasis. They know that things are broken by design, because you cannot break something as vast as America without cooperation and a plan.

They understand on an elemental level that this is partially a game, and no amount of gaffe soundbites can strip away this understanding. There’s a reason why Trump begins every speech by updating the score. You cannot unhouse someone who believes that all politics is surface and all motive hidden by showing them a candidate who makes it so plain that he will say anything to close a deal.

Trump is in on the gag, and by listening to them, he has invited them to be in on the gag too.

Did they know that Trump used to donate heavily to Democrats? Of course he did, that’s how the system works. Did they know that he contradicted himself on two different days? Of course he did, lying is how you get elected. Did you hear him say this crazy shit? Sure, it’s hilarious. Do you care that he’s all over the map? No, because, when push comes to shove, he’s always said he’ll make America great again. That’s the deal he’s trying to close.

There is no answer for these people in the other party, and if there ever had been, the Democratic National Convention tore it apart.

After bearing witness to a near revolutionary insurgency in the Democratic ranks, they watched as the only other candidate who echoed their concerns, Bernie Sanders, knuckled under the power elite that Fox has spent nearly a generation telling them controls the Democratic Party.

They saw Sanders supporters shouted down by chants, as the Democratic old guard spent its final night force-marching the party toward the center, as raw and real a confirmation that both sides of the system congeal in an inviolate, unmoving mass as anyone could have wished for.

Donald Trump now owns the issue of our hollowed-out American economy by default, and he did it barely expending any energy. He did it as easily as a man walks into his living room. He got away with it simply by seeming to mean it — a tactic so simple, only Bernie Sanders also thought to try it.

We will be stuck with Trumpism for a long time, no matter who wins, either vindicated or aged with victimhood and rebottled into some sweeter vintage of human poison. It will be all things to all resentments, a protean sneer at the public record, an endlessly adaptive excuse for itself, a moment’s rootless justification for whatever is demanded next. It is now a faith nearly past the point of argument.

We have created these citizens, nurtured them in their resentment, enamored them of conflict, rewarded their energies with cant and inaction, and taught them to embrace only disbelief. 

10. Recurring Donations for Trump. Forever.

And finally...

That's all for this time.  I'll be back next time....if there is a next time....

Your pal,

Jim

Tendown July 31, 2016

This is 235. Let's read some Tendown 236.

Video: "USA" chants drown "no more war" as Retired Gen. John Allen speaks . #DemsInPhilly pic.twitter.com/8ZvEpgTNYQ

— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) July 29, 2016

1. Not as bad as "let's slur atheists" in terms of getting my vote, but this is not the church at which I pray.

“I don’t understand people who trash talk about America…who act as if we are not yet the greatest country that has ever been created.”

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 25, 2016

2. Who do the Neocons Support? One guess.

“I would say all Republican foreign policy professionals are anti-Trump,” leading neoconservative Robert Kagan told a group gathered around him, groupie-style, at a “foreign policy professionals for Hillary” fundraiser I attended last week. “I would say that a majority of people in my circle will vote for Hillary.”

As the co-founder of the neoconservative think tank Project for the New American Century, Kagan played a leading role in pushing for America’s unilateral invasion of Iraq, and insisted for years afterwards that it hadturned out great.

Despite the catastrophic effects of that war, Kagan insisted at last week’s fundraiser that U.S. foreign policy over the last 25 years has been “an extraordinary success.”

3. Thanks!

4. The correct way to think about the loud Sanders supporters yelling from the convention floor.

5. As opposed to this - this is the Justice blogger for Think Progress; prior to this campaign, you would have thought of him a reliably progressive.  My views about the world and his are almost certainly very closely aligned.

Except....

The Bernie deadenders at the DNC are garbage people.

— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) July 25, 2016

6. We can't win a game.  But...

7.

It's just a speech, but hard to complain too much about Clinton's.

8. Redbaiting.

9. Here's what you can't say at the Democratic Convention.

democrats.gif pic.twitter.com/3LMBYvXU7I

— Matt Bors (@MattBors) July 28, 2016

Here's what you can...

"many Democrats wrongly blame the private sector for our problems" -Mike Bloomberg

10. So, here's the editor of what used to be a lefty mag, Mother Jones, hitting a fringy left political party.

"What is the green party, momma. Is it Donald Trump's party?" --Milo, 8

we'll see

— Clara Jeffery (@ClaraJeffery) July 26, 2016

The logic of this is challenging.  

When Sanders did not pick up African-American votes; the view expressed by liberals was it was his fault.  It wasn't that the voters did not appreciate that Sanders would better assert their interests than Clinton, it was that Sanders did not effectively make the case.  Moreover, the thought continued, it's never the fault of the voters - if you want a vote, you need to earn it.  Sanders, in message, in effort, in the structure of his campaign, did not reach out sufficiently to people of color in the Obama coalition and it was his undoing.

Fair enough.  Sure, there weren't many liberals lining up against the "What's the Matter With Kansas" thesis but fine. I'm in.  It's not the voters.  It's the campaign. Sanders did not earn their votes.  Done.

However, in recent weeks, a clear narrative is being established to cover a possibility that Clinton doesn't win - it's the left's fault.  Some % of Sanders supporters will not vote for Clinton and if that causes Clinton to lose the Sanders campaign (or, in this circumstance, the Green Party) will be to blame.

Not the fault of the candidate.  Not the campaign.  Someone else.  

I'm comfortable with that narrative prediction as you don't have to dig more than an inch deep through liberal analysis of modern American history to find that Ralph Nader receives the blame for the 2000 election and therefore, for the Iraq War.  Liberals blame Ralph Nader for the Iraq War more than they blame Hillary Clinton, who voted for the Iraq War.

I want to put aside the fan fiction that a Gore Presidency has a substantially better foreign policy outcome than a Bush Presidency (although, for me, I am 100% convinced that if a Democrat was President on 9-11 every single GOP campaign forever would be "They let us get attacked" and it would be emboldened by mainstream media and the Democrats couldn't bomb people fast enough to try to demonstrate toughness) and instead just talk Nader.

The "it's Ralph's fault" thesis requires one to believe that Nader voters would have been Gore voters absent Nader.

I voted for Nader.  Absent Nader, I would not have voted.  Gore was not a consideration.  This is the benefit of being an old guy; I was around for these things.  

I did not vote for Clinton in '96.  I did not vote for Clinton in '92.  The third way Democrats, the DLC "era of big governmenmt is over" Democrats were not my party.  They weren't New Deal, War on Poverty Democrats.  They were "not as bad as Republicans, so come on you guys" Democrats.

You want to blame someone for 2000, you can't blame Nader, he just gave me someone to vote for instead of staying home or writing in Jesse Jackson.  You have to blame me. And that means we can blame voters for their votes, and then we need to have a discussion about when it's cool to do that and when it's not.  

I'm not voting Green; I'm most likely voting for Clinton.  I think it's the right vote to cast.  But please, if Clinton loses, how about blaming the Democratic Party for seeing incredible anger from those economically marginalized over the past 30 years and nominating the Wall St. candidate as opposed to blaming Jill Stein.  

And one more...

that's all for this time.  I'll be back next time...if there is a next time...

Your pal,

Jim

100 Games in - The Best MLB Players of 2016

Current playoff projections.

AL East
1. Toronto (89)
2. Boston (88)
3. Baltimore (88)

AL Central
1. Cleveland (92)
2. Detroit (85)

AL West
1. Texas (88)
2. Houston (88)

NL East
1. Wash (93)
2. NYM (87)
3. Miami (86)

NL Central
1. Chicago (96)
2. StLouis (86)

NL West
1. LAD (92)
2. SFG (91)

Catchers
1. B.Posey (SFG) 3.8
2.W.Ramos (Wash) 3.75

1st Base
1. A.Rizzo (Chi) 5.55
2. P. Goldschmidt (Ari) 3.7

2nd Base
1. J.Altuve (Hou) 4.75
2. R.Cano (Sea) 4.5

Shortstop
1. F. Lindor (Cle) 4.4
2. C. Seager (LAD) 3.55

Third Base
1. K. Bryant (Chi) 5.5
2. J.Donaldson (Tor) 4.95

LF
1. R. Braun (Mil) 3.45
2. C. Yelich (Mia) 3.3

CF
1. M. Trout (LAA) 5.45
2. J. Bradley (Bos) 3.9

RF
1. A. Eaton (CWS) 4.2
2. M. Betts (Bos) 4

DH
1. D.Ortiz (Bos) 4.1

SP
1. M.Bumgarner (SFG) 5
2. C.Kershaw (LAD) 4.9
3. N.Syndergaard (NYM) 4.3
4. C. Martinez (StL) 4.3
5. S.Strasburg (Wash) 4.05
6. J.Fernandez (Mia) 4
6. M.Scherzer (Wash) 4

RP
1. K. Jansen (LAD) 3.3
2. Z. Britton (Bal) 3.15
3. A. Miller (NYY) 2.7

July, 2016 Athlete of the Month

June is here.

Serena Williams.  Runners-up: Andy Murray, Henrik Stenson, Anthony Rizzo

Seven down. Who will be the 2016 Athlete of the Year?

January-Von Miller
February-Lionel Messi
March - Buddy Hield
April-Breanna Stewart
May - Klay Thompson
June - LeBron James
July-Serena Williams