Hello dear reader, this time I haven’t made you wait two or three weeks to read my column. Thank you for taking the time to join me. We have a bit to talk about for this edition of Mercer’s Mondayitis. Sit back, relax, and enjoy.
Vale Sam Backo and Loni Anderson
I’m saddened that I have to start another Monday column with the deaths of two people who no doubt brought joy to people’s lives.
Former rugby league player Sam Backo passed away on August 3 from Melioidosis. He was 64. Backo was one of the toughest front-rowers running around. Known as ‘Slammin Sam,’ Backo played for Fortitude Valley in the Queensland Rugby League and for the Canberra Raiders and Brisbane Broncos in the New South Wales Rugby League. He also had a stint in England, playing a season with Leeds.
Backo would also represent both Queensland and Australia. He was named in the Indigenous Team of the Century in 2001, and the Canberra Raiders’ All Indigenous team in 2004.
American actress Loni Anderson passed away on August 3, two days before her 80th birthday. The star’s long-time publicist, Cheryl J Kagan, said that Anderson passed away in a Los Angeles hospital following a prolonged illness.
Anderson was best known for TV shows such as WKRP in Cincinnati, Partners in Crime and movies such as the Jayne Mansfield story. Anderson married four times, with her most famous marriage being to Burt Reynolds.
From all of us here at Game On Oz, our thoughts and prayers go out to their family and friends.
NRL finals picture is not any clearer
It was a weekend of upsets in the NRL. Two of the top sides, the Raiders and the Bulldogs, both lost. Lucky for the Raiders, they are still points ahead of the Bulldogs and Storm. With a close loss to the Dolphins, the Warriors are in danger of dropping out of the top four. The last few weeks are important for the Warriors; wins are needed to stay in the top four. It’s just as crucial for the Dolphins; they are in the top eight and on their way to playing finals for the first time in the club’s history.
The Roosters’ win over the Sea Eagles was an important one, as it gave them a chance of making the eight. But the Sharks are still hanging about, with a big win over the Cowboys, and they are four points ahead of the Roosters. Despite the loss, the Sea Eagles are still in the hunt as well. The Dragons and Tigers are currently sitting on 20 points, but they will likely miss the finals.
It’s going to be a great last month of footy before the finals.
Did a trainer cost the Titans an epic victory?
I went to a housewarming party on Saturday afternoon, and so I missed the first two games on Super Saturday. When I first checked the score in the Panthers vs Titans game, the Panthers were up 24-nil. I forgot about the game until I got a message from a friend saying the game was awesome. I quickly checked the score, and to my surprise, it was 24-all with a kick to come. I couldn’t believe it; it was a miraculous comeback.
In the end, the Panthers won in golden point. But the news that came out of the game was that the trainer who ran in front of the Titans’ goal kicker was Jayden Campbell. Here is some footage of that incident:
If you’re new to rugby league, that is considered a no-no. Many people’s thoughts, including mine, were that Campbell should have taken the kick again, but from in front of the posts. Maybe I’m being a bit harsh; some people say it was an honest mistake. But honestly, trainers should know better.
Anyway, this afternoon, the NRL have hit the Panthers with a $50,000 fine and the trainer, Corey Bocking, has been suspended for five games.
Was the first two-night SummerSlam a success?
Short answer, I think it was. The only thing I don’t like is that the second fell on a Monday here, and I was at work and had to catch up later. But you know, first-world problems. WrestleMania, which took place over two nights, has been a success, so it should stay for SummerSlam as well.
As for whether the Royal Rumble and Survivor Series should be two nights, that’s probably not a good idea. The singles matches come second on those shows, so I couldn’t wait two nights to see a Royal Rumble match or a War Games match. I will admit that since the WWE introduced War Games at Survivor Series, it has revitalised the event.
Here are the SummerSlam highlights.
Brock Lesnar returns at SummerSlam
As you know, if you watched SummerSlam, Brock Lesnar returned to attack John Cena after his match with Cody Rhodes. The ‘Beast Incarnate’ was last seen in the WWE two years ago when he lost to Rhodes. For some, it was a surprise, but the signs of a Lesnar return were there. It feels like when Lesnar is seen again in public, like he was recently with his wife Rena ‘Sable’ Lesnar, he usually pops back in the WWE.
Another reason why it is a surprise is that many thought Lesnar would not return due to him being named in the Vince McMahon sex-trafficking lawsuit brought on by former employee Janel Grant. Some believe this is a ploy by WWE to control the narrative during what could be a turbulent time for the company.
WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque, said that a final match with Lesnar is what John Cena wants on his Farewell Tour. Whatever the reason is, the beast is back!
JDM defending Welterweight Title in New York
Last week, the UFC announced that Carlos Ulberg vs Dominick Reyes as the main event for the Fight Night in Perth. I was happy that Ulberg was named in the main event, but I thought that when Jack Della Maddelena won the Welterweight Championship, he was going to defend on a Pay-Per-View in Perth. Since I have been out of the loop for the last two and a bit months with MMA news, I’ve missed the change somewhere along the line.
While there has been no official announcement just yet, websites MMA News, MMA Mania, and MMA content creators are saying that JDM will fight former Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev at Madison Square Garden in November. The source was Khabib Nurmagomedov, who said it at an event called ‘An Evening with Khabib Nurmagomedov.’
It is important to note that while some have said it has been confirmed, the UFC has not yet confirmed it themselves.
That brings us to the end of this week’s edition of Mercer’s Mondayitis. Thank you again for reading. If you have any comments about anything in today’s column, or if there’s a way I could improve it, hit me up in the comments.
Until next time, take care!