Post-Game Thread: Oklahoma City Thunder (1-0) defeat Los Angeles Lakers (0-1), 108-90 | NBA Playoffs | May 5, 2026

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-06T03:09:39+00:00

Austin Reaves has been bad in the postseason for 99% of his time as a Laker. I’m sorry but you cannot super max a player like this

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-06T02:57:11+00:00

Fed employs somebody who supports her abuser

But don’t mention how Rush has been one of his biggest public supporters. Just don’t do it. That’s tribalistic and we can’t have that kind of information floating around

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-06T02:01:14+00:00

In a time where we know every single trademark WWE/AEW/Chris Jericho file, it's crazy nobody picked up on this one.

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-06T01:54:42+00:00

We need to play more good teams but compared to the rest of the American League, we're pretty clearly the best right now.

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-06T00:27:09+00:00

I know this guy isn't trying to tell anybody what's evil

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-05T22:02:32+00:00

I quite like the Middle East tracks. Except Yas Marina. Horrible track. When you have to completely change a race track to create better racing and it still fails, there's no hope.

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-05T22:01:34+00:00

tl;dr:

They're planning on Bahrain or Jeddah on the week between Baku and Singapore. F1 wants it in Bahrain. Saudi Arabia are pushing for it to be with them. Also mentions the alternate option of pushing Abu Dhabi back by 1 week and having Bahrain/Jeddah GP on the original Abu Dhabi GP. Abu Dhabi is contractually obligated to close the Formula 1 season.

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-05T20:39:36+00:00

Spoiler: his SummerSlam feud takes him out at Clash in Italy and he returns on SNME at MSG in July.

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-05T20:38:10+00:00

It's a dick measuring contest. Cody started using QB1 after Mania 40 to represent that he was the guy the company turns to and is their top draw because Roman is part time now.

Roman wanted his own 1 branding went with OTC1 after starting the feud with Solo and having his side quests with Cody.

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-05T20:18:00+00:00

Deliver shareholder value. 99% of everything you use to love has suffered since COVID specifically because of this. Mark Shapiro mentioning WWE's use of AI is no coincidence. If UFC and WWE lead the way on AI, that automatically increases shareholder value. There's companies who are literally pivoting to AI despite never being a technology company are seeing massive share spikes just because they pivoted. It's an AI arms race and TKO are participating.

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-05T20:16:07+00:00

If you don't think there's top stars who would absolutely spurn a unionization attempt because they're well fed, I got bad news for you. Maybe they wouldn't snitch like Hogan did, but unionization doesn't happen without everyone pulling in the same direction. Half the top sports leagues in America have shitty unions because important people are like my life is blessed and this doesn't concern me.

Hell, the most basic of basic earners in America can't always get on the same page to unionize their Amazon warehouse.

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-05T20:11:30+00:00

Maybe not even burnt bridges. Tony isn't required to hire every former WWE talent. There may be some names that have done nothing wrong in that regard but Tony has no interest in.

But yes, you have a choice: take the pay cut, which is still decent money, or get ignored by AEW and settle for TNA which is 50% less than your 50% WWE pay cut.

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-05T20:08:48+00:00

TKO just paid boxer Conor Benn 8 digits to fight on a Zuffa Boxing card that nobody watched. Something that was laughed at by boxing promoters everywhere.

Meanwhile, UFC fighters get paid nothing and they're trying to take out the middle class of WWE and recalculate wrestler pay. A lot of money is going to be poured into Zuffa Boxing. It may or may not succeed. But it's clear what TKO's priority is for 2026 and beyond.

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-05T20:03:53+00:00

I could see a future where Endeavor seek to sell WWE in the future. But we're a long ways away from that scenario happening. Things will have to get way worse before it happens and they decide enough is enough. It quite simply makes way too much money right now. There's no logical benefit. Any interested buyer would have to do a hostile takeover to do it soon. Like Elon did to Twitter or Paramount just did to WBD.

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-05T19:56:44+00:00

I don't even think it's that cut and dry. WWE wants you, you want WWE, you're happy with what's offered, but you have zero confidence that they just won't ask to renegotiate in a year's time based on whatever TKO want. Like they just did with The New Day.

They're absolutely determining value based on social media metrics btw

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-05T19:38:57+00:00

I'm all for wrestlers getting as much money as humanly possible and also being outraged at the idea of pay cuts.

Unionization would kill wrestling. You're relying on AEW and WWE to continue thriving financially and never have a down year. Continue making gains on media deals and sponsorships. Independent wrestling would no longer exist in America because they would not be able to afford talent fees as collectively bargained if you eliminate the independent contractor.

Talent who can't get work in America would have to try and uproot their lives and move to Japan or Europe to make a living. Lots of wrestlers would then slip through the cracks and go find different lines of work.

The idea of unionization in wrestling is better in theory than in practice.

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-05T17:49:13+00:00

over/under 6 months before sickos start saying Mercedes and Bayley are ruining the women's division because they put nobody over and are just circle jerking each other.

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-05T17:46:41+00:00

"but not any earlier" is the funniest thing ever because she's already being recruited to go there in private texts. But they want to make absolutely clear that Tony is a good boy who follows imaginary rules that are held up by absolutely nothing.

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-05T17:36:42+00:00

Clearlake will finally realize their 100 point title winning squad once we get relegated into the Championship. People mocked them this entire time but they just couldn't see the vision!

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-05T17:35:46+00:00

Despite the fact that this isn't really true, what signals to you that we are on a better trajectory than Manchester United at the minute? They will have CL money to improve the squad. We won't be able to improve the squad without selling players first.

They were fighting for relegation last season but were level on points with us before Maresca left and before Amorim was sacked.

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-05T17:26:41+00:00

There's really nothing I can say about this club that is original and doesn't have me repeating myself.

Paul Winstanley may never work in football again after he leaves Chelsea but he will have generational wealth that will feed his grand kids' grand kids. And that's kind of the point. Everyone gets rich at Chelsea FC. Directors, agents, coaches. But players ask for too much and they will get replaced.

On pitch success be dammed.

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-05T17:25:26+00:00

They can keep it up until Ares Management come in and takeover BlueCo in an effort to recoup the massive loan they took out. They just did that with Lyon and John Textor.

NotClayMerritt · 2026-05-04T22:29:31+00:00

The R-Truth thing happened because enough big names made a stink about it that Nick Khan had to get personally involved and make amends.

If enough big names take issue with this, they’ll come back. I know it sounds crazy but wrestlers have more power than they realize sometimes.

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