ALEXANDRA DADDARIO CAST IN BAYWATCH MOVIE

Alexandra Daddario

Get her red suit ready! Bleedng Cool reports (read the article here)that Alexandra Daddario has been cast in the new Baywatch movie starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Zac Efron. Daddario starred with Johnson in San Andreas which came out earlier this year.

The young beauty will play Summer who was played by Nicole Eggert in the original Baywatch TV show.



We still have yet to find out who will play the role of "C.J." in the film although the role is rumored to be coveted by many actresses. Pamela Anderson used the role to catapult herself to Superstardom and become a sex symbol in the 90's. The Baywatch movie comes out in 2017.

Class Dismissed
The Professor

RIP NICK BOCKWINKEL

Nick Bockwinkel as AWA champion

Before there was Ric Flair there was Nick Bockwinkel. Flair made his reputation as a well-dressed ladies man who liked to "style and profile". In the 1970's there was one champion that did it with style and flare as well. That champion was Nick Bockwinkel. Bockwinkel died on Saturday at the age of 80. Wresling lost another of it's all-time greats.

Bockwinkel wrestled in the AWA (American Wrestling Association) during the 1970's and 1980's. This was during the territory days so he wrestled every great legend of his time including Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, and Jerry "The King" Lawler just to name a few. Bockwinkel was a 4-time AWA champion.

In fact Bockwinkel was the first champion to work with Hulk Hogan during his time in the AWA from 1981-1983 when Hogan was just starting Hulkamania in the AWA. Who knows where Hulk Hogan would be without Bockwinkel's help. Ric Flair who was a fan of the AWA and was trained by Verne Gagne (the AWA's founder and great wrestler in his own right) also borrowed his style approach from Bockwinkel wearing custom-made suits.

RIP Mr. Bockwinkel. Your impact on this sport will never be forgotten.

THE PROFESSOR

KEVIN OWENS SHOULD BE THE NEXT WWE CHAMPION

Kevin Owens as NXT Champion

At Survivor Series, the WWE will crown a new World Champion. Seth Rollins who was the champ had to vacate the title due to injury. Now WWE is holding a tournament to crown a new WWE champ.

Many are speculating that Roman Reigns will become champion since Vince McMahon see his as the next "IT" guy. I don't think that's the right call. If WWE wants to make the statement that Reigns is "The Man" they'll have to do it at WrestleMania when the world will be watching WWE.

In the meanwhile WWE will need someone who can carry the title until that time and maintain the fans interest. Kevin Owens is that man.

Owens is a great heel that knows how to get under the crowd's skin and elevate everyone he works with. He has great mic skills and can definitely hold his own with almost any superstar.

Owens isn't a musclebound superstar like John Cena so WWE may not want him as champion but they may need him as champion. It is his different type of physique that makes him a draw and could bring fans into the sport when they see a different body type.

I hope WWE makes Owens the champion but I don't think they will. We can only wait and see.

THE PROFESSOR

ANDRE WARD VACATES SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE

Andre Ward

Andre Ward has vacated his Super Middleweight title in order to move up to the light weight division and face light weight champion Sergey Kovalev sometime in 2016 according to ESPN (read the article here). Ward has been a world champion since 2009.

Ward has just signed a three-fight contract with HBO. He was supposed to fight on the undercard of the Miguel Cotto-Canelo Alvarez fight on Nov. 21 but he had to cancel due to injury.

Whenever Ward and Kovalev fight it will be one for the ages. Both have a great amateur background with Kovalev being more of a knockout artist with scary power. Ward is more technical and he likes to out box his opponent.

Many consider Ward the second best pound for pound fighter behind Floyd Mayweather. Ward will have his chance to lay stake to that claim when he returns to boxing on HBO sometime next year. As a fan I can't wait to see it.

THE PROFESSOR

THE A-TEAM GETS ANOTHER REBOOT

The A-TEAM

The A-Team is the latest TV show to get a reboot according to Bleeding Cool (read the article here). Chris Morgan who wrote and produced Fast and Furious has a new take on the classic series which includes switching some of the gender roles.

Back in 2010 a movie based on the tv show was released and starred Liam Neeson and Rampage Jackson.

In this era of superheroes, the A-Team is a perfect show to reboot. As a child of the 80's I am anxious to see what changes will be made. Hopefully it will go over better than the Knight Rider reboot that came on NBC in 2008.

THE PROFESSOR

R.I.P. JACK LARSON

Jack Larson as Jimmy Olsen

Jack Larson who played Jimmy Olsen in the 50's series "The Adventures of Superman" died yesterday at the age of 87 according to TV Line (read the article here).

I first saw Mr. Larson on TV in the late 80's hosting an Adventures of Superman marathon on Channel 9 WWOR-TV during Thanksgiving. At the time I didn't know about the 50's TV show having only seen the Christopher Reeve "Superman" films.

Mr. Larson played Jimmy as an earnest young man who often got into trouble and needed Superman's assistance.

Now as superheroes are common place in pop culture I wanted to say "Thank You" to Mr. Larson for his contribution and being a pioneer in the genre.


THE PROFESSOR

R.I.P. ROWDY RODDY PIPER

Whether you knew him as "The Hot Rod" or "The Rowdy Scot" there is no denying that  "Rowdy" Roddy Piper was a larger than life character in and out of the wrestling ring. That is why it was such a shock when I read that he had passed away at the age of 61 due to cardiac arrest.


When I became a wrestling fan in 1991 I had missed the hey day of Piper in the early to mid 1980's (I have caught up through the DVD's of his legendary career). During that time he had memorable feuds with Ric Flair, Jack Brisco and Greg Valentine in the NWA (National Wrestling Alliance). It would be his feud with Hulk Hogan in WWE in 1985 which would put wrestling in the national spotlight. Piper would go on to team with Paul Orndorff against Hogan and Mr. T at WrestleMania I and help WWE become the global corporation it is today.


Piper also found success in the mainstream world starring in many movies including the cult classic "They Live" with Keith David. Their fight scene in that movie is regarded as one of the best of all time.


In the late 90's during wrestling's last boom period Piper appeared in WCW and fought Hulk Hogan  at Starrcade '96 in a match to determine who was the true icon of the sport. After Piper left WCW he made sporadic appearances for WWE and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.


No one will ever forget the contributions that Rowdy Roddy Piper made to the sport of pro wrestling and to the entertainment industry itself. He was a villain, an anti-hero, a rebel, and a true legend. We will never see his type again.


THE PROFESSOR