Captain Awesome and T-Mac call up Major Baisden, President of the National Wrasslin' League and interview him about some business aspects of starting a new wrestling company. They also make some Royal Rumble predictions and talk about a whole week's worth of wrestling topics.



Stream the episode with the player above or download it directly by clicking THIS LINK!

Captain Awesome and T-Mac attended the 2nd NWL KC show and got some great audio from some of their stars, including The Monarch Jeremy Wyatt, Thor Theriot, The Brand Chad Barstow, The Howletts, Roscoe Leech, and The Royal Blood. Don't miss some of these exciting interviews from the latest Fight KC!



Steam it with the player above or download it directly by clicking THIS LINK!

Captain Awesome and T-Mac battle through more technical difficulties this week as T-Mac's headphones decided to stop working. But, that doesn't stop them from bringing you the best pro wrestling podcast in the BIZAHNESS!

Five Awesome Thoughts about SmackDown Live 01.17.2017:

The Miz Getting Some Main Event Love! -- Will It Last?

Natalya Gets Even Meaner! -- Who Knew She Had It In Her?

Ziggler Also Gets Even Meaner! -- Are We Believing It?

The Wyatt Family Is Fighting! -- Will This Help Any of Them?

Women's Cage Match! -- Was It Over-Shadowed?

---

SmackDown Live had another eventful night. They seem to still be firing on all cylinders.

As usual, I have some awesome thoughts about the show, and they are as follows:

MAIN EVENT MIZ!

The Miz has been putting in the best work of his career and it looks like he's poised to keep a spot at the top of the card.
SmackDown Live is right at the spot where they need to indroduce some new stuff and I think putting the Miz in the World Heavyweight Title mix is perfect.
The only concern is that right now AJ Styles holds the title and he's a heel. I would hope they don't give it to Cena as a way to transition it to Miz, as we've seen the Miz vs Cena thing already and I'd much rather find a way to get AJ as a face and then have a heel Miz battle him for the title.

NATALYA WITH A DAGGER TO THE HART!

Natalya is doing great work with this heel turn. I had all but given up on Nattie ever getting a real shot at a good storyline as her acting seemed way below par.
I'm happy to say I was wrong, as she's is spitting venom with this current run and the line about Nikki Bella being just like Bret Hart because they're both going to die alone was just vicious. I loved it.
I also like the angle of it clearly having a lot to do with jealousy as it's believable that she would be pissed at so many wrestlers that are no where near as good as her getting bigger spots. 

THE HEART-KICK KID!

Dolph Ziggler certainly isn't wowing me with his acting skills, but it's much easier to pull off resting bitch face than a lot of other emotions, so I'm not hating it.
However, that interaction with Jerry Lawler went over really well, especially since they used the heat of attacking a hometown hero.
I kind of want Dolph to keep the super kick aimed at the heart from here on out. 

ANOTHER WYATT FAMILY BREAK-UP!

We knew this was coming sooner or later. It may not even happen quickly, they may draw it out over time, but Orton will be leaving the Wyatt Family eventually.
I've said it already in an earlier edition of Awesome Thoughts, but I want Luke Harper to come in with the swerve and attack Wyatt and side with Orton.
Let Harper be controlled by Orton and turn Wyatt face. The fans have been wanting to cheer Bray Wyatt since he showed up and they haven't really had a legitimate chance to do so.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out. 

LA MICKIEDORA!

Mickie James is back on the WWE main roster! But, is this over-shadowing the big draw of the Cage Match that they were trying to get over?
Ah, who cares! I think I called this on an earlier edition of Awesome Thoughts, but I'm glad Mickie is the person behind the La Luchadora mask. It throws another wrinkle into this storyline and can perhaps now take Becky Lynch's attention away and we can get Alexa Bliss another woman to feud against.
Who should that be? Let me know your choice by using #TweetTheTable on Twitter and it might get read on the next available episode of The Spanish Announce Table podcast!

---

You can hear more of my awesome thoughts on pro-wrestling each and every week by listening to The Spanish Announce Table Podcast where my co-host T-Mac and I discuss all the hottest topics of the week.

- Captain Awesome

Five Awesome Thoughts about RAW 01.16.2017:

Streak vs  Dream! -- Which Matters More?

Brock vs Braun! -- A Passing of the Monster Torch?

The Gentlemanly Pop! -- When Will We Forfeit the Novelty?

Kurt Angle Returns! -- But For How Long?

Alica Still Crazy Like a Fox! -- Will it Mean Anything?

---

The Royal Rumble is getting ever closer, and the puzzle pieces are starting to fit together. Is the picture any clearer yet?

As usual, I have some awesome thoughts about the show, and they are as follows:

BAYLEY IS NOT EMBARRASED!

I liked this segment between Charlotte and Bayley, even if the two of them were obviously nervous and clearly had a very strict script to stick to.
It's the perfect tale of a privleged, genetically-gifted star versus the average "Jane" who has been dreaming of this her whole life and working tirelessly just to get the shot.
The thing is, Charlotte has to win. The streak of wins at PPVs still has a lot of gas in the tank, and the dream can still be an even bigger story as well, if Bayley falls short this time. I think both participants are served better if Charlotte wins a hard-fought battle.

BRAUN STROWMAN IS GETTING PUSHED TO THE MOON!

Braun Strowman is about as close to a total package as we've gotten in a super big man in a very long time. He's not a total package, but he's a lot closer to one than we usually get.
WWE is working hard to make this guy a believable bad ass monster and it is clearly working when that pop hit during the stare-down between him and Brock Lesnar.
There is still a lot of gas in the tank of Brock Lesnar so I don't think we'll see that showdown anytime soon, as I think that when we do, Lesnar will do the job to give Strowman that final shove.
I also think it's a little too early yet to see Strowman winning the Rumble, but I like that he's getting a lot of the spotlight.

THE FIRST-EVER I FORFEIT MATCH!

So the whole Jack Gallagher thing is fun, but it's going to fade soon. It's a novelty. We saw a little bit of this with the Vaudevillians. It's pretty much the same thing.
That said, if they can keep coming up with new ways to put an old timey spin on something, like they've done with the I Forfeit match, then by all means, keep doing so.
Do you have any ideas that they could use? Let me know by using #TweetTheTable on Twitter and we might read them on the next episode of The Spanish Announce Table podcast.

KURT ANGLE HEADLINES THIS YEAR'S HALL OF FAME CLASS!

Kurt Angle is awesome. He's one of my all-time favorites and it's super cool to see him acknowledged with such a high honor as headlining the WWE Hall of Fame induction class.
I was worried for a while that he may get the silent treatment, given all of his past issues, but I think his recent media tour that he did to help shed light on prescription drug addiction helped him a lot.
I hope we get to see more of him than just the Hall of Fame ceremony also. I have seen anything yet that gives me any indication that we will, but I really hope we do.

ALICIA FOX HAS REVIVED HER NUT-JOB CHARACTER!

So we're seeing the return of the Alicia Fox meltdowns, but I'm not so sure this going to provide anything productive.
Seeing her go bat-shit crazy once or twice is fun, but after a short time it gets really old and really forced. There's only so much one can do when they're flying off the handle. You throw stuff, you scream, and that's about it.
I don't see how this helps her character or the storyline she's in at all.

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You can hear more of my awesome thoughts on pro-wrestling each and every week by listening to The Spanish Announce Table Podcast where my co-host T-Mac and I discuss all the hottest topics of the week.

- Captain Awesome

This week the fellas bring their old friend of the show Jeremy Wyatt back on the show to talk about the latest turn in his professional wrestling career. They also play an interview from this past weekend with the Vice President of Marketing for the National Wrasslin' League Travis Bowden. They also talk about the biggest happening in the world of professional wreslting this week, so turn it up and tell your friends!

Five Awesome Thoughts about SmackDown Live 01.10.2017:

Nasty Natty! -- Can She Keep This Up?

The Wyatt Family Feud! -- Will It Be How We Expect?

Super Cena! -- Does WWE Still Not Get It?

Ziggler's Still A Heel! -- But, Barely?

Carmella and Ellsworth Sitting In A Tree! -- But-For-How-L-O-N-G?

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Another week, another SmackDown Live. Are they keeping up their momentum?

As usual, I have some awesome thoughts about the show, and they are as follows:

THE NATTITUDE ERA!

I'm super glad Natalya finally turned heel. It's a believable gripe to portray, and I think she's pulling it off really well.
She shouldn't stop here either. She should run through Nikki Bella, and then move on to the next "pretty-girl" that she feels only got where she is because of her looks.
This is the first time Nattie has been intriguing to watch since she was teaming with Beth Phoenix.

THE WYATT DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY!

We saw a little more discension in the ranks of The Wyatt Family this week, and I'm glad we did.
Clearly Randy Orton being in The Wyatt Family can't go on forever, so I'm sure this will lead to something at WrestleMani, but can they throw us a curveball? Will Luke Harper actually turn on Wyatt and follow Orton?
Think about Orton being the evil, mind-controlling leader of Luke Harper. Wouldn't that be fun?

CENA BEATS CORBIN CLEAN AND EASY!

They don't get it. WWE just does NOT get it. They have been clearly booking Corbin strong with the intent of getting him into main event territory, which they have sort of accomplished, but they just had him take one AA from Cena and get pinned.
Now, I know one single loss doesn't completely obliterate his push, but it certainly doesn't make him look very credible right now. Nor does it help the storyline of "Cena's time is over" that you've been using with Corbin.
Make it look at least a LITTLE like Cena had to pull something out of his bag of tricks. ANYTHING!

DOLPH ZIGGLER IS STILL MAD!

Okay, so Dolph Ziggler is clearly a heel now, right? I mean he's walking around with resting bitch face, and he's beating up the babyfaces, so that's all that's needed, right?
I hope maybe they're just slow-playing this but I'd like to see him change up his geat and music a little bit. I get he can still be the "show-off" and "Mr. Steal Your Girl", but he would definitely need to finish this "I'm angry at everyone and want them to leave me alone" thing first.
As of right now, it's seeming hard to care about why's he's angry, and that is NOT what you want out of a heel turn. 

CARMELLSWORTH!

I'm still on this. I like this angle a lot, and I like that Carmella is about to take James Ellsworth shopping, I want him to start being the one that gets over on Carmella.
I already discussed how I want James to eventually be revealed as a smart, cunning guy that was actually the one using Carmella the whole time to get a piece of tail he likely had ZERO shot at. However, what if that wasn't even the case and what if we stick with Ellsworth's recent proclivity to make really dumb choices?
So, Carmella keeps having James around, thinking she's just using him as a pawn, but then starts to fall for some of his inexplicable charm. At the same time, James starts, for some reason, believing her attention means that he is actually desirable to the other ladies on SmackDown. Now of course, those other ladies will see the potential to use him like Carmella was and one of them will eventually lure James away, crushing Carmella's heart in the process, turning her baby face, and then James gets used and dumped by the other girl.
Good heel heat for whoever that girl is, great face turn for Carmella, and James gets to stay the same guy who keeps making dumb choices and gets in his own way.

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You can hear more of my awesome thoughts on pro-wrestling each and every week by listening to The Spanish Announce Table Podcast where my co-host T-Mac and I discuss all the hottest topics of the week.

- Captain Awesome

Five Awesome Thoughts about RAW 01.09.2017:

HBK Was There! -- Did Anyone Care?

The Deadman Arises! -- Is He Dead In The Water?

Some Cruiserweights Have Character! -- Is It Enough Of Them?

Titus O'New Day! -- Should This Happen?

Jericho Wins U.S. Title! -- One Of The Greatest Wrestlers Of All Time?

---

RAW gave us two Legends of the professional wrestling industry, but did it make the show any more interesting?

As usual, I have some awesome thoughts about the show, and they are as follows:

---

THE HEART-ACHE KID!

Shawn Michaels used to be the most entertaining thing in the ring, whenever he stepped into it. He used to be must-see T.V.
He USED to.
Now, don't get me wrong, I still firmly believe he's the greatest of all time. I'm glad he found religion, if that's what it took to save him from his self-destructive behaviors, but I couldn't care less about this movie, and his entire promo and appearance was boring until Rusev showed up.
After Enzo and Cass came to the ring, Michaels (who used to be the most entertaining thing in the ring) became nearly the most boring. He was only slightly more entertaining than Jinder Mahal.
I think I'd rather just remember how great Shawn Michaels was, than be reminded of how great he no longer is.

29 HOLES HAVE BEEN DUG FOR 29 SOULS!

The Undertaker returned to RAW to a HUGE pop! Taker made the big announcement that he will enter the 2017 Royal Rumble.
Now, I don't think even the most-naive of fans believe that the Undertaker will win The Royal Rumble, so what exactly IS he here for? I think seeing Braun Strowman watch him from backstage should clue us into the answer to that.
I guess I don't hate the idea that The Undertaker will take on Braun Strowman, because I believe that he would put Strowman over, to help keep this monster push going for Braun.
Although, it sure would be nice if the streak was in tact for this match. Lesnar never needed that credibility, but Strowman sure could use it. 

CAPTIVATING CRUISERWEIGHTS!

So my biggest knock on the Cruiserweights, when the division started, was that there was no real storylines, outside of the one where they basically said Brian Kendrick was acting like a child molestor and picking up TJ Perkins from high school to take him somewhere and roll around with him in his underwear.
Now, however we have the Noam Dar storyline where he's trying to get some of that hot Alicia Fox action, and we've got The Extraordinary Gentleman Jack Gallagher.
So, I'll give props where it's due, and say the Cruiserweights have stepped up their storyline game. 

TITUS CAN'T CATCH A BREAK!

I'm enjoying this Titus O'Neal/New Day storyline, even if they are pulling it off a bit awkwardly.
Titus has not been this entertaining, well, ever. The New Day needed something to do after losing their titles recently, and it would be weird for them to just jump right into another tag team feud after having had the title for a record-breaking amount of time.
Where does this lead though? Is one of the New Day going to turn on the others and team-up with Titus? If so, who... who... WHO?

JERICHO HAS NOW HELD EVERY MAJOR WWE TITLE!

Chris Jericho is just awesome. The dude continues to be one of the coolest things on wrestling television after decades of being around. That's not something most wrestlers could ever say.
I'm super glad they decided to put this belt on him, and I think the title will be way better off with Jericho defending it, than with Roman Reigns.
Jericho can carry a storyline and a feud that will help build whichever wrestler is eventually slated to take it off of him.
So where does Jericho rank on the list of The Greatest Professional Wrestlers of All Time? Is he Top 10? What do you think? Let me know by using #TweetTheTable on Twitter, or sending an email to tableshow@gmail.com

---

You can hear more of my awesome thoughts on pro-wrestling each and every week by listening to The Spanish Announce Table Podcast where my co-host T-Mac and I discuss all the hottest topics of the week.

- Captain Awesome

Captain Awesome managed to get his hands on Media Pass for the inaugural NWL Fight KC event this past weekend in Kansas City. 
Captain managed to snag a bunch of interviews while there and plays them for you on this special episode!

Stream it straight from the player above or download it directly at www.bit.ly/FightKC!

img src: https://beyondthesquaredcircle.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/8788223_orig2.jpeg

Captain Awesome and T-Mac kick off the New Year by returning to their regular format and even bringing in St. Louis talk radio host and former wrestler Mark Bland on in the second hour(ish) to discuss wrestling and how much crossover pro wrestling has in real life, including politics.



Be sure to check Mark out at www.markbland.net!

And check out more episodes of the Spanish Announce Table and subscribe to our FEED!

Five Awesome Thoughts from SmackDown Live 01.03.2017:

AMBROSE GETS THE GOLD! -- IS HE A SILVER MEDAL CHAMPION?

NATTY AND NIKKI EXPOSING EACH OTHER! -- BUT, SO WHAT?

ELLSWORTH IS BEING USED! -- IS HE AWARE OF IT?

CENA VS STYLES! -- IS BARON CORBIN THE END-GAME?

HEEL ZIGGLER ACTUALLY GOES HEEL! -- IS IT GOING TO MEAN ANYTHING?

---

SmackDown Live delivered again. I really like this show a lot, and there was definitely more than 5 things that happened that were worthy of being talked about but I limit these articles to five Awesome Thoughts, so here they are: 

---

DEAN AMBROSE WINS THE IC TITLE!

Dean Ambrose is your new Intercontinental Champion having defeated the Miz on SmackDown Live.

I like this storyline, as I think it's a good idea to incorporate real-life relationships into storylines whenever possible. However, I don't think I'm sold on the idea that Ambrose should have won the title.

Dean Ambrose, as much as I like him, hasn't really done anything of note with any title he's held. His character doesn't really seem to elevate due to the title, nor does the title elevate because he's holding it. The Miz's character, in comparison, feels much more elevated when he has a shiny belt hanging from his shoulder.

Now, I suppose it wouldn't do Ambrose any favors to just lose a title match in this feud, so perhaps it can eventually go back to the Miz and both guys get to pad their stats with another title reign.
Either way, I'm still enjoying this feud.

NATALYA AND NIKKI BELLA CONTINUE TO SLING MUD AT EACH OTHER!

A vicious war of words is being waged between Natalya and Nikki Bella, each of them aiming for the throat.

Natalya continues to insinuate that Bella only has her position in the company because of her looks and her relationship with WWE poster-boy John Cena, while Bella keeps reminding Natty that she has found a way to be the least-impressive member of the famous Hart family.

Who's right? The answer is both of them! It feels like when two of your friends start calling each other out on their bullshit and all you can think is, "yeah, of course, you both suck as human beings, can we move on now?"

ELLSWORTH CAN'T BELIEVE HIS LUCK WITH CARMELLA!

The James Ellsworth and Carmella saga continued this week and I have a knock on the writing team. When Ellsworth was fumbling his words, why did they write it so he simply said his words in the wrong order?

No one does that. You say the wrong words when you're nervous, or your sentences trail off because you really don't know what to say, but you don't say words in the wrong order. That made no sense. 

That aside, it's looking as though Carmella is taking advantage of Ellsworth so that he'll be in the right place at the right time to help her when she needs it, like he did in her match this week. 

Now, Ellsworth is playing the idiot, as though he doesn't see Carmella for what she is, but how much fun would it be if Ellsworth turned out to be much smarter than we all give him credit for?

What if Ellsworth is PURPOSELY fumbling his words and acting like a complete idiot, knowing that Carmella is using him, simply to slowly turn it to his advantage?

What if Ellsworth slyly convinces Carmella to go a little bit further than she actually intended because she thinks that's what is needed to keep him on the line?

Think of it as a parasite using another parasite, now THAT would be a compelling story. 

BARON CORBIN STOOD TALL OVER JOHN CENA!

So John Cena returned after an absence from WWE television and was immediately thrust into a World Title program with AJ Styles, and we all groaned.

Some of us feel like Cena is just here in between movies and television roles and the WWE thinks he's best served as a main event name, even though no storyline showed him earning a title match, especially against a man he's 0-3 against.

Others worry Cena is going to actually win his 16th World Title, creating an IWC blowback the likes we may have never seen.

But what if Cena loses to Styles because of Baron Corbin? What if Corbin just wants to hurt John Cena and send him packing back to Hollywood? What if Cena's real purpose for being back is to actually put over Corbin? 

Sure the AJ - Cena match is going to happen, but what if it's interrupted by Corbin who just completely demolishes Cena, moving them into a feud? 

One can dream can't he?

DOLPH ZIGGLER TURNED HEEL!

Dolph Ziggler turned heel by knocking out Kalisto just for trying to help Dolph when Baron Corbin was beating the crap out of him. 
Now, Ziggler's face run has been stale for quite some time, so I'm happy to see him going in a new direction, but I wonder if it's going to amount to anything. 
Who's he gonna face, Kalisto? I can't honestly say I'm super excited to see that. 
But hey, he had to change SOMETHING up, so maybe he's got a good run in him.

---

You can hear more of my awesome thoughts on pro-wrestling each and every week by listening to The Spanish Announce Table Podcast where my co-host T-Mac and I discuss all the hottest topics of the week.

Tonight we interview Mark Bland of The Q!

- Captain Awesome

Five Awesome Thoughts from RAW 01.02.2017:

JeriKO Is Still On Fire! -- Do They Burn Out Soon??

Match of the Year Bar Already Set High! -- Too Early To Win?

The New Day Still Together! -- Are They Old News?

Bayley In A Zayn-like Underdog Story! -- How Is It Different?

Lesnar and Strowman and Goldberg, Oh My! -- Will Roman "Reign" Supreme?

---

RAW came out swinging with their first show of 2017, but did they hit a home run? Did they even make it to first base? Here are my awesome thoughts on the show:

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JERICHO AND OWENS ARE STILL AWESOME!

Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens have never failed to entertain me since they began this friendship angle, but do they need to split up sooner, rather than later?
These two find a new way to make me smile each week, like having some poor schmuck stand there with a sign on his face as the sign for the Kevin Owens show.
This ability to do this every week would lead one to believe that they should not break up until they can no longer consistently do this, but let's not forget how rewarding it can be to break up a good team before we expect it.
You only need to look at the S.H.I.E.L.D. to see how well that can work.
I definitely think that a breakup should occur soon, and have the blow up at WrestleMania, or at the very least, have the breakup happen at Mania, to build excitement to the next event.

ZAYN AND STROWMAN HAVE A M.O.T.Y. CANDIDATE IN THE FIRST WEEK!

Okay, okay, okay, don't get mad at me; I know this won't be Match of the Year, but they did manage to set the bar at a decent level.
What I liked about this Last Man Standing Match was that it helped both guys at the same time. Zayn looked like he could hang for a long time in a brutal match, but didn't make Strowman look weak at all. Strowman still looks like a legitimate monster of a man that is going to run through some competition.
The end of RAW even gave us a glimpse of what WWE thinks Strowman can handle by putting him in the same conversation as some of their golden boys.
So, Match of the Year Candidate? Yes, only because we're only two days into the year, but, it did give us a starting point from which to measure the eventual other match candidates against. 

IS THE NEW DAY PRACTICING FOR SINGLES RUNS?

The New Day had a record-breaking tag team title reign, and it would feel too obvious to break them up immediately. Plus, we don't exactly have great examples of what these guys can do alone, but this New Day shtick is certainly coming to an end soon.
I feel like the Titus O'Neil angle from RAW was sort of a practice for Xavier Woods, and even possibly a way to gauge crowd response to his ability to sell a match on the mic. I think Woods passed that test pretty well. (By the way, that was the most fun I've had watching Titus since the height of the Prime Time Players face run.)
One way or another, this New Day thing has to end. I don't feel like there's much more to be done with it that would be compelling. 

UNDERDOG BAYLEY; BUT IN A DIFFERENT WAY?

Bayley HAS to play an underdog role, there's no way around it. She's so small and so loveable that it has to go that way, much like the way it has to go with Sami Zayn.
What sets this apart, or at least SHOULD set this apart from the Sami Zayn style of angle is the way the other characters treat her.
With Zayn, nearly everyone on-screen acknowledges that Zayn is a tough competitor, they just make it known that they think his toughness and never-say-die attitude just isn't enough to combat his size disadvantage.
With Bayley, I think everyone should not even give her that much credit. Much like how Stephanie mocked her, everyone should make fun of Bayley and doubt her every ability. They should act as though they think Bayley is nothing but a marketing tool to sell bright-colored shirts.
This will only help Bayley's sympathy, and can even help her develop a mean streak, and a willingness to go to any lengths to defeat her naysayers. 

IS THIS THE YEAR OF THE BIG-MAN RUMBLE?

WWE is pushing the big dogs hard for this year's Royal Rumble, evidenced by the showdown between Reigns, Goldberg, and Strowman last night. Hell, even Lesnar was "represented" by Paul Heyman.
WWE's traditional booking worries me that we're going to see Lesnar and Goldberg eliminate each other somehow, leading to WrestleMania rematch, Strowman will get the Andre the Giant treatment and get thrown out by about 15 guys, and then that leaves Roman, who they seemingly just can't quit on.
Now, it wouldn't surprise me if they have Goldberg win this whole thing, and then somehow find a way to get the title back on Lesnar before WrestleMania. I can picture Vince McMahon drooling over that right now.
Does a big man win the Rumble this year, or do they swerve us all and give it to someone like Ziggler or Dean Ambrose?
That's what makes the Rumble so fun, and I can't wait to see how it all plays out!

---

You can hear more of my awesome thoughts on pro-wrestling each and every week by listening to The Spanish Announce Table Podcast where my co-host T-Mac and I discuss all the hottest topics of the week.
This week we interview Mark Bland of The Q!

- Captain Awesome