Browsing: speech

Nov 11, 2025, 11:51 PM ET

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kings coach Doug Christie promised that his team is going to “get it right” despite facing a “bumpy” path and that the organization is “aligned in what we’re doing.”

“Change is hard,” he said. “It’s hard. But understand — and we understand — that we’re not there yet. But we’re about to work at it like crazy. We will totally get there. And it will be bumpy. It will because change is like that. But buckle up. For the real ones, buckle up.”

Christie might have been responding to a report that the Kings were ready to begin a full rebuild and unload stars such as Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. He spoke for about 2½ minutes prior to Tuesday’s game against the Denver Nuggets.

Christie began by introducing himself as “Douglas Dale Christie” and then delivered his statement and ended it by smacking a table with both hands twice before walking away. He did not take any questions.

“When I see the hate, the haters, the fakers — all you guys, you keep that energy,” Christie said. “That’s good. You keep that. And you know who you are because while you’re doing that, we’re gonna be working. And while you’re doing that, we’re gonna be growing. And while you do that, eventually, we’re gonna be coming — the Kings Show. Sac proud, know that.”

The Kings lost to the Nuggets 122-108 to fall to 3-8.

Christie, who played for Sacramento in the early 2000s, is in his first full season as coach. He took over on an interim basis after serving as an assistant when Mike Brown was fired in December and was retained last spring.

“We’re gonna get it right,” Christie said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Velvet Sky recalls Dixie Carter’s infamous speech from 2009 that left fans confused and talent irritated.

When footage of the speech surfaced online, Velvet Sky—who was just inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame last month—spoke out very negatively about Carterâ€s speech, and about Carter herself.Â

“I remember this day,†Sky wrote. “The consensus of the locker room and staff during this ‘meeting†was not one single person gave a s*** what she was saying and we actually had to take time out of production day for this nonsense from her and it had to be filmed so she could have her ‘my way or the highway†ego stroked even more. She was not well received by most because of the way she treated people who could do nothing for her and the way she would talk down to people. Vile.â€

I remember this day. The consensus of the locker room and staff during this “meeting†was not one single person gave a shit what she was saying and we actually had to take time out of production day for this nonsense from her and it had to be filmed so she could have her “my way… https://t.co/EgoqsXyCjL

— Velvet Sky (@VelVelHoller) November 7, 2025

One of Skyâ€s followers said it was stupid to do this segment “as a work.†Skyâ€s response: “None of what she said was a work.â€

In November of 2009, Total Nonstop Action had publicly announced the signing of former WWF and WCW world champion Hulk Hogan, but he had not yet appeared nor been directly mentioned on their television show. It was a turbulent time in TNA, with several wrestlers reportedly requesting their releases in the weeks leading up to the Hogan signing.

In that environment, Dixie Carter—who had rarely been seen on TNA television up to that point—opened Impact by laying down the law to her entire roster, who sat glumly in the stands as she spoke.

“Nobody likes drastic change. Nobody likes big moves. I understand that. And it affects different people different ways. And while I respect that those of you out there that might have differing opinions of the decisions that Iâ€m making, I expect you to support me 100%. When you question things in this company, youâ€re questioning me. And I cannot allow that to happen,” she said at one point.

“Business is about choices,” she continued further. “Iâ€ve made the choice to put my finances, my reputation, my passion, my love behind each and every one of you and this company. And itâ€s time for you to do the same thing. You have a choice to make. You can choose to support me, you can choose to support the direction TNA is going, or you can choose not to. But youâ€ll need to find another place to work.”

“This was hardly a rah-rah speech,†Bryan Alvarez wrote at the time. “Essentially, she told the world that a lot of people thought she was crazy for bringing in Hulk Hogan, a lot of people were second-guessing her, she didnâ€t like it, and if they werenâ€t happy they needed to find work elsewhere.â€Â

Dixie Carter started running TNA when her parents, the owners of Panda Energy, purchased the company in 2002. She was in charge of TNA for 14 years before the promotion was sold to Anthem Entertainment in 2017. Her last on-camera appearance was in 2016, in a segement with EC3, Eric Young, and Matt Hardy.

Velvet Sky started with TNA in 2007 and was a regular part of the promotion through 2016, making sporadic appearances since then. She is a two-time Knockouts champion and a former Knockouts tag team champion.

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It appears Dixie Carter wasnâ€t as well-liked by the TNA Wrestling locker room as we were initially led to believe.

On the November 5, 2009, episode of TNA iMPACT, Dixie Carter made the conscious decision to air a real backstage meeting with the talent roster on television. Something that panned by fans and critics alike after the episode aired. This meeting led to the eventual TNA debuts of Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff. This move eventually caused a down period for the company. One that many fans argue could still be felt several years later.

TNA Hall of Famer Velvet Sky, who can be seen sitting in the meeting, took to social media this afternoon to reflect on the 16th anniversary of this meeting and the feelings the TNA roster had towards Carter at the time, tweeting out:

“I remember this day. The consensus of the locker room and staff during this ‘meeting†was not one single person gave a shit what she was saying and we actually had to take time out of production day for this nonsense from her and it had to be filmed so she could have her “my way or the highway†ego stroked even more. She was not well received by most because of the way she treated people who could do nothing for her and the way she would talk down to people. Vile,†Velvet Sky said in a post.

You can relive Carterâ€s speech for yourself in the embedded video below:

Velvet Sky on why The Beautiful People didnâ€t work as a babyface act

Despite not caring for her boss, Velvet Sky had a very successful run in TNA Wrestling. Although the creative team didnâ€t quite know what to do with her and Angelina Love at first.

You can check out Skyâ€s comments on The Beautiful Peopleâ€s initial failed run as a babyface team by clicking the link below.

READ MORE: Velvet Sky Reflects On The Beautiful Peopleâ€s Failed Babyface Run In TNA

What do you make of Velvet Skyâ€s comments? Are you surprised to learn that Dixie Carter wasnâ€t well-received by a majority of the TNA locker room? Let us know your overall thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.

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WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H†Levesque didnâ€t get a free pass during his post-show appearance at the 2025 WWE Crown Jewel event. As he addressed the audience live, fans took over the segment with chants that were impossible to ignore—even if Triple H tried to.

During his on-camera remarks, the crowd broke out chanting for Edge and even sang his entrance theme, Metalingus, while Triple H continued talking. Despite the interruption, he never addressed the chants or even reacted.

That wasnâ€t the only message fans had for WWE. The chants escalated throughout the segment and included: “We want Edgeâ€, “MJF!â€, “Fck off Saudiâ€* and “We want Maniaâ€

The Edge chants come at an awkward time for WWE. Adam Copeland—better known as Edge—is still under AEW contract and has made it clear in past interviews that he wonâ€t be a free agent anytime soon.

Back in April 2025, Copeland revealed that his AEW deal runs until well into 2026, which shuts down any immediate hopes of a return to WWE programming. Fans clearly havenâ€t given up hope, though. The reaction during Crown Jewel sent a message loud and clear—even if Triple H wasnâ€t ready to answer it.

Do you think Edge will return to WWE before his AEW deal expires, or are fans wasting their energy? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

I didnâ€t think that Collision had any matches this week that should make the list. I know this is supposed to be a top three list, but Iâ€m not going to force anything on the list if I donâ€t think it deserves it.

Collision had some real meh matches this week, which was a disappointment.

There were two matches that I thought really stood out on Dynamite this week, and a post-match speech in one of them that really had a sad reality smack me in the face (they call that a teaser). So here we go, the top matches of the week for AEW this week.

The Young Bucks & Josh Alexander vs. Kenny Omega & Brodido ( AEW TAG Team Champions) – Dynamite 10/1/25

Before I talk about the match which I thought was great I just want to talk about Kenny Omega for a second. I donâ€t care how many times I see it, but his entrance always brings any match up a level. Heâ€s still got that “aura,†as the kids would say. I think what really struck me was the post-match speech he gave. For me it was the first time where I was like, “Oh we are really getting towards the end here.†I know Kenny is dealing with health issues right now, but his face just looked so tired. Not tired like he just wrestled a match, but tired from years of the abuse to his body. Iâ€m not sure when itâ€s going to end, but Iâ€m appreciative of these last six years weâ€ve had with Kenny Omega in AEW.

I thought this was a fun match to kick off the six year anniversary of AEW, and having three of the original founders in the ring to kick it off was a nice touch. The “Broke Bucks†being in the ring with no entrance really gave me a chuckle. The double superkicks from the Bucks to Omegaâ€s attempted dive to the outside of the ring, followed up by the body block to Kenny’s back on the ring apron was tough looking. Kennyâ€s neck kind of snapped back, and I jumped up in my seat.

I also liked Brody King giving a “goodbye†mid-flight on his body block, just like the Bucks do. I also like that they keep showcasing Brodidoâ€s strength in his matches. The body slam spot with Brody King was good, and was another great way to show how strong Bandido is. The triple piledriver spot was also cool. Overall, just a fun match, and I really enjoyed it.

Now… onto the post-match happenings. I thought all the stuff with Jurassic Express was clunky, and I didnâ€t think it was a great way for Jurassic Express to be reintroduced. I appreciate them having Omega confront Jack Perry for taking him out last year, and not pretending like that didnâ€t happen, but overall, I thought Jurassic Express should have had a little bit of a bigger moment on the show.

So, am I the only one who said to themselves “Is that Jericho?†when the lights went out and came back on? I think it was the blond hair that threw me off, and I was not expecting Andrade at all. I was not expecting Andrade for good reason. To quote Robert DeNiro from one of my all-time favorite movies, “Heat”: “The juice is not worth the squeeze” on Andrade.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of the “All Elite Conversation Club” with Joel Dehnel and Gregg Kanner, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

Darby Allen & Kris Statlander ( AEW Womenâ€s World Champion) vs. Wheeler Yuta & Marina Shafir – Dynamite 10/1/25

I wasnâ€t expecting to have this match on the list when it was first advertised, but I thought everyone involved did a great job in this main event. Kris Statlander throwing Wheeler Yuta into the balcony like a lawn dart was a great spot and I always love when one team attacks another team during their entrances in matches like this. I thought the crowd was really behind Statlander in this match, and Iâ€m curious to see who the crowd at WrestleDream gets behind in her title match with Toni Storm.

I think Darby got the worst of the suplex onto the chairs in this one, and his dive onto the chair on the outside of the ring was a real gnarly spot. My man only knows one speed on those dives, and he is literally just a crash test dummy in these types of matches.

When Yuta took out the tacks, I said to myself, “We just watched a match with thousands of tacks between MJF and Briscoe.†I rolled my eyes because I didnâ€t understand why they would re-do a tack spot after we just had that match. It made the spot look lesser at that moment…. And then Marina Shafir went into the tackâ€s bare feet first, and I  yelled on my couch, “Oh my god!†when they showed the tacks in the soles of her feet. Even Taz on commentary threw out a “that sucks†when they showed her feet, which made me laugh.

I liked the post-match angle too with Moxley telling Darby, “I donâ€t know how Iâ€m going to do it, but for the first time in your life you are going to say I quit.†I like the thought of Moxley just being like you are such a sicko that I still havenâ€t thought of something to make you quit a match, but I will because Iâ€m just as much of a sicko as you.

Emptying out the Notebook:

•I was really shocked to see C.M. Punk and Britt Baker in the six year montage that played on Dynamite. I did find it funny that it was Punk in Sting makeup, though. Like, we are going to show you, but we arenâ€t going to show his actual face.

•I really like Kyle Fletcher putting Orange Cassidyâ€s hands in his own pockets, and then just stomping the hell out of him.

•The Don Callis Family is so absurdly huge right now with all these members – and I kind of love it.

•I feel like Kyle Fletcher is too important right now to be involved with this fake Hologram story. This isnâ€t a great follow up to his match with Hangman.

•Mercedes Mone could have 100 belts at this point, but she lost when the most important belt was on the line. It’s time to stop the belt collector gimmick and put the TBS Title on someone else who can benefit from it. Moneâ€s only goal should be trying to get another match for the World Title, and she hasnâ€t even acknowledged it.

•Bobby Lashleyâ€s suit this week was beautiful.

•Eddie Kingstonâ€s line about Sammy Guevara – “All of a sudden being able to speak Spanish now†– was so damn funny. Eddie is the best.

About the Author

My name is Taylor Halley, and I am from Boston, Mass. I am the proud father of two young boys aged 4.5 and 1 years old. I have been a wrestling fan for as long as I can remember, honestly. Saturday morning WWF superstars was just as important to me as Saturday morning cartoons. In the sixth grade, my class had to do a biography on a famous character from history. Most kids choose ex-presidents or famous Boston athletes at the time. I picked Shawn Michaels, my favorite wrestler of all time. My first wrestling show was at the Boston Garden, and it was a house show where Shawn Michaels was the main event. I can still remember the feeling of walking into the arena and seeing the ring live for the first time. I still have the ticket stub too. So yes, if you have not guessed yet, I am a proud Attitude Era kid. Other than wrestling, I enjoy spending time with my family and my friends, cheering on my Boston sports teams and Notre Dame college football (Go Irish!) I am also obsessed with fantasy football. If you ever need lineup advice, I am your guy. I am excited for this opportunity to write for PWTorch, and Iâ€m happy to be on the team.

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On Wednesday at the 2025 Ryder Cup, fans at Bethpage Black witnessed a rarity: the Opening Ceremony, one day early. Forecasted thunderstorms forced organizers to move the festivities from their traditional spot on Thursday, on the eve of the first matches, to Wednesday.

The schedule change also meant that the announcement of Friday’s player pairings and matchups was not included in the proceedings, as it usually is. But another tradition was broken, too. Amid his Opening Ceremony speech on Wednesday, European Luke Donald took a couple of subtle digs at the U.S. players.

And his comments did not come in a vacuum. They followed a campaign Donald and the European team have enacted to try and rattle the American Ryder Cup team over money. More specifically, the fact that U.S. players are getting paid this year, and the European pros are not.

Here’s what you need to know.

Ryder Cup player pay controversy from 2023-2025

The origin of Ryder Cup money controversy dates back to the biggest controversy from the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome.

There, a European journalist reported that American player Patrick Cantlay refused to wear a U.S. team hat in protest for not being paid to play the Ryder Cup. The accusations touched other American players too, though Cantlay strongly denied them.

Why Ryder Cup Money is already a sticky topic at Bethpage

By:

Sean Zak

The controversy, known as HatGate, extended to the course, where fans taunted Cantlay and the American team in Rome, and Cantlay responded by waving an imaginary hat after making putts or winning holes.

Things got serious in one Saturday match featuring Cantlay and Rory McIlroy, where Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava waved his hat on the green in McIlroy’s vicinity, resulting in a shouting match between the teams.

The scuffle spilled into press conferences and into the parking lot.

Then late last year, when the PGA of America announced U.S. Ryder Cup players would receive $300,000 for charities of their choosing plus a $200,000 stipend to use however they wish, European players jumped on it. Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry made comments on the topic soon after, with McIlroy saying he would “pay for the privilege to play” the Ryder Cup.

Donald has kept the theme alive throughout the past year in various interviews. This week has been no different.

For example, in a Monday interview with Sky Sports, Donald brought the topic up again as if for the first time.

“This came up and I wanted to get ahead of it. I talked to the 12 guys in Rome when it looked like the U.S. were going to do something different with payments and, you know, every one of them was just like, ‘We don’t want to — this isn’t a week to get paid,’” Donald said.

Then came his Opening Ceremony speech.

Donald throws shade at American Ryder Cup pros in Opening Ceremony

Traditionally, captains’ speeches at the Ryder Cup Opening Ceremony are all about sportsmanship, thank yous and a little bit of team boosting.

Donald’s speech certainly hit on all those points. It was in no way a broadside against the U.S. team.

Take his kind words about U.S. captain Keegan Bradley, for example.

“To Keegan, Jillian and your two boys, Logan and Cooper, Diane and I have really valued our friendship over the years, and we know that bond will last well beyond this week no matter the outcome. It’s been a pleasure to share this Ryder Cup captaincy with you. Thank you for your friendship and all the memories along the way.”

Or these comments about the U.S. team.

“To the 12 players of Team USA, your talent and passion are never in doubt. We know you’ll bring your best. We promise to do the same.”

But Donald’s speech also featured thinly-veiled digs at the American players over the money issue.

“We come to you this week not just as individual players from nine different nations but as one team, a team defined by history, by unity and by belief that we are playing for something far greater than ourselves,” Donald began, laying the seeds for his slight at the U.S. players. “The Ryder Cup means so much to each and every one of us. It is unlike anything else in our sport.”

When he brought up the topic of money for the first time, he did so by arguing that the European Ryder Cup players are too noble to play the Ryder Cup for money.

“It is not about prize money or world ranking points,” Donald said. “It’s about pride. It’s about representing your flag, your shirts, and the legacy you leave behind.”

‘Embarrassing stupidity’: Former Ryder Cup star blasts U.S. golf fans

By:

Kevin Cunningham

He then continued to list the things that his European team plays for other than money.

“We play for our families, our teammates, our countries, our continent, and for the generations before us who made this event what it is today.”

The question many American fans, and perhaps players, were asking themselves at this point in the speech was this: Is he suggesting that the U.S. Ryder Cup players don’t play for their families, country and flag, but play only for money?

Donald provided that answer when, later in his speech, he brought up the topic of player pay again.

“We are fueled by something money cannot buy: Purpose, brotherhood, and a responsibility to honor those who came before us, while inspiring those whose time is yet to come,” Donald said.

It’s important to note that several former European Ryder Cup stars knowingly threatened their future involvement in the event by taking large sums of money to join LIV Golf, among them Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia. In fact, the original captain for the 2023 European Ryder Cup team was Henrik Stenson, but Stenson was removed from the position after joining LIV himself. Donald was his replacement.

Additionally, the $300,000 stipend American players will receive this year, which some have already said they will give to charity, is an insignificant amount compared to the many millions each player earned on the course this season.

At this point, captain Donald and the European’s strategy to paint the American Ryder Cup players as caring only about money and not winning is clear. What isn’t obvious is why they think this is a sound strategy.

Whether it’s the Ryder Cup or a playoff series in other professional sports, teams’ regularly draw inspiration from opponents’ critiques. Usually, the goal is to not provide the other team with any “bulletin-board material” that might fire them up.

We’ll have to wait to see which team ends up benefitting from the Ryder Cup player-pay controversy when the first matches tee off Friday morning.

Keegan Bradley’s first speech at Bethpage Black as Ryder Cup captain hit mostof the right notes.

He introduced his team with pride and a little humor (thanks to “New Jersey native” Scottie Scheffler). He played into his St. Johns roots — the “grit and grime” of Queens, anyone? He even delivered a handful of lines straight from the heart, admitting that captaining the Ryder Cup was an experience he never dreamed far enough to achieve.

But there was one moment that raised the eyebrows of nearly everyone involved — one line that elicited more than a handful of chuckles from the Ryder Cup stage and in the crowd. The moment in question, as roughly paraphrased from a speech-viewer?

“I still remember when I first fell in love with the Ryder Cup, as a 13-year-old boy on my dad’s shoulders back in 1999 at Brookline,” Bradley said. “I’ll never forget the moment of watching Justin Rose’s winning putt on the 17th hole on Sunday, and everything that represented.”

It was a touching anecdote, and a story that helped contextualize Bradley’s love and passion for the week’s event. But there was one tinydetail missing: Bradley had gotten the wrong Justin.

Keegan Bradley just said he fell in love with the Ryder Cup in 1999 when Justin Rose made the winning putt at Brookline. 😳

— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterNS) September 24, 2025

Of course, Bradley had meantto mention Justin Leonard, who’s 45-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole at Brookline dispatched Jose Maria Olazabal and gave the Americans an unthinkable comeback victory.

The only problem? He’d saidJustin Rose’s name, referencing the competitor at this week’s Ryder Cup for the rival European side.

Bradley’s gaffe was a minor one, to be certain, but it caught the attention of the Euro side, who could not contain their laughter as Bradley continued his speech.

All told, the moment was but a minor footnote on an otherwise successful captain debut for Capt. Keegan at Bethpage Black. His speech contrasted notably against that of European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, who delivered a handful of heavy-handed lines about the virtue of Team Europe’s decision to play for free at this year’s Ryder Cup.

In the end, Bradley will be remembered for far more as U.S. captain than his Justin-mismatch on Wednesday afternoon. The Cup begins on Friday afternoon, and we’ll learn at 4 p.m. on Thursday if any Justins (Thomas for the Americans, Rose for the Euros) are part of the proceedings. You can bet Bradley will have the proper name then.