By James Caldwell, Torch columnist

James Caldwell reports on various news from around wrestling during the weekend.

Updated Sunday, December 23

2:55 p.m. Cary Icther, attorney for Michael Benoit, told the Fayette (Ga.) Daily News that he believes WWE attorneys have been stringing him along in reaching a settlement on the Chris Benoit estate. Icther said he had regular contact with WWE attorneys, and thought they were on the same page.

"I felt like we were looking at a win-win situation, and I thought the talks were off the record until the WWE lawyers took it all public," he said. Icther continued that WWE told him the offer of a $2.0 million settlement to keep the issue out of the court system was reasonable.

"The only thing that came back to me was that they had engaged me in conversations to string me along because they wanted something from us. ... It appears they want to create the illusion they aren’t concerned about a lawsuit, but why else would they be so involved."

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- TNA Mobile sent the following text message. Based on Impact a few days ago, the first sentence sounds all-too-much like a legit possibility. "Mike Tenay 2 wrestle Ref Rudy Charles in the Ultimate X? ... It could happen by unlocking some of the hidden characters in the TNA Impact video game coming." Of all the ways to plug the special features in TNA's first video game, they picked an announcer and a referee.

Updated Saturday, December 22

1:30 p.m. WWE Smackdown on the CW from last night averaged a 2.9 rating to finish fourth on the night. It's a significant jump from the 2.7 rating they've been doing lately. The first hour averaged a 2.7 rating before finishing third in the second hour with a 3.0 rating that was enough to bring the average to 2.9. Smackdown finished second on the night in the adult 18-49 demographic with a 1.5 average rating.

- Booker T.'s wrestling academy issued a press release to the Torch that they are offering a one-year scholarship in a drawing set for the April 19, 2008 PWA show in Pasadena, Tex. Interested parties can enter the drawing at Booker's website. The catch is that you have to sign up for the partner company, ALO Group & Associates, which provides tax return services.

- TNA has booked another tour date in Texas the second week in January. They have shows on Jan. 9 in Belton, Jan. 11 in Dallas, and now Jan. 10 in Austin. The problem with the show in Austin is that it's on a weekday and students at the Univ. of Texas students don't return to class until Jan. 14. Fortunately, Austin is a rather large city, so they can still draw a crowd. They just won't be able to tap into the 18-25 college student demo.

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