The S3: Vote for Best Performer of the 2013-14 Season, Week 1

Everybody who comes to Cageside Seats has an opinion about what's going on in pro wrestling - the Smark's Shoot Standings (S3) are where YOU let us know YOURS.

Cast a vote in the comments. Give us the three performers you think entertained or impressed the most in the last week, and feel free to talk about why. And/or vote for your top performer in our poll.

We also have the results of last week's voting, and how that wrapped up our first annual competition for Performer of the Year.

Remember, the Standings are for the previous week - the smarktastic April 8th episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, Wednesday night's WWE Main Event, the "pay-per-view (PPV) quality" TNA Impact from the 11th and the WWE SmackDown that aired on Friday April the 12th.

Make YOUR mark, smarks!

The week, the year, the...

Interesting mix of WrestleMania XXIX and Dixie Carter's employees in the last S3 of our inaugural year:

• The combatants from last Sunday's match of the night take the top spot, and it's fitting that Punk close the year on top of the weekly Standings. Paul Heyman also finishes strong for his usual excellent work while pulling double duty.

• Breathe into the A's, gosh darnit.

• Impact is making one on the Standings. The President of Aces and Eights (and Champion of the TNA World) and a sleazily hilarious referee land smack dab in the middle of the Grandest Stage of All.

• Winning at 'Mania matters.

• So does being the woman who gets the most air time in your promotion (amazing and unfortunately, neither of these women is champion or even an active wrestler).

The S3 - Week Ending April 7

1. CM Punk
2. Undertaker
3. Fandango
4. Paul Heyman
5. (tie) Bully Ray
5. (tie) Joey Ryan
7. Dean Ambrose
8. (tie) Daniel Bryan
8. (tie) Alberto Del Rio
8. (tie) John Cena
8. (tie) Brooke Hogan
8. (tie) AJ Lee

Full 2012-2013 Standing and analysis are coming this week, Cagesiders, by Crom.

In the mean time, Hail to the King, baby...

The S3 2012-2013 Performer of the Year

1. CM Punk - 318 points

2. Daniel Bryan - 182.2
3. Dolph Ziggler - 155.5
4. Austin Aries - 153.5
5. AJ Lee - 152.2
6. Damien Sandow - 125.83
7. Chris Jericho - 101.5
8. Alberto Del Rio - 101.45
9. Bobby Roode - 96.25
10. Big Show - 94.2

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So as we launch season two of YOUR Standings, or S2 of the S3 (...or, you know, not), let's print a full edition of the voting "rules" and scoring methodology:

If you choose to vote in the comments (and we hope you do), you have three "slots". If you place one performer in each, first place is assigned three points for the week, second two and third one. Weekly points are assigned to everyone's comment for ranking.

You can list more than one wrestler per slot, either as a tag team or a tie between unrelated workers. If you use all three slots and have people tied in any of them, those performers will split the points assigned to that slot. For instance:

1. Antonio Cesaro
2. Big Show/Alberto Del Rio
3. Bobby Roode

results in Cesaro getting three weekly points, Big Show and ADR getting a point each (splitting the two points assigned to a second place vote) while Roode also gets the one point for third.

On the other hand, you can assign more points for a tie by having the tie replace one of your other slots, like so:

1. Antonio Cesaro
2. Big Show/Alberto Del Rio

In this instance, Show and Del Rio would each receive 1.5 weekly Standings points, as they will split the two points for second and the one point for third.

The poll has been counted as two comment votes (six points for first - two points for third) with all three slots used and ties counted accordingly. If we get to where we're receiving hundreds of poll votes, that weight will increase. But as we've been getting 20-40 votes since its return, 2x seems a good multiplier.

The annual list is calculated in a similar fashion. Finishing first in the weekly poll is worth ten annual points, through tenth being worth one. Ties split the points assigned to the rankings between the number of people tied. So if Kane, Sting and Layla tie for seventh, nine points (four for seventh, three for eighth and two for ninth) will be split three ways.

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What a way to kick off the 2013-2014 Season! A phenomenal Raw (hmmm...I wonder who might get votes from that show) and a "PPV quality" Impact. Refresh your memory at those links, and check here for Main Event and Smackdown.

Excited to dive into another year with you Smarks!