Wrestling's Greatest Moments

The Rise and Fall of WCW

2010-01-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

As the January 4, 2010 episode of TNA Impact recently showed, people are still fascinated by World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The once thriving national promotion was the southern counterpart to Vince McMahon’s WWF/E, with roots dating back to the 1930’s. At one point, WCW was so successful that it looked to be on its way to not only dominating the wrestling industry but putting the WWF out of business. In a dramatic reversal of fortune, WCW would go down like the Hindenburg, with the WWE triumphing over its longtime rival. Ironically, the very company that WCW tried to bankrupt ended up purchasing it and now has a DVD profiling its legacy. The result is The Rise and Fall of WCW, a WWE Home Video production which tracks the history of one of wrestling's biggest promotions.

Once upon a time, promoter Jim Crockett provided hours of entertainment to fans in Virginia and the Carolinas under the umbrella of a company that would become known as Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP). The exact date of when Mr. Crockett began promoting wrestling is difficult to pin down. Although the company celebrated its in silver anniversary in 1985, some believe this was a kayfabe date. Regardless of its actual start, JCP went on to promote professional wrestling, musical and theatrical shows, as well as sporting events. Mr. Crockett’s wrestling territory was one of the first members of the National Wrestling Alliance, distinguishing itself both by its success as a promotion and by its focus on tag team wrestling. Following Mr. Crockett’s death in 1973, the promotion was eventually handed over to son Jim Crockett Jr. who expanded the promotion from a regional territory into a national promotion. Mr. Crockett’s promotion is fondly remembered by many fans as one of the greatest wrestling promotions of all time, launching the careers of numerous stars and building them in true superstars. Wrestlers like Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat, and “Rowdy” Roddy Piper are just a few members of JCP's all-star alumni.

With the wrestling world changing in the 1980’s, Mr. Crockett decided to expand business. The company not only sold out shows at its Greensboro Coliseum but it caused shutdowns of the local highway system. Wisely, Mr. Crockett saw the future and he turned to closed circuit television in order to expand his audience. The result was 1983’s big event known as Starcade (eventually Starrcade), a show held live at the Greensboro Coliseum and broadcast in several other areas on closed circuit television. Despite a freak snowstorm, Starcade was a major success (eventually leading the way for the WWF’s Wrestlemania show).
The second component of Mr. Crockett’s expansion was bringing in Dusty Rhodes to book his product. Mr. Rhodes had helped make Championship Wrestling from Florida a success and he helped take JCP to greater heights, helping in the development of Starcade as well as several other successful promotional ventures.

As the 1980’s marched on, many of the territories were dying or already out of business. The National Wrestling Alliance no longer maintained the stranglehold it once held over wrestling and JCP rose to the position of standing up against the WWF. For a while, JCP more than held its own. While the WWF was winning mainstream audiences with its Rock and Wrestling style promoting, JCP maintained a strong base from traditional fans who held the WWF’s often cartoonish product in disdain. It also didn’t hurt that JCP’s roster included some of the sport’s most entertaining stars including Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, the Rock and Roll Express, and Magnum T.A. (to name but a few).

Sadly, bad business practices ended up killing JCP. Anyone familiar with JCP knows the story. JCP’s accountant entered Mr. Crockett’s office and told him the company was five million dollars in the hole. The company was hemorrhaging money. Could it be saved? No one was certain but David Crockett wanted to hold on. However he reversed his decision when he learned his mother’s pension was jeopardized by the company’s bleak prognosis.

The result was JCP being sold to Ted Turner’s organization and the company renamed World Championship Wrestling. With Ted Turner bankrolling the company (Mr. Turner was fiercely loyal to wrestling since it helped him build up Superstation TBS) the industry waited to see how the new company would compete against the WWF. What happened over the next few years was a fascinating study of the clash between a corporate mentality and the unorthodox world of professional wrestling. WCW went through a period of complete chaos as executives brought in to guide WCW to new heights flew the company in a seemingly endless holding pattern. No one seemed to know how to run the company and WCW suffered as a revolving door of bookers and executives came and went.

Enter Eric Bischoff, the former announcer for the American Wrestling Association. Mr. Bischoff entered WCW as an announcer but he quickly worked his way up to become WCW's executive producer. Mr. Bischoff had a vision for the failing company and he executed it with a take no prisoners attitude. Some of his ideas were radical such as his decision to dump house shows. With house shows drawing pitiful audiences, Mr. Bischoff scrapped them and moved TV tapings to Disney’s MGM Studio. The move was controversial, especially when WCW taped twenty six weeks of television over a short stretch. With the Internet beginning to spread, this meant that fans knew the company’s booking direction for the next six months. Some fans began to wonder if Eric Bischoff wasn't headed for failure like his predecessors.
Unfazed by criticism, Mr. Bischoff convinced Ted Turner that WCW needed to bring in new talent in order to establish itself as a true competitor to the WWF. The result was astonishing-longtime rival Hulk Hogan was now in WCW! Hogan’s presence shocked some of WCW’s traditional fan base but he also brought in a new audience. Mr. Hogan’s presence shook up the company, resulting in some top stars losing their place. However Mr. Bischoff had a direction in mind for the company and he stuck to it. Then, an off the cuff comment led to one of the most revolutionary moments in wrestling history.

According to Mr. Bischoff’s autobiography Controversy Creates Cash, Mr. Bischoff was meeting with Turner executives (including Mr. Turner himself) to discuss an overseas deal when Mr. Turner asked Mr. Bischoff what he needed to compete with the WWF. According to Mr. Bischoff, the question caught him off guard and he blurted out that he needed prime time television. To Mr. Bischoff’s surprise, the man nicknamed Captain Outrageous told him he had it. This led to Monday Night Nitro being commissioned, a TV show that would compete directly against the WWF’s flagship show Monday Night RAW.

When Nitro debuted in 1995, professional wrestling was not setting the world on fire. WCW and the WWF were struggling financially and creatively; the glory days of the 1980’s were well over. With RAW routinely drawing ratings in the 2.0’s, predictions that Nitro was going to either cannibalize RAW’s audience or flop were difficult to ignore. However Mr. Bischoff stuck to his guns and pressed on. Mr. Bischoff’s vision resulted in a wrestling blitz with the live Nitro drawing a 2.5 rating next to RAW’s 2.2. While both shows would trade wins over the next seven months, Eric Bischoff wasn’t satisfied with anything less than complete dominance.

WCW’s Monday night move not only caught the WWF off guard but it came at an opportune time for WCW. The 1990’s saw a slew of problems for the WWF including Vince McMahon’s federal indictment and subsequent trial, the failure of the World Bodybuilding Federation, the departure of Hulk Hogan, and sluggish ticket sales. With the WWF having to watch every dime it spent, WCW was able to hire WWF stars such as Scott Hall and Kevin Nash to the company. That alone might not have meant much but Mr. Bischoff had a bold direction in mind for them-a battle between the WWF and WCW. He booked an angle that made some fans wonder if the WWF was sending its stars to destroy WCW. The angle was a wild success, even when WWF legal action led to WCW making an on-air announcement that Messieurs Hall and Nash were not working for the WWF.

Wrestling is full of hyperbole but it’s no hyperbole to say that WCW destroyed the WWF for the next two years. The company crushed RAW in the ratings and soared to new heights every month with PPV buy rates. People began to wonder when the WWF was going to go under. Mr. Bischoff gloated over WCW’s success, even going so far as to challenge Vince McMahon to meet him in the ring on to duke it out, mano y mano. Mr. McMahon passed on Mr. Bischoff’s PPV invite but offered to meet him in a parking lot of their choosing. Mr. McMahon wasn’t going down without a tooth and claw fight to the finish.

For a while, it seemed as if WCW could do no wrong. Yet it did, running the nWo angle for too long, failing to build new stars, and hemorrhaging money in a way that made JCP’s money woes look like a badly played game of Monopoly by comparison. When the WWF became the next big thing, fans tuned out of WCW and the company entered a nosedive that resulted in the company’s destruction. WCW’s incredible reversal of fortune is still talked about and analyzed to this day which makes The Rise and Fall of WCW an important DVD.

When The Rise and Fall of WCW DVD was announced, fans couldn’t help but think back to the WWE’s The Monday Night War DVD, a product that took a very biased look at the aforementioned Monday Night War. While The Rise and Fall of WCW is the WWE’s take on things, it’s a lot more objective than The Monday Night War was. This documentary provides a fairly accurate overview of what WCW meant to the industry, its history as Jim Crockett Promotions, and the company’s ensuing struggles and success as WCW. Like The Monday Night War, fans who know of the WWF’s business practices during the 1980’s will chuckle when the WWF’s talking heads cry foul about WCW’s deep pockets being used to lure WWF stars and WCW’s breaking the rules (such as launching Nitro against RAW). Anyone familiar with WWE Home Video should know by now that the WWE isn’t going to paint itself in a bad light so this type of bias isn't surprising.

Other than the company’s usual WWE can do no wrong bias, the product is very good. There are interviews with many of the stars involved with JCP and WCW including Jim Crockett Jr., Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Bill Watts, Ricky Steamboat, and Eric Bischoff (although Mr. Bischoff did not agree to be interviewed for this particular product, his comments on WCW from previous interviews provide all you need to know). In terms of historical accuracy, the DVD does a good job although there is one glaring mistake in which longtime JCP wrestler Paul Jones is connected to promoter Paul Jones (an entirely different person).

The WWE has gotten its DVD’s down to a science. Anyone looking for a quick survey of WCW history should enjoy this one (Fans looking for a deeper look at Jim Crockett Promotions should direct their attention to the Mid Atlantic Gateway, a fantastic site that includes interviews with JCP stars, year by year breakdowns of the promotion, photos, and much more). The features and matches are pretty good too although like most WWE DVD's, they don't go back before the mid 1980's (which is a downright shame as some of JCP's best angles happened before the promotion went national). One of WCW's best tag team matches from the 1990's is included on here (Steiner Brothers vs. Luger & Sting) along with the excellent Magnum T.A.’s $1,000.00 challenge angle.

10 Biggest News Stories of 2000's/

2010-01-13T16:54:00.000-08:00

Now that the first decade of the new millennium is over with, it's time to look back at the biggest news stories in the wrestling world. I rated these stories based on 1) impact on wrestling, 2) news coverage in the "mainstream media", and 3) how big the promotion is (if applicable). If a backyard wrestling promotion had a guillotine match where the loser is literally beheaded, it'd be a big story because of 1) and 2) but not 3). Also, keep in mind that my ethnocentric self tends to focus on wrestling in North America (mainly the U.S. and Canada) so while there were some huge news stories outside the U.S. and Canada, they aren't mentioned here.

10. Eddie Guerrero passes away-the death of one of wrestling's most beloved figures in and out of the ring startled the industry. Mr. Guerrero's tug at your heartstrings comeback tale of personal redemption warmed the hearts of wrestling fans as did his fantastic work in the ring. Sadly, the Eddie Guerrero story was cut short way too soon but it was a wakeup call of sorts for the industry. Mr. Guerrero’s passing would lay the foundation for what became the WWE Wellness Policy.

9. Ric Flair retires-Mr. Flair's retirement wasn't a question of "how long will this last?" but “how do we do this right to recognize THE MAN’s many achievements in the ring?” According to some stories, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin proposed a program in which “The Nature Boy” would shoot for one last world championship (culminating naturally, in a final match at Wrestlemania). In the end, the WWE went with a program that saw Flair marked for immediate retirement should he lose a match. The angle was masterfully done and it led to one of the most tearful moments in wrestling history. While Mr. Flair's future in the ring remains in limbo, his exit from the WWE was one of the biggest stories of the decade, a reflection largely due to his many contributions in the 70's, 80's, 90's, and 00's. As big as the send-off was, the news following Mr. Flair’s retirement was even bigger. Mr. Flair would leave a position as a WWE goodwill ambassador for lucrative gigs signing autographs, making shoot videos, and even appearing for Ring of Honor.

8. The XFL-in 2001, the WWF seemed as if it could do no wrong. The company's recent public offering was a smash success and it was on the verge of putting longtime rival WCW out of business. Now, Vince McMahon was about to show the world what he could do to football. Like previous attempts to utilize the McMahon magic on non-wrestling avenues (such as his Hulk Hogan vehicle No Holds Barred and the World Bodybuilding Federation), this one proved to be an epic fail. The WWE's efforts to offer fans football during the NFL's (or No Fun League as Mr. McMahon derided it) off-season flopped despite a successful first week. Despite having a two year commitment from co-owner NBC, the XFL was cancelled after one season (Mr. McMahon had the chance to air games on UPN but this would have required him to cut half an hour off of SmackDown!, a choice he refused to make). The XFL would become the butt of many jokes for the next decade but several of the league’s changes would be adopted by the NFL. Regardless of the XFL’s failure, you’ve got to give Mr. McMahon credit for trying such a bold venture.

7. WWF becomes WWE: if any one thing demonstrated the World Wrestling Federation’s arrogance, it was its handling of name rights with the World Wide Fund for Nature. After negotiating a deal with the animal rights organization over using the WWF initials for certain overseas business, Vince McMahon chose to do things his way. This led to a lengthy lawsuit which culminated in an English court barring the World Wrestling Federation from using its WWF Attitude logo and censoring past references to the WWF (please note this is a simplified version of a complicated decision). The result was that the World Wrestling Federation changed its name to World Wrestling Entertainment as well as its logo. Although the WWE tried a clever marketing campaign (“Get the F Out”) to both make light of the situation and to minimize damage, the company still struggles with public confusion over its new initials.

6. Brand Split: Like most businesses, the WWE seems to thrive when it has competitors breathing down its neck (Nothing illustrated this like its Monday Night War with World Championship Wrestling). So what to do when you’ve put all your competitors out of business? In the WWE’s case, they elected to compete with themselves by developing an internal rivalry. The result was the WWE taking its RAW and SmackDown! shows and making them into separate divisions complete with individual championships and rosters. Although the idea was that the wrestlers from each brand would never appear on each other’s shows, this rule was broken enough that it diluted the value of the brand split. Fans still debate whether or not the brand split helped the WWE or diluted each show but most would probably agree that the one good thing to come about has been the annual WWE Draft Lottery in which Superstars are shuffled among the various brands. Despite the protests of some fans, the WWE has stuck to its guns and continues to maintain the brand split.

5. Ring of Honor: If someone told you that a niche promotion with no weekly television and no major stars would have impacted the wrestling industry, they’d probably have laughed at you. No one was laughing though when Ring of Honor became a cult success. Although Ring of Honor remains a niche promotion, its impact on the industry cannot be denied. The promotion’s focus on in-ring work and its “code of honor” quickly captured the attention of some fans. ROH provided fans a true alternative to the WWE, giving them a product that focused on wrestling rather than glitz and glamour. With wrestling now out of favor with many television networks, ROH thrived despite a lack of weekly television to promote the shows. Instead, the promotion sold DVD’s of their live events for fans to follow the action. Despite its public access TV-like production values, ROH’s in-ring work blew away anything happening in the ring in North America. The promotion would develop major stars of its own including CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Nigel McGuinness, and Samoa Joe. The company has taken a methodical wait and see attitude to growth, eventually having PPV’s and making the jump to TV. While the company’s future always seems in jeopardy, it remains a source of joy for its loyal fans.

4. WWE Wellness Policy: The death of wrestler Eddie Guerrero renewed discussion of the alarming number of wrestlers who died at a young age. With critics arguing that steroids and drug abuse were the cause of many of the deaths, it came as no surprise that the WWE began testing for steroid and drug abuse. Critics found fault with the program and a 2007 investigation that linked several prominent WWE stars to illegal pharmacies only added to questions about the program’s ultimate value. While the program remains a subject of intense debate among some, the WWE continues to fine-tune the program, giving it more and more credibility. The WWE’s generous offer of paying for substance abuse treatment for WWE stars both past and present gives support to the idea that the Wellness Policy is more than just a corporate move to garner good publicity. In any event, WWE Superstar Montel Vontavius Porter is undoubtedly thankful that the WWE Wellness Policy’s cardiovascular testing (an aspect of the policy that is often overlooked) led to his diagnosis of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a cardiovascular condition.

3. Debut of TNA: It's said that nature abhors a vacuum so it's no surprise that following the demise of WCW and ECW, promoters quickly followed to fill the void left by their absence. While Andrew McMannus' World Wrestling All-Stars looked to be a possible successor to WCW, it eventually faded from sight as did several others. Then, legendary promoter Jerry Jarrett announced he was back in the game. The result was NWA-TNA, a promotion that wouldn't rely on weekly TV but instead, weekly PPV's. Despite a catastrophic beginning in which Mr. Jarrett was reportedly given overblown estimates on the show’s actual success, TNA has gone from weekly PPV’s to weekly television with monthly PPV’s. While TNA seems to have trouble establishing its own identity, the promotion continues to survive (thanks largely in part due to the financial backing of its current owner Panda Energy) and only the most iconoclastic of people would say the program wants for solid wrestling. TNA’s recent decision to sign Hulk Hogan and compete directly with the WWE has sparked some interest about where TNA is heading in the new decade. While TNA remains a distant second to the WWE, it’s a large enough company that it gives both wrestlers and their fans a chance to watch something besides the WWE.

2. Chris Benoit murders wife and son, commits suicide: Fans are still grappling with how this horrific crime happened. While we'll never know for sure, we are certain that this news story rocked the industry and exposed it to new criticism including misreporting by the mainstream media and self-proclaimed wrestling journalists. The firestorm of controversy eventually led to Congressional investigations not only of the WWE but of the industry in general. One of the sickest aspects of the news coverage of this story was by wrestling news sites and newsletters that exploited the story in order to sell their product. In the end, this exposed these peddlers of misinformation as journalist wannabes, both for their lack of journalistic integrity and for their inability to break any real news about the story.

1. WWF wins Monday Night War: As big as the Benoit story was, its impact on the industry paled in comparison to this story. After a century of major competition between various promoters, wrestling had one true kingpin in Vince McMahon. For many fans, it's still hard to imagine a world where there's only one wrestling show on Monday nights. Fans continue to debate why WWE won the Monday Night War but regardless of the reason(s), the WWE was the winner. In many respects, the WWE’s triumph would be a pyrrhic victory as their shows lost audience and the company continues to find a way to regain the buy rates and TV ratings of their peak.

A Look at the new Monday Night War

2010-01-05T11:42:00.000-08:00

Was last night's RAW or Impact a homerun? Interesting how sports analogies always creep their way whenever professional wrestling is discussed. Sports analogies are used all the time-Wrestlemania is the Superbowl of wrestling, last night's show was a grand slam, or Batista scored a hole in one last night with one of the Divas. These analogies are even more interesting when you think about the intricacies of a homerun. A homerun can be the result of a powerful hit that sends the ball out of the park or it can be a gutsy run around the bases while the other team scrambles for the ball that was just hit. So, was last night's RAW or Impact a homerun?
With the first Monday Night War battle in nearly ten years come and gone, it's time to play Monday morning, er Tuesday morning quarterback and look at last night's episodes of RAW and Impact. Do we have a new Monday Night War on our hands or more evidence that professional wrestling is headed for the abyss. After watching the first hour of Impact (and the last five minutes or so) and the entire episode of RAW, I think it's safe to say that 2010 is off to a good start. Whether each show hit a home run or not is another story.
Looking at all of the comments from fellow fans, it's no stretch to say that there were some great expectations by wrestling fans for both WWE and TNA's flagship shows last night. It's no stretch to say that fans were looking for something to grab their attention and keep them riveted. Looking at all the comments from fellow fans, it's no stretch to say that more than a couple of people were a bit disappointed. I think people were really expecting to be blown away by either RAW or Impact (or both) and while they may have been entertained, they weren't jumping out of their couches or Lazy-Boys shouting "That's why I'm a wrestling fan".
Let's start with Impact. One thing is clear, TNA did not apply the adage "less is more". This show was about surprising the fans with surprise appearance after surprise appearance. This wasn't Crash TV, this was Crash TV on crystal meth. If you blinked, you ran the risk of missing the surprise appearance of various WWE Superstars ranging from Jeff Hardy to Val Venis. At first, it was a lot of fun seeing people like Hardy and Ric Flair make surprise appearances. However after a while, it seemed like there was just too much going on to take it all in. That's not a problem per se until you consider TNA can't bring in new wrestlers every week unless Panda Energy just wrote TNA a blank check (although the number of former wrestlers that showed up last night has got to be encouraging news for the guys trying to make a living on the indie scene). Still, there comes a time when overkill sets in and I think TNA reached that point last night.
Looking at last night's Impact, you really had a good idea of what TNA is all about, both good and bad. The opening cage match (the Tweety Bird Cage as I like to call it) featured some very talented wrestlers but it also showcased TNA's flaws. The camera work was spotty (when the camera was in the ring, you got a good look at the wrestlers involved, when the camera was outside the ring, you couldn't follow a thing) and the finish confused a lot of people. Homicide going nuts was easy to follow thanks to commentary from Taz and Mike Tenay but fans accustomed to cage matches (which are typically no disqualification encounters by default) were not only scratching their heads in confusion but chanting "This is bullshit" in frustration. If that wasn't bad enough, Homicide's unsuccessful attempt to climb out of the cage was embarrassingly funny as the cameras seemed locked on him for an eternity (I haven't seen something this bad since Hulk Hogan tried to start the Undertaker's motorcycle and he spent several minutes stalled on the entrance ramp). For all the good stuff that happened in the cage, there was stuff that highlighted the fact that TNA still looks minor league next to the WWE (a point many fans felt was delivered all the more by the show being taped at the Impact Center).
Still, last night's Impact showed that there's still hope for TNA. The people who criticize TNA by saying "This isn't 1998" miss the point. 1998 is fondly remembered by a lot of fans and although TNA can't take us back to 1998, using the wrestling product of 1998 as a template isn't the worst idea in the world. TNA's biggest chance of success in following the 1998 product isn't by bringing in all the wrestlers from that time period and recreating the angles, it's by utilizing their current roster in ways that evoke the spirit of 1998 i.e. fast paced angles, good wrestling, and compelling storylines. As with all things TNA has tried, the key is sticking with a game plan. TNA has yet to demonstrate any kind of success in sticking to a game plan but the 1998 game plan isn't the worst one they could run with.
Last night's show ended on an interesting note. Eric Bischoff is always good as a villain and the intrigue between Hogan, Foley, and Bischoff has enough of a lure that I'm hooked for now. I'm really hoping that TNA doesn't bring in guys like the Nasty Boys, Sean Waltman, and Scott Hall to do nothing but beat up the current roster. Still, seeing the old Wolfpack together has its merits (at least until they step into the ring) and it's sure to bring in some fans who haven't switched on wrestling since the days of Nitro.
The first Impact of 2010 showed some promise. TNA did a good job pulling off a three hour show (which the WWE has proved repeatedly is not an easy thing to accomplish). It was certainly not a smashing success nor was it an unmitigated disaster. It was a start to something which hopefully will build into something that can jumpstart the company. TNA is obviously spending some money on this venture so let's hope they get what they pay for. Last night's Impact wasn't a home run but it did feature a lot of doubles and triples. The show was definitely worth checking out and it was good enough that I'll give TNA another swing at bat.
RAW in many respects, was the antithesis of Impact. RAW anchored itself with one big guest (Bret Hart for those of you who just returned from a cave in Afghanistan) and put the rest of the show on cruise control. The result was a refreshingly balanced show which featured some excellent wrestling (including a PPV worthy DX vs. JeriShow match as well as an outstanding Kofi Kingston vs. Randy Orton bout) and stayed away from the stupid skits which have marred the show for the last few years (although the WWE did find time to throw in a stupid bit with DX and Hornswaggle, it was somewhat bearable). The WWE did a great job with the exchanges between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart (a truly emotional moment), Chris Jericho and Bret Hart, and of course, the finale between Vince McMahon and Bret Hart. Every one of them did what they were supposed to (get Michaels over as an ally for Hart, show Bret doesn't play favorites, and start the feud with Vince). While it would be wrong to label last night's RAW as a grand slam or a home run knocked out of the park, it was a home run earned through sustained effort. The WWE made a strong hit and covered all the bases throughout the night.
In the end, RAW was the better show but Impact held its own for the most part (Anyone who thought Impact was going to beat RAW probably thought Evan Bourne was going to pin Sheamus). In wrestling terms, last night wasn't a squash match. There's much to be learned from last night's battle. TNA needs to see what worked and what didn't work. They need to retune their game plan and stick with it. As for the WWE, they showed they can still put on a good show when they want to. Like TNA, they need to put on consistently good shows. Both TNA and the WWE have way too much talent to be putting on bad shows. It's time for both promotions to show the fans what they've got.

Remembering Eddie Fatu

2009-12-05T11:01:00.000-08:00

Eddie Fatu was born in 1973, a member of the famous Anoai wrestling family (which includes the Wild Samoans, the Tonga Kid, Rikishi, Yokozuna, and many others). Mr. Fatu trained at his uncles' Wild Samoan Pro Wrestling Training Center before going to work in uncle Afa's World Extreme Federation. He quickly caught the eye of World Wrestling Federation officials, appearing on WWF TV briefly before honing his skills further in the WWF's developmental territory Heartland Wrestling Association. Around this time, Mr. Fatu formed a long-running team with his cousin Matt which saw them in promotions such as Memphis Championship Wrestling and Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling.

In 2002, the two cousins debuted in the WWE, appearing as RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff's henchmen, Three-Minute Warning. Now known as Jamal (with his cousin going as Rosey), Mr. Fatu laid out weekly beatdowns alongside his cousin whenever Eric Bischoff felt someone had begun to bore the audience. Three-Minute Warning would continue to dish out destruction whenever called upon, both in and out of the squared circle. In what was their biggest angle at the time, Three-Minute Warning crashed the "commitment ceremony" of Billy and Chuck during the September 12, 2002 edition of SmackDown!. The two then went on to defeat the team in a match at September's Unforgiven PPV. A feud against the Dudley Boyz followed but the team came to an abrupt end when Mr. Fatu was released in June 2003.

From there, Mr. Fatu continued his in-ring career, working for both Total Nonstop Action (TNA) in 2003 as the tag team partner of Sonny Siaki. After working a program with America's Most Wanted (James Storm and Chris Harris), Mr. Fatu went to work for All Japan Pro Wrestling. There, he worked as Jamal, teaming with Justin Credible before forming a championship team with Taiyo Kea that saw the two perform in Hawai'i Championship Wrestling as well as Japan (the two would win the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship, the 2004 World's Strongest Tag Team League tournament, and the HCW Kekaulike Heritage Tag Team Championship).

In 2006, Mr. Fatu returned to the WWE, debuting as a singles wrestler alongside new WWE manager Armando Elejandro Estrada. Now working as Umaga, a mysterious Samoan savage (reminiscent of his uncles Afa and Sika of the Wild Samoans), Mr. Fatu attacked Ric "Nature Boy" Flair on an episode of Monday Night RAW, laying out the former 16-time World Champion. Umaga would face Flair at the 2006 Backlash PPV, defeating Flair and establishing himself as a fierce opponent.

From there, it seemed as Umaga was an unstoppable force of nature. With Armando Elejandro Estrada guiding his career, Umaga bulldozed over opponent after opponent, quickly earning the nickname "The Samoan Bulldozer". Comparisons to fellow Samoan wrestler Samoa Joe (who had established himself as "The Samoan Submission Machine" in both Ring of Honor and Total Nonstop Action) were inevitable but Mr. Fatu distinguished himself, proving that he was no carbon-copy of anyone.

For some time, it appeared as if nothing could stop "The Samoan Bulldozer". Umaga beat everyone there was to beat on the RAW roster, defeating main event stars such as Shawn Michaels, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, and John Cena. Umaga even sent Kane packing when he defeated "The Big Red Machine" in a "Loser Leaves RAW" match. Umaga then prepared for the biggest match of his career- a WWE Championship match against John Cena at the 2007 New Year's Revolution PPV.

After nearly a year of wrestling without being pinned or forced to submit, Umaga suffered his first pinfall loss in January 2007 at New Year's Revolution. John Cena successfully defended his belt, surprising Umaga with a roll-up that saw the Samoan Bulldozer's shoulders pinned to the mat for a three count. A rematch at the Royal Rumble saw Umaga's career further blemished when Cena forced him to tap out to the STFU (albeit with the help of the ring rope and turnbuckle) in a Last Man Standing Match.

Undaunted by his losses to Cena, Umaga participated in arguably the biggest match of 2007, the Battle of the Billionaires at Wrestlemania XXIII. Umaga was hand-picked by WWE chairman Vince McMahon to serve as his wrestler against arch-rival Donald Trump's wrestler Bobby Lashley. This match was especially important to McMahon as it was a Hair vs. Hair Match (with either McMahon or Trump losing their hair depending on the outcome). As expected, the match was a wild one with Umaga laying out "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (the match's special referee) and nearly winning the match for Mr. McMahon. In the end though, Umaga fell to Lashley.

An angry and now bald Mr. McMahon turned his attention from Trump to Lashley, seeking to punish Lashley for his humiliating loss at Wrestlemania. Despite his loss to Lashley, McMahon continued using the Samoan Bulldozer (who had lost manager Armando Elejandro Estrada thanks to a beatdown dished out by Lashley) as the instrument of his vengeance. The two feuded with Umaga helping Mr. McMahon capture Lashley's ECW World Title. Lashley countered by helping newcomer Santino Marella defeat Umaga for the Intercontinental Championship. Their feud continued until 2007's Judgment Day PPV which saw Lashley defeat Umaga, Vince, and Shane McMahon in a Handicap Match.

2007 saw Umaga's fortunes rise and fall. While he defeated Santino Marella to regain the Intercontinental Championship in July, he lost it in September to Jeff Hardy (who had just returned to the WWE). Umaga then suffered a brutal beatdown at the hands of a sledgehammer wielding Triple H (which lead to a storyline absence as Umaga served out a Wellness Policy mandated suspension). When he returned to action, Umaga fell to Triple H in a WWE Championship Match at the No Mercy PPV.

As 2007 became 2008, it became clear that Umaga was no longer an unstoppable force. Still, he remained a formidable opponent, battling Batista at Wrestlemania XXIV and Jeff Hardy in a Falls Count Anywhere Match at the 2008 One Night Stand PPV. In June 2008, Umaga was drafted to SmackDown! where he looked to be back on track in his winning ways. Unfortunately an ACL injury took him out of action for the remainder of the year.

In 2009, Umaga finally returned to action, destroying Jimmy Wang Yang during a match on SmackDown! From there, Umaga entered into a feud with CM Punk. Umaga defeated Punk at that year's Judgment Day PPV but he lost to Punk in a subsequent Samoan Strap Match at the Extreme Rules PPV. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Fatu was released by the WWE. Mr. Fatu recently appeared on the Australian Hulkamania tour, performing as Edward Smith “Uso” Fatu.

I'd like to extend my prayers and condolences to the family and friends of Eddie Fatu.

Themed PPV's from the Past and Present

2009-11-30T15:12:00.000-08:00

Right now the WWE is attempting to make its PPV's more distinct with themed shows such as Hell in a Cell, TLC, and Breaking Point (submission matches). While fans' reactions have been mixed the WWE deserves credit for trying to invigorate the product and making each PPV seem special. Some fans may be surprised to learn that specialty PPV's date back to the beginning of PPV itself. Indeed, the idea of having special themed shows(and by this I mean shows based around a specific type of match) dates back even further as we shall see.

The WWE is by no means the first company to focus on branded events. Back in the 1960's and 70's, promoter Roy Shire featured an annual battle royal that was held at the Cow Palace Arena. Shire's Battle Royal was treated both as a special event and an extremely dangerous one (the battle royal was known for featuring injury angles including stretcher jobs). Promoter Shire featured some of his top stars in the match-up and often brought in talent from outside of his San Francisco based National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territory, adding to the show's allure. WWE Hall of Famer Pat Patterson was a frequent participant (as well as two-time winner of the Battle Royal) and he would draw upon his experience there when he helped design the WWE's Royal Rumble.

In 1986, promoter Jim Crockett Jr. built a supercard around tag team wrestling known as the Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament (better known as "The Crockett Cup"). The inaugural Crockett Cup was a major event in the NWA with most of the remaining NWA territories sending their top tag teams to compete against Crockett's teams. The first Crockett Cup saw 24 teams compete for a (kayfabe) $1,000,000.00 prize as well as a memorial trophy. The event was held over two days and was considered one of the year's top events. While it did not draw as much money as expected, it was successful enough that two more Crockett Cups were held.

Even during the earliest days of PPV, promoters considered specially themed shows in order to lure in customers. One of the first was the Wrestling Classic, the World Wrestling Federation's second PPV (some people have argued that this was actually the first official PPV as Wrestlemania was only available in closed circuit arenas while The Wrestling Classic was available in select homes). The Wrestling Classic revolved around a sixteen man tournament (as well as a WWF title match between champion Hulk Hogan and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper). The WWF would follow up on the idea of themed shows with its debut of the Survivor Series. For the first few years, the Survivor Series was made up entirely of tag team elimination matches.

In 1989, World Championship Wrestling (WCW) ran an Iron Man tournament at its annual Starrcade show. The show featured both a tag team tournament as well as a singles tournament with competitors battling in round robin matches to determine the "Iron Man" (and "Iron Men"). For more on the rules of the "Iron Man" tournament, click here.

During the 1990's, WCW toyed further with themed PPV's, one of which became known as Battlebowl:the Lethal Lottery. In 1991, WCW held the first ever Battlebowl at its Starrcade The BattleBowl (which has no connection to Rob Van Dam despite what you may think) featured "randomly" (kayfabe) selected teams battling one another with the winning teams advancing to a two ring battle royal held at the end of the night. WCW would follow up with another Battlebowl at Starrcade 92 as well as a Battlebowl PPV in 1993. Unfortunately for Battlebowl fans, the concept wasn't strong enough to establish an annual tradition.

WCW wasn't alone in using special events to build a PPV around. In 1985 WWF launched the King of the Ring PPV tournaments in 1985 at the Sullivan Stadium in the Foxborough, Massachusetts (later moving it to the Providence Civic Center in Providence, Rhode Island) . The event proved popular enough not only to run until 1991 but to be relaunched as a PPV event. The WWE continued the King of the Ring as a PPV until 2002.

Recent history has shown that specially themed PPV's can succeed. One of TNA's biggest successes has been its annual Lockdown PPV which features cage matches from start to finish. While the thought of nothing but cage matches seems like overkill, TNA has done a good job of keeping the show fresh and Lockdown continues to be one of the company's most popular PPV's.

Wrestling promoters don't have to reserve themed events for PPV's. With the WWE running more and more three hour RAW's, it might not be a bad idea to run a themed show on one of these 180 minute blowouts. While I don't think it's in the WWE's (or TNA's) best interests to make every PPV or show a specially themed event, they might want to consider two of the following ideas:

Pro-Am: While I don't watch a lot of Japanese wrestling, I love some of the tournaments that the various promotions used to run. One of the best ideas I've heard of was a tournament that featured veterans teaming with rookie wrestlers. The possibilities here of course are endless. Not only do you get a chance to form new teams but you get to do angles with possible feuds between team members as well as younger guys getting a chance to get the rub from an established star. Like anything else, a promotion can make a kayfabe prize such as a big check or do something where the winner gets a tag title shot at the next PPV ( On a sidenote, I absolutely hate the idea of teams battling in a tournament where they face the champions that very night. I've never understood the concept of a team (or individual) wrestling several matches in one evening then having to utilize a title shot the same night against a fresh team).

Wrestling Olympics: I like the idea of the WWE's Bragging Rights PPV where RAW SmackDown! compete to see who is the best. The problem with Bragging Rights was that the company threw the show together at the last minute and they did little to make winning it seem all that special (other than the trophy). Imagine an all-star night in which WWE stars compete in various match-ups as well as old school angles like arm-wrestling matches, pose-downs, tests of strength, or whatever else you want to throw in. The team with the most wins would naturally go on to become that year's winner and claim a kayfabe prize they can brag about over the next year.

The key with any of these themed events is in how they are executed. Take the recent Hell in a Cell PPV. The problem with the PPV wasn't that there were three Hell in a Cell matches. The problem was that that 1) there wasn't a lot of build-up for the cage matches and 2) only one of the cage matches (DX vs. Legacy) actually used the cage with any regularity. On the other hand, I LOVED the Breaking Point The submission matches turned out to be excellent and for the most part, they tied in with the programs. For example, DX vs. Legacy was a battle of who was the toughest team. Likewise Orton vs. Cena played into the "Diehard" attitude of John Cena winning out over a weak-willed heel. Don't run a themed event unless you have a concrete plan for the matches involved.

As time unfolds it will be interesting to see whether the WWE adopts more themed PPV's or if it drops the concept in favor of more traditional shows. If history is any indication, you can be sure that themed events will be around in some quantity in the time to come.

The Story of Survivor Series

2009-11-23T08:50:00.000-08:00

It's not very often that a Great Moment in Wrestling can also be an Epic Fail but that's what happened when the two biggest wrestling companies decided to go head to head on Thanksgiving night. The result was the beginning of the end for one promotion and the debut of one of the longest running PPV's in WWE history. Join me as I look back at the debut of the Survivor Series.

Thanksgiving has always been an important day in professional wrestling. In 1987, it would become important for another reason-the location of an all-out battle between rival promotions the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP). In the end, one promoter would be very thankful while another was thankful to still be in business.

For years, Thanksgiving was one of the most important days (if not the most important) for Jim Crockett Promotions. Even before the promotion launched its Starcade show (The grand-daddy of them all), Thanksgiving held a special place for the promotion and its fans. Thanksgiving was the day in which many feuds were settled and new programs developed as the fans relaxed from a big Thanksgiving dinner and watched some top-rate wrestling action. Starcade only magnified this, giving fans from all around the Mid-Atlantic area a chance to see the big show that before then, was often sold out. This of course, made Thanksgiving the biggest night of the year for JCP. It was the promotion's Superbowl or in wrestling terms, its Wrestlemania.

And speaking of Wrestlemania, 1987 was an amazing year for the WWF. Wrestlemania III was a monster success for the WWF (thanks to its epic Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant main event) as well as for the PPV companies which beamed the show into homes around the world. Seeing the success of Wrestlemania III, Vince McMahon decided to embark on a second PPV that year. After all, if one PPV was successful, imagine how good things would be with two. Some people were skeptical. After all, could the market sustain TWO pay-per-views in one year (McMahon had run two PPV's in 1985 but failed to do so in 1986)? As laughable as it may seem now, there was serious concern about flooding the market with two PPV's over the course of twelve months. Even more serious was the notion of running a show directly against their competitor JCP. Could the market sustain TWO pay-per-views on the same night (Thanksgiving)?

The wrestling world was all abuzz about the prospect of the WWF competing directly against JCP. For several years, the WWF and JCP had bumped heads as both companies grew from regional to national promotions. By 1987 the WWF had the upper hand but JCP remained a respectable second place to the WWF and they were by no means finished. While the WWF had Hulkamania powering its ship, JCP relied on traditional wrestling that appealed to many of the old school fans turned off by the sometimes cartoonish antics of the WWF. Stars like Ric Flair, Lex Luger, Dusty Rhodes, and the Road Warriors made JCP a thriving promotion of its own. Now, wrestling fans would be able to truly voice their opinion on who was the better company. It's even been said that JCP welcomed the chance to compete against the WWF as they felt their superior wrestling product would triumph over the glitz and glamour of the WWF.

If Vince McMahon had his way though, there would be no head to head battle. Using the leverage of the super-successful Wrestlemania III, McMahon made it known to cable companies that they now had another big WWF product to make loads of money off of. The only catch was that they had to carry this new show exclusively, especially if they wanted to get Wrestlemania IV. In a gesture reflecting his abundant goodwill, McMahon made it clear to the cable providers that there was no need to carry that second-rate Starcade any more since the big boys i.e. the WWF were running a Thanksgiving show. If that didn't get the cable companies thinking his way, he told them that they had to carry this new show exclusively, especially if they wanted to get Wrestlemania IV.

For those wondering about the legalities of what the WWF pulled, this was something that definitely could have been challenged in court. The problem was that by the time the case got to court, it would have been too little too late. JCP might have been able to get some sort of injunctive relief against the WWF and/or cable companies involved but they risked alienating the cable companies in the future. In the end, the majority of the cable companies went with the WWF, shutting JCP out of the picture. The result was that, Starcade had very few clearances while the WWF's new show Survivor Series had many. To no one's surprise, Survivor Series crushed Starcade, if for no other reason, because it was most fans' only choice if they wanted wrestling for their post-turkey dinner relaxation (Conventional wisdom has it that the WWF show was actually a better show wrestling-wise than Starcade but you be the judge).

Survivor Series' success continued the WWF's good fortunes, proving that the company could run more than one PPV a year. It also sealed JCP's doom as the company banked on Starcade to make a lot of money (which was certainly reasonable on their part as the show had always done so before). Without the revenue traditionally generated by Starcade, JCP ran into cash flow companies and its owners were forced to sell the company to Ted Turner just a year later.
Debut of the Elimination Chamber.

As we all know, the Survivor Series has gone on to become one of the WWE's "Big Four" PPV's. The WWF stopped airing on Thanksgiving years ago and for a while it looked as if the Survivor Series elimination matches were history. Fortunately the WWE has seen fit to bring back the elimination matches, reestablishing the Survivor Series as more than just another PPV. Over the last twenty plus years, fans have delighted to many memorable moments at Survivor Series such as the inaugural show's ten team tag elimination match (1987), the debut of the Undertaker (1990), the Undertaker's tainted win over Hulk Hogan for the WWF Championship the following year (1991), the infamous Montreal Screwjob(1997), the night "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was run down by a mystery driver (1999), the climax to the Invasion angle, and the debut of the Elimination Chamber (2002). On a personal note, 1995's Survivor Series was memorable as it was the first PPV I ever attended (and actually a pretty good show in its own right).

Remembering Captain Lou Albano

2009-11-04T13:52:00.001-08:00

Captain Lou! Captain Lou! Whether he was helping one of his charges cheat their way to victory, winning the U.S. Tag Team Championship, making beautiful music with NRBQ (and music videos with Cyndi Lauper), or starring in Brian DePalma's Wise Guys, Lou Albano knew how to keep himself busy and in the spotlight. He was bigger than life, literally and metaphorically, making an impact wherever he stepped.

Born Louis Vincent Albano, the man who would become famous in and outside of the squared circle did it all. He was a champion wrestler, a manager of champions, and a pop culture icon, appearing in music videos, TV shows, and film. Mr. Albano contributed so many things to wrestling that it's difficult to sum up all of his accomplishments. Arguably his biggest was his buildup to War to Settle the Score, the famous matchup which led to Wrestlemania and the WWF's rise to prominence but then again, with a resume as long as the Captain's, it's not easy to be certain.

Like many managers, Mr. Albano began his career in the ring as a wrestler. In his case, he rose to prominence as one half of the heel tag team called the Sicilians (alongside partner Tony Altimore). The Sicilians would become well known during the 1950's and 1960's, working throughout various territories including the WWWF and capturing the U.S. Tag Team Championship from Spiros Arion and Arnold Skaaland in 1967.

For most fans however, Captain Lou was best remembered for his work as a manager in the WWWF . As Paul Heyman mentioned in his blog this week, one of the Three Wise Men of the East, the legendary triumvirate of terror that ran wild over the babyfaces in the WWWF (the other two of course, being the Grand Wizard and "Classy" Freddie Blassie). Captain Lou would become known as "The Guiding Light" (one of the many names he bestowed upon himself), leading a record fifteen tag teams to championship gold in the WWWF. When Captain Lou managed a tag team, it was always a question of when,not if, his team would win the coveted WWWF Tag Team Championship. The teams he guided were a veritable who's who in the WWWF including the Wild Samoans, a team he led to a record three WWWF tag team championships.

Mr. Albano was so well known for his tag team accolades that people often forgot the singles championships he helped manage. The biggest of course was Ivan Koloff, who toppled Bruno Sammartino in 1971 to win the WWWF championship. The Intercontinental championship did not elude his grasp either with Mr. Albano helping both The Magnificent Muraco and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine win that prestigious belt.

Fans always have their choice of who the greatest manager of all time was. One thing everyone can agree on is that they broke the mold when they made Captain Lou. Captain Lou Albano was much more than a manager, he was a force of nature. It's hard to think of someone more despicable than Captain Lou. When the big, ugly man worked his way to the ring, you couldn't help but hate him. Captain Lou presented a look that was all his own. Whether it was the long rubber bands that dangled from his face, the wild hair and equally untamed beard, or his trademark shirt with generous belly protruding from underneath, Lou Albano looked the part of a slimy, no-good bad guy who would run over his grandmother if she stood in his way. One look at Albano and you knew what a character he was. You never forgot him. Even people who'd only seen him once would remember him as "the fat guy with rubber bands hanging down his face" or "that ugly obnoxious wrestling manager who never shut up."

Lou Albano was no cartoon character bad guy (although he would go on to become a cartoon character in Hulk Hogan's Rock and Wrestling and play a real-life version of a cartoon character in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!). He was the real deal. He reminded you of the loud, brash guy at the seedy side of town, hustling numbers or beating people up for failing to pay their debts. Lou Albano was the brains behind the brawn, the guy who guided monsters like the Wild Samoans and the Moondogs to the WWWF Tag Team Championship. He was also the guy who always looked out for number one-he defrauded Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka out of all his earnings then choreographed a brutal beatdown on Snuka when his nefarious activities were brought to life. Captain Lou Albano was one bad customer.

He was also a rarity among managers-someone who you actually thought might do a number on a babyface. Granted, Albano cultivated his image as a slob and you knew your favorite wrestler would come out on top in a fair fight against Albano. The problem was that you also knew Albano never fought a fair fight in his life. Albano presented a true sense of danger to babyfaces, luring them into a false sense of security then striking when they were at their weakest.

Like Shakespeare's loveable rogue John Falstaff, Albano also had an undeniable charm. As bad a guy as you knew he was, you couldn't help but laugh at some of his promos. The guy never stopped talking. Whether he boasted of being "often imitated but never duplicated" or any of the thousands of catchphrases he dropped, the not-so-good Captain was never at a loss for words. His sometimes comical antics served a secondary purpose-they lured the babyfaces and their fans into underestimating Albano until he sprang one of his diabolical plans on them. It was pure wrestling gold.

Although I was only able to catch Albano during the tail end of his heel years in the WWF, he made a lasting impression. One of the bits that illustrated Albano's craziness occurred during match between Albano charge "The Magnificent Muraco" and perennial loser Rudy Diamond. During the match, Albano paraded around the ring with a meatball bomber and cup of Coca Cola. It didn't take long for everyone to realize Diamond posed no threat to Muraco. Muraco was destroying the jobber but Albano was determined to add insult to injury. During the match, Albano walked up to the ring and gave Muraco a bite of his sub. If that wasn't bad enough, Albano then gave Muraco some of his Coca Cola to drink. The humiliation of losing to Muraco was compounded by Muraco getting a quick snack in and the sheer disgust at seeing someone sharing part of Lou Albano's lunch.

Hollywood has always been drawn to the charismatic personalities found in professional wrestling. That's why it's no surprise that Captain Lou was "discovered" by Hollywood. In the Captain's case, he would soon be found in the music videos of up and coming singer Cyndi Lauper, playing Ms. Lauper's father in her video Girls Just Want to Have Fun. The song was a smash success, aided by the video (and Albano's presence), and propelled Lauper to pop stardom.

In true form, Albano seemed to ride Lauper's coattails to the top. This would lead to one of the biggest angles of the 1980's and lead the way for the WWF's rise to the top as well. For weeks, Albano basked in the fame he'd earned by appearing in Lauper's video, boasting to fellow heel "Rowdy" Roddy Piper that he would produce Lauper for Piper's talk segment "Piper's Pit". After many weeks of speculation, Lauper appeared and that's when the fireworks started. Lauper and Albano clashed after Albano claimed to be the reason for Lauper's success, then added to his problems by making chauvinistic comments towards Lauper. In the end, the two decided to settle their differences by managing a wrestler against one another. The result was "The Brawl to Settle It All", a woman's title match between Albano's proxy, the Fabulous Moolah (then WWF Woman's Champion) and Lauper's proxy, Wendi Richter. The match main evented Madison Square Garden and scored record ratings for MTV when it was aired. When the dust had settled, Lauper's wrestler was victorious and Captain Lou had egg on his face.

Albano's defeat saw a slow but noticeable change in the manager's heart. Like the Grinch, his heart began to grow and he soon found himself helping Lauper in charity fund-raisers to fight Multiple Sclerosis. The two received an award for their efforts in Madison Square Garden and like most wrestling awards ceremonies, this one was ruined. This time, by Roddy Piper who cracked an award over Albano's head and laid out Lauper and her entourage. This angle would lead to "The War to Settle the Score", the famous buildup to the first ever Wrestlemania.

From there, Captain Lou began working on the side of the angels, guiding babyface teams like the U.S. Express (Barry Windham & Mike Rotunda) and the British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and the Dynamite Kid) to the WWF Tag Team Championship. The now good captain also found himself in demand in Hollywood, guest starring on hit TV shows of the time such as Miami Vice and 227 as well as starring in Brian De Palma's film Wiseguys. Although Hollywood was now taking up most of his time, Captain Lou returned to wrestling from time to time. In 1994, Captain Lou added another tag team championship to his trophy case when he guided the Headshrinkers to a WWF Tag Team Title win.

As always, the hits kept coming for Captain Lou. In 1989, he starred as iconic video game character Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! and in 1996, he was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame. Two years later he would co-author the book The Complete Idiots Guide to Professional-Wrestling. 2008 would see the release of the Captain's autobiography Often Imitated, Never Duplicated.

Conflict, Kofis, and Kings-Why Kofi Kingston's New Accent Exemplifies Everything Wrong with WWE Storytelling

2009-11-04T13:48:00.000-08:00

WWE fans have been shaking their heads, wondering wha' happened to Kofi Kingston. The popular high-flyer with the Jamaican accent is no longer Jamaican. One week he's "boom booming" and talking with a signature Jamaican accent, the next he's hailing from Ghana, West Africa, speaking with no accent at all. As if the fans were too thick to notice the change, Triple H (God bless him for always willing to help out) made a point of asking what happened to Kofi's accent. Naturally, that was the extent of an explanation.

The funny thing is that the WWE fans aren't shaking their heads because they're confused, they're shaking their heads because this is just the latest WWE change in booking that comes without explanation (In an effort to be fair, I did go on the WWE's web page and checked out Kofi's Superstar Profile. On it, it's noted that With a love for the Caribbean and the Caribbean lifestyle, Kingston brings a hybrid personality of his homeland and the island to the ring week in and week out. The problem of course is that the WWE didn't bother to mention this on TV in any way. Then again, why should they start now when they routinely change characters and storylines with little or no explanation. Case in point, the Bella Twins split to take sides with the Colons against the Miz and Morrison. Next thing you know, it's like it never happened (The old TV series Dallas once wrote off an entire season as a dream, earning eternal notoriety for its sloppy storytelling). Consider the babyface turn of MVP. One week he's a heel, fresh off a feud withMatt Hardy, the next he's a babyface (The same thing happened to Carlito but by now, Carlito doesn't care nor do his fans).

Truth be told, the WWE isn't the first promotion to change someone without any notice. Let me take you back to 1981 when Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) brought in wrestler Jimmy Valiant. Valiant, who had worked for various promotions (including the WWWF as part of the legendary tag team the Valiant Brothers) had just finished a memorable run in Jerry Jarrett's Memphis promotion as babyface "Handsome" Jimmy Valiant. "Handsome" Jimmy was wildly popular in Memphis but inexplicably, none of the bookers in JCP knew about this. Instead, they brought in Mr. Valiant as "King" James Valiant, a cocky heel managed by "Lord" Alfred Hayes (who at this point in his career was working as a manager).

King James Valiant grew a beard and became "The Boogie Woogie Man."
"King" James worked in the area for a few weeks before Jarrett asked JCP if they could use him for a tag match in Memphis. JCP agreed and sent Valiant to Memphis where he teamed up with Jerry "The King" Lawler for one night. Valiant was a superstar in Memphis and his appearance led to a healthy box office that night. In true wrestling fashion, Jarrett asked to use Valiant again, telling the bookers in JCP about how successful Valiant's appearance had been. At this point, JCP realized they were sitting on a potential goldmine. It was time for "King" James to go into permanent exile.

What happened next was some fancy footwork by the gang in JCP. Booker Ole Anderson told Valiant to grow his beard out (he'd been working in JCP as a clean cut heel) while he kept him off the air. Valiant suggested he be called "The Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant and told Anderson about how he'd often come out to entrance music ( a novelty at the time). Anderson agreed and several weeks later, Valiant began coming out to the Manhattan Transfer's remake of The Boy from New York City [1] .While only a few weeks had passed since King James Valiant wrestled as a heel for JCP, no mention was made of him nor was it acknowledged that he was "The Boogie Woogie Man", now wrestling as a babyface [2] .

As we can see, other promoters have taken shortcuts when it comes to repackaging characters with no explanation which begs the question-what's wrong with the WWE doing it? The problem is that the WWE does so on a regular basis, usually without any rhyme or reason. Faces turn heel with no explanation, teams split up only to reform (Heaven knows I could write a treatise on how many times the WWE has foolishly split up the Hardys only to reform them without any explanation), and characters have dropped or added gimmicks with no rhyme or reason. When you make a change to a wrestler without explaining why, you're not only insulting your audience's intelligence but you're wasting a chance to get some heat from it.

Wrestling is all about getting the fans excited enough to continue tuning in to weekly TV and motivated enough to buy a ticket to a live event or order a pay-per-view. The way that promoters do this is by creating heat for characters and storylines. We all know the formula to get heat- somebody wrongs another wrestler, someone wants to prove they're the best, etc. etc.. There are time tested ways that promoters built up excitement by using conflict.

Good stories typically involve a lot of conflict. That's why it's rare that you find the characters of Supernatural sitting around playing Monopoly or 24's Jack Bauer spending an episode catching up on his grocery shopping. I remember a screenwriter telling me that every scene should have some sort of conflict That's not to say that every conflict has to be spectacular-just like a wrestling match shouldn't be highspot after highspot, a story shouldn't be one spectacular action scene after another (even Michael Bay knows that a movie can't be all explosions). The trick is pace your conflict and create a tempo that slowly but surely builds to an explosive climax (this is also useful in the bedroom-or so I've been told).

Things like a wrestler turning heel or face should never happen off camera. They're too good at creating conflict, and more importantly for wrestling promoters, drawing heat. Turning someone heel off camera is like deleting the scene in Return of the Jedi where Darth Vader turns on the Emperor in order to save his son's life and turning it into a throwaway piece of dialogue. Instead of showing Vader watching the Emperor blast Luke with Force Lightning only to finally pick up his former master and hurl him to his death, you'd have Han Solo asking Luke how everything worked out on the Death Star and Luke casually commenting, "You'll never believe this but my old man saw the light and kicked the Emperor's ass." Not exactly the stuff of movie legends.
What if George Lucas decided to delete this epic scene and instead explain it via dialogue? So Luke, we blew up the shield generator, anything happen on the Death Star? Yeah, you'll never believe this but Vader saw the light and killed the Emperor. Now, what's with these Ewoks?

Granted, Kofi Kingston's change in hometown from Jamaica to Africa doesn't have to be treated as an epic event. However any promoter worth his salt will find a way to turn it into something. Remember, not all conflict has to be world shattering. In Kofi's case, it could be mentioned in an interview that he grew up in Jamaica but he wanted to acknowledge his country of origin as he felt he didn't want to lie to the fans. While this would be something minor, it would fit in with the idea that he's a babyface and he doesn't want to mislead his fans. Or, it could be something deeper. Another babyface might question Kofi's lack of honesty in acknowledging his roots. "Kofi lied about being Jamaican-who was he trying to fool?".

Over the last few years, the WWE has shifted its approach to booking from using traditional bookers to utilizing writers to script promos, angles, and feuds. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because as we saw, good storytelling and wrestling go hand in hand. Unfortunately the WWE's writers either need to brush up on their storytelling or they need to explain the basics of storytelling to their boss because it's clear they could be doing a much better job.

[1] While Jimmy Valiant was not the first wrestler to come out to entrance music (Gorgeous George is often credited as the first to do so on a regular basis), he was one of the first to do so on a regular basis. Valiant even recorded his own song which he used as entrance music during his run in Memphis).

[2] This would be the beginning of a wildly successful run for Valiant in JCP with "The Boogie Woogie Man" becoming one of the promotion's most popular wrestlers for the next five years.

Book Review: The Death of WCW

2009-09-12T09:29:00.000-07:00

Originally presented on Gumgod.com in 2005.

Alvarez and Reynolds make good on telling what went wrong.
The Death of WCW
by R.D. Reynolds and Bryan Alvarez

“Those who do not remember their past are condemned to repeat their mistakes"
- George Santayana

When it comes to studying the history of wrestling, analyzing how World Championship Wrestling (WCW) failed is equally as important as analyzing how it rose to early dominance in the Monday Night War. Under the leadership of Eric Bischoff, WCW went from distant second place competitor to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) to total domination in the world of professional wrestling. Things were so going so well that Eric Bischoff predicted that the WWF had less than a year before it would go bankrupt. Bischoff was no braggadocio, WCW was close to putting the last nail in the WWF’s coffin but incredibly, defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory.

Fresh off of the success of Wrestlecrap: the Very Worst of Pro Wrestling, R.D. Reynolds brings his humorous style of analyzing the bizarre with him in dissecting the bloated corpse of WCW and explaining the organization’s untimely demise. Joining him is Bryan Alvarez, co-host of the Wrestling Observer Live radio show and editor of Figure Four Weekly (and indie wrestler to boot!) The two authors do a remarkable job of analyzing what went right and what went wrong with WCW, breaking things down into understandable terms, while entertaining the reader at the same time.

It’s still hard to believe that it’s been nearly four years since World Championship Wrestling went out of business. During the Rock-n-Wrestling Era, WCW offered wrestling fans an alternative to the cartoon styling of Hulk Hogan in the WWF. As Vince McMahon brought the WWF into the national spotlight and put many of his competitors out of business, WCW was for all intents and purposes, the NWA’s last stand against the WWF (there were other promotions such as Mid-South but the only true national challenger to Vince was WCW). When Jim Crockett’s outrageous spending brought WCW close to bankruptcy, Ted Turner bought the organization and kept wrestling on his Superstation TBS network. In Turner’s mind, wrestling was a big part of the Superstation’s success and it held a special place in his heart.

Rudyard Kipling once wrote, "They copied all that they could follow but they could not copy my mind, and I left them sweating and stealing and a year and a half behind." Such was the case with WCW. During the early 90’s they began to copy the cartoonish aspects of the WWF, bringing in characters like Norman the Lunatic, the York Foundation, and the Ding Dongs. This managed to alienate many of their long-time fans without attracting any new ones.

Enter Eric Bischoff. Bischoff had left the dying promotion the American Wrestling Association (AWA) only to find himself working for a promotion that seemed determined to outdo the mistakes made by the AWA. As an announcer, Bischoff witnessed WCW dying the same painful death that the AWA had. A man of ambition and vision, Bischoff seized an opportunity when it came to him and found himself in control of WCW. At first things weren’t so successful but Bischoff had a plan. With Turner’s financial backing, Bischoff acquired the services of Hulk Hogan and began the dramatic turnaround that would make WCW a smashing success.

By 1995, Bischoff had Hogan as well as several WWF stars such as the Honkey Tonk Man, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, and “Macho Man” Randy Savage on the WCW payroll. In many respects, WCW and WWF had traded places with WCW featuring cartoonish characters while the WWF tried to rebrand itself as the New Generation by focusing on workrate oriented wrestlers such as Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart. Ted Turner continued to watch Bischoff’s accomplishments but wondered why WCW hadn’t earned a clear victory in the wrasslin’ wars. After all, WCW had the star power of former WWF stars like Hogan and Savage. When asked why WCW was not dominating the wrestling industry, Bischoff replied that he needed a prime-time show to compete with the WWF (which had had a long-running timeslot on the USA Network on Monday nights). To his amazement, Bischoff was told that he now had two hours of prime-time to air a wrestling show (Bischoff would cautiously keep his prime-time show to just one hour however).

September 4, 1995 marked the debut of Monday Night Nitro and the beginning of the Monday Night War. Backed by the financial power of Ted Turner, Bischoff intensified his campaign against the WWF. WWF superstars like Lex Lugar and Madusa Micelli were signed out from under Vince’s noses only to make surprise appearances on the live Nitro show. To make matters worse, Bischoff took advantage of the fact that Monday Night RAW was frequently taped by giving away the results of RAW matches on Nitro. During the 1980’s, the WWF demolished the territories by buying out their top stars and using aggressive business tactics to dismantle his competition. In the immortal words of the Roman scholar Marcus Terentius Varro “What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander”. Vince McMahon may not have liked it but the WWF was now the victim of many of the same tactics he had employed to destroy his competition

By 1996, WCW was in the black for the first time in its history. Ted Turner was delighted. While WCW had always provided good ratings for Turner’s networks, it hadn’t turned a profit in its entire history. Buoyed by Nitro’s success, Bischoff expanded Nitro to two hours and launched another salvo in the Monday Night Wars by adding former WWF wrestler Scott Hall to WCW’s lineup. Hall was joined by another WWF superstar Kevin Nash and a storyline began wherein WWF superstars were apparently invading WCW. Things heated up even further when Hall and Nash challenged WCW’s three top stars Randy Savage, Sting, and Lex Lugar (Hulk Hogan was away filming a movie) to a six-man match at WCW’s Bash at the Beach pay-per-view. Fans were anxious to see if the WWF stars could beat the WCW’s best and equally anxious to learn who Hall and Nash’s mystery partner would be. In the end, the wrestling world was stunned as Hulk Hogan turned heel and joined Hall and Nash as part of a new wrestling organization known as the New World Order.

The introduction of the New World Order in 1996 began a period of unmatched prosperity in WCW. WCW could do no wrong as it sold out arena after arena, broke television ratings records, and enjoyed high buy rates for all of its pay-per-views. Under the guidance of Eric Bischoff , WCW seemed unstoppable. WCW was poised to put the WWF out of business and become the dominant force in professional wrestling.

And yet WCW failed to win the Monday Night War and eventually went out of business in 2001. Through an incredible series of bad business decisions, poor planning, and hubris, the company lost its ground to the WWF. The story of how WCW lost it all is what makes The Death of WCW such a fascinating story. Alvarez and Reynolds do a terrific job of examining what worked so well in building the company up and the many factors that led to its demise. WCW didn’t die overnight and it had several opportunities to re-establish itself but through sustained mismanagement, the company went from the king of the mountain to the bottom of the trash heap.

The detailed breakdown of the rise and fall of WCW is enhanced by the humorous comments of Reynolds and Alvarez. In his debut work Wrestlecrap, Reynolds revealed his mastery of poking fun at the very worst of professional wrestling. The story of WCW’s tumble is ripe with comic material and Reynolds capitalizes on every moment. And just as he did in Wrestlecrap, this book explains the wrestling terminology so non-fans have an understanding of how the business works and the terms used in professional wrestling. Reynolds’ and co-author Bryan Alvarez (also known for his humorous take on things) know how to keep things in perspective. While The Death of WCW has its laughs, the book is a serious look at how even the most successful business can fail. Whether you’re a wrestling fan or involved in business, there’s something to be learned from the book.

The book has gathered a lot of positive feedback from wrestling fans and non-fans alike ( Forbes recently gave the book a glowing review) but it does have its critics. Long-time fans and members of the wrestling media have taken the authors to task for both the book’s content and the analysis. The book has been criticized because it basically recaps much of what was written in the Pro Wrestling Torch and the Pro Wrestling Observer (as well as on last year’s WWE release The Monday Night War). Much of the criticism focuses on the fact that the book doesn’t cover new ground or raise any new theories as to the cause of WCW’s demise. Critics have also expressed concern that while authors Reynolds and Alvarez take a lot of pot-shots at many of the people involved in WCW’s demise, that people who are friends with them are overlooked when it comes to the blame game.

While there’s no question that the book recaps a lot of information, that’s hardly a new concept in publishing. If the book had done a poor job recapping the tale of WCW’s plunge into the abyss, there would be room for criticism. However the authors do a remarkable job of chronicling what made WCW so successful and what led to the bottom dropping out. The story of WCW’s ruin is one of the biggest events in wrestling history and there’s much to be learned from it. With the proliferation of wrestling biographies, the business is finally starting to get true historical retrospectives. The success of Wrestlecrap has shown that there is a market for books on wrestling other than biographies. Reynolds and Alvarez should be praised for their efforts in broadening the scope of wrestling books.

Critics have been quick to note that the authors do not provide a fresh perspective on WCW’s fall from grace. Wade Keller’s review of the book noted that the authors failed to challenge conventional wisdom. ( Pro Wrestling Torch Issue 844 January 18, 2005) concerning WCW’s demise. There’s no doubt that the authors agree with many of the reasons given by others as to why WCW fell from grace. However it’s not as if the reasons behind WCW’s death are a complex puzzle such as the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Wrestling historians have generally held a consensus as to the reasons behind WCW’s downfall and it makes no sense for the writers to sensationalize the subject matter by throwing out unsupported theories concerning WCW’s fall (Curiously, Keller takes issue with the authors’ failure to challenge conventional wisdom while at the same time criticizing them when they contest the long-held belief that WCW’s guaranteed contracts played a pivotal role in the company’s demise.).

Another criticism of the book is that Alvarez and Reynolds shielded their friends from criticism. Basically, the focus of this allegation is that that WCW’s color commentator Bobby “The Brain” Heenan escaped the blame game. Mark Madden (a former WCW announcer and Pro Wrestling Torch columnist) and Wade Keller, editor of the Pro Wrestling Torch have complained that there is no criticism of Heenan in the book despite his infamous “but who’s side is he on?” remark moments before Hulk Hogan’s heel turn at Bash at the Beach. Madden has also stated at the Torch’s bulletin board The VIP Forum that Heenan had a drinking problem which led to a serious decline in the quality of his color commentary (and the reason why Heenan almost let it slip that Hogan was turning heel and joining the New World Order) and that the authors don’t bring up this up as well.

At first glance Heenan’s performance as a color commentator might seem relevant when you consider that Alvarez and Reynolds bring up Nitro announcer Tony Schiavone several times in their book. For example, the authors bring up Schiavone’s infamous call where he mocked Mick Foley’s WWF Title win (Schiavone knew that Foley was going to win the title since the RAW that week was pre-taped) only to have his comment backfire when Nitro viewers switched to RAW in droves to see Foley’s first World Title win. A closer examination of the two announcers show that while Schiavone’s comments are largely blamed for Nitro losing to RAW that week (and beginning the WWF’s eventual victory in the Monday Night War) Heenan’s comments are considered to be a footnote at best in the world of broadcast faux pas (and given Heenan’s career-long disdain for Hulk Hogan, his comments were similar to what he said about Hogan every other broadcast). Furthermore, Schiavone earned eternal disdain for many other remarks including his constant promotion of “the greatest Nitro ever” week after week.

The criticism made thus far has been extremely weak and I have to wonder if some members of the wrestling journalism community aren’t upset at the success of the book. While The Death of WCW is not a New York Times bestseller, it has had its share of success. It seems to me that some long-time wrestling writers may be a little resentful that guys who haven’t been around that long are now in the spotlight (Fortunately this isn’t the case with everyone as long-time wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer writes a nice introduction for the book). The authors may be recapping material that was featured in newsletters and books like Sex, Lies and Headlocks, but the book is a remarkable accomplishment nonetheless.

Unfortunately, most of the critics have missed out on the book’s one true flaw. Alvarez and Reynolds continue a distressing trend in wrestling books - the total lack of establishing the authors’ scholarship. Time after time, Alvarez and Reynolds provide facts and figures as they document WCW’s rise and fall but rarely do they document what information they relied on to get these figures. While the book includes a brief list of sources, there’s really no way of telling where they obtained information on buy-rates for pay-per-views, wrestlers salaries, or house show attendance. While you can be fairly certain that a lot of the information was harvested from the Torch and the Observer, there’s now way to be sure. There’s no excuse for it. It’s sloppy writing and it’s something that’s become far too common in books about wrestling. It’s a shame because future wrestling historians can’t use The Death of WCW as a resource with any level of confidence because they have no way of verifying the information presented by Alvarez and Reynolds. Ask any scholar or educator about the importance of listing your sources and you’ll understand why The Death of WCW is an enjoyable book but totally useless when it comes to proving historical fact. It may seem like nit-picking but wrestling writers need to bring their level of scholarship up to the same level as any other author writing a historical review. Mick Foley’s Have a Nice Day demonstrated that wrestling fans are not idiots and it’s time that the authors of wrestling books honored the fans’ reputation by bringing their scholarship up to speed.

Despite the book’s scholarly shortcomings, The Death of WCW is a great read. The 335 page book is entertaining and well written (although a little pricey at $19.95 for a soft cover). It also features a nice selection of color photographs that enhance your reading experience and it’s nice to see high quality photography in wrestling books other than those released by World Wrestling Entertainment.

ANDRE THE GIANT DVD PROVES TO BE A COLOSSAL DISAPPOINTMENT

2009-09-06T10:39:00.000-07:00

Andre the Giant DVD Review

(Originally reviewed at 2005.

"…For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away" - The Epistle of James Chapter 4 Verse 14

In an industry where everything was portrayed as larger than life, Andre Rousimoff was the real deal. The close to seven foot tall four hundred plus pound wrestler dwarfed his opponents in the ring and made an unforgettable impression in the world of professional wrestling during his 28 year career. During the 1970’s, Andre was the highest paid wrestler in the business and he made a fortune for promoters as he toured territory after territory. Fans clamored to see the real-life giant who could use power moves and high-flying moves equally well. As Andre’s legend grew, he eventually became known as “the Eighth Wonder of the World”.

However, Andre’s tremendous size was both his blessing and his curse. Although Andre’s unusual growth has been attributed to acromegaly (a medical condition in which the body overproduces growth hormone), his actual medical condition was childhood pituitary gigantism (Simply put, both conditions are similar but acromegaly occurs during adult age whereas childhood pituitary obviously begins sometime during childhood). Semantics aside, the end result was that Andre’s body was the proverbial ticking time bomb. When his body stopped growing in height, it continued to grow internally, wreaking havoc on his internal organs. While the matter is now treatable with surgery and drug therapy (as Paul “Big Show” Wight can attest), Andre did not have that option and he lived his life to the fullest, knowing that his time was limited. The stories of Andre’s eating and drinking exploits are legendary with one tale mentioning that he once dined at a restaurant and ordered every item on the menu. Another story has Andre drinking over one hundred beers in one sitting before passing out. While these stories may be tall tales (no pun intended), they reflect Andre’s lust for life. In the end, Andre the Giant’s approach to life was exemplified by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw who wrote: Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it onto future generations.

In the ring, Andre was a true spectacle. Promoters typically put him in handicap matches or battle royals where he astounded fans with his unbelievable size and even more incredible agility (dropkicks and aerial moves were not uncommon during Andre’s early years as a wrestler). However Andre also engaged in memorable one on one battles with other big men of the sport such as Hulk Hogan, Bruiser Brody, Blackjack Mulligan, and Ernie Ladd.

Andre was a guaranteed draw but promoters did not want the Giant’s novelty to wear off on fans. As a result, promoters limited his appearances. This was no problem for Andre. He could appear once or twice in one territory and rest assured that dozens of promoters were waiting to book him in their region. This continued for many years until Vince McMahon’s national expansion during the 1980’s when he cut all cooperation with promoters and restricted Andre’s appearances to the World Wrestling Federation and an occasional appearance in Japan.

By the 1980’s, Andre’s body was feeling the effects of his glandular disease. He had trouble navigating the ring and unknown to the fans, often relied on a wheelchair backstage. However this didn’t stop Andre from participating in some of the most memorable matches of the 1980’s including his Wrestlemania III match with Hulk Hogan where he helped set a live attendance and pay-per-view record. Near the end of his career, Andre wrestled in constant pain. Doctors were amazed that Andre was still alive as most people with his condition were lucky to make it to age forty. Andre defied the odds before passing away at the age of 46.

The Andre the Giant DVD was announced last year to much fanfare. After recent DVD packages celebrating the careers of Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair, Fans were eager to see what type of package the WWE’s highly regarded video production department would put together to honor the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame. Given Andre’s storied career and feuds with superstars such as Big John Studd, King Kong Bundy, Killer Khan, Hulk Hogan, Blackjack Mulligan, and Jake “the Snake” Roberts, Andre’s WWE appearances alone would be enough to fill up a two or three disc set.

Sadly, the WWE has failed to deliver anything even close to that. Andre the Giant is actual a re-release from a Coliseum Home Video produced during the 1980’s. This DVD features ten matches with Andre the Giant and while there are some interesting matches, the DVD is hardly a showcase of Andre’s legendary career. A quick look at the matches featured in this collection should assure you of that:

Andre vs. Moondog Rex- Rex provides the same defense offered by most of Andre’s opponents which is to say none.

18 man Battle Royal- Andre was often featured in battle royals and this one has some of the top WWF stars of the early 80’s such as Sgt. Slaughter, “Big” John Studd, the Iron Sheik, Hulk Hogan, Tito Santana, Adrian Adonis, Dick Murdock, Paul Orndorff, Pat Patterson, and others.

Handicap match vs. Black Gorman & the Great Goliath (who is neither great nor a goliath)-This match was typical of Andre’s typical matches on WWF television.

Handicap match vs. Jack Evans, Johnny Rodz, and Joe Butcher Nova-another handicap match made interesting by the fact that Andre pins three men at once.

Andre vs. Gorilla Monsoon (boxing match)- this match provides fans a look at a novelty match as well as a chance to see Gorilla Monsoon in action.

Andre the Giant and Jimmy Snuka vs. the Wild Samoans- Andre’s tag matches offered his partner a chance to sell offense for most of the match until they made the eventual tag to Andre who would pave the road to victory. This match gives fans a chance to see Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka and the often underrated team of the Wild Samoans in action.

Andre vs. the Masked Superstar- Superstar would later team with Andre as part of the Machines and eventually form one half of Demolition. That’s about the best that can be said about this match.

Andre the Giant and S.D. “Special Delivery” Jones vs. “Big” John Studd and Ken Patera (the infamous haircut match where Bobby “the Brain” Heenan’s henchmen Studd and Patera cut Andre’s hair and set up a great feud that led to the inaugural Wrestlemania).

Andre vs. Ken Patera- a follow-up to the haircut match where Andre seeks revenge on one of the man who raped him of his dignity (as the haircut angle was frequently described).

Andre vs. Big John Studd in a Bodyslam Challenge Match (Wrestlemania I)- the payoff match for the haircut angle where Andre put up his career versus $15,000.00 put up by Studd. Michael Cole and Tazz provide commentary in what appears to be yet another WWE effort to deprive Jesse Ventura of royalties for commentary.

The match also features Andre appearing on the old Tuesday Night Titans show where he interacts with a young Vincent Kennedy McMahon.

There are two ways to look at this DVD. As a showcase of Andre’s career, the DVD fails miserably. The matches presented here are appetizers at best, with perhaps two matches that would be considered keys in Andre’s career (the haircut match and the bodyslam challenge from Wrestlemania I). However, given the DVD’s low price (it lists at under ten dollars), it offers fans a cheap way to not only check out Andre’s career during the early 1980’s but an idea of what the WWF was like before Wrestlemania. If you don’t have WWE 24/7, this DVD offers ninety minutes of old school WWF action you’re not going to see elsewhere (at least off the black market).

I like to take some time to address Derek “the Dean’s” scathing attack on the former wrestler and WWF commentator who provides much of the commentary on this disc, none other than Lord Alfred Hayes. True, Lord Alfred Hayes was one of many former wrestlers who polluted the WWF airwaves at the time with less than stellar commentary (No one exemplified this better than Pat Patterson whose broadcasting efforts seemed more appropriate for an oral exam at an English as a Second Language class than anything else). And while Hayes’ foppish manner and outrageously cheesy tuxedos made him a legitimate laughing stock, he is still head and shoulders above Michael Cole when it comes to class and commentary skills.

Watching this DVD, I couldn’t help but laugh at the constant presence of Lord Alfred Hayes. Hayes exemplifies the white trash trying to fit into high society mindset of Vince McMahon. Vince McMahon seemed to be of the same mindset as soap opera writers at the time who thought an English or Australian accent equated itself with sophistication. In McMahon’s mind, Lord Hayes could make a discourse on a colostomy bag seem classy by means of delivering it with an English accent. During the 1980’s, Hayes was omnipresent in the WWF. Lord Alfred was the original stooge for Vince McMahon, serving as Ed McMahon to Vince’s Johnny Carson on Tuesday Night Titans. He provided commentary on B shows, hosted “Update” on WWF Superstars (a brief news segment where he would advance storylines), and was a convenient target whenever there was an airborne pie or pastry.

Unlike Michael Cole, Lord Alfred Hayes was never on the receiving end of poetry or Heinreichesque love. In fact, this anecdote from “Rowdy” Roddy Piper confirms Hayes’ supremacy over Cole:

A few days later, Lord Alfred Hayes, who is hung like a horse comes up to me as I’m getting out of the shower. He’s naked and starts running after me, swinging his dick and yelling “Roddy, Roddy”. He’s twirling that thing around like Roy Rogers trying to lasso Dale Evans -- Roddy Piper, In the Pit with Piper. New York: Berkley Publishing Group, 2002 p14.

To quote Stan “the Man” Lee: Nuff said!

Mike Rickard Provides the Randy Savage Bio the WWE Didn't Part Two

2009-08-31T06:50:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, we examined the exciting career of "Macho Man" Randy Savage from his earliest years up until his first feud against Hulk Hogan. As 1986 began to wind down, Savage was in strong control of the Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship but that was about to change. A new challenge awaited Savage in the form of Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat. Steamboat had entered the WWF in 1985 just several months before Savage's WWF debut. Like Savage, Steamboat was championship material but he had been mired in feuds against the Magnificent Muraco and Jake "The Snake" Roberts. However Steamboat had refocused himself and set his sights on Savage's I-C belt. Savage now faced the greatest challenge to his title yet.

Savage learned how tough of a competitor Steamboat was during a match taped for WWF Superstars. The fans would also learn the lengths to which Savage would go to hold on to his belt during this heated encounter. The fans watching this match knew they were watching a match for the ages. Steamboat fought with everything he had, putting the champion on the defensive. Steamboat's momentum made it appear almost certain that Savage was going to lose the championship. In fact, Steamboat looked to have won the belt until the controversial arrival of heel referee Danny Davis. Davis interrupted the count, giving Savage a chance to regroup. Savage capitalized and sent Steamboat out of the ring where "The Macho Man" proceeded to assault Steamboat's throat area. After throwing Steamboat back into the ring, Savage took the timekeeper's belt and jumped off the top rope with it, using it to crush Steamboat's larynx. Steamboat was hospitalized and fans wondered if he could ever come back from the devastating injury he had suffered.

Just when it looked as if Savage had ended the challenge (and career) of Ricky Steamboat, "The Macho Man" got a rude awakening when Steamboat showed up at ringside for one of his matches! From there, Steamboat made his presence known and Savage knew that he would have to do battle with the man who had taken all he could dish out and still come back for more!

A rematch was signed for Savage and "The Dragon" to appear at Wrestlemania III. In what is largely regarded as one of the greatest matches of all time, Savage and Steamboat fought over the Intercontinental Championship. The two fought back and forth with neither man gaining the upper hand for long. Finally, after referee Dave Hebner was accidentally knocked out, Savage clotheslined Steamboat and laid him out. He climbed to the top rope and delivered his deadly flying elbowsmash from the top rope, covering Steamboat for the pin. Unfortunately for Savage, the referee was still unconscious and couldn't make the count. Savage then went to repeat the move that had nearly ended Steamboat's career. Frustrated, Savage grabbed the timekeeper's bell and climbed the top rope to deliver the same move that had crushed Steamboat's larynx months earlier.. Perhaps remembering how Steamboat had saved him from the brutal attack of Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Sheik many months before, George "The Animal" Steele knocked Savage off the top rope, giving Steamboat the opportunity to rally back. When Savage bodyslammed Steamboat, Steamboat hung on to Savage and rolled him up for the pinfall victory. Ricky Steamboat was the new Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion.

By now, fans were warming to Savage and he turned babyface. After the WWF Title was declared vacant when Andre the Giant sold the belt to "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, a tournament was held for the WWF Championship at Wrestlemania IV. Savage fought his way through three opponents to the finals where he faced "The Million Dollar Man" in the finals. However DiBiase was far from finished with his quest for the gold. True to form, DiBiase, DiBiase, stacked the deck by placing both Virgil and Andre the Giant in his corner. Things looked bleak for Savage but help came in the shape of Hulk Hogan. In the final round, Hulk Hogan lent his support to Savage by blasting DiBiase with a steel chair, helping Savage win the belt.

Shortly thereafter, Savage began feuding with Ted "Million Dollar Man" DiBiase and Andre the Giant. Savage was no match for both wrestlers so he teamed with Hulk Hogan, forming a tag team known as the Mega Powers. The MegaPowers met DiBiase and Andre at SummerSlam. Jesse "The Body" Ventura was appointed as the special referee but fans were skeptical that he would call a fair match given the financial incentives DiBiase would no doubt give him to call things in the Million Dollar Man's favor. In the end, the lovely Elizabeth unleashed her secret weapon- an eenie weenie polka dot bikini which distracted the Megapowers' foes and allowed them to rally back and defeat Andre and DiBiase.

Over the next year, the MegaPowers slowly began to split apart as Savage became increasingly jealous over what he thought was Hulk Hogan "lusting after Elizabeth". Finally, the Mega Powers exploded during a match between the dream team and the team of the Big Bossman and Akeem the African Dream Savage brutally attacked Hogan, setting up a main event match at Wrestlemania V. Elizabeth remained in a neutral corner during the match, in which Hogan regained the WWF Title.

Savage felt that Elizabeth had betrayed him and replaced her with valet Sherri Martel. "Scary" Sherri often aided Macho Man with the help of a loaded purse and Savage continued his winning ways in the WWF, eventually defeating "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan for the King of the Ring title. The Macho King (as Savage was known after defeating Duggan) then began a feud with the Ultimate Warrior after helping Sgt. Slaughter defeat the Warrior for the WWF Title. Before the match began, "The Macho King" (as Savage was calling himself) attacked the champion to the point where the Ultimate Warrior had to crawl to the ring for the match. Amazingly, the Ultimate Warrior rallied back until the "Macho King" blasted a ruby scepter over the Warrior's head giving Slaughter the opening he needed to clinch his win. Savage and the Warrior feuded, culminating in a retirement match in which Savage lost, forcing him to leave the squared circle. After losing the match, an enraged Sherri Martel attacked Savage but Elizabeth rushed to the ring and saved Savage.

Although Savage could no longer wrestle, he continued to appear in the WWF as a color commentator. He also rekindled his romance with Elizabeth and eventually married her at SummerSlam. However the wedding reception was crashed by Jake "The Snake" Roberts and the Undertaker who attacked Savage and terrified Elizabeth with a snake they had placed in one of their gifts. Unable to wrestle, Savage was unable to exact revenge on Roberts until he received special dispensation from WWF President Jack Tunney. Savage and Roberts would feud for several months before Savage destroyed Roberts in a match on Saturday Night's Main Event.

His feud with Roberts finished, Savage turned his sights to the WWF Championship again (held by Ric Flair who had won the title at the Royal Rumble). Flair and Savage feuded with Flair taunting Savage that Elizabeth was "damaged goods" and that Flair had romanced her before Savage even knew her. Flair and Savage met at Wrestlemania where Savage won his second WWF Title. It wasn't long before Savage lost the title to Flair and began feuding with Razor Ramon (who helped Flair regain the belt from Savage).

Savage began wrestling less frequently in the WWF and joined Vince McMahon as a color commentator on Monday Night RAW. Savage found himself thrust back into the spotlight when his protégée Crush turned on him, blaming Savage for an injury he suffered at the hands of Yokozuna. Savage would face Crush at Wrestlemania X in a Falls Count Anywhere Match, proving that he still had it in the ring. Then, in a surprise move, Savage left the WWF for rival World Championship Wrestling (WCW) becoming one of their top babyface wrestlers and teaming with Hulk Hogan. Savage rekindled his feud with Ric Flair and battled Flair over the WCW World Title after winning his first WCW belt in a 60 man battle royal. The Savage/Flair feud was taken to another level when Miss Elizabeth entered WCW and turned heel against Savage by joining Flair.

The Macho Man became involved in one of the biggest angles of all time when WCW was invaded by the New World Order. Savage defended WCW against the NWO, rekindling his feud with Hulk Hogan (a founding member of the NWO). Savage challenged Hogan for the WCW Championship but the continued interference of nWo members made it impossible for Savage to wrest the belt from Hogan.

After his WCW contract expired, Savage disappeared from the company for several months before resurfacing at the 1997 Super Brawl PPV. Savage shocked the fans when he interfered in the WCW title match between champion Hulk Hogan and challenger "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, helping Hogan to retain the belt. Savage was now a member of the New World Order he had spent several months fighting.

Now a member of the nWo, Savage battled WCW's babyfaces such as Diamond Dallas Page and Lex Luger. The feud against Page went on for most of 1997, culminating in a Las Vegas Death Match at Halloween Havoc. After feuding with Page, Savage found himself embroiled against "The Total Package" Lex Luger. After the program with Luger ended, Savage found his rivalry with Hulk Hogan was far from over. With Sting holding the WCW championship, Hogan and Savage found themselves fighting over who would challenge Sting for the belt. Hogan and Savage's rivalry quickly ignited into downright hostility when Hogan tried to keep Savage from winning the belt. When Savage won the belt, the nWo found itself split into two factions with Hogan leading his teammates against the nWo members who had sided with "The Macho Man". Once again, Savage was a babyface as were his comrades in what became known as the nWo Wolfpack.

Unfortunately for "The Macho Man", years of wear and tear had taken their toll on his body, forcing him to undergo knee surgeries. This would lead to Savage's absence from WCW for most of 1998. When he returned, Savage introduced his new female valet Gorgeous George. He also introduced the fans back to his heel side as he allied himself with Sid Vicious as well as two new female companions, Madusa and Miss Madness. This team would see Savage capture the WCW title once again, this time in a tag match at Slamboree. The reign lasted all of one day with Hogan defeating Savage the next night on Monday Night Nitro.

By 1999, WCW was beginning to tailspin as the WWF overtook it in the Monday Night War. Savage continued working for WCW until his contract expired in 2000. His last major program saw him allied with WCW's veterans known The Millionaire's Club against the young upstarts known as The New Blood. Savage then disappeared from the world of wrestling for several years.

Despite his absence from wrestling, Savage remained busy, appearing as a wrestler in the blockbuster film Spider-Man and recording a universally panned rap album entitled Be a Man. During his hiatus from wrestling, Savage challenged Hulk Hogan to a shoot wrestling match for charity. The match failed to materialize but rumor has it that the two ran into each other at a TNA show.

With WCW out of business, fans began to wonder if Savage might show back up in the WWE. Over the years, rumors have flown that Savage is persona non grata at the WWE. While no one knows the reason why, Vince McMahon has made it clear that Savage is one of the very few people who he will not do business with. Fans wanting to see the Macho Man in action were excited when Savage returned to the ring for Total Nonstop Action (TNA) in 2004. Sadly, his appearance was short-lived and fans were shocked to see that the once muscular Savage had become a shell of his former self.

Since this time, Savage has been noticeably absent from the world of wrestling. However he still remains one of the most popular men in the history of the business. Despite a fifteen year absence from WWE television, Savage's Macho Madness DVD proved to be a success, demonstrating that while he is gone from the airwaves, he is not gone from the hearts and minds of wrestling fans everywhere.

Epic Fail: Cock a doodle doo!

2009-08-26T20:32:00.000-07:00

Recently, I had the pleasure of reading Fiasco: A History of Hollywood's Iconic Flops. The book reminded me that for every Star Wars, there's ten Battle Beyond the Stars and that no artist has a perfect track record (just look at Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and I'll rest my case). In the spirit of kicking a man while he's down, I've decided to take a look at some of wrestling's biggest flops of late Join me as I look at some of the biggest misfires in the history of the squared circle.

Whether you call them gimmicks or characters, wrestling fans have come to expect their wrestlers to have something that sets them apart from the pack (besides talent). While some traditionalists argue that wrestlers never needed gimmicks or characters to get over, that's really not true. Wrestlers have used gimmicks or played characters for decades. Cowboys, wildmen, the All-American, the dastardly foreign menace- all of these archtypes have made it easier for promoters to book wrestlers by adding a little razzle-dazzle to them.

That's why it's no surprise that when Vince McMahon decided to highlight the show business aspect of wrestling, his promotion was heavy on characters with wild gimmicks. Once McMahon got the Rock and Wrestling Era into full gear, wrestlers sported musical entrances, flashy costumes, and a menagerie of bit players ranging from Damien the snake to Frankie the macaw.

At its best, a gimmick can help a wrestler make the jump from star to superstar. The Undertaker's gimmick helped wrestler Mark Calloway go from "Mean" Mark Callous in WCW to the top of the pack in the WWF. Gimmicks (like managers) can help guys get over who might not seem like star material on their own. While gimmicks can be a good (or even great) thing, they can also harm a career. In one wrestler's case, a gimmick took what looked to be a promising career and permanently damaged (some would argue destroyed) it. In this case, the wrestler was Terry Taylor and the gimmick hardly needs any introduction. It has become synonymous with bad booking and how a lousy idea can stick with someone for the rest of their life. Of course I'm talking about the gimmick known as "The Red Rooster".

Born Paul W. Taylor III, the man who would become better known to wrestling fans as Terry Taylor got his start in the South. Taylor's good looks nearly saw him become one half of the innovative tag team the Fabulous Ones but Steve Keirn would eventually earn the spot, forming the team with Stan Lane. Undaunted, Taylor continued wrestling, attracting the attention of both fans and promoters alike with his fluid ring-skill and good looks. A subsequent run in Bill Watts' Mid South Wrestling proved to the fans that Taylor was more than just a pretty boy, cementing his popularity with male fans who might have questioned his toughness.

Naturally, Taylor's good looks didn't hurt him either. Female fans flocked to see him, making him one of the more popular wrestlers alongside other heartthrobs such as the Rock and Roll Express, the Von Erichs, and Magnum T.A. Taylor soon found himself being profiled in wrestling magazines, a sign of his growing popularity. In the ring, he earned various regional championships and became a viable contender for the NWA World Heavyweight championship.

By 1987, Taylor was a top star in Bill Watts' Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF), the successor to Mid South Wrestling. However when Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) bought out Watts' financially troubled UWF, Taylor (along with most of the stars of the UWF) had the rug pulled out from under him as the UWF stars became little more than jobbers for Crockett's wrestlers. In Taylor's case, he was put into a short-lived program where he was jobbed to Crockett's star Nikita Koloff. Taylor's experience in UWF would be a harbinger of his next trip to greener pastures.

In 1988, Taylor entered the WWF with a reputation as a solid worker with an enthusiastic fan base, a fan base eager to see how he would fare in the WWF. Some fans were skeptical, believing that Taylor would have trouble succeeding in a promotion that revolved around pushing big muscular wrestlers such as Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior as opposed to technically proficient workers like Taylor. Others pointed out that while the WWF favored big men, it also recognized the need for good workers and that wrestlers such as Ricky Steamboat and Ted DiBiase had shown there was room for success for guys like Taylor.

One of the keys to Taylor's future in the WWF would be the gimmick the WWF gave him. By the time of Taylor's debut, everyone had a gimmick, regardless of their reputation prior to entering the WWF. This point was driven home when seven-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race entered the WWF as "King" Harley Race. Race's record-breaking reign as NWA champion was ignored in favor of booking him in his new persona as the arrogant king of wrestling. While some fans didn't care for the WWF's reliance on saddling everyone with a gimmick, it was the way the company did business. Taylor had the skills to get the job done in the ring. Now, his fans could only hope that their favorite would get a good gimmick that he could use to springboard himself into the WWF spotlight and then show the fans the skills that had served him so well thus far.

Sadly for Taylor, the gimmick that could have done this ended up going to another man. Legend has it Taylor was originally considered for the role of "Mr. Perfect", a role which could have propelled Taylor to the top of the federation (as it did for the man chosen to play "Mr. Perfect"- Curt Hennig). Instead, Taylor was saddled with a gimmick known as the Red Rooster. It would be a classic case of one person getting the gold mine and the other getting the shaft.

As bad as the gimmick sounded, it was even worse in practice. Sporting red hair spiked to look like a rooster, Taylor entered the ring in red tights strutting around the ring like, well...a rooster! The gimmick itself was just so bad and so was the way in which it was implemented. Normally, having the top heel manager of the promotion (in this case Bobby "The Brain" Heenan) guiding your career was a good thing. Instead, Taylor was portrayed as having Heenan take him under his wing (no pun intended) in order to show how Heenan could manage anyone to the top. From there, things got even worse when Taylor entered the ring. As if strutting around the ring like a rooster wasn't bad enough, WWF announcers had fun with Taylor's looks and name during matches. For example, during a Taylor/DiBiase match, Vince McMahon recalled famous chickens such as Chicken Little and remarked on Taylor's smoothness in the ring as "poultry in motion". After DiBiase defeated Taylor and stuffed a one hundred dollar bill in his mouth, Jesse "The Body" speculated on how much chicken feed Taylor could buy.

Eventually, Taylor parted ways with Heenan, turning babyface and wrestling on the undercard at Wrestlemania V. At this point, the WWF could have had Taylor dump the "Red Rooster" persona (just as he had dumped Heenan as his manager) and make a fresh start. Instead, the WWF kept the gimmick on him and began jobbing Taylor out to the company's heels. Showing his professionalism, Terry Taylor continued to put on good matches even though he was doomed to count the lights by the end of the match.

In the end, the "Red Rooster" gimmick devastated Taylor's career. No matter how good Taylor looked in the ring (and he could put on one hell of a match), the gimmick killed him. He became the laughingstock of wrestling with fans mocking him and wrestling magazines wondering how someone so talented could sink so low. Fans who had never seen him before his entrance into the WWF wondered why his fans were so big on him. The fans who had supported Taylor's career prior to his WWF days were shell-shocked. How could such a talented wrestler end up as the butt of so many jokes?

In a testament to Taylor's ability as a wrestler, he actually managed to salvage his career when he left the WWF for WCW in 1990. Unfortunately for Taylor, WCW (which was doing its best to be a poor man's version of WWF) saddled him with lackluster gimmicks such as Terrance Taylor and "The Taylor Made Man", hardly the way to rebuild his reputation after the "Red Rooster" debacle.

A talented wrestler, Taylor would never have trouble finding work but he would have trouble finding main event success. His career never rebounded from the Red Rooster gimmick. Fortunately for Taylor, his reputation in the ring saw him find work backstage as a booker and agent and recently, as head of talent relations in TNA. To this day, fans still wonder how Terry Taylor's career would have gone had he played "Mr. Perfect" (or just about anything but "The Red Rooster"). Instead, they can't help but equate "Red Rooster" with epic fail in the gimmick department.

Mike Rickard Provides the Randy Savage Bio the WWE Didn't Part One

2009-08-23T18:27:00.001-07:00

Recently, the WWE released Macho Madness: The Ultimate Randy Savage Collection, a three disc set featuring some of the "Macho Man's" greatest matches. What it didn't feature though was a career retrospective of Savage, leaving some fans feeling left out in the cold. While everyone has their reasons why Vince McMahon harbors a grudge for Savage, the bottom line is that the fans were denied an opportunity to explore Savage's rise to greatness. In light of this, allow me to provide a little background on a man who personified excitement in the ring and on the microphone.

Randy Savage's (born Randy Mario Poffo) first brush with professional sports wasn't in pro wrestling but as an outfielder for the farm team of the Saint Louis Cardinals (and others). Savage competed both as a baseball player and a wrestler, donning a mask to hide his identity when he wrestled (At the time, it was not uncommon for sports players to work wrestling during the off-season). Eventually, Poffo's father Angelo started his own promotion, inviting his sons Randy and Lanny to join him there. Angelo, a successful wrestler during the 1950's and 60's formed the International Championship Wrestling (ICW) promotion, an outlaw promotion that operated in the Southeast.

Savage joined his brother Lanny Poffo working in the ICW and battled his brother for the ICW Championship. After the ICW folded, Randy began wrestling for the Memphis based Championship Wrestling Association (CWA) promotion, the same organization the ICW had once competed against. Joined by his brother and father, Savage quickly captured the spotlight as a much hated heel, feuding with the Rock-n-Roll Express and Memphis heroes Austin Idol and Jerry "the King" Lawler.

With his chiseled physique and lightning fast speed, Savage was a sight to behold in the ring. "The Macho Man" combined the excitement of the high-flyers along with the action of the brawlers. Although Savage was not wrestling for a large promotion, he captured the imagination of wrestling fans from around North America after a thrilling match with the Rock-n-Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson) highlighted by one of the most brutal spots in wrestling. The spot saw Savage piledrive Ricky Morton through a bench after the match ended,perhaps the first time such a move had been executed. The spot was soon talked about by fans everywhere and thanks to its inclusion on the compilation tape Lords of the Ring, earning Savage nationwide fame amongst the wrestling community.

The bench-breaking incident was just one of many highlights for "The Macho Man" in Memphis. In addition to his outrageous interviews, Savage continued to taunt the fans by making brutal attacks on the area's babyfaces. One such attack occured when Savage used a baseball bat to beat up "The Universal Hearthrob" Austin Idol, making short work of Idol and leading to a title win for Savage. Savage would later feud with Jerry "The King" Lawler, capturing Lawler's Southern Heavyweight Championship.

After bowing to defeat in a loser leaves town match against Lawler, Savage surfaced in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) during the peak of the Rock-n-Wrestling Era (joined by brother Lanny Poffo whose family tie to Savage was ignored). The various managers of the WWF courted Savage as their client but Savage shocked the wrestling world when he chose newcomer Miss Elizabeth as his manager. While no one had seen or heard of Elizabeth, she captured everyone's attention with her stunning good looks. Still, the fans could not help but wonder what Elizabeth brought to the table besides the obvious.

Looking back at Savage's early days in the WWF, one has to acknowledge what a brilliant move it was to have Miss Elizabeth manage Randy Savage. While Savage's work in the ring was phenomenal, his pairing with Miss Elizabeth catapulted him to the front of the pack in the WWE. The unique relationship between Savage and Elizabeth quickly had fans talking. It was a classic case of beauty and the beast with the lovely Elizabeth (a name that would become as synonymous with her as "Miss Elizabeth") providing a doting mild mannered contrast to the boisterous larger-than-life "Macho Man". Even more curious was what Elizabeth saw in Savage. While "The Macho Man" was a clear-cut heel, there was nothing heelish about her. Unlike other managers of heels, Elizabeth never cheated on Savage's behalf. The fans began wondering why Elizabeth (who seemed like a decent person) managed Savage, especially given the way he constantly belittled Elizabeth, even using her as a shield against babyface opponents.

While the fans continued to question the dynamics of the Macho Man/Elizabeth relationship, Savage won match after match. Savages success in the ring eventually earned him the #1 contender's spot for the Inter-Continental Championship, a belt held by babyface Tito Santana. Savage proved to be a formidable opponent for Santana with the champion fighting off Savage's challenges until an epic encounter in the Boston Garden. On February 8, 1986, Savage wrested the belt from Santana but his win was not without controversy. Late in the match, Savage grabbed a foreign object, blasting the champion with it as Santana suplexed him into the ring. The blow kayoed Santana, leading to an easy pinfall and championship victory.

Following his title win over Santana, Savage began what would become one of the greatest Intercontinental Championship title reigns of all time. Savage defended his belt against Santana as well as WWF veteran George "The Animal" Steele. Smitten with Elizabeth, the simple-minded Steele battled Savage not only for the I-C belt but for the heart of Miss Elizabeth. While Steele's matches weren't much in the ring, the added drama of him trying to woo Elizabeth made for an interesting program.

While the Intercontinental Championship brought prestige to Savage's career, "The Macho Man" had his sights on something even bigger. As I-C champ, Savage was the defacto number one contender for Hulk Hogan's WWF Championship, a belt that was his ultimate goal in the WWF. Savage pursued Hogan's belt with an intensity that fit his surname, waging war with the Hulkster in a classic series in Madison Square Garden. Savage took Hogan to the limit and although he failed to capture Hogan's belt, it was just the beginning of many classic encounters.

The Greatest Story Never Told: The Battle of the Nature Boys Flair vs. Landell

2009-08-20T14:30:00.001-07:00

Art begins in imitation and ends in innovation.
-Mason Cooley

Professional wrestling has many examples of the adage "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery". Back in the 80's, the Road Warriors spawned more knock-offs than Gucci handbags on New York City street corners. However wrestling also endorses the idea that "there can only be one". In a business driven by ego, there's only room for one. This was seen in the classic "Battle of the Nature Boys" in the late 1970's and nearly came to repeat itself a decade later. The first battle was a short-lived but memorable classic while the second became better known as a case of "what might have been".

The battle of the Nature Boys. A memorable encounter that played an important role in Ric Flair's ascension to greatness. The brief but memorable encounter saw Ric Flair battle the original "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers in a match to determine who would hold the title of "Nature Boy". Rogers, a legend in the sport and one of the wrestlers who inspired Flair to enter the business, had come to Flair's stomping grounds in the Mid Atlantic area's Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP). With two egos as big as Flair and Rogers, there could be no sharing of the name, thus a battle between Flair and Rogers was inevitable. Rogers, the man who originally soared to fame under the "Nature Boy" nickname had seen better days but he still had a few tricks up his sleeve. The cagey veteran was ready to show Flair why he had enjoyed so much success (part of which involved him being the first man to hold the NWA World championship and the World Wide Wrestling Federation championship) and maintain his claim to the title "Nature Boy". However when the battle was over, Flair stood triumphant, once again proving that "to be the man, you've got to be the man."

As wrestling promoters has proved time after time, good angles are made to be used again and again. Flash forward several years later to 1985. Jim Crockett Promotions is holding its own against the national expansion of Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and one of the key pieces in JCP's success is its world champion, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair. By this time, Flair is at the peak of his game, having honed his craft to perfection and developed a reputation as the man who could wrestle a broom to a five star match.

While Flair was enjoying his time at the top of the mountain, a hungry young competitor by the name of Buddy Landell was making a name for himself elsewhere. Landell broke into the business in 1979 after training under famed grappler Boris Malenko. Malenko's reputation helped Landell gain entrance into the business and soon he was wrestling throughout many of the territories at the time including Mid South, Memphis, and others. Landell's big break came in 1983 when he was asked to dye his hair blonde and work in Puerto Rico as a heel. From there, his career began to build momentum and he began working as "Nature Boy" Buddy Landell.

For decades, it was common for wrestlers to adopt the gimmicks of other successful wrestlers, especially when most fans' knowledge of wrestlers was limited to what they could tune in on their local television channel. If a promoter saw that "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes was over big in Florida, they could make their own version of the Dream (as happened in Memphis when Dusty's "cousin" Dirty Rhodes began wrestling for Jerry Jarrett). In most cases, the copycat wrestler was a cheap imitation but in the case of Buddy Landell, imitation was turning into innovation. It only became a matter of time before fans began speculating who was the better Nature Boy.

With the rise of cable TV, fans became aware of other wrestling promotions and their wrestlers. Inevitably, fans who saw a "Nature Boy" in one area couldn't help but wonder how their "Nature Boy" would stand up against the other. Typically, these confrontations never took place as rival promoters didn't want to pit their version against another, especially when they were dealing with an imitation. However in the case of Buddy Landell and Ric Flair, a confrontation was put into place.

In 1985, JCP began planting the seeds of what they had to have hoped would be a big money feud between National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair and a talented upstart. Things began with Landell entering the Crockett territory with manager James J. Dillon at his side. Landell wasted no time making it clear who the real Nature Boy was. During a TV interview, Landell recalled how his career was floundering until he got a phone call from manager James J. Dillon. Landell knew that Dillon saw a diamond in the rough and it was his call up to the big leagues i.e. Jim Crockett Promotions. Landell recalled how Ric Flair had taken the name "Nature Boy" from another man and the history books would one day show that Buddy Landell had seized the title "Nature Boy". Flair was a great champion but he was an old man and it was Landell's time to take his place.

More interviews followed with Landell positioning himself as "The Real Nature Boy". JCP even filmed vignettes involving Landell and his bid to topple Flair. One involved DIllon trying to watch a Flair match and analyze it with Landell only for Landell to yawn and tell JJ that Flair bored him. The vignette continued with Landell partying the night away while Dillon reluctantly joined along, no doubt concerned that Landell was taking his opponent too lightly.

As the program slowly unwinded, Landell continued boasting of being the real thing while he wrestled his way up the ladder. Eventually, Ric Flair began to take note of Landell's boasts and a confrontation seemed inevitable. While a few matches did take place at house shows, JCP was unable to pull the trigger on what could have been a big feud due to Landell being fired after falling prey to personal demons. What might have been a great program never saw the light of day.

According to interviews with Landell, Flair was slated to take time off from JCP in order to deal with a family crisis. This would lead to a match with Landell defeating Flair for the title and him holding it until Flair's return. As we know, this never happened but what if it had? How successful would Landell's run as world champion have been? Anyone familiar with Buddy Landell's work at the time knows that he was a good worker with good microphone skills (A great example of this is Landell's work in Memphis around 1986 with "Superstar" Bill Dundee during their program against Jerry "The King" Lawler).

If a Landell vs. Flair program had taken place, wrestling as we know it might have been very different. With James J Dillon managing Landell, would the Horsemen have ever formed? Would Flair have stayed as a face rather than turning heel as he did around this time? Bear in mind that around the time of the proposed Flair/Landell feud, Flair was just beginning down the road that would lead to the formation of the Four Horsemen. Around this time, the fans in the Mid-Atlantic area still held a soft spot for Ric Flair, cheering him even while fans in most other promotions booed him for his heelish tactics. In JCP, Flair wrestled against babyfaces as well as heels but by September 1985 (the time when the Landell program was beginning to pick up speed), the promotion seemed headed towards booking Flair as a straight out heel, particularly following his infamous attack on Dusty Rhodes in a cage (the classic beatdown that eventually led to the formation of the Four Horsemen).

However, with Landell's program with Flair, things could have been much different. Flair clearly would have been the face in a program against Landell and his heel manager James J. Dillon. Thus, JCP could have continued its booking style of having Flair work as a babyface or heel, depending on his opponents. Assuming this happened, it's difficult to imagine Flair working as a Horsemen, especially with J.J. Dillon out of the mix. That isn't to say however that the Horsemen might not have been formed with Landell filling Flair's spot, especially when one remembers that Dillon was also managing Tully Blanchard (one of the original Horsemen) at the time. Without the Horsemen (and a heel Flair), would JCP been able to compete as well as it did against the WWF?

Like any "what if", we'll never know what might have happened and we can only speculate. The wrestling world might have been very different or things might have taken a different path to where they ended up in the real world. After defeating Landell, Flair could easily have turned heel with Dillon dumping Landell and joining Flair's side. The possibilities are limited only by our imagination.

Ironically, the Battle of the Nature Boys would be revisited in the 1990's when Landell was set to face the original Nature Boy, Buddy Rogers. The match was set up in the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance after Rogers special refereed a match involving Landell and Landell attacked Rogers. After a Rogers comeback, the match was signed but sadly, the promotion folded and Rogers died not long after.

In the end, wrestling fans were denied the chance to see what could have been a memorable feud. What would have happened? We can only speculate as we look back on one of the greatest stories never told.

Great Moments in Wrestling: Jake Roberts DDT's Ricky Steamboat

2009-07-20T16:29:00.001-07:00

If ever a quote matched the cuthroat competitive nature of professional wrestling, it's Leo Durocher's oft-misquoted "Nice guys finish last". Another apt quote is Durocher's clarification of the above-mentioned quote- " I never did say that you can't be a nice guy and win. I said that if I was playing third base and my mother rounded third with the winning run, I'd trip her up". The world of professional wrestling routinely features friends stabbing each other in the back over titles and wrestlers stooping to the lowest of the low in order to get the win. Wrestling's hive of scum and villainy is perhaps only outmatched by that of the infamous Mos Eisley cantina.

In such a dark world, it's hard to imagine anyone succeeding without an utterly ruthless approach to things. However one man defied the odds and succeeded, despite wearing a white hat throughout his career. Indeed, Ricky Steamboat was one nice guy who didn't finish last. Steamboat would go on to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, the NWA World Tag Team Championship, the United States Championship, the Intercontinental Championship, and many other regional belts. Steamboat was the perennial nice guy and one of the very few wrestlers to only work as a babyface throughout his entire career.

While Steamboat didn't finish last, he did end up on the short end of the stick many times throughout his career. Beloved by fans, Steamboat was the kind of wrestler who suffered beat down after beatdown by vicious heels, igniting the fans' desire to see him gain his revenge and in the process, making a lot of money for promoters.

One of the most notorious beatdowns in Steamboat's career was at the hands of Jake "The Snake" Roberts in 1986. Roberts had just entered the WWF while Steamboat debuted roughly a year earlier at Wrestlemania I. Steamboat had just finished his first major feud in the WWF with the Magnificent Muraco and established himself as a top star. Now, it was time for Steamboat to use his star power to get a newcomer over. Little did Steamboat know that what the WWF planned to accomplish this was by means of a potentially life-threatening angle.

By 1986, Jake Roberts had established himself as a main event star just on his finishing move. The second-generation star (the son of wrestler "Grizzly" Smith and brother to woman's wrestler Rockin' Robin) became nationally known due to his finisher known as the DDT. The move involved Roberts dropping his opponent's head into the mat apron in a move reminiscent of the bulldog and the piledriver. Roberts' signature move had a distinct look that made him stand out from his fellow wrestlers as did his extremely effective promos. Roberts' rising star was seen by the WWF and he was soon signed to the promotion.

The plan was for Roberts to deliver the DDT to Steamboat on the concrete floor during an episode of the WWF's popular show Saturday Night's Main Event. Knowing the potential danger, Roberts was reluctant to perform the move. However Steamboat convinced him that he could protect himself. What happened though was another story.

As was planned, Roberts did a Pearl Harbor job on Steamboat, attacking "The Dragon" before the match even began. Before Steamboat could do anything, Roberts grabbed him and DDTed him onto the floor. He then rolled Steamboat's limp body into the ring where he exposed Steamboat to the further humiliation of having Roberts' python Damien writhe all over his unconscious body. The attack was convincing and shot Roberts to the top of the WWF's heel rankings. Naturally, the WWF capitalized by pitting Roberts and Steamboat against each other in rematches, including a gimmick match known as a Snake Pit Match.

What many fans didn't know was how violent the attack really was. When Steamboat went to protect his head, he inadvertently exposed his head to the concrete. Steamboat's efforts actually ended up harming him, leading to Steamboat's head crashing into the concrete and Steamboat being knocked out cold. Roberts then had to pick up Steamboat's limp body and roll him into the ring.

Fortunately for "The Dragon", what could have cracked his skull only led to a concussion (a severe injury to be sure but much better than what could have happened) and one hell of a Fred Flintstone lump on his head. The two would go on to battle all over North America, feuding in arenas (including Toronto's record-breaking show The Big Event) and battling again on Saturday Night's Main Event. The angle and subsequent feud helped build both men's WWF careers with Steamboat moving on to an epic feud with Inter-Continental champion "Macho Man" Randy Savage and Roberts becoming one of the fed's top heels.

Epic Fail: The Braden Walker Experiment

2009-07-17T17:08:00.000-07:00

Did Roddy Piper Kill Rick McGraw in the Ring?

2009-07-06T15:08:00.000-07:00

In an industry purposely mired in mystery, it's no surprise that professional wrestling has its share of mysteries that continue to puzzle its fans. Even with the explosion of shoot videos and tell-all books, fans still talk about some of wrestling's unexplained happenings, wondering what really happened. Join me now as I explore wrestling's unsolved mysteries, legends, and conventional wisdom to uncover the truth. Today, we'll look at a death that some attribute to a savage beating that supposedly took place in the ring and try to solve the question-did Roddy Piper kill Rick McGraw?

The scene was the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) during the waning months of 1985. Wrestlemania had come and gone and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper was riding high as the promotion's top heel (some would argue the top heel at the time in all of wrestling). Despite his status as the promotion's number one villain, Piper rarely wrestled on weekly television. Like Hulk Hogan, the WWF limited Piper's in-ring appearances, making them something they would have to pay to see. However while WWF fans didn't see Piper wrestle on tv, that didn't mean they didn't get to see the Rowdy Scot.

Every week, fans tuned in to WWF Championship Wrestling to watch Piper's Pit, the hottest talk segment in wrestling. Joined by his bodyguard "Cowboy" Bob Orton, Piper's segment on Championship Wrestling was usually the best part of the one hour wrestling show, serving as a showcase for Piper's incredible skills as a talker. The weekly interview featured "Rowdy" Roddy Piper doing what he did best-using his ability on the mic to drive the crowd into a frenzy. Piper's Pit served as a way for Piper to get over as a heel while furthering angles between various wrestlers. One week it might feature Piper harassing a babyface involved in a feud with one of Piper's fellow heels; another it might show Piper laying out a babyface (as he infamously did when he blasted "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka with a coconut). Wrestling fans quickly came to expect the unexpected on Piper's Pit.

One such incident involved a wrestler by the name of "Quick Draw" Rick McGraw appearing on the Pit. McGraw began his career in 1976, working various territories such as Memphis, Southwest Championship Wrestling, Montreal, Jim Crockett Promotions, and the World Wrestling Federation. McGraw won several regional championships and worked one of the WWF's historic Showdown at Shea supercards (losing to Greg Gagne during the days when the promotion was still known as the WWWF) and battling the Fabulous Ones as one half of the heel tag team known as the New York Dolls (with tag partner Troy Graham). McGraw, no stranger to the WWF, returned to the company in the mid 1980's as enhancement talent. He was what some fans referred to as a "jobber to the stars", an enhancement wrestler who got in his fair share of blows against his opponents but eventually lost nonetheless. McGraw was a good worker who could sell and make his opponents look like dynamite. While he won matches against preliminary guys, his win-loss record against name talent was miniscule.

In the fall of 1985, McGraw appeared on an episode of "Piper's Pit". Unlike most of Piper's guests, McGraw had a lot of questions to ask. The spirited wrestler wanted to know why Roddy Piper never wrestled on television, why he needed a bodyguard, and why he wore a dress (referring to Piper's kilt). McGraw taunted Piper, accusing him of talking trash but failing to back it up in the ring. McGraw's tactics infuriated Piper to the point where the usually silver-tongued devil tripped over his words. Enraged, Piper agreed to face McGraw the following week on Championship Wrestling. The crowd cheered as McGraw gave Piper something to think about for the next week-a wicked slap to the face!

Following up on the success of the previous week, McGraw taunted the Rowdy Scot further by wearing one of Piper's trademark "Hot Rod" t-shirts into the ring. McGraw's antics continued as he blew his nose into the t-shirt and threw it at his opponent. Piper left the ring and told the fans "I'm going to show you why they don't let me wrestle on television." Piper returned to the ring only to be ambushed by McGraw. Wasting no time, McGraw attacked Piper while he took off his t-shirt, gaining an early advantage. However Piper mounted a comeback, sending McGraw out of the ring and slamming him into the security rail not once but twice. Just when things looked to be over for McGraw, he mounted a comeback, firing off punches at Piper. McGraw's comeback was short-lived though and the "Hot Rod" went to work, brutalizing McGraw with a neckbreaker, a suplex, and even a DDT(An interesting aside-Piper used the DDT twice during the match with color commentator Bruno Sammartino referring to the move as "some kind of piledriver"). Finally, the referee stopped the match after it was clear McGraw could not continue the match.

After the brutal encounter, Piper taunted his opponent, shouting "Now you know why they don't let me wrestle on television". The violent match served two purposes. Not only was it an entertaining match for the fans but it also reinforced Piper's image as a cocky heel who could back up his talk in the ring. McGraw suffered what looked like a savage beating, adding to Piper's reputation as a guy you didn't want to anger.

What happened next changed the match from a highly entertaining one into something of a mystery for many fans. Not long after the match aired in syndication, Rick McGraw passed away unexpectedly at the age of just thirty. To some fans, it was clear what had happened-Rick McGraw had been beat to death by Roddy Piper. In their mind, the injuries McGraw suffered at the hands of Piper led to his young death. With kayfabe in full effect, some fans couldn't help but speculate that Piper had killed McGraw.

But what really happened? Did Roddy Piper beat McGraw to death? Did he somehow hurt McGraw, triggering a heart attack? McGraw's death wouldn't be the first death that occurred in the ring. Wrestler Ox Baker was credited with killing not one, but two opponents in the ring with his devastating "Heart Punch" (the Ox Baker story will be discussed in a future column). Did a similar event take place here between McGraw and Piper? Let's review the possibilities:

1. Roddy Piper beat Rick McGraw to death: While discussing this theory, it's important to remember that the Piper/McGraw match occurred prior to Vince McMahon destroying kayfabe by announcing that matches were worked. When you consider that some fans at the time believed that wrestling was a legitimate sporting event, it's no surprise then that some people believed McGraw's beating in the ring caused his death. When you also factor in McGraw's impressive bump-taking ability, there's little doubt why some people thought the young star suffered a tremendous beatown.

The reality however was much different. While McGraw did a great job selling for Piper, he sustained no damage in the ring. However is it possible that McGraw suffered a heart attack due to an accidental blow? Possible but unlikely.

2. McGraw died due to performance enhancing substances: The Rick McGraw who wrestled in the WWF shortly before his death looked different than the Rick McGraw who worked elsewhere before. Like many wrestlers who entered the WWF from another territory, McGraw seemed to have added a good amount of muscle to his physique. While McGraw always kept himself in good shape, he appeared bigger than ever. He also had the puffed up face that steroid users sometimes had, leading to natural speculation. To my knowledge, there was no toxicology report done on McGraw so speculation is all we have to go on for this theory.

3. McGraw died due to drug abuse: This theory has grown in prominence thanks to Bret Hart's autobiography Hitman where he discusses seeing McGraw completely wasted on drugs during his stint in the WWF. From what Hart saw, McGraw's body just couldn't cope with all of the Placidyls Hart believed McGraw was taking.

Regardless of the cause of death, the passing of Rick McGraw was just one of many tragic deaths that cut a promising wrestler's life way too short. It's possible that McGraw was one of those people who had a heart which was a ticking time bomb. It's also possible that steroid and/or drug abuse contributed to his untimely demise. Without knowing McGraw's family medical history, it's impossible to rule out a pre-existing condition that could have caused his death.

Michael Jackson's Impact on Professional Wrestling

2009-06-27T08:20:00.000-07:00

As the world mourns the death of Michael Jackson, the media is already examining the cultural legacy of "The King of Pop". Like many pop superstars, Jackson influenced culture far beyond his original art i.e. music. One of the areas that some may be surprised to hear about is Michael Jackson's influence on the world of professional wrestling. Not only was Jackson's music used in wrestling but his image was as well. Following the release of Jackson's phenomenally successful album Thriller, Jackson's impact on wrestling would soon be felt in promotions throughout North America.

The early 1980's was a remarkable period of change for the world of professional wrestling. The industry was expanding thanks to the spread of cable television and shrewd promoters were beginning to see the possibilities of incorporating a multimedia approach to the industry, particularly by using music to excite its audience. Like many forms of pop culture, wrestling has never been afraid to use popular things for its own use. Wrestling promoters have "borrowed" things from TV, film, and even the headlines. Consider that promoters wooed TV Superman actor George Reeves to enter the squared circle, used wrestlers based on the Frankenstein monster, and even used a wrestler named after the infamous Zodiac killer of the 1970's. When one considers the success of Thriller, it comes as no surprise that wrestling co-opted it.

The 1980's saw the proliferation of entrance music for wrestlers. Although entrance themes were not used for every wrestler like they are today, they were beginning to become more common. Following up on the fans' positive reaction to entrance themes like Bad Bad Leroy Brown and Freebird (used respectively for the wrestlers Bad, Bad Leroy Brown and the Fabulous Freebirds), more and more wrestlers began using music to add significance to their entrances. The spectacular success of Jackson's Thriller saw songs from the record-selling album used both as entrance themes as well as for shows. WWF fans from the Rock and Wrestling Era no doubt recall WWF Championship Wrestling using Jackson's Thriller as its opening theme as well as WWF Update using the beginning of Wanna Be Startin' Something.

Of course the high energy songs of Thriller made them a natural for entrance themes-one of them even inspiring a tag team! Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Lawler's Memphis territory was a trailblazer in the use of music and music videos to hype their wrestlers (Co-promoters Jarrett and Lawler would create the tag team known as the Fabulous Ones as a test to see if music videos could be used to build stars) . Jackson's dance hit Pretty Young Thing (one of the album's seven Top Ten songs) was used not only as the entrance music but the name of the tag team duo of Norvell Austin and Koko Ware. The innovative Memphis territory paired Austin and Ware, calling them the P.Y.T. Express. Not only did they use Jackson's song but the duo dressed in red leather jackets similar to Jackson's trademark outfit, even going so far as to each wear a sequined glove like "The King of Pop".

With his video Billie Jean, Jackson popularized the dance move known as the moonwalk. Following the video's success, everyone seemed to be doing the moonwalk, even wrestlers. One of the biggest stars of the 80's was Michael Hayes of the Fabulous Freebirds. Hayes would use the moonwalk to taunt his opponents and rile up the fans at the same time. Ironically, Hayes was portrayed as a hard drinking Southern rock-n-roll rebel (the Freebirds of course, deriving their name from southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd's signature song Freebird) but his moonwalk became a key part of his act.

Many other promoters and wrestlers would use Jackson's music to enhance their acts. These are but a few examples. What is noteworthy about Michael Jackson's music is how much it was used. Certainly other artists' work was used by promoters but few if any, were used as much as Jackson's. This is a testament to both the popularity of his music as well as its easy incorporation into the world of wrestling. As Jackson's million of fans mourn their loss, wrestling fans should remember Jackson's subtle but important impact on professional wrestling.

Remembering Billy Red Lyons

2009-06-27T08:17:00.000-07:00

Ask any fan who grew up during the Rock and Wrestling Era who Billy Red Lyons was and they'll tell you he was the voice of Maple Leaf Wrestling and one of many retired wrestlers who sometimes popped up on WWF television as an anonymous "WWF official". Ask a fan from the 60's and 70's and you'll hear stories of Billy Red's tag team exploits in the Mid-West with fellow redhead Red Bastien as well as his singles accomplishments across North America. Billy Red Lyons was a skilled performer who wrestled through four decades, gaining fans wherever he appeared.

Born William Snip, he began wrestling in 1959, one of many Canadian natives who made their mark in the squared circle. A talented athlete, Mr. Lyons chose wrestling over other sports due to the lucrative pay one could get from wrestling compared to other sports (this was in the day before entry level athletes in the NFL and NHL received impressive paychecks). His gambit paid off and he campaigned successfully across North America, distinguishing himself in Texas, Oklahoma, and the American Wrestling Association (AWA). He reigned as British Empire Champion in the AWA and found tremendous success in tag action with Red Bastien.

As his career began to wind down, Mr. Lyons worked as an announcer for Frank Tunney's promotion Maple Leaf Wrestling. He still ventured into the ring for an occasional match but spent most of his time announcing matches and hosting promo segments to hype house shows. When the WWF bought out MLW, Mr. Tunney continued to serve as an announcer and eventually became one of a select few retired wrestlers to appear as on-air WWF officials. His most well-known appearance as a WWF official was on an episode of Piper's Pit when Hulk Hogan was presented with a trophy honoring his four years as champion (this would lead to 1987's legendary Andre/Hogan feud). Mr. Lyons also served as president for the Cauliflower Alley Club.

As a young fan who started watching wrestling during the late 1970's, I remember tuning in to see Billy Red Lyons hosting Maple Leaf Wrestling (MLW) every week. He projected a warm, comforting presence that made you feel like he personally invited you to the matches. When the WWF bought out MLW, they (wisely) kept Billy Red on to host the WWF version of MLW. He also hosted the bumpers between matches where wrestlers did promos for upcoming shows. Jesse "The Body" Ventura used to mercilessly run down Billy Red during promos and Billy Red took it all in stride. I even got to see Billy Red in action a couple times in Buffalo. His best days were clearly behind him but he could still work like hell and take lots of bumps. To us Buffalo fans who caught his show from the Canadian airwaves, it was always special to see Billy Red Lyons in person, a testament to his warm personality.

NOTE: Thanks to Canadian Bulldog for reminding me of Mr. Lyon's famous appearance on Piper's Pit. For those interested in learning more about Mr. Lyons' team with Red Bastien, I invite you to check out the book The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams.

Wrestling's Unsolved Mysteries: The Finisher that Killed Two Wrestlers-Or Did It?

2009-06-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

In an industry purposely mired in mystery, it's no surprise that professional wrestling has its share of mysteries that continue to puzzle its fans. Even with the explosion of shoot videos and tell-all books, fans still talk about some of wrestling's unexplained happenings, wondering what really happened. Join me now as I explore wrestling's unsolved mysteries, legends, and conventional wisdom to uncover the truth. Today, we'll look at a death that some attribute to a savage beating that supposedly took place in the ring and try to solve the question-did Ox Baker kill two men in the ring with his finisher, the heart punch?

The human heart is an amazing creation. Comprised of a special muscle known as cardiac muscle, the heart is said to beat 100,000 times a day, pumping oxygen and nutrients throughout the body along a sophisticated pathway of arteries, veins, and capillaries. Surprisingly, this magnificent organ is just the size of a fist.

Ironically, a blow from the fist of a trained man can destroy all the work of a heart. Legends abound of special individuals capable of delivering blows to the heart capable of stopping it or even ripping it out. Most of these stories are discounted as exaggerations or outright falsehoods but in the case of wrestler Ox Baker, some believe that there is more to these tales than just hype. According to some people, Baker's finishing move the heart punch, ended lives of two of his opponents.

The heart punch is a wrestling hold rarely seen today. However during the 1970's, Stan "The Man" Stasiak used it to great effect, winning many matches and distinguishing himself by its use (Stasiak would go on to win the World Wide Wrestling Federation Championship from Pedro Morales albeit not with the heart punch but with a suplex). The heart punch was based on the theory that the user knew where to strike an opponent so that his heart stopped momentarily, typically resulting in a knockout to the user's opponent. Looking back at this move, it seems like a great move to deliver a hold without actually doing any harm to an opponent.

As Stasiak's fame grew with his use of the heart punch, it was only a matter of time before other wrestlers began using it. One such wrestler was Ox Baker, a scary looking monster of a man (billed as 6'5" and 350 lbs.) who resembled a cross between Godzilla and Satan. This imposing figure enhanced his fearsome aura by adding the heart punch to his repertoire. The inclusion of the heart punch in his arsenal not only added to his reputation as a monster heel but it labeled him as a killer after not one, but two opponents died shortly after receiving the heart punch.

Despite wrestling's worked nature, injuries still occur. Between potatoes, missteps, and the wear and tear of working night after night, wrestlers suffer injuries, oftentimes working through them but sometimes having to take time off to recuperate. However with very few exceptions, deaths in the ring are unheard of. That is why the story of Ox Baker and his heart punch has captured the imagination of wrestling fans for decades.

Born Douglas Baker, the man who would become known in the ring as Ox Baker began his grappling career during the early 1960's. Trained by Buddy "Killer" Austin, Pat O'Connor, and Bob Geigel, Baker was ready to hit the big-time and hit it he did, quickly establishing a name as a fierce brawler who terrorized the territories in singles and tag team action. Typically a heel, the Ox worked in the American Wrestling Association (AWA), various territories of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), and even the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). However nothing would prepare the fans for what reportedly happened in June of 1971.

The scene was Omaha, Nebraska. Baker, alongside his tag partner the Claw was in a match against Alberto Torres and "Cowboy" Bob Ellis. Torres was well-known as one of the Torres Brothers, a much-adored babyface team made up of (real-life) brothers Enrique, Ramon, and Alberto. At stake were the AWA Mid-West Tag Team Titles. Little did anyone know that Torres life was also at stake. During the match, Baker was said to have delivered his heart punch to Torres, knocking him out. Torres was rushed to the hospital where he died three days later.

Baker's reputation as a killer in the ring only grew stronger when he downed another opponent for good in 1972. The Ox was feuding in Georgia with Ray Gunkel, a rugged competitor as well as the co-owner of Georgia Championship Wrestling. During the match, Baker delivered his much-hyped finisher but this time, Gunkel persevered, winning the match. However the heart punch took its toll as Gunkel collapsed later that night. Once again, the heart punch had claimed another life.

Or had it? While promoters hyped Baker's heart punch as the catalyst for Torres and Gunkel's deaths, what really happened is different than what was said to have happened. Professional wrestling has always been known for its tasteless angles so it's no surprise that some promoters capitalized on two deaths in order to build up a wrestler's reputation as a true killer. It's hard to think of a better way to build up a finisher than to point to two guys dying from it. Baker's official website even acknowledges his history:

Ox Baker's Heart Punch made Head-Lines in 1970, when he wrestled a man by the name of Alberto Torres. Baker hit Torres with the Heart Punch and Torres dropped and did not get back to his feet again. He was rushed to the hospital where he later died. It turned out that he had a ruptured pancreas, but didn't disclose it to the wrestling promoters before the match. Baker's Heart Punch was not the 100% cause of death. Then in 1975, Baker's Special Move made Head-Lines again. This time Ox was battling Ray Gunkel in a Texas Death Match. Baker hit Gunkel with the Heart Punch and Gunkel was dead before he hit the floor. Incidents like these made Ox Baker a feared man in the ring.

With all due respect to Mr. Baker, the facts surrounding Torres' death are much different. First off, Baker was not originally "credited" with killing Torres in the ring. That dubious honor went to his partner The Claw. Steven Johnson and Greg Oliver's book The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams discusses how promoter Joe Dusek tastelessly credited the Claw with Torres' death, earning the scorn of a local sportswriter. The reality is that Torres died from a pre-existing condition-a ruptured pancreas. This ticking time bomb exploded that night during the match, ending Torres' life and career. As time passed, Baker was credited with causing Mr. Torres' death. Exactly when this happened is unknown but it wouldn't be a surprise if it happened after the death of Ray Gunkel.

In the case of Ray Gunkel (who died in 1972), the legend actually fits the facts. Baker did hit the heart punch on Gunkel during the match that took place on the night of Gunkel's death. After Mr. Gunkel's death, doctors discovered that the fallen wrestler suffered from a life-threatening case of arteriosclerosis. This arteriosclerosis made it possible for a worked heart punch to actually kill Ray Gunkel. Piecing the evidence together, doctors believe that Ox Baker's (worked) heart punch formed a blood clot in Mr. Gunkel's body, leading to his death later that evening.

So while there's no evidence to support the idea that Ox Baker's heart punch really killed Alberto Torres, there's little doubt that the heart punch did in fact kill Ray Gunkel. Where fact becomes legend is the idea that Baker's heart punch was routinely capable of killing opponents. Promoters took two deaths and spun them into a tale of a finishing move so deadly that it ended not only two matches but two lives.

Given the public's tendency to find conspiracies in everything, it's quite surprising that more has not been said about Ray Gunkel's death and whether or not he was actually murdered in the ring. After Mr. Gunkel's death, the Georgia promotion was thrown into turmoil with what is known as the "Battle of Atlanta". The Battle of Atlanta was a promotional war between Gunkel's ownership partner in the Georgia territory and Gunkel's wife Ann (who inherited Gunkel's share of the promotion). Ann Gunkel was forced out of the Georgia territory but retaliated by launching a rival promotion. Eventually the NWA teamed up with the owners of Georgia wrestling to put Mrs. Gunkel's promotion out of business (a fascinating story that you can read about in Jim Wilson's book Chokehold). It really surprises me that no one has tried to make the case that Ox Baker was hired to put Ray Gunkel out of action so people could move in on the Georgia territory (I don't think this actually happened but given the crazy rumors that go around in wrestling, you'd think someone would have suggested it).

Review of "Ring of Hell"

2009-06-11T17:16:00.000-07:00

A FLAWED LOOK AT A FLAWED INDUSTRY -RING OF HELL: THE STORY OF CHRIS BENOIT AND THE FALL OF THE WRESTLING INDUSTRY

Originally published at World Wrestling Insanity on July 11, 2008

Ring of Hell: the Story of Chris Benoit and the Fall of the Wrestling Industry is a book that’s been a long time coming. The professional wrestling industry has managed to fly under the radar for years, avoiding scrutiny from both the media and the government. For years, wrestling’s ethereal status as pseudo-sport combined with the general public’s ignorance to the inner workings of the business gave it a pass against most criticism until last year’s murder suicide involving Chris Benoit finally woke up the mainstream media. While it’s by no means the first book to take a hard look at the world of professional wrestling, it’s the first to adopt a take no prisoners stance that absolutely rips the industry apart. It’s also the first book to truly analyze what went wrong with Chris Benoit and why he went from being a beloved figure in professional to its most horrific. While it’s hard to argue against the criticism that author Matthew Randazzo V makes, it’s equally hard to take his criticism seriously as the book stumbles across the fine line between muck-raking and sensationalism. Regrettably, Randazzo’s approach to exposing the business’ working conditions ultimately fails. The author’s attempt to reveal the sickness inside the business is tantamount to a surgeon performing a biopsy with a chainsaw rather than a scalpel. By the time you’re finished reading Ring of Hell, you can’t help but wonder if Randazzo’s mother was gang-raped by a carload of wrestlers while Vince McMahon stood by and watched or whether he’s just that hell-bent on writing a sensationalized attack to cash in on the Benoit incident.

Whatever Randazzo’s motives, it’s a shame because Ring of Hell could have been a great book. Randazzo displays a lot of potential but the book falls prey to repetitiveness and just plain mediocre writing. At times, it is smartly written and at other times, it reads like a post on a wrestling board populated by junior high students. As clever as it may have seemed to the author, the comparisons to the porn industry get old rather quickly. It’s even worse when you see the same adjectives used over and over throughout the book. One has to wonder what the book might have looked like had an editor taken the time to go over it.

Randazzo’s love for his subject is clear from this particular piece of prose, “The drug-addicted cretin who knowingly turned himself into a crippled junkie for pro wrestling fame is surreal in comparison to Chris Benoit, the friend and family man; and that loving father and doting husband is surreal in comparison to Chris Benoit, the wrestler” (p. 20) Add that to the following gem and you can imagine Randazzo’s true feelings on Benoit:

CHRIS BENOIT, BRAIN-DAMAGED MELTDOWN ARTIST, SADOMASOCHIST, PILL-HEAD, ROID MONSTER, SPEED FREAK, SUICIDAL WRETCH, BLAND THIRTY- SEVEN-YEAR-OLD CANADIAN TECHNICAL WRESTLER WITH A TITANIUM-PLATED BROKEN NECK AND DISPROPORTIONATELY SHORT T-REX ARMS-AND THE FACE OF A PUBLICLY TRADED MEGA CORPORATION WITH $364 MILLION IN ANNUAL REVENUES.” P. 298.

I can’t imagine many wrestling fans reading this book without feeling insulted. Every page drips with venom and Randazzo seems to hold as much disdain for fans as he does for the industry itself. It’s hard to take the book seriously when he refers to the fans’ reaction to Benoit’s death as follows: “A sizable number of these fans would treat Benoit’s murder of his wife and child as a tragedy precisely because it would destroy any hopes of a future Benoit match. For many of them, it was hard to reconcile that Benoit was such a “good worker” but apparently such a bad person.” P. 261. Randazzo’s contempt for wrestling as well as its fans reminds me of a fundamentalist preacher trying to warn his audience against the evils of rock and roll music. Not only is the music bad but the fans are bad for listening to it. Sinner repent indeed.

While Randazzo organizes the facts into a comprehensive form, his analysis of the facts devalues the work he has put into researching the murders. Randazzo seems to be ignorant to some of the most elemental principles of human psychology. For instance, he seems oblivious to the common phenomenon of hero worship and fandom as seen when he discusses Benoit’s adulation for his hero Tom Billington (aka Dynamite Kid). “Tracing the decline in Chris Benoit’s mental health is complicated by the considerable evidence that he was always something of a crackpot. Benoit’s adolescent infatuation with Tom Billington seems neurotic and pitiful in retrospect: why was an otherwise normal teenage boy so abjectly preoccupied with receiving the approval of a pro wrestler?” Unlike billions of people on the planet, Randazzo has seemingly never looked up to anyone nor heard of celebrities.

Randazzo’s armchair psychology and failure to grasp this basic concept made me wonder whether I was reading the wrestling equivalent of Seduction of the Innocent. At times, his deductive skills bordered on the ridiculous as evident by the following “The cumulative stress of the road itself-the monotony, the pressure, the loneliness-was enough to drive many normal insane by itself” (p. 291). If the grind of the road is that deleterious to wrestlers, Randazzo may want to alert psychiatrists to the gold mine of patients waiting in wrestling as well as the over-the-road truck driving industry.

Time after time, Randazzo’s posits are undermined by ridiculous statements about the simplest things. Like many before him, he makes a convincing case that the daily grind of working in the ring combined with no off season is nothing short of suicidal. Yet the lack of understanding on the industry itself draws his total understanding of the business into question. It’s like someone giving you a discourse on calculus when they can’t show a grasp of basic addition. His comments on bumps clearly show he has an imprecise grasp of the fundamentals of wrestling given the following, “There is no “right way to fall, everything a pro wrestler does hurts” (p. 50). Contrary to Randazzo’s assertion, there is a right way to fall. Anyone who’s watched Tough Enough or spent time in MMA knows that there are techniques that can be used to fall without being hurt.. He also seems to ignore the golden rule of wrestling which is to protect your opponent. Few people will argue that wrestlers have an easy job you can’t help but wonder how much of the business Randazzo really understands.

On the surface, it appears that Randazzo has done a lot of research into the subject but his lack of understanding with basic concepts like bumps is troubling. Further weakening his work is that he fails to grasp (or just doesn’t care about) the idea that wrestling isn’t the only industry with its share of problems and scandals. What’s different about wrestling than say, football is that wrestling has flown under the radar for so long that it’s gotten a pass. And while pro football has seen some reforms such as drug testing and improved benefits for older players, one can hardly argue that the NFL doesn’t have its fair share of problems. Professional wrestling is definitely in need of reform but Randazzo’s book fails by being so over the top with its criticism that you can’t help but feel you’re taking part in a witch hunt. If the author let his disdain for the business take a backseat to his actual writing, it might have been more effective.

Despite the author’s heavy handed approach, the book does an excellent job of speculating what might have happened to cause Chris Benoit to kill his wife and son. Randazzo makes a strong case that a combination of a pre-existing mental condition, the physical torture Benoit subjected his body to coupled with a combination of prescription drug and steroid abuse set a timer that led to Benoit’s ultimate self destruction. It’s the most thought out analysis yet on the subject and one that should stimulate some discussion.

The book’s true strength is the number of interviews done with former WWE insiders (mostly former writers). Randazzo presents one of the closest looks yet at what goes on behind the scenes at Titan Tower, something you know you won’t get from a WWE book or most newsletters. It’s refreshing to see someone with no ties to the industry present a no-holds barred account of professional wrestling after years of pandering by the so-called wrestling media. It’s just so disappointing that Randazzo’s end product is so flawed.

Great Moments in Wrestling: Jimmy Snuka's Baptism of Blood

2009-06-10T08:53:00.000-07:00

Many cultures throughout history have recognized the ritual of baptism. While most people think of the Christian purification ritual known as baptism, it is a practice also associated with other cultures, sometimes for purification, sometimes for initiation, and sometimes for both. Practices vary based on culture and they have evolved over time to include meanings not originally meant. For example, the phrase baptism of fire is often used to refer to someone initiated into a group (often a military or paramilitary organization) by his or her first exposure to combat.

In 1982, wrestler Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka underwent a baptism of sorts himself. Years before fans routinely cheered heels, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka won the cheers of WWF fans despite beating up some of their biggest babyfaces (including his famous program with WWF champion Bob Backlund that culminated in Snuka's dive off of a steel cage). With his chiseled physique and death-defying "Superfly Splash", Snuka won the hearts of WWF fans. For all intents and purposes, he was a babyface but like any good promotion would do, the WWF had to stage an angle to officially turn Snuka from heel to face. Otherwise, what good was a turn if it couldn't be used to play with the fans' emotions and increase ticket sales? In Snuka's case, he would undergo an initiation into the ranks of the company's babyfaces through a baptism of blood.

Enter "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, the first man to hold both the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) World Heavyweight Championships hosted a talk segment known as "Rogers' Corner". The interview segment featured Rogers interviewing wrestlers, helping to get them over through their interaction with Rogers.

Snuka appeared on Rogers' show, accompanied by his manager Captain Lou Albano. Rogers was no stranger to Snuka, having managed him in Jim Crockett Promotions. When Rogers had learned that his former charge was being managed by the heel Albano, he immediately grew suspicious and promised to investigate Snuka's finances as well as his contract. Now, the day of reckoning had come for Albano. Little did he know it but Snuka would have his own day of reckoning as well.

During the segment, Rogers revealed that Albano had no contract with Snuka. Unfortunately for "The Superfly", Snuka's money was gone (with the implication being that the shady Albano had robbed Snuka blind). An angry Albano stormed off the show, shouting at Rogers and calling him a liar. Rogers told Snuka he was now a free man. The downside though was that Snuka's money was gone. Rogers shook Snuka's hand and hugged him, proclaiming to the fans that "This man is a free man". Snuka shook his head with approval. Snuka then told Rogers he normally didn't say a lot but he had a question for Rogers- would he be his manager? No doubt happy to be reunited with his former client, Rogers embraced Snuka but reserved decision. Rogers was too caught up in the moment to answer Snuka. Just then, Lou Albano returned to the scene, shouting at Rogers until the former world champion chased him off.

The fans cheered, happy that Snuka was now free of Albano's influence. However the happy moment would soon be ruined as Snuka walked to the ring for a previously scheduled match against Ray "The Crippler" Stevens. Managed by "Classy" Freddie Blassie, Stevens was a seasoned veteran who Snuka had teamed with him in Jim Crockett Promotions to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship. Thanks to the fortunes of the squared circle, they were now opponents. Snuka would need to be on his "A" game against Stevens, especially with Blassie in "The Crippler's" corner.

If Snuka had counted on Albano to counteract Blassie's potential interference, he was in for a rude awakening. Although Albano was in the ring with Snuka, he had no intention of helping him. Instead, he began shouting at "The Superfly" and shoving him. The self-proclaimed "Manager of Champions" (although Albano gave himself the moniker, it was nonetheless a well-deserved one given the record-setting number of teams he guided to the WWF Tag Team Championship) then got into Snuka's face, shoving Snuka and then punching him. Snuka fired back a blow of his own but from there, things quickly deteriorated as Ray Stevens jumped in, choking Snuka with Blassie's cane and holding his opponent as Albano unloaded with punches of his own. Although Albano was now a manager, he had enjoyed a successful career as a wrestler and he was still capable of dishing out punishment (as Snuka soon found out). Stevens joined in on the melee, punching away at Snuka while Blassie directed traffic in the ring. A bloodied "Superfly" soon found himself thrown out of the ring by Albano and Stevens but the beat down was just beginning.

Following his former champion tag partner outside of the ring, Stevens picked up Snuka and delivered a bone-crushing piledriver, driving Snuka's already bloody skull into the concrete floor. As the chaos continued, color commentator Bruno Sammartino predicted that "we're not going to see Superfly Snuka for a long time to come". Snuka was clearly done but not Stevens. Stevens lifted Snuka one more time to deliver a second, devastating piledriver. Snuka's body spasmed as Stevens left the scene of the crime. Then, in a reaffirmation of his heelish nature, Lou Albano returned to the scene of the mugging to kick Snuka while he was down.

The beatdown was violent and bloody, one of the most brutal ever seen on WWF television at the time. It looked as if Snuka had bled all over the floor, his life-giving fluids splashed in and out of the ring in a blood-soaked baptism signifying his transformation from heel to face. However a careful review of the footage shows that while Snuka was busted open, someone threw a cup full of fluid (possibly beer or soda) onto the concrete just as Snuka was thrown out of the ring. Whether this was the act of an angry fan showing his discontent with what was occurring in the ring or a carefully orchestrated move to make the beat down look even bloodier, it had the effect of making it appear as if Snuka had bled buckets onto the floor.

Despite the savage attack, Snuka would return to the ring. Now managed by Buddy Rogers, Snuka would exact his revenge on Albano and Stevens, both in singles matches and in tag matches with Rogers as his partner. WWF fans wasted no time embracing Snuka as one of their own with his official turn onto the side of the angels. Although Rogers' run as Snuka's manager would be short-lived, big things awaited "The Superfly". Snuka's star would continue to rise as he worked two epic feuds, the first with Intercontinental Champion Don "The Magnificent" Muraco and the second, the historic feud against "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. Snuka's transformation into a face began with a bloody beating but it soon translated into incredible success for the amazing athlete from the Fiji Islands.

Epic Fail: A look back at nWo Souled Out and other wrestling flops

2009-06-05T18:05:00.000-07:00

Recently, I had the pleasure of reading Fiasco: A History of Hollywood's Iconic Flops. The book reminded me that for every Star Wars, there's ten Battle Beyond the Stars and that no artist has a perfect track record (Spielberg had 1941, Lucas had Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, and Francis Ford Coppola had Godfather III). In the spirit of kicking a man while he's down, I've decided to take a look at some of wrestling's biggest flops of late Join me as I look at some of the biggest misfires in the history of the squared circle.

nWO Souled Out: Oscar Wilde once said, "Nothing succeeds like excess". While there's something to be said for damning the torpedoes and going full speed ahead, sometimes our zeal can get the best of us. Whether you call it zeal, excess, or plain arrogance, Eric Bischoff decided that it was time for an NWO themed PPV. The result was Souled Out, a pay-per-view held on January 25, 1997. The show featured the stars of the nWo and WCW but the PPV focused on the stars of the nWo. The PPV featured Eric Bischoff and Ted DiBiase on commentary, nWo referee Nick Patrick, and an nWo-themed set.

Looking back, it's hard to argue with Bischoff's reasoning. The nWo was a runaway success in WCW, thrusting the company to the top of the wrestling game and crushing the WWF in the ratings war. If the nWo meant ratings, surely they'd translate into buyrates for a PPV. Furthermore, if the PPV proved to be a success, more nWo themed events were just a matter of time. In their book The Death of WCW R.D. Reynolds and Bryan Alvarez speculate that Bischoff was testing the waters to see if there was enough demand for two PPV's a month (The show was also held on a Saturday, a rarity and probably an experiment to test the PPV waters for a night besides Sunday).

Apparently there wasn't. The nWo Souled Out PPV was a flop both in terms of buyrates and the reaction of the fans. Watching the show, you almost get the feeling that the powers that be felt they could do no wrong (which, truth be told, really was the case up until this point). It was almost as if Eric Bischoff and friends wanted to see how bad of a show they could run and still make money. The PPV was a study in excess. Bischoff ran down the competition throughout the show and one of the show's highlights was a Miss nWo Beauty contest featuring what looked like a contingent from Kevin Nash fan club. Viewers had to wonder if they hadn't died and gone to hog heaven both in terms of the contestants riding Harleys and their "looks".

The show itself featured a mixed bag of wrestling. As was the case at the time, the nWo ran roughshod on the WCW stars, defeating them in most of the matches. While there were highlights in terms of wrestling quality (it would be next to impossible to have all bad matches given that guys like Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, and Syxx worked the card), there was little to justify ordering the show. Unfortunately the powers that be at WCW failed to learn the lesson here. Eventually, the nWo would go the same way as the goose that laid the golden eggs.

Curry Man: He's hot, he's spicy, he's Christopher Daniels??? Leave it to TNA to take one of their best workers and reduce him to a joke with the slightest of ease. While you could cut TNA some slack and say that they'd already done a great job turning "Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels into a shell of the wrestling character he was, it's hard to imagine saddling him with a gimmick as bad as this one. Not since Terry Taylor clucked his way into obscurity has a wrestler had to deal with such a millstone around his neck. The only good thing about this gimmick is that Daniels' wore a mask so not everyone knows his shame. TNA can claim that Curry Man was way over in Japan but there's still no excuse for Daniels being stuck with this turkey in North America.

Fake Kane: The psychologically unsound Kane took a turn for the worst when he began hearing voices and being plagued by the mysterious date of May 19 (Coincidentally, the release date for his WWE Film See No Evil). WWE fans used to having their suspension of disbelief stretched to the breaking point had to deal with Kane hearing voices and seeing things that everyone at home saw but which no one around Kane saw (The fact that this angle was reminiscent of the One Warrior Nation angle in WCW where Hulk Hogan hallucinated seeing the Warrior tells you all you need to know about the quality of this one).

As usually happens with Kane, the Big Red Machine made the best of a truly bad angle, hoping to salvage it from the Katie Vick section of his career. Thanks to some good work from Kane, his ongoing breakdown proved to be catchy and fans started to wonder what was so important about the date. Eventually, it was revealed that May 19 was the anniversary date of the tragic fire that killed Kane's mom. We also learned that a mystery imposter Kane was behind it all, leading to a terrible match between the two at the 2006 Vengeance PPV. In true kneejerk reaction, Vince McMahon pulled the plug on the angle when the first match between Kane and Faux Kane went south. The next night on RAW, Kane destroyed his doppleganger, sending him packing faster than the time DX wiped out the Spirit Squad and sent them back to OVW (due to time constraints, we'll have to save that one for another time).

Tony "Mouthful of Marbles" Atlas, Manager: For years, wrestling fans have been clamoring for the WWE to bring back managers so what do they do-they pair one of their worst talkers (and workers) with WWE Hall of Famer bad talker Tony "Mr. USA" Atlas. Debuting on ECW, perennial babyface Atlas turned heel on Colin Delaney, aligning himself with "World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry. While the heel turn was a lot of fun, things quickly went downhill from there. For years, Booking 101 held that you pair poor talkers with managers in order to help get them over. The only thing the WWE forgot was that the manager has to be able to string together a sentence or two himself. Not since Mushmouth graced the Fat Albert set has there been such a poor representation of the King's English. Give the WWE credit where credit is due. After Atlas' run as a manager, no one is going to be clamoring for managers anytime soon.

Mike Rickard Reviews Starrcade: The Essential Collection

2009-06-01T07:21:00.001-07:00

n 1983, Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) held one of the most successful wrestling shows ever. The sold-out show featured a who's who of talent from the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and was headlined by a steel cage match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship between former champion "Nature Boy" Ric Flair and Harley Race. The card would sell out the Greensboro Coliseum as well as several closed circuit states in the Carolinas and beyond. Starcade: A Flare for the Gold had succeeded beyond Crockett's wildest dreams and suddenly, the business changed overnight.

Make no mistake about it, Starrcade was the innovator, the forerunner to Wrestlemania that proved that with the right buildup and matches, promoters could expand their revenue base past the confines of a single arena. JCP would show the wrestling world that a card could be shown on closed-circuit television (and once technology made it mainstream, in fans' homes) for fans unable to score a ticket to the event in person. For the next two decades, Starrcade would become the biggest show of the year for JCP and its successor, World Championship Wrestling (WCW).

Starrcade: The Essential Collection provides a well-balanced look at one of the most important PPV's in wrestling history. As Jim Ross notes on the documentary, every student of the game needs to know the history of this pivotal show and the role it played in the evolution of professional wrestling. Thanks to this product, they now have a convenient reference as well as a solid series of matches from the event. This three disc set features a one hour documentary on the history of Starrcade and a selection of some of the key bouts from the show's run.

Serious kudos to the WWE for creating an even-handed documentary feature on the history of Starrcade. While some fans have expressed grave concerns over the upcoming Rise and Fall of WCW DVD, this one provides a candid, balanced look at Starrcade. While it's another case of history being told by the winner, it features interviews with a lot of Starrcade's key personnel and performers including Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, Magnum T.A., Road Warrior Animal, and former JCP announcer (and brother of promoter Jim Crockett Jr.) David Crockett proving that the WWE can do a relatively objective job when it comes to telling the story of its former rivals (and in all fairness to the WWE, their DVD's dealing with rivals such as the American Wrestling Association, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Class Wrestling have been surprisingly good as opposed to the Death of WCW).

The DVD follows Starrcade from its very beginning up until its last days. Watching the program, you can't help but notice the pride of the people involved. When JCP asked Dusty Rhodes to become their booker, Starrcade instantly became Jim Crockett Promotions' biggest show of the year-its Wrestlemania, its Superbowl. Rhodes came up with the Starrcade concept, following the success of supercards he'd worked on during his tremendously successful run in Florida. However (as chronicled in the program), Jim Crockett Jr. placed all his eggs in one basket and a ruthless (and/or shrewd depending on your point of view) business move by Vince McMahon killed Starrcade. Crockett never recovered and he ended up selling the company to Ted Turner. As pointed out, the Turner organization brought a lot of plusses to the company-increased production values and marketing but as Dusty Rhodes put it, the company didn't know "shit" about wrestling. Starrcade floundered as it tried bold new concepts like the Iron Man and Battlebowl competitions but neither proved successful and it was only when Eric Bischoff took over WCW that Starrcade began to bounce back.

Like any good history lesson, there's something to be learned here. Comparing Starrcade to Wrestlemania, Jim Ross feels Starrcade lost its identity after JCP folded. When you hear one wrestler point out how Starrcade lost its importance when PPV's started coming out every other month, you can't help but wonder if anyone in the WWE sees the irony.

In the end though, Starrcade was something very special. As noted on the show, it's still talked about to this day. As Road Warrior Animal points out, it not only featured some of the greatest champions in wrestling but some of the greatest challengers. Starrcade is gone but it's (as Gorilla Monsoon would say) "highly unlikely" that it will be forgotten any time soon.

Wrestling's Unsolved Mysteries: Brody and Luger in the cage.

2009-05-31T09:25:00.001-07:00

In an industry purposely mired in mystery, it's no surprise that professional wrestling has its share of mysteries that continue to puzzle its fans. Even with the explosion of shoot videos and tell-all books, fans still talk about some of wrestling's unexplained happenings, wondering what really happened. Join me know as I take a look at one of wrestling's unsolved mysteries; Brody vs. Luger-What Happened in the Cage?

The scene was Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW). A cage match between babyface Lex Luger and feared monster heel Bruiser Brody. This was your traditional National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) cage bout with a locked cage holding two opponents who could only win by pinfall or submission. In the end however, babyface Lex Luger would take a powder leaving wrestling fans scratching their heads and wondering wha' happened?

What did happen that day? Did Bruiser Brody literally scare Luger out of the cage? If so, what were Brody's motivations? Was he, as some have said, fed up with Luger's prima donna attitude or was he venting his frustrations with the promoter by not doing business in the ring? What about Luger? Was he afraid for his life and quick to bail out of the cage or was he merely fed up with Brody's antics in the ring and ready to take a powder? Was this some elaborate work by the promoters?

To try and solve this problem, we need to take a look at the careers of both men at the time. By 1987, Bruiser Brody was a legendary figure in the business. The big man moved with amazing quickness and agility, leading Dave Meltzer to write that Brody is the best big man in the business with the exception perhaps of Don Leo Jonathon. Brody was big on many levels-he was physically big, he was big with the fans, and for some promoters, he was a big pain in the ass.

Born Frank Goodish, the man who would achieve fame as Bruiser Brody broke into the business during the early 1970's. His incredible size, ability, and charisma quickly saw him quickly win the spotlight in North America. When promoter Fritz Von Erich introduced him to Japan, his career exploded. Known to Japanese fans as "The Intelligent Monster", Brody became a huge draw in Japan, commanding five figure weekly paydays (said to be around $14,000.00 a week). If Brody wasn't the top star in wrestling, he certainly could boast of being very close.

Looking at Brody's career, it's impossible to come away with anything less than an appreciation for him. Certainly, he was one of a kind. He was his own man and he recognized his value as a performer. Unlike many of his fellow wrestlers, Brody had no problem telling promoters where to stick it. Whether he felt he was being short-changed on a payoff or being misused, Brody would not hesitate to walk out on a promoter. This kind of behavior is usually associated with burning bridges but Brody was such a draw that he rarely found himself out of work. He was just too big of a draw for promoters to not try and work with him.

Lex Luger broke into the business during the 1980's when wrestling was enjoying one of its biggest booms ever. Competition between the World Wrestling Federation, the National Wrestling Alliance, and the American Wrestling Association meant that promoters were constantly on the lookout for the next big thing. At the time, many promoters equated big muscles with big success, pointing to the superstardom of wrestlers like Hulk Hogan and the Road Warriors. Boasting a phenomenal body, Lex Luger fit that mold to a tee. It wasn't long before people began referring to him as the next Hulk Hogan.

Working in Championship Wrestling from Florida, Luger quickly became a top star. While his push may have angered people who'd been around much longer, he was not the first person to get a rocket strapped to his back. The question was what he could do with the push and whether or not he deserved it. Eventually, Luger was brought into Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) which continued his climb to the top, aligning him with their top heel group the Four Horsemen.

By the time of the Luger/Brody cage match, Championship Wrestling from Florida was on its deathbed. Many of its top stars had already left for greener pastures (including JCP) and Luger was one of the company's few remaining legitimate stars. He was working a program (as a face) with Brody which led to the now famous (or infamous depending on your point of view) cage match.

Like most cage matches in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), the object was to pin or submit your opponent. Escaping the cage was not an option, especially for a babyface. Thus when the match ended with Luger bailing out and Brody's arm being raised in victory, many fans were shocked. The finish made absolutely no sense so it's little surprise that it's become one of wrestling's biggest mysteries. Unlike some wrestling mysteries, there is footage of the match and it can be found all over the Internet. Before we get into any of the theories, I encourage you to watch the match and compare your take with mine.

Watching the cage match, it's difficult to argue that both men didn't sell for each other early on. Both Brody and Luger got in their fair share of shots the first three minutes with Luger even knocking Brody down (said to be a huge accomplishment for any of Brody's opponents). Luger even throws Brody headfirst into the cage and Brody sells for him. Not until around 3:50 in the video do you begin to see a no-sell by Brody. Luger rams his head into the cage and Brody acts like nothing happened. Luger fires off punches and Brody begins to look at him. It also doesn't take Luger more than thirty seconds to realize something is up. The referee steps in, confused and Brody suplexes Luger. Brody continues manhandling Luger who tries a comeback around 5:20 with punches that are no-sold by Brody. Brody no-sells a throw into the cage and then goes for what looks like a piledriver but by now, Luger isn't playing along and backs out. Around 5:50 in, Luger throws more punches and sees Brody's no-selling them. Luger keeps looking at the referee, probably wondering what to do. Around 6:24, the referee says something to Brody and Luger appears to be yelling at Brody. Brody takes Luger down by his left leg around 6:45. Near 7:06, Brody applies a reverse headlock and Luger may or not be stuck in it for real. Brody releases Luger but Luger continues working with him. Around 7:30 there's another headlock on Luger followed by Luger knocking the ref down. Luger climbs the cage, leaving the ring.

So what happened?

Like most mysteries, there are theories regarding what happened. Let's discuss some of the more common explanations given and see how they hold up:

1. Brody wanted to teach Luger a lesson: This theory holds that Luger's ego got the best of him and he refused to sell for Brody. Brody decided to show Luger that wrestling is a two way street and gave young Mr. Luger a much needed lesson in professional courtesy. Luger was so scared that he fled the ring. Larry Matysik supports this theory in his book Brody: The Triumph and Tragedy of Wrestling's Rebel, arguing that "Apparently, Luger believed his own hype, because he wouldn't sell for Brody, who was the heel...When the pair were slated for a cage match, Frank was in no mood to put up with any of Luger's attitude" (174). Unfortunately, I've never had a chance to find out if Luger no-sold in matches leading up to the cage match. However Luger clearly sold for Brody in the cage match so Matysik's theory is questionable in my book (that and the fact that his Brody biography is a glorified puff piece discounts a lot of what he has to say).

2. Brody was upset with CWF management and decided to embarrass them: This theory holds that Brody was upset with Florida management over a payoff or how he was being pushed (one theory holds that Brody, who was working in Texas as a babyface, didn't like playing the heel). In order to show up the promoters, Brody wanted to show them what could happen if he didn't play nice with his opponents. Given Brody's contentious history with promoters, this one at least seems plausible.

3. Brody was playing a rib on Luger: One version of this story holds that other wrestlers may have been involved and told Luger that Brody was out to get hit him. Supposedly, Brody scared Luger so badly by no-selling that Luger bailed out of the ring, fearful for his safety. Why a wrestler would want to look completely unprofessional just to play a rib is beyond me and I just don't see Bruiser Brody pulling a stunt like this (Scott Hall and Kevin Nash on the other hand...).

Like most unsolved mysteries, it's unlikely we'll ever know the full story. At best, we use the process of elimination to try and weed out the unlikely solutions and look for the most plausible. In this case, I'd have to go with the theory that Brody had a beef with a promoter and this was his way of handling it. As always, send me your thoughts on what you think happened and why.

WWE Judgment Day

2009-05-18T11:03:00.000-07:00

If a picture is really worth a thousand words, then this picture sums up last night's show.

"Playboy" Buddy Rose: Rest in Peace

2009-04-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

When people list the best heat magnets from the days of the territories, Buddy Rose's name instantly comes to mind. Rose epitomized the wrestler who could turn the dial up or down, controlling the crowd in the palm of his hand. Mr. Rose had a legendary run in the Pacific Northwest Territory, playing a heel for many years before a startling face turn. He also enjoyed memorable runs in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and stood out as one of the few highlights in the dying days of the American Wrestling Association (AWA).

Born Paul Perschmann, the man who would become "Playboy" Buddy Rose trained under the legendary Gene Anderson (one half of the original Minnesota Wrecking Crew, the forerunners to the Four Horsemen), honing his skills for a year and a half before training under Verne Gagne. Mr. Rose later debuted in Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association, wrestling against Bob Remus, the man who would become better known as Sgt. Slaughter.

Like most of his peers, Rose traveled from territory to territory. Mr. Rose would find his greatest success working on the West Coast. Mr. Rose had successful runs in Vancouver's All-Star Wrestling, Roy Shire's San Francisco promotion, Hawaii, and Don Owen's Pacific Northwest Wrestling. Rose captured singles and tag gold in these promotions, showcasing his versatility as both a singles and tag team competitor. He would also work as Kevin Von Erich's opponent in Von Erich's debut match, performing as Paul Pershmann.

After several years trying to make his mark in the business, Mr. Rose adopted the "Playboy" Buddy Rose character in the Pacific Northwest and never looked back. He had a legendary run in the Pacific Northwest, teaming with longtime partner Ed Wiskowski to make life miserable for the area's babyfaces. Mr. Rose feuded with the area's biggest babyfaces including Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, Roddy Piper, Billy Jack, and Curt Hennig. When wrestlers were ready to move out of his territory (it was common for wrestlers to move in and out of territories to keep their acts fresh), promoter Don Owen would put them in Loser Leaves Town matches against Rose, keeping heat on Mr. Rose by having him be the man to send their heroes packing.

"Playboy" Buddy Rose was the heel in the Pacific Northwest, helping up and coming stars such as Roddy Piper, Curt Hennig, and Billy Jack establish themselves. Roddy Piper credits his program with "The Playboy" as the one that got him over while Curt Hennig praised the mentoring Mr. Rose bestowed on him during his run in the Pacific Northwest. "Playboy" Buddy Rose continued to be the man that the fans loved to hate, irritating them with his inflammatory interviews and entertaining them in the ring with his considerable bumping abilities and ring psychology. In 1983 he shocked the fans by turning babyface, one of the greatest turns in the history of the industry. Mr. Rose would eventually turn heel, returning to the Pacific Northwest in 1984 to lay out Matt Bourne and announce that he was back to take over the territory.

During the early 1980's Mr. Rose's talent earned him a run in the World Wrestling Federation. He challenged Bob Backlund for the WWF championship, giving the champ a run for his money but always coming short of a championship victory. The "Playboy" would later return to the WWF, working under a mask as the Executioner at the inaugural Wrestlemania against Tito Santana and performing in one of the best-remembered vignettes from the Rock and Wrestling Era, the Buddy Rose Blowaway Diet.

As the 1980's winded down, the "Playboy" had one last championship run, this time in the American Wrestling Association with "Pretty Boy" Doug Sommers. Although the AWA was on its last leg, Mr. Rose gave the dying promotion one last flash of glory thanks to his work against the young team of the Midnight Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty). Managed by Sherri Martel, Buddy Rose and Doug Sommers feuded with the Midnight Rockers over the AWA World Tag Team Championship, engaging in several memorable matches including the bloodbath that would (appropriately) become known as "The Bloodbath Match". Mr. Rose would also host a talk segment known as "The Rose Garden".

As the 1990's dawned, Mr. Rose returned to the WWF for one more stint before going into semi-retirement. He would form a wrestling school with his longtime tag partner Ed Wiskowski and reunited with his fans at various wrestling conventions throughout the U.S.

Looking back at Mr. Rose's career, one cannot help but be impressed. Like "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, Mr. Rose did not have an Adonis-like physique (unless you're talking about Adrian Adonis) but he had impressive skills as a worker, on the microphone, and as a ring psychologist. The "Playboy" used his girth to his advantage, cutting promos wherein he asked that he be listed as weighing 217 pounds, asking the camera man to zoom in on his physique, and of course, to demonstrate his one-armed push-ups. The "Playboy" was a true old school legend, demonstrating that wrestling is about more than having a chiseled physique; it's about putting asses in the seats with good promos and good matches.

World Wrestling Insanity wishes to send its condolences to the friends and family of "Playboy" Buddy Rose. Mr. Rose was 56 years old.

Review of Greatest Wrestling Stars of the 90's

2009-04-25T08:32:00.001-07:00

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

- A Tale of Two Cities

The 1990's was a strange time for professional wrestling. As the decade began, most of the territories were out of business, WCW was running on fumes, and the WWF was at the tail end of the momentum from the Rock and Wrestling Era. By the end of the decade, wrestling was bigger than ever with the WWF, ECW, and WCW doing record-setting business. Now, the WWE takes a look at the men and women who transformed the industry and helped bring about the most successful period in its history.

For many fans, the 1990's was the time to be a wrestling fan. Recently I've had the opportunity to do book signings for Wrestling's Greatest Moments. It's fun because it's a chance to talk with fellow fans. I am constantly amazed at the number of people cut their teeth on professional wrestling during the 1990's. Regardless of whether they watch wrestling now or don't, they still have fond memories of people like Sting, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, The Rock, and The Undertaker. Regardless of whether or not they're still fans, these performers have left a lasting impression on many people.

Greatest Wrestling Stars of the 90's provides a look at many of the top WWF and WCW Superstars from the past decade on a two hour documentary along with seven hours of matches showcasing the talent. Most of the profiles are short; similar to the kind you see at the WWE's annual Hall of Fame ceremony. While the profiles aren't long, there are a lot of Superstars profiled. This DVD is more of a sampler platter of big names from the 90's with fans having the option to see more detailed bios on the individual DVD's the WWE has put out over the last decade.

Like any "best of" package, there will be debates over who made the cut and who didn't. The biggest names missing have to be Bill Goldberg, Vader, and Sid Vicious. Goldberg's exclusion is an interesting one. While his period of fame in the 90's was short, it was at the level of a supernova. His absence from the DVD is likely more to do with the way he left the WWE (and buried the company following his departure) than with his importance. In the case of Vader, it's hard to say why he wasn't listed. He was a top star in WCW during the first half of the decade and a featured performer in the WWF (even though it's hard to qualify his tenure there as a success). In Sid Vicious' case, who can say what. Sid was never a consistent player but his look and size kept him in the spotlight throughout the 1990's.

ECW fans will likely be furious that no one from ECW made the grade. Although ECW never made it to the same level as WCW or the WWF, its contribution to the business' resurgence is undeniable and I've always maintained that without ECW, there would have been no Attitude Era. Paul Heyman's vision of wrestling energized a moribund product and it's impossible to deny the contributions of wrestlers such as Shane Douglas, Raven, and Sandman. They may not have attained superstardom in the WWF or WCW but their work inspired the revolution that brought WCW and the WWE to new heights. Although ECW (and Paul Heyman) is acknowledged, the DVD pays lip service to the land of extreme, acknowledging stars who passed through ECW and went on to fame in the WWE like Steve Austin and Mick Foley but ignoring people who deserve recognition.

The DVD's other flaw is that the documentary features way too much recycled material from previous DVD's. There are way too many interviews you've seen before on previous DVD's and not enough fresh interviews. Worse yet, the stuff that is new is largely interviews with CM Punk and John Morrison and the documentary gives them way too much to share their thoughts on the Superstars they grew up watching. CM Punk takes a cheap shot at Lex Luger on the DVD while Morrison delivers his lines as if he's a prisoner in an Al-Qaeda video. It's a definite weakness in the documentary feature.

Despite these weaknesses, the DVD is a great stroll down memory lane, taking you back to some great times in wrestling and reminding you how many great wrestlers there were. You also begin to realize how fleeting fame can be. In the case of former wrestler Lex Luger, it's downright astonishing. Watching the DVD, it was interesting to be reminded of just how big a star Lex Luger was (both physically and in the business). Luger never seemed to break through to superstardom like Hogan, Austin, or the Rock (as the DVD mentions several times) but he was a top star nonetheless. He's one of those guys who was so big at one point and now he's little more than a footnote in wrestling.

While the DVD is about the top stars of the 90's, it's also a lesson in how you build up a company. Watching the DVD, you can't help noticing how many stars were made during the 1990's. Time after time, you see established stars putting over newcomers, creating a fresh crop of main eventers. Both WCW and the WWF built up an impressive roster (especially the WWF which found most of its main eventers gone after talent raids by WCW's Eric Bischoff) during the 1990's. It's a time-tested formula but one that WCW failed to continue following (part of the reason the company eventually folded) and one the WWE apparently forgot about until recently.

Fans of the Attitude Era should dig this DVD. It's a fun-filled trip down memory lane. While you're not going to learn anything new about the stars, you will remember what made you such a fan during this time. Personally, it's hard to beat nine hours of wrestling for $20.00. WWE Home Video has got to the point where I'd much rather lay down a Jackson for a DVD than two for a PPV. Even with a phoned in documentary and the absence of ECW's top stars, this is one worth picking up.

Wrestling's Unsolved Mysteries: Tommy Rich

2009-04-20T05:17:00.001-07:00

n an industry purposely mired in mystery, it's no surprise that professional wrestling has its share of mysteries that continue to puzzle its fans. Even with the explosion of shoot videos and tell-all books, fans still talk about some of wrestling's unexplained happenings, wondering what really happened.

During the days of kayfabe, fans were lucky if they could find out a wrestler's real name, let alone more substantial information such as why a wrestler left a territory unexpectedly or who was running the show behind the scenes. This was a time when promoters and wrestlers diligently guarded the business, leaving more than a few fans wondering whether or not what went on in the squared circle was legit.

The rise of the dirtsheets led to more insider knowledge followed by the expansion of Internet access began to change things but not always for the better. For every list of "wrestler's real names" published on the Internet, crazy rumors spread beginning with multiple Ultimate Warriors and ending who knows when.

Disproving some of these rumors has led good men to the brink. Anyone who prowled the old wrestling newsgroups like rec.sport.pro-wrestling can attest to the crazy stories that were passed on. No matter how much someone pointed out the follies of stories claiming that the original Warrior had died and been replaced, enough people were gullible enough (nastier folks might say stupid enough) that the story was passed on.

As a fan and amateur historian, the thing that interests me are what I call the unsolved mysteries of wrestling. These aren't the far-fetched urban legends that pop up on message boards and in fans' casual conversations but the real-life mysteries that no one is able to answer. These are legitimate situations that actually happened but which no one is able to conclusively prove what exactly happened. These are wrestling's unsolved mysteries.

One of the biggest mysteries in wrestling involves the NWA title reign of Tommy "Wildfire" Rich. In April of 1981, Rich defeated NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race to become the holder of the most prestigious belt in wrestling at the time. Four days later, it would be over and Race would be champion again. While Rich would compete for the gold again, he would never be world champion again.

The big question has always been why was Rich made champion and why was it such a short reign. Why Rich was made champion isn't difficult to understand. Rich was enormously popular, especially in Georgia Championship Wrestling. However his four day title reign was unprecedented, causing some skeptics to wonder what was going on behind the scenes. At the time, the NWA title was carefully administered with a board of directors convening to discuss who would be champion and for how long. Title switches were rare, sometimes taking place only every few years. Why would Rich be awarded the belt for such a short time?

Through the years, various theories have sprung up concerning the title switch. The simplest explanation (and one that pops upa lot) is human error. Fans have speculated that Race forgot to raise his shoulder at a three count and the referee was forced to award the belt to Rich or that the referee accidentally made a fast count. The belt was reluctantly awarded to Rich (in order to maintain kayfabe) but quickly taken off of him four days later.

Another theory holds that this was a screwjob by a shady promoter. This theory holds that a referee made a crooked pinfall count in order to put the belt on Rich, in order to enrich the promotion he was working in. This theory just doesn't hold up as it's doubtful the National Wrestling Alliance would have let anyone get away with this. Rich would have been blackballed and the rogue promotion would have been shut down by the NWA (This was during the era when the NWA still maintained a tight grip on its members and any would-be rivals). The final factor in this equation is the presence of Harley Race. Race has a well-deserved reputation as one of wrestling's toughest men and it's difficult to imagine anyone stealing the belt from Race without getting a receipt. I've yet to hear anything which supports this theory.

A third theory holds that this was hot-shot booking by Jim Barnett, co-owner of Georgia Championship Wrestling as well as booker for the NWA championship. The idea behind this theory is that Barnett booked a short title reign in order to jump-start GCW's business by giving the fans the idea that the title could change place at anytime or anywhere, and that Rich had the potential to win the title again in future contests. This theory holds a lot of water in my book, especially when you look at the NWA title situation at the time. Although the NWA title had rarely changed hands during the 1960's and 1970's, the belt changed hands a remarkable number of times in 1981. Rumor has it that several promoters got in on the idea of "hot-shotting" the title in order to boost local business. Of all the theories that have been thrown out there, this one seems to make the most sense.

The fourth and final theory holds that there was a quid pro quo between a promoter/official and Tommy Rich. Although wrestling has had its share of unscrupulous individuals, it's difficult to imagine the NWA allowing a title change for the personal pleasure of one of its members or officials. Still, given the allegations raised over the years by wrestlers such as Barry Orton and Jim Wilson, you can't completely discount this theory. The problem here is that I have yet to hear anything substantial to support this theory.

Whatever the reason for Rich's win, he will forever be among the elite few who have held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Rich's career would peak in Georgia Championship Wrestling during a feud against "Mad Dog" Buzz Sawyer. While Rich would have memorable programs afterwards in Memphis, his best days were behind him by the mid 1980's. Still, whenever knowledgeable fans speak of Rich's world championship reign, there is usually a brief hesitation as people wonder if there was something more to it than just business.

Mt. Rushmore of Wrestling

2009-03-07T06:37:00.000-08:00

I was over at the World Wrestling Insanity message boards and someone had a great post-who would be on the Mount Rushmore of wrestling? There were some really good picks including:

1. Austin, Rock, Flair, Hogan
2. Vince McMahon, Hogan, Rock, Flair

My choice would be:

Sammartino, Hogan, Flair, Thesz

Who would you put on a wrestling Mt. Rushmore and why?

The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event

2009-03-04T04:56:00.001-08:00

The new WWE DVD The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event not only puts some luster on a vintage gem but it provides fans with a fun-filled ride back to the WWE's glory days of the 1980's and early 90's. This three-disc set is full of excellent matches as well as some of the biggest angles from the Rock and Wrestling Era and a great primer on one of the most important wrestling shows of all time.

Looking at today's lineup of weekly wrestling television, it's difficult for many to appreciate the importance of Saturday's Night Main Event (SNME). With the WWE featuring five hours of prime-time wrestling, a ninety minute special probably doesn't seem all that special. This point was hammered home mercilessly when the WWE brought SNME out of mothballs a couple years back only for the show to tank in the ratings. The show that had once set ratings records on Saturday nights was now competing with the XFL for the title of "NBC's worst rated Saturday show".

Once upon a time, weekly wrestling shows usually were made up of top stars battling the lowest of the lows. Whether you call them jobbers, preliminary wrestlers, or enhancement talent, these opponents were little more than human punching bags that provided the top stars a chance to show off their talent. This was back when promoters stuck to the idea that TV shows were the sizzle to the house shows' steak. If you wanted to see the big boys versus the big boys, you laid down your money for a ticket to a house show.

This was also a time when promotions typically ran one, sometimes two hours of programming a week so not only were you deprived of seeing the top stars against each other, but your wrestling fix was very limited (although by the early 1980's, cable television was bringing fans more wrestling than they were used to). Unlike fans of baseball, football, and basketball, wrestling fans got very little wrestling every week.

That changed in 1985 when NBC's Dick Ebersol saw the phenomenal success of Vince McMahon's Wrestlemania. Ebersol, the producer of Saturday Night Live, took a chance on wrestling and brought it back to network television after an absence of about thirty years. Like McMahon's Wrestlemania, SNME was a huge gamble on Ebersol's part and like Wrestlemania, the risk would pay off with SNME achieving ratings success that eclipsed the regular programming of SNL.

While more recent fans probably treat SNME as little more than a curiousity, long-time WWE fans have cherished memories of the program. This three-disc set does a phenomenal job of bringing these memories back, featuring not only the matches that made SNME so special but the skits and interviews which typified the WWE at the time. SNME featured a lot of good matches but it also featured a lot of the cartoonish skits that some traditionalists abhorred in the WWE product during the Rock and Wrestling Era (1983-1989). Some of them were really bad but the WWE has some of the better ones here (including "Mean" Gene Okerlund tracking down George "The Animal" Steele in a zoo and a Halloween party attended by WWE Superstars), leaving the bad ones for fans to track down on YouTube. Rounding things out are pre-match interviews which give fans the sense that they are watching SNME broadcasts again. About the only thing missing from this set is Animotion's Obsession, A-Ha's Take on Me, and Phil Collins' Take Me Home, songs used as SNME's respective opener, bumpers, and closing theme .

The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event is hosted by "Mean" Gene Okerlund. Okerlund introduces some of the segments with current WWE stars such as Ted DiBiase, CM Punk, and Matt Striker sharing their recollections on the matches. This not only gives viewers a connection with the contemporary product but it shows how many current Superstars began as fans. "Mean Gene" does a good job hosting the DVD and it's nice to see one of SNME's key out-of-the-ring players emceeing the program.

As fun as the nostalgia is, the DVD's selling point has got to be the matches. Watching many of the matches, it's amazing just how many good matches were that aired on free TV. While the WWE wasn't known for its workrate during this time, these matches show that the product wasn't as bad as some have made it out to be. After watching the work of Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, Randy "Macho Man" Savage, "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, Bret "The Hitman" Hart, and Jake "The Snake" Roberts, you'll be reminded that while Hulk Hogan plodded through the main event during this era, the WWE's undercard was second to none.

An added bonus to this set is the inclusion of two matches from the WWE's two NBC prime-time specials, The Main Event. The Main Event was a companion show to SNME that not only saw wrestling on network TV but on prime-time network TV. The first two show's main events are shown here and help round out the match inclusion. Even better, they feature two of the biggest angles from this time-Andre the Giant winning the WWF Championship and the night the MegaPowers exploded.

Although SNME returned to NBC a couple years back, the majority of the matches here are from the show's initial run. Wrestling fans will get to see the show in all its glory rather than in its ill-fated return. Completists will be happy to know that Jesse "The Body" Ventura's commentary is included on this set. While Jesse is best remembered for his work with Gorilla Monsoon, his work with Vince McMahon was excellent and he provided a humorous and insightful foil to Vince McMahon's over-the-top match-calling.

With the WWE cranking out DVD's faster than future endeavor notices, The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event stands out from the pack. This is a must-have DVD for old school fans as well as an entertaining journey for contemporary fans wishing to see the best from the WWE's Rock and Wrestling Era. This DVD delivers from start to finish and I can't recommend it enough. This is one "Best of" DVD that truly features "The Best of".

He Still Looks Really Good!

2009-03-02T04:52:00.001-08:00

Last week on RAW, the WWE announced that Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat will be inducted into the 2009 class of the WWE Hall of Fame. Congratulations are in order for this all-time great who had his career cut short by a devastating back injury (forcing his early retirement in 1994). While "The Dragon" had a long and prosperous career, you can't help but wonder how much longer he'd have wrestled.

Needless to say, it was great to see Steamboat on the air on RAW being interviewed by Todd Grisham. While no one was surprised when Chris Jericho interrupted the interview, it was an awesome segment with Steamboat showing that he could still cut an excellent promo and sell like no one else.

Even more interesting was when Mighty Mel (my wrestling partner in crime) saw Steamboat and said "He looks good! He still looks really good!". It was nice for the younger generation to get to see a Legend who doesn't look as if he'd stumbled out of a soup kitchen and kind of ironic too.

The irony? Mighty Mel is a big fan of the Hardys. Had she grown up during Steamboat's heyday, I have no doubt she'd have been a big fan of Steamboat too. Like Matt and Jeff, Steamboat had legions of female fans who adored him. His high-flying fast-paced style would have won her over just as the Hardys do now.

So congratulations to Mr. Steamboat on his upcoming HOF induction and congratulations on still looking really good!

New format for WWE TV-More Sizzle, Less Steak.

2009-02-21T10:48:00.001-08:00

Have you noticed it? Well, have you? Watching and recapping Monday Night RAW and ECW (Yours truly provides real-time recaps of both shows over at World Wrestling Insanity for my good friend Sir James Guttman), I've been noticing that the WWE seems to be providing a little bit more sizzle and a lot less steak over on its flagship show (RAW) as well as its showcase for new talent show (ECW.

As longtime wrestling fans know, TV shows used to be home to squash matches which featured star talent showcasing their skills against enhancement talent which never stood a prayer of winning a match. These shows served the purpose of luring fans to the house shows (and later on, pay-per-view with the underlying assumption that why would fans pay to go see a house show if the big matches were shown for free on TV.

Eventually, Eric Bischoff began giving away big name matches every week on Monday Night Nitro in order to beat his WWF competitors over on RAW. Bischoff proved that fans were still willing to pay to see their favorite stars at house shows and on PPV despite the fact that they could see them wrestle the same matches on weekly TV

While Bischoff was by no means the first to feature true main events on weekly shows (Bill Watts' often aired matches between his top stars on his Mid South Wrestling show as well as some other promotions), Bischoff was the first to do so on a regular basis. Later on, the WWF would do the same in order to help RAW compete against Nitro.

Unfortunately, the success of shows like Nitro and RAW led to an abundance of free wrestling on TV. Fans who were once thrilled to get two or three hours of regular wrestling were now beseiged by hours of wrestling throughout the week. Even after the demise of WCW and the original ECW, fans are still able to watch over seven hours of wrestling on prime-time television (just counting WWE and TNA).

In order to fill these hours, the WWE has unwisely given away a lot of big matches to the point where there's a lot less incentive to order a PPV. Barring the Elimination Chamber and Hell in a Cell, there are very few match-ups shown on PPV that haven't been available on free TV (I'm still shocked that the WWE has put ladder matches on free TV). Even worse, the WWE has made the ill-advised decision to feature top stars wrestling each other ad naseaum on TV, let alone PPV. No matter how good (or bad) the matches are, there are only so many times a fan wants to see Shawn Michaels wrestle Chris Jericho or the Undertaker battle Batista.

At the risk of sounding like Grandpa Old School, I can remember the days when big matches often took months to happen and main events like Hogan vs. Andre were repeated nearly a year after they happened. Nowadays, the WWE routinely airs matches on PPV and rematches the following night on RAW (Shane McMahon vs. Randy Orton being the most recent example). No matter what your rationale for doing this, it's hard to imagine people being compelled to order a PPV when the matches happen again on free TV.

Recently, the WWE has really trimmed back not only the number of matches on its shows but the star power of its matches. Recent editions of RAW have featured five, maybe six matches over a two hour show with many of the matches running short. Instead of matches, RAW has focused more on angles and interviews (to get the angles over).

While conventional wisdom might say that the fans won't put up with this (of course, conventional wisdom also held that fans would never pay for matches they could see for free on TV), the ratings have shown otherwise. RAW has been enjoying some of its highest ratings in years despite it scaling back its matches. One might argue that this is due to the WWE focusing on quality rather than quantity. Every match, angle, and interview means a lot more now so while there aren't as many matches, the fans are so entertained that they really don't mind.

All of this comes back to the argument of whether or not there is some advantage to making PPV's a special attraction where you see stuff you can't see on free TV. The real pay-off (besides better ratings) will be whether or not more fans tune in to PPV. If PPV's become something special again (with the idea being that you order them so you can see the big money matches), the WWE may see an increase in buys as more viewers feel inclined to order the show. At the very least, the people who do order PPV's will feel like they're getting more bang for their buck, a sentiment that you always want the customer to feel.

Your thoughts?

Von Erich Family in WWE Hall of Fame

2009-02-10T16:02:00.000-08:00

This year's WWE Hall of Fame class looks to be one of the biggest of all time with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin headlining the 2009 Hall of Fame class. In addition to "The Texas Rattlensake", Ricky Steamboat, "Cowboy" Bill Watts, Terry Funk, and Dory Funk Jr. are going in. Those are some huge names so you might think the WWE is done. Think again! My friends over at PWInsider.com are reporting that the legendary Von Erich family will be inducted with many believing Michael "P.S." Hayes will induct them. Congratulations to all the inductees and believe it or not, there's still at least one more person going in! Who do you think it will be?

Chris Jericho/Fan incident

2009-02-08T18:02:00.000-08:00

As most of us have learned over the last decade, there is no such thing as privacy in a public forum. With the proliferation of cel phone cameras and video recorders coupled with easy broadcast on sites like YouTube, no one who leaves their home seems to have any expectation of privacy. Even when you're working, it's hard to expect any privacy as Christian Bale recently found out after someone uploaded audio of him having a meltdown against someone on the set of Terminator: Salvation.

The latest instance is the alleged assault by Chris Jericho on a female fan after a house show in Victoria, British Columbia (that's Canada for those of you scrambling for an atlas). The incident was apparently captured by someone with a camera phone and quickly uploaded to YouTube. There's also a story from Victoria news channel CHEK-News and a blurb over at gossip site tmz.com

Naturally, the incident has everyone asking themselves Wha' Happened?

Since there's video of the incident and at least one independent new story, it makes better sense for people to watch and decide for themselves what happened. Rather than speculating like some of the newzboys, my audience is bright enough to watch and come to their own conclusions. You don't need me telling you what happened when you can get a good idea all on your own.

There are two questions that are going through my mind right now. First, is this real or a work? It could well be coincidence that this happened two days before the WWE was set to begin a big angle between Chris Jericho and Ric Flair (and possibly Mickey Rourke after the Academy Awards are doled out). However the WWE LOVES to play the media and naturally, a staged incident like this could be a great way to get people to tune in to RAW tomorrow. I'm not saying this incident was a work nor do I have any inside evidence (or claim to have any). It's just that my ample gut says you have to take everything involved with the WWE with a grain of salt.

The second question is (assuming the incident was real)whether Jericho's found his exit blocked while he was in the truck he was driving from the arena. A lot of people have wondered why Jericho exited his vehicle when there was a mob outside of it. Unfortunately, the video footage doesn't show if the fans were swarming in front of Jericho's truck or if there was some other obstacle preventing him from getting away. If Jericho had a clear path to drive away, any raising of self-defense is going to be difficult (in my unsolicited legal opinion) to sustain if it's shown he could have just driven off and left the mob behind. Generally speaking, a person has what is called a duty to retreat when faced with imminent harm. It's difficult to raise a defense of self-defense if a prosecutor can show that you could easily have escaped a potentially harmful situation. However if it's shown that Jericho's vehicle was surrounded and he couldn't drive off, I think he'll have a much easier time arguing that he tried to defuse the situation and that he was justified in defending himself.

One can't help but wonder what the hell the security people were doing when this happened. Looking at the video footage, they seem as helpful as a screen door on a submarine. In the event this incident is real and there's any lawsuit filed against Jericho, you'd have to imagine Jericho's attorney(s) adding the security people on as a defendant due to what looks like incompetence. If I was Jericho's attorney (and NidiaFan Legal Services stands by to assist Mr. Jericho with all of his legal needs), I'd argue that he was forced into that situation due to inadequate and negligent security.

In the meantime, expect this story to be all over the papers, TV, and the Internet over the next couple of days. If it's a staged incident, Vince McMahon is going to be cackling himself silly at Titan Tower. If it really happened, you know he'll make the most of it in a storyline.

UPDATE: As reported by the good folks over at PWInsider, the WWE issued a statement to TMZ.com explaining Chris Jericho's side of the story.

Review: The History of the Intercontinental Championship DVD

2009-02-07T05:45:00.000-08:00

Avis Rent-a-Car once had a slogan "We're number two-we try harder". The same slogan could apply to the WWE's Intercontinental Championship. The belt was often seen as a spotlight on good workers who could carry an undercard or even main event a "B" show when called upon. Looking at the WWE's new DVD, there's nothing second place about this belt nor the DVD showcasing it.

The I-C strap always seemed like more than just a secondary title. Unlike other regional promotions' secondary titles, this belt seemed special. It was far bigger than belts like the Georgia Championship, the United States championship, or even the North American championship. No, this was a merger of the North American Championship (supposedly brought into the WWWF by Ted DiBiase but actually created for his WWWF debut) and the fictitious South American Championship. In case you haven't heard the story, the I-C belt was created after a phantom tournament supposedly held in Rio De Janeiro. Pat Patterson (then North American champion) unified the belt, creating the belt we all know and love as the Intercontinental Championship.

While the I-C strap fell on hard times during the new millennium (and fortunately it looks like the WWE is working hard to restore some luster to this title), it was once an impressive title, second to only the WWE Championship. It was seen by fans as a stepping stone to the World Championship with the holder being ranked as the number one contender. You could bet that anyone holding the belt would be competing for the world championship (as long as the two champs weren't babyfaces and even this would change when the Intercontinental Champion Ultimate Warrior challenged Hulk Hogan for the World Championship).

Back in the 1980's the WWF did a VHS release of the Intercontinental Champions. Given that the belt didn't change hands that often, it wasn't difficult to squeeze the belt's history into a two hour cassette. Not so easy now but WWE Home Video has done an impressive job here. The three disc set is broken down into the championship's three decades with one disc devoted to the 1980's, another the 1990's, and the third with this decade. Host Todd Grisham does an excellent job bookending each match and discussing the champions and their role in the WWE.

Although the three disc set doesn't include every title change for the I-C belt, it's a remarkably good survey of the last three decades. As with any collection, there will be debate about the inclusion of one match over another but looking at this list, you can't help but feel you're getting a very good feel for the best of the best. The only gripe I had was that they didn't show clips of every title change as was done in The History of the WWE Championship. Other than that, this one's a keeper.

Joey Styles and the One Man Announce Booth

2009-02-02T16:36:00.000-08:00

Much has been said about the announce skills of ECW's Joey Styles (and with good reason) and how he has one of the few men who was able to pull off calling a match without a broadcast partner. The conventional wisdom has always been that the man who made OMG his catchphrase really showed his skills behind the microphone because he didn't have a color commentator to rely on. That conventional wisdom couldn't be more wrong.

That's not to say that Styles was a bad announcer. As I said in an earlier column, he's one of the very best. What I am saying is that I don't think calling a match by yourself is as hard as calling a match with another commentator.

Anyone who's watched any sports broadcast for long knows that color commentators can be a pain in the ass. People are so used to legendary teams like Bobby "The Brain" Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon and Jim Ross & Jerry Lawler that they often forget how bad things can be (fortunately there's Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler on RAW to remind them). For every team like Ross & Lawler, there are many other teams that talk over each other and compete with each other to see who can say the best line. Like any good relationship, it takes a lot of work to form an effective announce team (don't even get me started on what a train wreck three man announce booths are).

To me, the proof of the pudding is in the taste. Surprisingly, some of the worst announcers in wrestling are actually pretty good by themselves. The biggest example is Vince McMahon. Vince McMahon is usually not held very high in fans' opinions when it comes to his play-by-play work with Bruno Sammartino and various other color commentators. However if you listen to Vince's early work in the WWF, he actually did a good job calling matches by himself.

Your thoughts?

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2009-01-28T17:01:00.001-08:00

Every sports fan knows the feeling. The big game is coming and there's undeniable excitement in the year. March Madness means college basketball fans are ready to watch their favorite teams square off to find out who is best, the Fall Classic means baseball fans get to see two of the very best battle it out in the World Series (unless they're Brewers or Pirates fans), and right now, football fans from all over the world are preparing to see whether the Cinderella Cardinals or the Steelers will be the dominant team in this year's Superbowl.

For WWE fans, this is unquestionably the best time to be a wrestling fan. As good ol' J.R. would say, "Business is about to pick up". The three months leading up to Wrestlemania have traditionally been the most exciting in sports entertainment. As soon as the Royal Rumble nears, fans know that big things are going to happen. Ever since the WWE (wisely) decided to bestow the winner of the Rumble with a Wrestlemania main event slot, the build-up to the WWE's #1 show of the year has grown by leaps and bounds.

With the time between the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania often being close to two months, the WWE has the advantage and disadvantage of a long time to build a show. Although it might seem like two months of buildup is a no-lose situation, that's not always the case. Back in September of 1987, Ronnie Garvin (who just appeared on Club WWI) won the NWA World Championship from "Nature Boy" Ric Flair. For an inexplicable reason, promoter Jim Crockett ruled that Garvin would not defend the belt until Starcade in November (not only did Garvin not defend the belt against Flair but he didn't defend the belt at all!). The two month buildup proved to be disastrous with the fans turning on babyface Garvin and rooting for Flair. There was little buildup for the rematch and by the time Starcade rolled around, the fans just wanted to see Garvin disappear.

That hasn't been the case for WWE fans. The time between the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania has taken on a significance of its own. The Road to Wrestlemania traditionally features many twists and turns, usually for the winner of the Royal Rumble. Whether it's Randy Orton goading Rey Mysterio into putting his Wrestlemania main event on the line, fans wondering how the WWE would handle Bret Hart and Lex Luger winning the Rumble in a tie, or John Cena cashing in his main event match early, fans have hung on the edge of their seats as soon as the Rumble faded to black.

For some fans, the WWE's No Way Out PPV has seemed like a lame duck show. Traditionally airing in February, No Way Out's claim to fame has simply been that it's the final PPV before Wrestlemania. While the WWE has sometimes tried to spice things up by having the winner of the Rumble defending his main event slot, there's only so many times you can do that before it becomes as redundant as Sting winning the TNA Championship every year at Bound for Glory.

Last year however, the WWE came up with the terrific idea of featuring not one but two Elimination Chamber Matches. Each match featured six competitors from RAW and SmackDown! respectively competing for their brand's Wrestlemania Main Event slot. To some, the idea of two Elimination Chamber Matches on one show seemed like overkill but the WWE delivered two great matches. Rumor has it that this year's No Way Out show will feature two Elimination Chamber Matches with SmackDown! and RAW Superstars competing for their brand's world championship. If the matches deliver like last year, you can bet that the WWE will have a new tradition for the show between the Rumble and Wrestlemania.

While every Wrestlemania has not been a grand slam, most fans seem to agree that there's something special about the show. The WWE could put Charlie Fuqnuts against Johnny Comelately on the main event and people would probably tune in just because the marquee reads Wrestlemania. Fortunately, the WWE puts considerable more planning into the show so nearly every Wrestlemania has had something special about it. Whether it's a stellar main event or a show-stealing undercard match, it's hard to think of a Wrestlemania without a Wrestlemania Moment.

By the time you read this, the Royal Rumble will have come and gone but for me, the show is still hours away and the winner unknown. Regardless of who wins, this is an excellent time to be a WWE fans. The JBL/HBK storyline is running on all gears, the Randy Orton attack on Vince McMahon is getting fans talking, and more surprises are undoubtedly in store for fans over the next two months. If this year is like previous years, the Road to Wrestlemania This truly is the most wonderful time of the year for wrestling fans. should be a ride that's enjoyable both in the trip and at the destination.

Why Wrestling Isn't One for All;All for One

2009-01-23T05:13:00.001-08:00

I recently finished the first two books of Dumas' D'Artagnan trilogy and began thinking, why doesn't wrestling have its version of The Three Musketeers? After all, throughout much of its rich history, professional wrestling has seen many heel factions. Whether it was the Studd Stable, the Four Horsemen, the Bobby Heenan Family, or more recent incarnations like the Age of the Fall or The Legacy, babyface wrestlers have had to deal with alliances of bad guys. Wouldn't it make sense for the babyfaces to get together?

From my earliest days watching wrestling, I can remember countless situations where the babyface would go down because he couldn't win the numbers game. No matter how good you were, the odds eventually caught up with you. Sooner or later, a heel's partner(s) in crime would clobber you from behind while you were battling his confederate.

Smart promotions like Jim Crockett Promotions acknowledged the situation. Veteran babyface Johnny Weaver (who sometimes provided color commentary for the JCP shows) would always come out after a dastardly 3 on 1 attack and try to rally the babyfaces into forming a group of their own. Week after week, Weaver would try to rally the babyfaces and week after week, the babyfaces would continue to go down to superior numbers.

Looking back, there have been some babyface groups, specifically formed to counteract the numbers advantage of heel factions. JCP had a short-lived group known as Piper's Palace led by Roddy Piper against Sir Oliver Humperdink's heel faction "The House of Humperdink" ( The Apter magazines even got in on the fun by offering fans membership cards they could request to show their support for "Piper's Palace").

The dastardly deeds of the Four Horsemen led to the group The Dudes with Attitude. After countless beatings at the hands of the Horsemen, Sting finally wised up and got a bunch of his friends to help keep Ric Flair's cronies off his back while he challenged Flair for the belt. This actually worked as Sting would go on to win the NWA World Championship from Flair at the 1990 Great American Bash (thanks to the Dudes keeping the Horsemen at bay).

Still, there's a good reason why babyfaces don't normally form factions. There's just something wrong about the idea of babyfaces needing to team up to beat the odds. Looking at the babyface factions, they're usually cheesy whether it's names like The Dudes with Attitude or perhaps the worst one of all-the Union (that short-lived group that was supposed to thwart Vince McMahon's Corporation).

Wrestling at its core is about individual achievement. Certainly, tag team wrestling is a part of the game but even then, wrestling's ultimate prize has always been singles gold. No matter what promotion you've watched, you've undoubtedly heard the maxim that there are no friends when it comes to winning a championship. Fans are reminded every year during The Royal Rumble that it's every man for himself.

No doubt wrestling heroes have a lot in common with the ideal of the cowboy i.e. rugged individualism. A wrestler is on his own and that's the way he likes to handle things. Like the cowboy heroes of old, wrestlers are self-sufficient individuals who can handle things on their own. They don't call the sheriff for help and if they have to handle a gang, they'll find a way to do so.

Certainly there are exceptions. A wrestler may occasionally call in for help but for the most part, he doesn't want it (even if he may need it). This makes for better drama of course as fans can lament a babyface getting beat down, thinking how things would be different if the babyface weren't facing 3 on 1 odds. In the world of wrestling there's a good reason why babyfaces don't live by the code "All for one, one for all".

The hullabaloo over "The Wrestler"

2009-01-18T15:58:00.000-08:00

Just as I predicted last fall, the new indie film The Wrestler has got a lot of people talking about the business and as one might expect, it's polarizing the industry.

Unfortunately for me, I haven't been able to see the film yet so I can't comment on it directly (and won't-there's few things worse to me than people who comment on something they haven't seen). I am looking forward to it and have been since I heard about it. Regrettably, I haven't been able to find it locally and I've been sidelined with the flu the last week.

According to reports over at PWINsider.com, Vince McMahon saw the movie and hated it. First off, his opinion may have more to do with his questionable taste (anyone who produced No Holds Barred is immediately suspect in my book when it comes to taste) more than anything else. Even if you discount Vince's taste in entertainment, you can't say his opinion is unexpected. This is after all, the guy who wanted to take wrestling out of "smoke filled halls". It's easy to see how McMahon could be offended at comparing the indie circuits and old school promotions to his WWE (not that I'm arguing that the company should be held up as some sort of paragon). To be totally frank, anyone who expected a big thumbs up from Vince McMahon needs to pull their head out of their ass.

Speaking of pulling your head out of your ass, the funniest story related to The Wrestler was a Sports Illustrated reporter comparing Mick Foley to The Wrestler's protagonist Randy "The Ram" Robinson. While Mick Foley looks like Boxcar Willie, it's clear that he's far from a washed up has-been looking for a chance to break back into the spotlight. The SI review began with this: "At a recent New York city screening of 'The Wrestler', one decidedly homeless-looking fellow stood out in the smartly dressed crowd." Given Mick Foley looks like Boxcar Willie, it's not too hard to tell who the reviewer was talking about (Foley was at the film's premiere to review it for The Slate). Proving that appearances can be deceiving, the SI hack made outrageous assumptions about Foley, implying that he's a washed up has-been looking for a chance to break back into the spotlight. Foley soon schooled the reporter in an online response.

What's really funny to me is how many feuds are developing out of the movie. I haven't seen this much hate since the East Coast/West Coast rap feuds of the 90's. Take for instance a seemingly harmless comment on the film from Matt Hardy (Hardy reportedly blogged about the film but I couldn't find the direct quote anythere. Trying to find anything on Hardy's web site or blog is like trying to find the Ark of the Covenant. I haven't seen a web page this inaccessible since I cancelled my Torch subscription years ago):

"All I can say is WOW, it's an amazing piece of cinema that you will feel," Hardy wrote. "Whether it's good or bad, you will feel it. I can think of several '80s performers that fit a similar mold. One thing I can say though, regardless of what anyone says, the business has evolved.

"The guys and gals are so much more intelligent and responsible in this day and age then they were in the '80s/early '90s. And that's a good thing. A very good thing."

Eric Bischoff didn't take kindly to Hardy's comments and had this to say:

Matt, you are a friggin goof. Lets set aside the fact that your brother is walking a “three strikes and you’re out” tight rope as a result of his drug abuse, and if internet “news” was accurate, suffered the loss of his home and property due to a fire because he was too irresponsible to insure it. Your recent recap of your “lifestyle” frames you as a candidate to the Jake Roberts Hall of Fame. Your suggestion that you and your generation are “smarter and more responsible” than previous generations of wrestlers makes me sick. You are a mid-card talent that should be grateful to even get a check every other week. Enjoy it while it lasts. And rather than looking down your nose at previous generations of professional wrestlers, donate a portion of your check to one of them and ask them to point out all the parallels between your current career path/lifestyle and theirs.

It would be the smartest and most responsible thing you could do.

WOW! While I can't say I agree with Bischoff's comments here (first off, his comments that Matt is a mid-carder and that he needs to look after Jeff first are classic ad hominem attacks.), I could see why he's so hot to defend his generation of wrestlers (hopefully today's generation won't have as many horror stories as his did but it's too early to tell). .

No matter what though, I almost always find Bischoff's comments to be interesting. Whether you agree with him or not, he is entertaining and he's one of those guys who while he couldn't pass a bullshit detector, he's easy to listen to. If you don't read Bischoff's blog, I highly recommend that you do. His recent take on the question of whether or not the government should regulate wrestling hit a bullseye.

Now back to The Wrestler. The film itself is going to spark the whole "culture of death" debate back up. Expect the usual suspects in the IWC and the sheets to try and enlighten the unwashed masses on how much the business needs to improve as they continue making a buck covering it. Like just about any industry, wrestling can be improved.

Wrestlers share a lot with other businesses that deal with celebrity and where Father Time can be a bastard. Anyone who thinks wrestling is the only career where you can be a star one day and a guy managing a Target the next need look no further than the slew of celebrity wash-out shows. VH1's new has-been series Confessions of a Teen Idol is but one showcase for people who couldn't make the transition from fame to obscurity and/or couldn't cope with success.

Are there guys like Randy "The Ram" Robinson in wrestling? Hell yeah! You'd have to be blind, deaf, and dumb not to acknowledge them . However it's not specific to the 80's generation and more importantly, it's not specific to wrestling. When I first started watching wrestling, there were guys working in the ring who were bonafide superstars once upon a long distant time More than a few ended up working what some would call menial jobs, drinking themselves to death, or both.

The sad reality is that there is no guarantee of success in life. You can be on top of the world one day and on the skids the next. The cool thing is that we live in an age where second acts (and even third) can happen with a little luck and a lot of hard work. We all know people who worked in factories or other businesses that saw the bottom fell out. Some learned a new trade and found new success while others sat on their ass and complained about the glory days. What's different about wrestlers? Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

So please, for everyone's sake, if you're ready to enlighten us about the "culture of death", please shut the fuck up. Stop patting yourselves on the back for pointing out "the culture of death" and what a mess the wrestling industry is. You haven't done anything to clean up the business and it's clear you're happier talking about it (and profiting from your websites and sheets) than making a difference. Find something else to bitch and moan about. If you want to make a positive change in the business you can start by finding a new career.

Bill Watts to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame

2009-01-12T14:48:00.001-08:00

The good folks over at PWInsider are reporting that legendary wrestler/promoter Bill Watts will be inducted into the 2009 class of the WWE Hall of Fame. Watts had a storied career as a wrestler but his real claim to fame has to be his time as the owner and promoter of Mid South Wrestling. The Cowboy booked many memorable angles during his stint (and participated in a few as well) running Mid South (several of which are mentioned in Wrestling's Greatest Moments). Congratulations to "Cowboy" Bill Watts on this great accomplishment!

Saturdays of Glory (Part One)

2009-01-11T17:34:00.001-08:00

Once upon a time, Saturdays were the best day of the week for me and my brother. Not only was there no school but wrestling was on! After Saturday morning cartoons, it was time for the best part of the day-Jim Crockett Promotion's (JCP) Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling . With stars like Ricky Steamboat, Jay Youngblood, Blackjack Mulligan, Ric Flair, Roddy Piper, and Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka (to name but a few), we had a solid hour of nonstop entertainment.

Things got even better when we discovered that local Canadian station CHCH was broadcasting wrestling. With the help of good weather and a good antenna, we were able to see Maple Leaf Wrestling. The show featured talent from JCP as well as local Canadian stars like Dewey Robertson and Angelo "King Kong" Mosca. With retired Canadian legend Billy "Red" Lyons doing the announcing, we doubled our wrestling fix and saw even more new stars (MLW would sometimes bring in wrestlers from the AWA and WWF which meant they'd show video of them in their respective territories before showcasing them in live matches).

All good things come to an end though and Vince McMahon was buying up TV time like Pacman was gobbling up power pellets in arcades around the country. One day I tuned in to watch Ric Flair and I got Bob Backlund. ARGGGH!!! While the WWF had its fair share of talented wrestlers, the promotion couldn't hold a candle to my beloved Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling. Jim Crockett lined up some of the most colorful wrestlers around while the WWF at the time had guys like Bob Backlund, The Wild Samoans, and Tony Garea. Granted, all of these guys were solid performers but they weren't Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat, or Roddy Piper. Worse yet, the WWF booked squash match after squash match with a rare angle thrown in from time to time.

Once in a while, a JCP star would show up in WWF, catching my interest. However it just wasn't the same. Seeing a former JCP favorite "Cowboy" Bob Orton feud with Bob Backlund did nothing for me, especially with the WWF style of booking (The WWF booked their weekly shows with squash match after squash match with a rare angle thrown in from time to time. Worse yet, feuds took forever to develop).

Fortunately for us, there was still Maple Leaf Wrestling to tune in to. After the WWF show , we eagerly tuned in to the often fuzzy broadcasts of Maple Leaf Wrestling to catch up on the latest action in JCP. That and the Apter mags were my lifeline to my favorite promotion. Through them, I kept up with all the storylines and longed for the day when JCP returned to Buffalo.

Then it happened. Oh cruel fate. What did I do to deserve this, not once but twice? One day I tuned in to Maple Leaf Wrestling to see the WWF stars alongside announcer Billy "Red" Lyons. Now, I was stuck with not one but two hours of crappy WWF TV. Vince McMahon had robbed me of my only pleasure in life.

Little did I know that business was about to pick up and the best was yet to come. Cable TV was going to open my eyes to an entirely new wrestling experience.

The Top Ten Greatest Moments of 2008 (Part Two)

2009-01-08T14:50:00.000-08:00

Here's part two of my look at the greatest moments of 2008. I hope your 2009 is full of great moments, prosperity, and happiness!

5. Floyd Mayweather breaks the Big Show’s nose: Show’s surprise return at No Way Out led to an even bigger surprise when boxer Floyd “Money” Mayweather intervened in a Big Show beatdown on Rey Mysterio, breaking the giant’s nose in the process. The fans quickly rallied to the Big Show’s side though when given the choice of cheering cocky outsider Mayweather or rooting for a WWE Superstar. Despite their Wrestlemania match being a complete mismatch on paper, the buildup to the match and the match itself turned out to be surprisingly good.

4. Chris Jericho puts Shawn Michaels through the Jeri-Tron 6000: A good angle can always be recycled and Chris Jericho’s heel turn on Shawn Michaels couldn’t help but bring back memories of Shawn Michaels putting his partner Marty Jannetty through a window during his heel turn way back when. As exciting as the attack on Michaels was, things just kept getting better with Michaels’ wife getting clobbered by Jericho (“accidentally” according to Jericho), Michaels getting revenge in an unsanctioned match, and Jericho winning an exciting ladder match against Michaels. This feud reminded fans what a good feud is all about-escalating encounters that keep the fans on the edge of their seat looking for the face to get the ultimate revenge.

3. Ric Flair’s Farewell Address: Flair’s farewell address was the icing on the cake of a tremendous weekend celebration honoring the greatest performer in the industry’s history. After an unforgettable Hall of Fame ceremony and an emotional final match at Wrestlemania, the WWE assembled a Who’s Who from Flair’s past to honor his retirement from the business. This is how you treat a legend when he finally decides to hang up the boots .

2. Matt and Jeff Hardy win respective World Championships: Matt and Jeff Hardy have always been way over with the fans. Matt and Jeff Hardy have always sold more then their fair share of merchandise. And yet, until recently, they couldn’t get the time of day from WWE Creative. That changed in 2008 when WWE Creative got solidly behind both men and decided that maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to put someone in the main event that has a huge fanbase. Hopefully the WWE will continue to let the fans guide them rather than writers who seem to have lost touch with what sells in professional wrestling.

1. CM Punk cashes in his Money in the Bank Title Match: This moment more than any other, had fans on the edge of their seats, screaming at their TV’s and hoping that CM Punk would continue the impressive list of MITB winners to successfully convert their win into a world championship win. After Batista came out and destroyed Edge during an episode of Monday Night RAW, time seemed to stand still when Punk’s music played and the “Straight Edged Superstar” came out with his MITB briefcase. This great moment epitomized the WWE’s new direction in 2008 as the company finally seemed to recognize talent that is over with the fans and focus on building new stars for the future.

The Top Ten Greatest Moments of 2008 (Part One)

2009-01-04T16:21:00.000-08:00

10. Undertaker sends Edge to Hell-there are times when I forget what a solid performer the Undertaker is (and let’s face it, for a guy who’s firmly entrenched in the WWE hierarchy, he continues to put on consistent matches and add moves to his repertoire when he could just phone things in). While there's argument that the Edge/Undertaker feud went on a wee bit too long, no one can deny that the finish was nothing short of epic. After defeating Edge in a brutal Hell in a Cell Match, the Undertaker sent Edge “to hell” in an exciting display of theatrics and pyrotechnics that fans are still raving about.

9. Jericho beats Batista in a cage-heels never win in a cage, especially when it’s for a title. Well, not anymore. After the WWE painted themselves into a corner by putting a special referee stipulation into the World Championship match between Jericho and Batista, they had to put the belt on “The Animal”, cutting Chris Jericho's World Championship reign quite short. Jericho fans weren't too thrilled so imagine their surprise when Jericho regained the belt less than eight days later and in of all things, a cage match. Bad booking would have seen run-ins from half the locker room but the WWE came up with a more clever and believable finish. After reaching the top of the cage, the ever crafty Jericho grabbed a piece of metal from the cage rigging and belted “Big Dave” in the mush, stunning the champion just long enough to escape from the cage. A good cage match became a great one thanks to a novel and surprising finish.

8. 2008 Draft-while previous WWE drafts have had their surprises (Cena and Batista switching shows with their world championships perhaps being the biggest), there were always certains-Triple H would stay on RAW, none of the announce teams would get shaken up, and ECW would be home for young stars, not big names. Not anymore. This year saw “The Game” sent to SmackDown! with no trade back, Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler parted ways, and Matt Hardy went to ECW, jumping ratings in the process.

7. Steen & Generico’s quest for the ROH tag titles. While I didn’t watch a lot of Ring of Honor (ROH) this year, my illustrious colleague Zah did and added his ever insightful thoughts to the list with the above pick. Here's what Zah had to say:

"I think the accention and eventual tag title victory by Kevin Steen and El Generico need to be considered the top moment in ROH this past year. The year-long build and hard- fought matches and fan support had all meant that when the titles were finally won, they meant something. "Steenerico" have continued to display to ROH fans since why they are deserving of the titles."

Thanks Zah, and hopefully I'll keep my New Year's resolution to watch more Ring of Honor.

6. John Cena returns at Royal Rumble: 2008 was a year of surprises for WWE fans (most of them pleasant) and things got off to a wild start at the Royal Rumble when John Cena returned from what was supposed to be a six month injury. While some fans weren’t happy to see Cena back so soon, just about everybody thought it was a great surprise. Not only did it invigorate the crowd but it made for a very exciting Royal Rumble and even more surprising was Cena’s decision to challenge the WWE champion at No Way Out instead of Wrestlemania XXIV. Love him or hate him, John Cena knows how to get a strong reaction from the crowd.

2008's Greatest Moments

2008-12-18T17:18:00.000-08:00

With 2009 fast approaching, it's time to take a look back at the great moments of 2008. Join me on Monday as I begin counting down the greatest moments of 2008. Share your votes on what you think the great moments of 2008 were.

When a chair shot was like a gunshot

2008-12-13T01:19:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, wrestlers sold a chairshot like a gunshot. When someone got clobbered with a chair, they went down like a sack of potatoes and usually bled and bled. Who can forget Larry Zbyszko cracking Bruno Sammartino with the chair as the build-up to their famous feud? Bruno crumpled to the mat and he looked like he'd stuck his head in a wood chipper (okay, it wasn't that bad but boy, did he bleed!). Nowadays, a chair shot is more of a transition move than anything. A wrestler gets hit with a chair then their opponent locks in a chinlock.

Granted, things are nowhere near as bad as they were during the mid to late 1990's when wrestlers routinely fell through multiple tables, got blasted with everything from frying pans to cheese graters, and the Hardcore Title doubled revenue for the cookie sheet industry. Only after the WWE saw half of their roster join the Neck Injury for Men Club of the early 2000's did they realize that things had to be toned down. In fact, I I give the WWE a lot of credit for trying to put the genie back in the bottle. They still have a way to go but they've actually managed to get fans to not expect a near-death experience during every pay-per-view.

Still, there's something to be said for when a chair shot really meant something or a move on the concrete meant a wrestler might not get up. When Ray Stevens gave Jimmy Snuka two piledrivers on the cement, Snuka not only spilled more blood than a slasher movie but he sold the injury with a neck brace for weeks. Remember when Jake Roberts DDTed Ricky Steamboat on the cement during an episode of Saturday Night's Main Event? The match didn't even get started because Steamboat was out like a light (according to an interview I saw with Jake Roberts, Steamboat didn't tuck his head correctly and was legitimately knocked out). That's how it should be when an opponent's head gets blasted into the cement.

The same goes for certain weapons. As much as I pop when I see Triple H pull out the sledge hammer, I still shake my head every time he uses the sledge hammer. Not only does he blatantly cover the hammer with his hand when he uses it but its effectiveness is downplayed. I remember when Helmsley first used the hammer (I think it was against the Undertaker). He blasted the Undertaker with it and The Dead Man went down. It was Helmsley's great equalizer. Nowadays, it's a setup to the Pedigree. A sledgehammer shot should automatically equal broken ribs or worse. The only time I've ever seen Helmsley's hammer (that sounds like one of Stephanie McMahon's pet names for HHH) sold effectively was when DX fought the McMahons and the Big Show in a Hell in the Cell match. Helmsley blasted Vince McMahon across the back with the hammer and Vince sold it for weeks and weeks.

Sure, once in a while it's cool to see a wrestler no-sell a move that other wrestlers would go down from. That's how you get monsters like The Undertaker over. However history has shown that the more you use weapon shots, the less effective they become to the fans and that's when you have guys kicking out after being put through twin stacks of flaming tables i.e. the original ECW.

Foreign objects and other weapons should be special occasions and they should be the wrestling equivalent of a weapon of mass destruction. After all, if a guy can shrug off multiple chair shots, how in the world are you going to sell Chris Jericho's Codebreaker as a finisher?

Where can I find Wrestling's Greatest Moments?

2008-12-09T23:32:00.000-08:00

Hey now!

Some people have asked me where they can get the book from. Well, the official word is that the book is en route to stores and it should be in people's hands by next week. The following book outlets have ordered the book but that doesn't mean your local outlet will necessarily have it (so you may have to ask them to order it). If you run into any problems finding it, please email me!

Best,
Mike

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Wrestling conventions yesterday and today

2008-12-08T12:08:00.000-08:00

Wrestling, like any form of entertainment is about conventions and how they are handled. Fans of Superman are willing to believe that a yellow sun and Earth's lesser gravity empower Superman to well, superhuman levels. They also are willing to believe that a pair of eyeglasses is enough to conceal Clark Kent's true identity. Wrestling fans have their own conventions too. There is the idea that wrestlers want to settle their differences in the ring. It doesn't matter if someone robbed you of a title, jumped you in a parking lot, or stole your wife-the place you settle your differences is in the ring, not in court. There's also the idea that wrestlers can absorb an insane amount of punishment. I remember when I was a kid, announcers would boast about the superhuman endurance of wrestlers and how they could take beatings that would hospitalize a normal man.

Over the years, new conventions have come out. One of the strangest is the idea that wrestlers can be seen backstage but no other wrestlers seem to know what has happened (even though they can see everything on TV should they have access to a set). Case in point, a couple of years ago the WWE did an angle where Stephanie McMahon drugged Shawn Michaels' bottled water on-camera and in the ensuing half hour before his match, no one bothered to warn him. That would be believable except the whole premise of wrestling is that it's a legitimate real-time sporting event, not a drama about a sport. I remember when TNA first came out and they tried to be more realistic by sending camera crews to the back if something was going on but before long, they said screw it, and adopted the WWE "cameras are everywhere" bit.

The WWE has also become notorious for their supernatural bits. Whether it's Kane using fire or the Undertaker returning from the dead, some superstars have magical powers that no one else can use. Does it make sense? Usually not. The Undertaker can return from being buried alive and yet he has trouble with chair shots in the ring. Kane can be thrown into a dumpster that is on fire and return the next week without a scratch and yet a beatdown with a metal pipe puts him on the shelf.

As someone who's followed many kinds of entertainment- soap operas, comic books, science fiction & fantasy, and of course wrestling, I've come to the conclusion that as long as conventions are consistent within the storyline world, fans will usually go along with them. Take comics for example: We know bullets bounce off of Superman without anyone getting hurt from the ricochet. That's one of the conventions Superman fans buy into. Likewise with kryptonite, whip out a little green K and Supes is flapping around like a fish out of water. That's why a lot of fans had a problem believing Big Blue could lift a land mass made out of kryptonite in Superman Returns (just one of many things that turned off fans to that film).

A good example of this is Randy Orton's punt kick to the head. While I applaud the WWE for building the move up as something devastating, it doesn't fit in with the rest of the moves around Orton (and I know I'm far from the only person who feels this way). The basic problem is that people can get piledrived, blasted with chair shots to the head, and put through tables without any long-lasting effect and yet Orton's boot to the head equals an automatic concussion?

It's all about making rules for your fictional world and keeping them consistent. When you stop doing this is when you start getting into bad storytelling.

Overseas Orders

2008-12-06T09:53:00.000-08:00

Hey now!
First off, thanks to everyone who's been pre-ordering the book. It looks like the book is doing some good numbers at Amazon and it's actually been in and out of the top 100 wrestling books since December 1.

If anyone is having a problem ordering the book outside of the U.S., I have a few copies available for sale. If you have a paypal account, you can get a signed copy for $19.95 U.S. +shipping. If you're interested, please PM me.

Thanks again for everyone's support. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on the book!

Best,
Mike

SD vs RAW 2009=AWESOME~!!!

2008-12-04T08:44:00.000-08:00

I just got the new SmackDown! vs RAW 2009 video game for XBox and it is awesome!~ (Editor's Note: I've actually been playing it for about three weeks now) I've been a big fan of video games ever since the days of the old stand up arcade game Tag Team Wrestling (how can you go wrong with a game where you win by repeatedly kicking your opponent in the nuts?) and while there's been a lot of crappy wrestling games out there (check out my list of the worst wrestling games of all time over at my pal RDLee's blog), the SD vs RAW series has been one of the better ones. That's not to say the series hasn't had its critics.

Like the Madden NFL series, this one gets a lot of flak because the new edition often seems like a glorified repackaging of the previous year's edition, only with updated rosters. It's a valid criticism but like Madden, it's hard to argue with the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" school of thought. Why redesign a video game every year if the fundamentals are solid?

Whatever your thoughts on previous editions of SD and their repetitive nature, this year's edition really stands out. The gameplay is amazing fluid (unlike TNA Impact which is just a mess). the AI is for the most part actually intelligent, and the new features for the game make it set it apart from everything before it.

First off, the graphics are amazing. For years I've heard about how 3D graphics have made video games so lifelike but this is the first game to really back this promise up. Playing this game, I was overhwhelmed at how lifelike the wrestlers looked and awed by the amount of detail. As the match progresses, the wrestlers begin to sweat and grimace with pain. During one match, I noticed the ECW announce team calling the match. It was really like being in the arena. Even the sound seems to have improved. You can notice the audience getting into the match if you put on a noteworthy bout. For the first time, you really feel like you're in the ring.

Second off, the added gameplay features really make this year's edition seem like something more than an updated roster that sets you back sixty bucks. First off, there is the traditional campaign mode where you can take a created wrestler or WWE Superstar from the beginning of their career all the way in to the Hall of Fame. Second, there is a second storyline mode The Road to Wrestlemania which allows you to play several characters along with a co/op mode featuring Batista and Rey. While I've only played two characters so far, the storylines seem individual. Replay is an essential component for most gamers and while the campaign mode isn't perfect, the addition of the Road to Wrestlemania gives this one a lot more value.

Is the game perfect? No. The movesets for each wrestler while not as redundant as years past (where guys like John Cena had the same moves as technicians like Chris Jericho) still could use some beefing up. The collision detection is one of the best yet but there are still a couple awkward spots. Worst yet, tag team matches end up being the longshot camera angle that makes for some annoying gameplay at times.

It's hard for me to tell someone who's been tired of playing the SD vs RAW series to buy yet another edition but this one really seems worth your money. With downloadable content on the way, this one should give you your mony's worth. While previous editions of SD vs RAW haven't always justified a sixty dollar investment, this one really does. If you feel burnt by previous editions, I don't think you'll feel the same way here. This is one wrestling game that offers a lot of different things for wrestling fans and video game fans.

Wrestling's Greatest Moments-How it All Started (Part One)

2008-11-30T11:31:00.000-08:00

Today marks the official release date of Wrestling's Greatest Moments so I thought I'd share a little background on how the book got started. Back around 2006, I was off of work due to illness and I took my first real break in six years (I was working a full-time job and building a law practice). The time off was great and it got me thinking about my passion for wrestling and how much I enjoyed writing about it (doing PPV recaps for Pro Wrestling Illustrated's website and writing weekly columns for World Wrestling Insanity). I decided that I really wanted to try my hand at writing a wrestling book.

Fast forward a year later. I'd started a recurring feature over at World Wrestling Insanity entitled Great Moments in Wrestling which recapped some of the hottest angles in wrestling (such as the birth of the nWo, Hulk Hogan's WWF title win over the Iron Sheik, and Ric Flair's big win at the inaugural Starcade). It was a lot of fun and it finally struck me that it might be a good idea for a book.

The problem was that I really didn't know how to proceed from idea to book. Fortunately, James Guttman (owner of World Wrestling Insanity and author of two, count 'em two wrestling books!) told me how he broke into the business. He suggested I check out ECW Press, the same outfit which published his first (and eventually his second) book. I went to their website and checked out their submission policy. The folks over at ECW Press were looking for new books and when I told the editor what my proposal was, he suggested that I send him an outline of the book along with the first thirty pages of the manuscript and they'd review it.

I'd been fiddling around with an outline and some rough drafts for about six months so this part wasn't too difficult. I sent my manuscript and the outline to a couple friends, got some feedback, made some revisions, and sent the proposal out. Now all I had to do was wait.

Like Tom Petty once sang, the waiting is the hardest part. For the next three months, I agonized over what ECW Press' reaction would be. I knew better than to pester them with emails so I sat tight and hoped for the best. Every day I checked the mailbox, looking for a reply. By May, I still hadn't heard anything so I decided I'd write to ECW Press. The editor was very courteous and told me that he'd have an answer in a few weeks. I didn't have to wait that long and just a week later, I found out that he liked the book and he was definitely interested in it!

I felt like I was on top of the world! I'd sent a book proposal ten years earlier to an agent only to be turned down. For some reason, I never tried finding any other agents. Now, I was about to enter the book world. The journey was just beginning!

The Three Wise Men of Wrestling Announcing

2008-11-28T16:45:00.000-08:00

My good friend Sir James Guttman recently interviewed legendary announcer Lance Russell over at his World Wrestling Insanity site. The audio interview got me thinking about some of the all-time greats in wrestling announcing.

When I think about the greatest announcers in wrestling history, three names spring to mind-Jim Ross, Gordon Solie, and Lance Russell. These three gentlemen made it look so easy calling action in and out of the ring but as anyone who's watched the sport for any significant amount of time knows, it's a lot tougher than it looks.

What makes these guys so great by my estimation? The first is credibility. All three men could make the most incredible situation (and we all know how prone wrestling is to getting ridiculous-even in the old school days) believable. Lance Russell and Jim Ross have both had their work cut out for them whether it was Mr. Russell working in Memphis (can you say Frankenstein's Monster?) or Jim Ross calling the WWF and WWE (how about that fake Diesel and Razor Ramon?).

Second, all three gentlemen had an air of professionalism and respectability about them. While Jim Ross is prone to getting caught up in the action emotionally, it rarely seems fake. When Gordon Solie or Lance Russell lost their temper on air over an angle, it was something special as they were usually strictly business. All three men took pride in their craft and it came across in their announcing, adding to the suspension of disbelief that is so special to wrestling (and heaven knows Jim Ross has had to call some pretty ludicrous things in the WWE).

Finally, all three men know that calling match is about more than describing the action in the ring. I will be the first to admit that Lance Russell's announcing was usually short on the names of moves but he knew that his most important job was to establish the stories being told in the ring and the angles behind them (as did Jim Ross and Gordon Solie). During a shoot interview with Jim Cornette, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan wisely observed that the fans don't need play by play (as they're watching rather than listening to the match) as much as they need to know the stories in the ring. I couldn't agree more and the work of Solie, Ross, and Russell supports this (although Jim Ross and Gordon Solie were both thorough in learning the names of wrestling holds).

These three gentlemen are the cream of the crop. There are certainly other announcers in wrestling who deserve praise but no one in my opinion (with the possible exception of Joey Styles) was or is as good as any of wrestling's three wise men.

Turkey and Turnbuckles

2008-11-25T16:55:00.001-08:00

Once upon a time, Thanksgiving and Christmas were two of the biggest nights in wrestling. After stuffing themselves with turkey and all the trimmings, fans could look forward to seeing their favorite stars in action. The cards were usually packed with stars and often served as the blow-off for many feuds. For years, Jim Crockett Promotions ran a Thanksgiving show which saw the culmination of many top feuds (In fact, the great site Mid-Atlantic Gateway has a special feature on the Thanksgiving shows that I recommend you check out!). This would culminate in Starcade:A Flair for the Gold and lead to the pay-per-view revolution that would forever change the landscape of wrestling. Thanksgiving was just one important day for the big holiday shows. Another one was Christmas. Probably the best remembered Christmas show was World Class Championship Wrestling's Star Wars holiday shows. These shows would eventually lead to Star Wars shows on Thanksgiving, Independence Day, and Labor Day.

Eventually, the success of PPV's like Starcade and Wrestlemania would lead to these holiday supershows showing up as PPV's. For a few years, Thanksgiving meant Starcade and Survivor Series. I remember how excited I was when I found out the WWF was running a show on Thanksgiving in 1987. The show turned out to be a pleasant surprise and I really enjoyed some of the tag team matches. It was an exciting change of pace from singles matches and it quickly became an annual tradition.

While I miss the holiday cards, I am happy that the wrestlers have the days off. I don't think anyone should have to work big holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. That's a time for family and friends to enjoy a night off and each other's company. Still, there's a small part of me that wishes I could tune in to some wrestling every Thanksgiving.

I hope that everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving with their friends and family.

Bob Orton Jr. vs John Fogerty

2008-11-23T09:38:00.000-08:00

While the art of the promo isn't a lost one as some people would have you believe, it definitely isn't used as effectively as it used to be. Once upon a time, wrestlers could talk people into a building every week just by cutting a good promo on TV.

As much as I don't miss the endless squash matches that used to fill TV, I do miss the hot promos that ran between squash matches. Fact is, they were often the highlight of weekly shows. Sure, once in a while there'd be a name match but it usually ended controversially in order to set up a match at a house show (which makes perfect sense as promoters almost never made money off of TV and derived just about all their income from house show tickets).

This was the golden age of talkers. Guys like Ric Flair, Roddy Piper, Jake Roberts, Sgt. Slaughter, and Randy Savage all were so good at talking that I probably would listen to them read the weather forecast. That's how good they were. Whether it was Flair boasting about his lavish lifestyle, Roberts incorporating catchy song lyrics into his promos, or Savage cutting fantastical promos about himself, these guys knew how to talk and how to get the fans excited about their matches. It didn't matter if Ric Flair was wrestling Harley Race or Ron Ritchie; "The Nature Boy" made you feel that you were going to miss the match of the century if you didn't attend the local house show.

What's interesting to me is that even the guys who weren't blessed with a silver tongue were usually good enough to get fans interested in a house show. One reliable trick was to make fun of the local town and/or their sports team. Coming to New York City? Run down the Yankees or the Mets (although making fun of the Mets is like shooting fish in a barrel). Coming to Boston? Make fun of the Celtics or the Sox. It wasn't rocket science and it didn't take a script writer for guys to talk the fans into building.

One of the more unusual promos I ever saw resulted in a prime example of wrestlers talking the fans into a building. The year was 1985 and WWE Hall of Famer "Cowboy" Bob Orton was coming to Buffalo for a house show. Looking back at Orton's promos, the guy wasn't in the league of guys like Flair, Savage, Roberts, or Piper but he could hold his own (and he certainly didn't need a manager) and this particular promo was something special. Here, Orton managed not only to make fun of Buffalo but during the promo, he took a shot at musician John Fogerty. Fogerty had just released a comeback album called Centerfield and he was back in the public eye after years since his glory days in Creedance Clearwater Revival.

Orton's promo struck a nerve with one of my friends who was a big Fogerty fan. Terry was a wrestling fan as well but not a diehard like myself and some of our friends. However when he heard the Orton comment, he was livid and made sure he was included in our regular sojourn to Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium to see the latest WWF house show. This was a classic case of someone getting caught up by a promo. Not only did our friend buy his ticket but he made an anti-Orton sign and talked about little else but seeing Orton get his comeuppance.

The night of the show, Fogerty's #1 fan made it clear to Bob Orton that he hadn't forgotten his deregatory remarks about rock star John Fogerty. As soon as Orton made his way down the aisle, Terry began to bad mouth Orton and couldn't wait to see Orton get some much deserved punishment in the ring. Sadly, Orton's scheduled opponent wasn't there and instead, semi-retired veteran grappler Billy "Red" Lyons (who was quite a competitor in his prime but who was now relegated to announcing matches for Jack Tunney's Maple Leaf Wrestling). We all knew that Lyons didn't stand a chance and he lived down to our expectations, falling to Orton after filling as many minutes of the card as he could. Terry wasn't too happy but then again neither were the fans who had paid to see Orton take on a name opponent (DAMN those "card subject to change without notice" disclaimers!). His only satisfaction was getting to berate Orton in person for mocking John Fogerty.

Nowadays the WWE comes to town two or three times a year, usually with one house show and a RAW or SmackDown! taping. The WWE usually gets a good attendance but I can't help but wonder how many more shows they could run if they relied more on the classic promo. Chances are, you're not going to see them coming back but it's yet another old school trick that promoters everywhere could benefit from bringing back. Don't believe me? Just look at the guy who paid money to see Bob Orton Jr. just because he mocked John Forgety.

Exposed! Secrets of Pro Wrestling Revealed

2008-11-21T16:15:00.000-08:00

One of the things I love about TV executives that once they see success, there's no end to how far they'll go in milking a cash cow to death. Don't believe me? Just look at all of the franchises Hollywood has done to death such as Star Trek, Law and Order, and CSI. As if that's not bad enough, you have the cheeseballs who see a successful program and try to find their own success with a hastily produced clone. If you liked American Idol, you're gonna love America's Got Talent, Nashville Star, and America's Most Talented Kid.

Back during the height of the Monday Night War (1995-2001), TV execs scrambled to tap the success of wrestling any way they could. Obviously, no one really started their own promotion to compete against WCW and the WWF (although it would have been interesting to see a major network buy a company like ECW and try to promote it). Instead, you had wrestlers guest starring on TV shows. A&E biographies on wrestlers, news shows examining the new popularity of wrestling, and finally- Exposed! Secrets of Pro Wrestling Revealed (Secrets).

During the late 1990's, there was a rash of TV specials that "exposed" the inner workings of magic tricks. Apparently, some network saw the show's popularity, saw that wrestling was popular, and decided that exposing the world of professional wrestling would be an instant hit. Little did they know that Secrets would quickly become the butt of jokes amongst wrestling fans.

By 1998, there were very few people over seven years old who doubted the worked nature of pro wrestling. Secrets acted like they were exposing the Kennedy assassination instead of telling people things they'd heard before. To be fair, the show did do a pretty good job of showing how certain moves were performed without causing injury. However, several of the aspects of the wrestling business that show purported to "expose" were complete nonsense. For example, the show suggested that most of the signs in the audience were given to fans by promoters. "You didn't really think those fans brought all those signs from home did you?" the announcer would ask rhetorically with a douchebag like laugh at the end. While it's true that promoters sometimes hand out signs, Secrets would have the general public believe that every fan is given their own sign to wave like an idiot. Anyone who's gone to a live event knows that wrestling fans definitely don't need any help making signs.

Without a doubt, the funniest part of the show was when it was revealed that promoters used plants for wrestlers to attack. This led to the revelation of the heretofore unknown phenomenon known as the "stunt granny". That's right, promoters planted little old ladies at ringside every night for heel wrestlers to attack. Knock over Blanche from The Golden Girls and you have instant heat! Add in a bit about heels tearing up a kid's autograph book and you can see why this particular show became so reviled amongst fans. It quickly earned a spot as Wrestlecrap, sealing its place in the annals of history.

What's really ironic is that in real life, the grannies were the ones who usually attacked the wrestler. Back in the day when many fans had their doubts as to whether wrestling was worked, wrestlers had to watch their backs every night for fear some crazed fan would attack them. Having read many wrestlers' autobiographies and seen many shoots, it seems like the little old ladies were the ones attacking the wrestlers, not vice versa. Whether it was canes, hat pins, umbrellas, or something worse, these old-timers made life miserable for heels.

The funniest thing about this show is that it's constantly popping up on cable channels (or so I've been told). Worse yet, I hear there's a new special coming out in 2009. If so, I can't wait to see how they've updated the stunt granny. That should make for some fun viewing.

My favorite foreign objects Part Two & a great Mr. Perfect story

2008-11-20T13:49:00.000-08:00

After posting part one of "My favorite foreign objects" I got quite a few emails from people reminiscing on their favorites. While I wasn't surprised at the diversity of responses (which really jogged my memory by the way), I was surprised by one incident that kept popping up on the lists of fans. While this particular incident is memorable, I was surprised because it happened in a promotion that was dying out and which had seen better days.

Which incident am I referring to? None other than the infamous roll full of quarters (or was it dimes?) incident involving the American Wrestling Association (AWA) World Heavyweight Championship.

The year was 1987 and Nick Bockwinkel was once again AWA champion. What was different was that after years of being one of the promotions' top heels, Bockinkel was now a face. Bockwinkel put his AWA strap up against Curt Hennig at the AWA's Superclash II show. When the smoke was over, there was a new champion and a ring full of coins surrounding the fallen Bockwinkel. Bockwinkel fans would claim that Hennig's second Larry Zbyszko had handed him a roll of coins to kayo the champ, Hennig's fans might suggest it was raining pennies (or in this case, dimes-or was it quarters?) from heaven.

So many people sent in this great moment that I had to include it. My friend Scott also sent in a great story about meeting Mr. Perfect. Check this out:

Great Column my brother!!!! The first great foreign object match I can remember really pissed me off because I was young enough to think it was real. It was back in the AWA when Larry Zabisco handed Curt Henning a roll of dimes to knock out The legendary Nick Bockwinkle to win the AWA title. I thought he was a spoiled daddys boy getting the belt. Later in life I was fortunate enough to meet Curt in Las Vegas at the grand opening of the WCW cafe. It was during the heyday of the NWO. The whole wolfpack arrived and were as arrogant and shitty to the crowd as you can imagine. They even had a roped off area where they went and ate and drank without even looking at the fans. Sting and DDP were also there in the roped off area. I was thinking I wasted an entire evening waiting for these jerks to show up and went over to the bar to get a drink. I looked up at the area next to the bar and saw a guy from behind that looked like Curt Henning talking to a couple fans. He was wearing a purple suit and sure enough it was. He was mingling with the "low lives" that paid for that purple suit and I went over and introduced myself. We talked about a few things and I found out what a down to earth funny guy he was. He disliked the way the wolf pack treated everyone, yet there they were in droves standing at the rope waiving hoping for a glance and I was there talking to Mr. Perfect. I never asked him about the foreign object. I knew at that time it was meant to drive us all nuts, it was entertainment and it was .......Perfect.

Thanks for the story Scott!

Unfortunately, I never got to see the AWA during its heyday but I did see the infamous roll of coins incident with Hennig winning the AWA gold. Thanks to bootlegs and the WWE's DVD The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA, I've had a chance to sample the promotion's golden years. Despite all this, it just goes to show that you can still have some great moments even when a promotion is down on its luck. Of course if someone mentions the Turkey on a Pole Match as a classic, I may have to use my own roll of quarters.

A quirky tag team rule that's long past

2008-11-19T10:44:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite aspects of professional wrestling has always been tag team wrestling. Growing up watching Jim Crockett Promotions' Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling show, I was spoiled by its great lineup of tag teams (not really a surprise since the promotion actually revolved around tag teams for much of its early years and it knew how to book them to perfection). How could you go wrong with teams like Ric Flair & Blackjack Mulligan, Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood, Ole & Gene Anderson, Jimmy Snuka & Ray Stevens, or Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle? Whether they feuded over the National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship, the Mid Atlantic Tag Team Championship, or simple bragging rights, these guys (amongst many others) electrified the ring.

What was particularly interesting about this era was the largely forgotten rule that you could only make one save per match i.e. if your teammate was about to be pinned or submitted, you were allowed to run in once (without a tag) and break up the pin/submission. Any attempts after that earned you an automatic disqualification. Over time, this rule went the way of the Dodo bird (much like the NWA's old rule that throwing your opponent over the top rope meant an automatic disqualification) but I can't help but wonder if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

I still wonder if this rule disappeared in order to facilitate the second golden age of tag team wrestling in the 1980's. I'm not quite sure if teams like the Midnight Express, the Fabulous Ones, the British Bulldogs, or the Hart Foundation would have been exciting if they were limited to one save per match. Then again, they could have been even more exciting had their matches been booked around this rule.

What old school rules do you think should be brought back? What rules are you glad are now nothing more than memory?

Wrestling's Greatest Moments Book News

2008-11-18T13:36:00.001-08:00

Hey guys! Just heard from the good folks over at ECW Press about the release date for Wrestling's Greatest Moments. The book (which is available for pre-order over at Amazon.com) is set for a release date of December 1, 2008! Don't hesitate to ask any questions you may have concerning the book.

Every fan of professional wrestling remembers the moment that captured their heart forever and hooked them for life. Whether it was Ric Flair regaining the NWA Championship from Harley Race at Starcade, the Freebirds turning heel on Kerry Von Erich, Mick Foley flying off the cage at King of the Ring, Jake Roberts DDT-ing Ricky Steamboat on the concrete, Samoa Joe’s epic trilogy with CM Punk in Ring of Honor, or the premiere of WCW’s Nitro: these are the matches and moments that thrilled, terrified, or outraged – overwhelming you with real emotion.

Mike Rickard’s Wrestling’s Greatest Moments brings you all the most memorable and controversial moments from modern wrestling history. It’s an insightful and essential compendium of thirty years’ worth of groundbreaking matches, angles and interviews. From Hulkamania to the Montreal “screwjob,” from the NWA to the nWo, you’ll rediscover what really occurred in arenas and on the air worldwide, and learn all the backstage and behind-the-scenes secrets that made these highlight-reel moments possible from the men and women who were there.

Whether you watched Stone Cold Steve Austin point a gun at WWE honcho Vince McMahon’s head, or stood outside the building as D-Generation X “invaded” WCW; whether you look back with nostalgia to “The King” slapping Andy Kaufman silly on Letterman or believe wrestling was better when Bruno sold out Shea; whether you were one of the Philadelphia “bingo hall” faithful who made ECW “extreme” or a casual observer of the Monday Night Wars; whether you’re reliving these moments or discovering them for the first time, Wrestling’s Greatest Moments will enthrall you with the exploits and extravagance, the tragedies and triumphs of the sport of kings.

The Holy Grail of Wrestling Fans

2008-11-14T09:33:00.000-08:00

Ever since I began watching wrestling in 1979, the Holy Grail for me and friends was being able to see a title change hands in person (This was back when title changes were few and far between and before world titles changed hands routinely at house shows in East Bumblefuch). Whenever I'd go to a house show with my brother and my friends, we'd look for TV cameras in the belief that if there were TV cameras there, there could be a title change.

Despite our dream of seeing a title change, we were pretty realistic. If a WWF title was going to change hands, it probably wasn't going to happen in our humble hometown of Buffalo, New York. While Buffalo has been a traditional hotbed for wrestling in general, it never seemed like one of the crown jewels of the WWF like Philadelphia, New York City, or Boston.

That's not to say we didn't get some really interesting house shows. We had our share of cage matches, WWF title matches, and even an "anything goes" Battle Royal (back in the days before hardcore) with "Leaping" Lanny Poffo wearing a suit of armor into the ring. Yeah, we had some fun but we pretty much gave up on the idea of seeing a belt change hands.

Flash forward to June 2, 1987. Buffalo was going to host its first ever TV taping. Naturally, everyone had to go because if ever there was a chance to see a title change hands in Buffalo, this would be it. Even if the belt didn't change hands, there was that chance to appear on WWF television!

We all got our tickets but I had a problem- I had to work that night. After a couple years going from job to job, I had secured what I thought was a decent job (at the time). Unfortunately there was no way to get out of working. I was on probation and if I called in sick to go to wrestling, I knew I'd be up the creek. For once in my life, I did the responsible thing.

Boy, was I ever sorry. The next day my friend Keith called me to tell me about the show. "You'll never guess what happened!". I knew I was in trouble. "The Honky Tonk Man beat Steamboat for the Intercontinental Title". First off, I was shocked (as was Keith) that the HTM actually beat Steamboat. Second off, I was pissed because I'd missed the belt change hands-of all the nights to miss a show!

Since then, I've seen my fair share of title changes in person but I still rue the day I decided to do the right thing and ended up missing the beginning of the "Greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time"'s reign. The worst part of the whole I-C debacle was that I would eventually get fired from that very same job (after blowing it off to spend a day with my girlfriend). If I was going to get fired, it should have been for a title change!

My favorite foreign objects Part One

2008-11-13T12:36:00.000-08:00

One thing I really miss in wrestling is the use of foreign objects. Sure, some wrestlers use them from time to time but I miss the days when you could count on a heel to use them whenever the chips were down. They're just great ways to taint a win. Who can forget such classics as Roddy Piper using a foreign object to beat "Nature Boy" Ric Flair for the U.S. title, Randy "Macho Man" Savage clobbering Tito Santana with a mysterious object to win the Intercontinental Title, or Johnny V helping the "Dream Team" (Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake) win the WWF Tag Team Titles from the U.S. Express (Barry Windham & Mike Rotundo) with a lit cigar to Windham's eye. So many great moments were made with heels using whatever it took to get the job done. When done correctly, it added so much heat to a feud.

Somewhere along the way, the foreign object has gone out of favor. The worst was when WCW announcers were reportedly ordered by Ted Turner not to use the word "foreign object" and instead say "international object". That's a true WTF moment but then again, you're talking about Ted Turner.

Personally, I think foreign objects have taken a back seat to things like run-in's and chair shots. There's nothing wrong with those but I long for the day when an arena full of fans were screaming bloody murder after a referee missed a babyface getting clobbered with a roll of quarters or a fireball. Naturally, if the referee didn't see it, then it's legal which only adds to the fans' frustration and desire to see a rematch.

Over the next few weeks, I hope to take a look at some of wrestling's greatest foreign object moments and some of the masters of the foreign object. Feel free to send me your favorites and I'll post the best ones!

The Magic of Special Delivery Jones

2008-11-12T08:20:00.000-08:00

My dad always told me that no matter what your job, do your best. Whether you're pushing a broom or performing brain surgery, you should give it your all. Wrestler "Special Delivery" Jones epitomized this. The guy never won all that many matches in the World Wrestling Federation but he always entertained the fans and he always made you believe this could be his big week to win.

Born Conrad Efraim, the man who fans would come to know as "S.D." began his career working in the territories of the day. He often teamed with storyline cousin Rufus R. "Freight Train" Jones, feuding with the legendary team of Ole and Gene Anderson. From there, S.D. worked several territories in the National Wrestling Alliance before coming to the place where he would become best known-the World Wrestling Federation.

While S.D. won his fair share of matches in the NWA territories (including three regional tag team championships), he was better known for being what is euphemistically known as "enhancement talent". S.D. Jones was the guy who lost matches week after week, making the WWF's star wrestlers look good. Jones would give it his all and his opponent would usually know they'd be in a fight but most fans can't remember too many wins for "Special Delivery".

But oh was he good at what he did. S.D. always put on entertaining matches and unlike most of the enhancement guys, he had a definite moveset. S.D.'s headbutt nearly won him many a match as did his pugilistic skills. S.D. always came up on the short end of the stick but he always made the fans believe that this could be his big week. That was the magic of Special Delivery, the guy lost week after week but he always put on such an engaging match that you felt like his first win was about to happen. He also had an endearing quality that made you want him to win.

And for a guy who never won a lot of matches, he sure did a lot of other cool things. S.D. was involved in the legendary haircut match where Ken Patera and "Big" John Studd cut Andre the Giant's hair. S.D. made history at Wrestlemania by losing to "King Kong" Bundy in a record-breaking (at the time) 9 seconds. And how many job guys do you know that had their own action figure? S.D. did! Even better, he appeared in the WWF's music video "Land of a Thousand Dances". Pretty impressive for a guy who was paid to count the lights every night. Jones definitely delivered in the ring and he always gave it his best.

Jeff Hardy back in title picture at Survivor Series (SPOILERS)

2008-11-11T16:24:00.000-08:00

According to spoilers that I've heard from sources who attended the most recent SmackDown! tapings, it appears that Jeff Hardy is back in the picture for the WWE Title. Not only will Jeff defeat the Undertaker this Friday on SmackDown! but he'll beat Triple H the following week, earning a spot in the Koslov/HHH title match at Survivor Series. Yes, Jeff will be fighting in a Triple Threat Match.

What does this mean for Hardy fans looking for Jeff to finally win the big one? Things are definitely interesting as Jeff seems headed towards a heel turn. As I mentioned in my column at World Wrestling Insanity, this is a risky but potentially lucrative opportunity for Hardy. If the WWE books his turn right, he could gain some new fans. The problem is making sure that his current fans don't turn on him when (and if) he goes heel.

As always, things are never boring with Jeff Hardy either in or out of the ring.

Saturdays of Glory (Part One)

2008-01-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

Saturdays of Glory (Part One)

2008-01-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, Saturdays were the best day of the week for me and my brother. Not only was there no school but wrestling was on! After Saturday morning cartoons, it was time for the best part of the day-Jim Crockett Promotion's (JCP) Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling. With stars like Ricky Steamboat, Jay Youngblood, Blackjack Mulligan, Ric Flair, Roddy Piper, and Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka (to name but a few), we had a solid hour of nonstop entertainment.

Things got even better when we discovered that local Canadian station CHCH was broadcasting wrestling. With the help of good weather and a good antenna, we were able to see Maple Leaf Wrestling. The show featured talent from JCP as well as local Canadian stars like Dewey Robertson and Angelo "King Kong" Mosca. With retired Canadian legend Billy "Red" Lyons doing the announcing, we doubled our wrestling fix and saw even more new stars (MLW would sometimes bring in wrestlers from the AWA and WWF which meant they'd show video of them in their respective territories before showcasing them in live matches).

All good things come to an end though and Vince McMahon was buying up TV time like Pacman was gobbling up power pellets in arcades around the country. One day I tuned in to watch Ric Flair and I got Bob Backlund. ARGGGH!!! While the WWF had its fair share of talented wrestlers, the promotion couldn't hold a candle to my beloved Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling. Jim Crockett lined up some of the most colorful wrestlers around while the WWF at the time had guys like Bob Backlund, The Wild Samoans, and Tony Garea. Granted, all of these guys were solid performers but they weren't Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat, or Roddy Piper. Worse yet, the WWF booked squash match after squash match with a rare angle thrown in from time to time.

Once in a while, a JCP star would show up in WWF, catching my interest. However it just wasn't the same. Seeing a former JCP favorite "Cowboy" Bob Orton feud with Bob Backlund did nothing for me, especially with the WWF style of booking (The WWF booked their weekly shows with squash match after squash match with a rare angle thrown in from time to time. Worse yet, feuds took forever to develop).

Fortunately for us, there was still Maple Leaf Wrestling to tune in to. After the WWF show , we eagerly tuned in to the often fuzzy broadcasts of Maple Leaf Wrestling to catch up on the latest action in JCP. That and the Apter mags were my lifeline to my favorite promotion. Through them, I kept up with all the storylines and longed for the day when JCP returned to Buffalo.

Then it happened. Oh cruel fate. What did I do to deserve this, not once but twice? One day I tuned in to Maple Leaf Wrestling to see the WWF stars alongside announcer Billy "Red" Lyons. Now, I was stuck with not one but two hours of crappy WWF TV. Vince McMahon had robbed me of my only pleasure in life.

Little did I know that business was about to pick up and the best was yet to come. Cable TV was going to open my eyes to an entirely new wrestling experience.

The Top Ten Greatest Moments of 2008 (Part Two)

2008-01-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

5. Floyd Mayweather breaks the Big Show’s nose: Show’s surprise return at No Way Out led to an even bigger surprise when boxer Floyd “Money” Mayweather intervened in a Big Show beatdown on Rey Mysterio, breaking the giant’s nose in the process. The fans quickly rallied to the Big Show’s side though when given the choice of cheering cocky outsider Mayweather or rooting for a WWE Superstar. Despite their Wrestlemania match being a complete mismatch on paper, the buildup to the match and the match itself turned out to be surprisingly good.

4. Chris Jericho puts Shawn Michaels through the Jeri-Tron 6000: A good angle can always be recycled and Chris Jericho’s heel turn on Shawn Michaels couldn’t help but bring back memories of Shawn Michaels putting his partner Marty Jannetty through a window during his heel turn way back when. As exciting as the attack on Michaels was, things just kept getting better with Michaels’ wife getting clobbered by Jericho (“accidentally” according to Jericho), Michaels getting revenge in an unsanctioned match, and Jericho winning an exciting ladder match against Michaels. This feud reminded fans what a good feud is all about-escalating encounters that keep the fans on the edge of their seat looking for the face to get the ultimate revenge.

3. Ric Flair’s Farewell Address: Flair’s farewell address was the icing on the cake of a tremendous weekend celebration honoring the greatest performer in the industry’s history. After an unforgettable Hall of Fame ceremony and an emotional final match at Wrestlemania, the WWE assembled a Who’s Who from Flair’s past to honor his retirement from the business. This is how you treat a legend when he finally decides to hang up the boots .

2. Matt and Jeff Hardy win respective World Championships: Matt and Jeff Hardy have always been way over with the fans. Matt and Jeff Hardy have always sold more then their fair share of merchandise. And yet, until recently, they couldn’t get the time of day from WWE Creative. That changed in 2008 when WWE Creative got solidly behind both men and decided that maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to put someone in the main event that has a huge fanbase. Hopefully the WWE will continue to let the fans guide them rather than writers who seem to have lost touch with what sells in professional wrestling.

1. CM Punk cashes in his Money in the Bank Title Match: This moment more than any other, had fans on the edge of their seats, screaming at their TV’s and hoping that CM Punk would continue the impressive list of MITB winners to successfully convert their win into a world championship win. After Batista came out and destroyed Edge during an episode of Monday Night RAW, time seemed to stand still when Punk’s music played and the “Straight Edged Superstar” came out with his MITB briefcase. This great moment epitomized the WWE’s new direction in 2008 as the company finally seemed to recognize talent that is over with the fans and focus on building new stars for the future.