Ask the Tart: Archive 1

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Thread archived from https://www.606v2.com/t2445-ask-the-tart - Kiwireddevil

CrippledTart wrote:
By popular demand (Miky), here is a v2 verson of my 606 thread "Ask Me Ref".

As stated on the 606 version, this isn't just for people to ask me questions (I do not consider myself to be the biggest wrestling genius in the world contrary to the impression you get from some of my posts!), it's for people to ask questions and ANYONE who knows the answer to provide it.

This is not an opinion thread, per se. It is for those random wrestling musings you may have had but never got the answer to.

So if there's anything you ever wondered about wrestling, and never knew who to ask, go for it.

Bobby Roode wrote:If Hogan and Bischoff could create their perfect wrestler, who or what would it be like?

Hero wrote:2. Austin.
He’s widely regarded as one of if not the greatest ‘star’ to grace the industry. Whilst Hogan & HHH are often derided by the IWC for using their influence and power backstage, Austin seems above derision. Firstly what abuse of politics has Austin been guilty of, and why does he not fall into the Hogan/HHH category in the eyes of the IWC?

Good question. Steve Austin definitely used his political clout at times, but it was when he thought something was bad for business. Triple H and Hogan have a tendency to bury wrestlers they see as a threat, whereas Austin to my knowledge never acted that way.

He was fiercely protective of his character, and a student of the industry who had a good idea of what was good and bad for business. He was also accused of being paranoid at times.

Austin refused to work programmes with Jeff Jarrett and Billy Gunn in the summer of 1999. Gunn because he didn't rate him, Jarrett because the two had personal heat over Jarrett criticising the "Austin 3:16" gimmick as blasphemous. There were rumours he wouldn't put over Triple H in 1999 as well, but these are believed to be unfounded (he did a job for him at No Mercy). He also refused to do the job in an unadvertised match with Brock Lesnar on Raw in 2002, arguing that it would be bad for business. Austin's logic was that, as the biggest name in the company, it would have more effect if Brock ran through others on his way to a big PPV showdown between the two, where he would be happy to put Brock over.

The business he did in 1998 and 1999 was phenomenal, and meant that he had no political challengers. However Triple H's ascendance led to tension, and Austin felt insecure in his spot as the top guy. This led to a drastic change around 2000, when he suddenly became harder to work with. Austin did not take well to Vince having a new favourite, and protected his territory any time he felt challenged. He did not last much longer as a full-time main eventer, mainly because of his condition but also largely because the situation had diminished his passion for wrestling.

Another key was Austin's character: He was the toughest guy in the room. He took on all kinds of numbers and usually won. This made incredible money but did not lend itself to putting others over. In fact the WWF didn't want him doing jobs to anyone when they could help it - even tainted ones - while so much money was rolling in. Austin's character was dominant, not just physically but also in that he took up everyone's attention. This was a big plus for the WWF in his peak run, but in his latter years it became a hindrance. As the sheriff, when he was for all intents and purposes retired, he undercut every wrestler he came into contact with. And without great feuds to sink his teeth into, his promos suffered, he relied more on the tired beer drinking routine, and became something of a parody.

Austin didn't boost an awful lot of careers, but it wasn't with malice. Therein lies the difference between him and Triple H or Hogan. For the most part, he did what he thought was right for business.

Pillman from memory was trying to really sell his lose Cannon image and he convinced Bischoff to give him a legit contract release so he could go to ECW to sell it, Pillman was playing Bischoff though and just wanted his release

Following on from the Randy Orton interview that was posted on here I was surprised to hear that Kelly Kelly is something of an exercise bike around the locker room. Is this a fairly common occurance?

Obviously CM Punk is rumoured to have had his "fill" of Divas and Melina's reputation proceeds her. Are the others like that as well.

Also have carnal relations ever got a superstar or Diva into major trouble (barring the notable Chyna/HHH and Savage/Stephanie encounters)?

Many thanks

Batista is rumoured to have pumped Kelly Kelly, Mike Know did too and Jericho was heavily rumoured to have nailed her last year, there was whispers that she was with Zeke but can't find any info on it.

Jerry Lawler had to resign when Vince sacked the Kat, Vince got into more bother than anyone he employs, must have spent a fortune keeping Diva's quiet.

And of course there's the whole Edge/Lita/Matt Hardy thing.....

has anyone got the link to the randy orton radio interview?

Cheers

It was at RandyOrton.com, not sure if it's still there?

Why has Shane McMahon distanced himself from WWE?
Does he have any role (or will he have one in the future) in making any decisions relating to WWE?
Was Stephanie always the planned heiress, or did Vince decide on who would be best based on their performance?
What does Shane do now?

Also have carnal relations ever got a superstar or Diva into major trouble (barring the notable Chyna/HHH and Savage/Stephanie encounters)?

There's the story regarding Mickie James who firstly became infatuated with Cena (they dated for a short while) and then tried her luck with Batista (who probably dipped his wick so to speak), he wasn't having her do the same as she did with Cena so humiliated her by posting up several explicit photos of her backstage.

Hero wrote:Also have carnal relations ever got a superstar or Diva into major trouble (barring the notable Chyna/HHH and Savage/Stephanie encounters)?

There's the story regarding Mickie James who firstly became infatuated with Cena (they dated for a short while) and then tried her luck with Batista (who probably dipped his wick so to speak), he wasn't having her do the same as she did with Cena so humiliated her by posting up several explicit photos of her backstage.

The more I hear about Batista the more I can see why Triple H liked him so much - because he's a complete and utter cLInt

Sorry if you've done this in a previous thread but which particular aspects make you against HHH?

Ché Guerrero wrote:Sorry if you've done this in a previous thread but which particular aspects make you against HHH?

Dear God, never ask Crips for his thoughts on 888!

Me thinks that'd take a whole new thread. A very, VERY long one......

Electric Demon wrote:Why has Shane McMahon distanced himself from WWE?
Does he have any role (or will he have one in the future) in making any decisions relating to WWE?
Was Stephanie always the planned heiress, or did Vince decide on who would be best based on their performance?
What does Shane do now?

He works for a PPV company I think. I was reading the other day that he's been working in China (the country) on some kind of video on demand service. He also represents Rory McIlroy in some kind of official capacity; that's why he often accompanies his father at golfing events.

He is not a WWE employee, and has said that there is still some resentment over the fact that he left the company. He's always been closer to Linda than Vince, and is more comfortable as a businessman than a writer or performer.

I think he just wanted to sink or swim on his own merits, rather than staying in the family business. It has also become more apparent over time that Vince's successors will be Stephanie and/or Triple H, and maybe that stood in the way of his ambitions - he is a CEO in his current company, whereas that was unlikely to ever happen in WWE.

I don't think Vince has always planned for one or the other to take over his company; obviously that was his ideal scenario, and he probably expected Shane to fill his shoes, but it just didn't work out like that. He doesn't have the passion for wrestling that Stephanie has.

It wouldn't be a shock to see him return one day, but like anyone who leaves WWE he'll have to work twice as hard to regain the company's faith if he does.

Davieswasacrippledtart wrote:

Electric Demon wrote:Why has Shane McMahon distanced himself from WWE?
Does he have any role (or will he have one in the future) in making any decisions relating to WWE?
Was Stephanie always the planned heiress, or did Vince decide on who would be best based on their performance?
What does Shane do now?

He works for a PPV company I think. I was reading the other day that he's been working in China (the country) on some kind of video on demand service. He also represents Rory McIlroy in some kind of official capacity; that's why he often accompanies his father at golfing events.

He is not a WWE employee, and has said that there is still some resentment over the fact that he left the company. He's always been closer to Linda than Vince, and is more comfortable as a businessman than a writer or performer.

I think he just wanted to sink or swim on his own merits, rather than staying in the family business. It has also become more apparent over time that Vince's successors will be Stephanie and/or Triple H, and maybe that stood in the way of his ambitions - he is a CEO in his current company, whereas that was unlikely to ever happen in WWE.

I don't think Vince has always planned for one or the other to take over his company; obviously that was his ideal scenario, and he probably expected Shane to fill his shoes, but it just didn't work out like that. He doesn't have the passion for wrestling that Stephanie has.

It wouldn't be a shock to see him return one day, but like anyone who leaves WWE he'll have to work twice as hard to regain the company's faith if he does.

Hmmmmmmmmm. A video on demand service showing Shane O'Mac working in Chyna.....

Not sure how high the demand would be....

(Sorry, Crips, I couldn't help myself.)

good on shane i say! he had a massive role during the attitude era anyway. so for someone who is neither a wrestler or built like one, hes done very well and has rightly left at the right time. would love to see him back one day but imo he wont come back. he probably saw his dad and thought i dont want to see my kids grow up to be the person he is or was

by 'he' i mean vince

Seriously, I think I heard that, whilst he wasn't fired, he was asked to leave the WWE - do you know if this is right, Crips?

Hero wrote:

Ché Guerrero wrote:Sorry if you've done this in a previous thread but which particular aspects make you against HHH?

Dear God, never ask Crips for his thoughts on 888!

If you click on any random article on this board, you'll probably find an anti-Triple H post by me. Even in the darts section.

Though it is a little-known fact that I once had a Triple H poster on my bedroom door. My mum went to the seaside for the day and brought it back a gift, it was one of those disgustingly luminous wrestling posters you see in tacky seaside shops. I was 20 years old, I didn't really want wrestling posters any more, but I put it up on the inside of the door where most people wouldn't see it.

I actually thought Triple H was pretty good back then. In fact, he was amazing back then. But within a year I went off him, and my hatred has grown from there.

John Cena's Speech writer wrote:Seriously, I think I heard that, whilst he wasn't fired, he was asked to leave the WWE - do you know if this is right, Crips?

I don't think this is the case. It sounds very much like Shane decided to leave.

Cripps -- what are the relationships like between some of the big stars of the company? Specifically between Cena, HHH, Orton and Punk?

I always wonder in my mind who is really friendly with each other backstage and Punk mentioned he quite liked Cena in his promo -- which I take as an actual shoot comment!

Crips, do you think kane should ever wear his mask again?

TNA time?
Why is Christopher Daniels treated so badly and why does he allow himself to be treated like this!
Did the original MEM storyline run how it was meant to go

“Cripps -- what are the relationships like between some of the big stars of the company? Specifically between Cena, HHH, Orton and Punk?

I always wonder in my mind who is really friendly with each other backstage and Punk mentioned he quite liked Cena in his promo -- which I take as an actual shoot comment!”

Cena and Orton are really good friends (Cena’s best friend, believe it or not, is Michael Cole!) and I think both get on well with Punk. Triple H isn’t really “one of the boys” and hasn’t been for a long time – he doesn’t hang around the locker room or travel with the other wrestlers. It’s not really practical given his role in the company, and also he is of a previous generation so gets on better with the people around his age. He has definitely butted heads with Punk and Orton in the past but I think he respects them both and gets on pretty well with them. I’ve never really been able to work out his relationship with Cena. He knows that Vince and Stephanie McMahon are both really huge fans of Cena, but I’m not convinced he is so impressed. I think he’s cordial and civil towards Cena but I do have an inkling that if Triple H was running the show it would not revolve around him the way it does now.


“Crips, do you think kane should ever wear his mask again?”

Personally, I don’t think so. It’s nine years now since he took it off, and I think he’s grown as a character without it. If they make a big deal out of his retirement, when the time comes, it might be a nice bit of symbolism to reward long-time fans, but I don’t think he should go back to wearing it full time.


“TNA time?
Why is Christopher Daniels treated so badly and why does he allow himself to be treated like this!
Did the original MEM storyline run how it was meant to go”

I’m not sure what you mean about Daniels. How is he treated badly? I think the people running the company see him as a good worker but not really a star. I can’t remember any specifics of him being humiliated or anything though? My memory might have totally let me down here though so feel free to elaborate.

The MEM storyline didn’t run as planned, but it’s probably fair to say it ran as expected. The whole thing was a reference to the paranoid ex-WCW stars who were eager to hog their spots and keep earning the big money. What you saw on the screen was borne out of the backstage politicking that was going on, especially on the part of Kevin Nash. They gave the impression that eventually numerous home grown TNA stars would be elevated by defeating the Mafia, but alas that moment never came. The only obvious resolution to the storyline was that the good guys, the TNA guys, won the day and proved the greedy heels wrong, but that didn’t happen. All we got was a constant stream of one-sided heel triumphs. Much like the angle when Kevin Nash was running through the X Division squashing one wrestler after another, and the pay off was supposed to be a clean win for Chris Sabin over Nash to prove that the X Division wasn’t all the things Nash said it was, but that never came either. Much like the Nash-Joe angle, which was supposed to elevate Joe but ended up with Nash looking the stronger of the two. Much like the NWO emasculated the whole of the WCW babyface roster in 1996 and 97.

It’s all a game, and it’s the same game that is being played in TNA today by Bischoff and Hogan. To keep delaying the babyface comeback, so that they stay relevant and stay in a job, until there simply never is a resolution to the storyline and the whole thing fizzles out, and nobody gets over at their expense. The common theme, of course, is Eric Bischoff, Hulk Hogan and Kevin Nash.

Thanks Cripps -- thouroughly interesting.

I get the feeling that Cena and HHH may have a frosty sort of relationship too. Just a sort of polite one, but they clearly represent different eras and different things.

Can't believe Cena and Cole are close! Which leads me to wonder, how is Cole seen in WWE, among the wrestlers and the higher-ups?

Kind of surprised Cena and Orton are good friends too -- seems like they have very different characters to me...

Cole is generally seen as ok but a bit of a tool. He was said to have got ridiculously big-headed during his huge heel push, but I wondered if that information was deliberately leaked to get more heat on him.

Cena and Orton are big fans of each other as performers, so I guess a lot of it is mutual respect. They've also taken a similar path to the top at a similar time, so they can relate to each other better than anyone else on the roster.

They might have more in common than you think. Don't forget, Cena is very much "switched on" whenever you see him in public. We never really get to see the true John Cena, only the wholesome babyface character.

Yeah Orton saying that no-one can touch Cena on the mic made me raise an eyebrow -- clearly respects him.

I sincerely hope Cena is more like his heel rapper character. Going around cussing people out with rhymes.

There was a thread on the niceboard a few years back of someone who had actually met the real Cena - or claimed to anyway. It was when the WWE were touring the UK and happened to be in Belfast on the Monday night when the taped RAW was being aired. This guy happened to be staying in the same hotel (The Culloden I think) as the WWE entourage and actually watched RAW in the hotel lounge with Cena, a few wrestlers and other employees. A few things I remember from it was that Cena apparently is fond of the more colourful language and he also actually cringed at one of his own promos, claiming that Vince had actually wrote it and not him.

It alls sounded true enough, but I couldn't vouch for that.

I can't imagine him being so squeaky clean in real life so I guess that fits for me. Not to say he's a bad guy -- just normal!

With Daniels I mean being giving gimmicks like Curry Man, he hasn't held a title for ages and never the big one which for a man of his talents is surprising

Daniels isn't world title material. He is a great wrestler, but doesn't have the whole package to be considered at that level.

I agree on Daniels. Obviously it's all down to personal opinion, but mine is that he's a good worker (but not great) who doesn't have the charisma or the it factor that it takes to be a main eventer or a world champion.

I believe titles should only be given to wrestlers that a promotion truly wants to showcase as their main stars. Daniels wouldn't be my choice to hold a title belt and obviously isn't TNA's choice.

I imagine re the Curry Man character they might have had plans for him but dropped them. If I remember rightly, wasn't he "fired" as part of the storyline, and came back as Curry Man? I guess Curry Man was a wink towards the smart crowd who knew it was him playing the gimmick.

I'm sure I read that Daniels really enjoys playing Curryman and it was his request to use it in TNA.

Crips, the god awful end to the heel - Cole / Lawler feud. Was that the original plan (and therefore horribly written), or was there a plan to split up the commentary team?

For me, it started out as an entertaining sideshow, got interesting after Jerry's mother passed (still not sure how I feel about Cole using that in a promo a few days later), gave me a couple of good excuses for a ppv smoke break, and then.... Poopie. Big, huge, ginormous piles of poopie. He'll, the guys are sitting next to each other week in, week out. After hating each other in a passionate feud. And heel Cole, who was a real heat magnet...... Evaporates. Or something. And goes back to being regular Micheal Cole.

Crips, Orton has had quite a bit of a chequered past before he properly cemented his place in the main event.
He obviously mentioned his overdose this week but what else was he involved in?

Hero wrote:Crips, Orton has had quite a bit of a chequered past before he properly cemented his place in the main event.
He obviously mentioned his overdose this week but what else was he involved in?

i can answer that 1 - i did an article on after the jeff hardy scandal

orton's checkered history
https://www.606v2.com/t1319-if-this-was-anyone-else-they-would-be-fired-by-now

Brilliant article fernando

Re Cole/Lawler, I think you have summed up many of the things that are wrong with WWE storytelling. I don't believe they'd ever thought far enough ahead that they knew what would happen after the culmination of the feud. Wrestlemania was the obvious time to end it, but WWE thought there was more life in heel Cole so they extended the feud (and made the WM segment about 15 minutes longer than it needed to be).

To be fair to them, there was a pay-off of sorts at the Extreme Rules PPV, but now they are now sitting next to each other just like before, almost as though nothing ever happened. This kind of incompetent storytelling gradually results in the audience losing its faith - if everything goes back to normal afterwards, why should they care who wins or loses a feud?

I think you're right to be confused, and my only answer to you is that WWE hopes that most of its audience doesn't pay the same amount of attention. It's a dangerous game to play.

Crips,

How does a wrestler communicate with his opponent in the ring if he doesn't speak the lingo? I'm thinking of Sin Cara, do you think this could have contributed to his shaky start in WWE?

Brady12 wrote:Crips,

How does a wrestler communicate with his opponent in the ring if he doesn't speak the lingo? I'm thinking of Sin Cara, do you think this could have contributed to his shaky start in WWE?

That's a good question. As far as I know, many of the basic moves are known by the same name everywhere. Every Mexican or Japanese wrestler knows what a suplex or a clothesline is, just as an American knows what a Majistral Cradle is.

Whether it is holding Sin Cara back, I'm not sure. One certainty is that only having the most basic communication skills in the ring can't be helping him.

Cheers Nando on the link btw, great read.

Davieswasacrippledtart wrote:

Brady12 wrote:Crips,

How does a wrestler communicate with his opponent in the ring if he doesn't speak the lingo? I'm thinking of Sin Cara, do you think this could have contributed to his shaky start in WWE?

That's a good question. As far as I know, many of the basic moves are known by the same name everywhere. Every Mexican or Japanese wrestler knows what a suplex or a clothesline is, just as an American knows what a Majistral Cradle is.

Whether it is holding Sin Cara back, I'm not sure. One certainty is that only having the most basic communication skills in the ring can't be helping him.

There's one ref who speaks Spanish, and the same ref works with him on every house show, and acts as his translator.

What holds Sin Cara back is that he's so desperate to get over, he rushes everything, and the majority of what he does is mis-timed because he's just a step ahead of his opponent.

The question I've always wondered is this:

At the height of the Monday Night Wars, there are lots of stories about people switching companies, Shawn Michaels demanded his release, Bret moved, Hogan moved...

What about the Undertaker? Did he ever ask to go to WCW, and was WCW even interested in hiring him?

I think Bischoff mentioned in his book that he offered the Undertaker a contract in 1997 but he turned it down. It's hard to see how he would have been successful elsewhere without the gimmick - assuming WWE had it owned the right to The Undertaker name that is.

I have heard rumours that Undertaker spoke with Bischoff. Considering how lucrative it was to play one company off against the other in contract talks, it would have been foolish of him not to!

However, as stated, The Undertaker had very little value outside his gimmick. Imagine Kane turning up in TNA today, with a different name and gimmick, then imagine it on a much greater scale. Mark Calaway on his own wouldn't have been worth a great deal if he wasn't allowed to use the Undertaker name or mannerisms, and if WCW wasn't allowed to use the same special effects to make him stand out. His wrestling and promo skills on their own wouldn't have stood out above anyone else.

I do personally find it funny when people talk about Taker being WWE through and through and praise his loyalty to the company. I've no doubt that, when WCW was pummelling the WWF in the ratings, if Eric Bischoff had doubled his salary, given him creative control and bought the gimmick from Vince, he'd have signed on the dotted line!

Ok, I knew that companies could copywrite a talents name, but can they own the rights to his or her entrance music (if it wasn't created for the company - I realise that 'Takers music was made for him) and mannerisms? And I'm guessing they don't do it for every wrestler - MVP is working in Japan under the name MVP, I think. Any reason why they'd not copywrite the name, if the wrestler doesn't own the rights to it?

Any experts on copywriting law out there.....?

John Cena's Speech writer wrote:Ok, I knew that companies could copywrite a talents name, but can they own the rights to his or her entrance music (if it wasn't created for the company - I realise that 'Takers music was made for him) and mannerisms? And I'm guessing they don't do it for every wrestler - MVP is working in Japan under the name MVP, I think. Any reason why they'd not copywrite the name, if the wrestler doesn't own the rights to it?

Any experts on copywriting law out there.....?

Obviously if the entrance music wasn't their creation, they can't copyright it. But original compositions are their property. As for the mannerisms, I think it would come under "likeness", but it is a grey area. When Scott Hall debuted in WCW, the WWF issued a cease and desist order to stop him talking like Razor Ramon and to prevent WCW portraying him and Nash as WWF employees (hence the interview where Bischoff asked them outright whether they worked for the WWF. This was to legally cover WCW). However the lawsuit dragged on for years. But Hall still used similar mannerisms, presumably because the WWF wouldn't have been able to legally prove that those weren't just Scott Hall's own personal mannerisms!

In the case of Undertaker, his mannerisms are such an integral part of the character (much like Ramon's accent) that it would be unmistakable.

I expect MVP was given permission to use his gimmick in Japan because a) he wasn't moving to a major rival promotion and b) he isn't a big enough star. I'm not sure how it works but there is probably a fee involved. If he joined TNA, I doubt he'd be able to use the same gimmick. If Undertaker had joined WCW, he was definitely a big enough star and WCW was definitely a big enough rival that there would have been no way Vince would have allowed it!

Thanks Crips

The WWE gave MVP the nod to use the gimmick as long as its not in direct competition (i.e TNA) and that suggests to me that they expect him to come back with more fans and experiance

Ahh, I was thinking they might have only trademarked Montel Vontavious Porter rather than MVP, but then I realised with the lawyer team I expect WWE have, it would be naive to think they'd overlook something so simple.

Hey cripps, just wondering why on earth the WWE are continuing to use the name Michael McGillicutty, and not giving him real name and using Hennig?

It seems idiotic to me that they don't make the link, and is there any chance they will ever reveal him as Joe Hennig?

I always remember reading that the WWE were so excited about having The Rock come on board as a third generation wrestler -- what has changed here?

sodhat wrote:Hey cripps, just wondering why on earth the WWE are continuing to use the name Michael McGillicutty, and not giving him real name and using Hennig?

It seems idiotic to me that they don't make the link, and is there any chance they will ever reveal him as Joe Hennig?

I always remember reading that the WWE were so excited about having The Rock come on board as a third generation wrestler -- what has changed here?

Just thought I'd butt in. I think it'd due to the fact that Joe Henig is his real name so WWE can't copyright it.

True, and I did consider it...but the guy is a third generation wrestler and they can't market him as that. It just seems a bit silly to me.