Ask the Tart: Archive 1

by crippledtart Thu 24 Mar 2011, 11:53 am

First topic message reminder :

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.

by DemonicTruthSpeaker Wed 17 Aug 2011, 12:54 pm

ncfc_Tooze wrote:
UpsideDownFace wrote:What happened at the PPV (over the edge?) when Owen Hart died? How did it come across to the viewers at home? Did anyone on here watch it or seen it since? What was going on while he was being treated? Where did the PPV go after it happened? Sorry, but I dont really know that much about the incident.

If i remember correctly they cut to an interview pre recorded with owen during the entrance and cut straight to JR saying owen had had the accident. the event carried on as they argued it would have been what owen wanted
here is what was shown https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXWoYRErgW4

They also had to take into account Owen's wife and family. They couldn't exactly announce his death live on TV without firstly contacting the next of kin. The argument also was that if they stopped the show, that would be virtually announcing that Owen was dead.

It did, of course, lead to a lot of criticism for WWE, but in their defence, what could they do?

by crippledtart Wed 17 Aug 2011, 1:19 pm

DemonicTruthSpeaker wrote:

It did, of course, lead to a lot of criticism for WWE, but in their defence, what could they do?

Stop the show!

If Wayne Rooney dropped dead during a football match, would they just sub him and continue the game? If one of Take That died in the middle of a gig, would they really just cart him out and carry on?

I've said it before - wrestling is such a warped industry that we as viewers end up thinking the most bizarre notions are normal. The reason they didn't stop the show is because it was a logistical nuisance, plain and simple. Ever heard that old saying "Please don't die, it's far too much paperwork"?! That sums up WWE on the night Owen Hart died.

Sorry, this isn't supposed to be an opinion thread but I'm only responding to yours.

by crippledtart Wed 17 Aug 2011, 1:36 pm

John Cena's Speech writer wrote:Crips, what does the term 'Bigfooted' mean? I saw it used a few times in reference to the end of Summerslam....

It means to overshadow someone, particularly when they appeared to have started getting some traction in a starring role.

I guess it's a metaphor for someone leaving footprints and then someone else just turning up and making bigger footprints all over them??!

by MtotheC's Wrasslin Biatch Wed 17 Aug 2011, 1:38 pm

When you mentioned it on another thread I thought you meant he Big Booted him and just got your words muddled

by UpsideDownFace Wed 17 Aug 2011, 2:01 pm

Electric Demon wrote: When you mentioned it on another thread I thought you meant he Big Booted him and just got your words muddled

I thought exactly the same!!!!!

Crips, what went wrong when Goldberg kicked Bret Hart in the head? I was watching the video that was posted with the Owen Hart incident and saw it there. I believe he had a stroke or this is believed to be what caused him to have a stroke? It didn't look too bad watching it so that's why I'm wondering why it lead to something very serious.

Also, why was Rikishi the one that ran over Stone Cold at Survivor Series 1999? Was it meant to be someone else all along and there was a last minute hiccup that meant they had to put it on someone else? It just always seemed weird that it was Rikishi. I know he was around the main event 2000-2001 time so I suppose it makes sense. Have you got some good information behind it?

by crippledtart Wed 17 Aug 2011, 2:07 pm

UpsideDownFace wrote:Also, just watching RR 2001 and honky tonk man came out. Whats his story? He is before my time. Ive heard his name mentioned quite a few times but to me, he just looks like a fat Elvis impersonator

The most important point, first of all, is that Honky had stopped being a full-time wrestler almost a decade before this; 2001 was not the prime of his career! His peak was the mid to late 80s.

Essentially he was a joke character, but he was one who turned out to be an unlikely draw as a vulnerable heel IC champion for 18 months.

Wayne Ferris had been around for years doing a similar gimmick in the territories before the WWF signed him up in 1986. Under the name of The Honky Tonk Man, he was initially a babyface, and pushed as a friend of Hulk Hogan's! But he played the role so obnoxiously that the fans resented him straight away. He was soon turned heel, and used mainly as a comedy character. But the heat that he generated got him noticed, not least by Hogan, and he was given a shock victory over Jake Roberts at Wrestlemania 3. He was the kind of heel Hogan loved, because he wasn't a threat to his spot; nobody would ever have taken Honky seriously as the top babyface star.

When Ricky Steamboat requested time off soon after WM3 to spend with his newborn son, he was punished by being forced to drop the IC title to Honky. It was presumed that Honky was a transitional champion and the belt would end up with Randy Savage or Jake Roberts, but he garnered so much heat that the WWF soon realised it was onto something. The "greatest Intercontinental champion of all time" catchphrase was supposed to be ironic, because he was so vulnerable, and spent most of his matches selling, but he ended up keeping the belt so long that the myth has grown with time.

Honky was a big, big draw as champion. In a time when title changes were still important (contrast with Cody Rhodes' victory over Zeke Jackson last week), people paid money to see his title defenses because they believed on any given night that he could be beaten. He is a major part of the reason why WWE still to this day books its heel champions to look so weak. He was one of the best, most unbearable, most obnoxious heel promos in the business. People hated him, and they hated that somehow he always retained the title.

Eventually he dropped the belt to The Ultimate Warrior in a squash match at Summerslam 88, and quietly dropped to the bottom of the card as a comedy act. But while that reign lasted, especially the first year of it, it was the archetype of how to book a vulnerable heel champion and make money.

I can see why you might think he looks like a fat Elvis impersonator, and it's true he was never in great shape not a great in-ring technician, didn't convey any kind of toughness and just appeared to be something of a sad joke. But those things worked to his advantage: When somebody is all of those things, but has an unshakeable arrogance and delusions of greatness, and wants to tell everybody about how great he is when he blatantly isn't, that is a cocktail for a good heel. When you give him a belt that nobody can get off him, you turn him into a great heel.

by liverbnz Wed 17 Aug 2011, 2:25 pm

How is it known, or how do you know that the Honky Tonk Man was a big draw? I thought viewing figures, ticket sales, ratings, buys, etc were always measured against the wrestler with the top belt. Did the WWE put on shows with Honky at the top of the bill, without the then WWF champ? (Hogan I imagine)

by crippledtart Wed 17 Aug 2011, 3:26 pm

UpsideDownFace wrote:
Electric Demon wrote: When you mentioned it on another thread I thought you meant he Big Booted him and just got your words muddled

I thought exactly the same!!!!!

Crips, what went wrong when Goldberg kicked Bret Hart in the head? I was watching the video that was posted with the Owen Hart incident and saw it there. I believe he had a stroke or this is believed to be what caused him to have a stroke? It didn't look too bad watching it so that's why I'm wondering why it lead to something very serious.

Also, why was Rikishi the one that ran over Stone Cold at Survivor Series 1999? Was it meant to be someone else all along and there was a last minute hiccup that meant they had to put it on someone else? It just always seemed weird that it was Rikishi. I know he was around the main event 2000-2001 time so I suppose it makes sense. Have you got some good information behind it?

Ha, I thought it was a common word to use in that instance. Maybe I made it up!...

Bret suffered a concussion from the Goldberg kick but then continued to wrestle, and suffered multiple further concussions as a result. This resulted in post-concussion syndrome, which affected him for years afterwards. When he fell off his bike and had a stroke, I presume the reason he had a stroke was because of the concussions he'd suffered.

I am not aware of Rikishi being a last minute choice as Austin's assailant. As far as I know it was a genuine attempt to elevate him into the main event. Funnily enough, the reason Triple H was revealed as the mastermind of the hit and run was because Rikishi turned out to be such a dud in the role. So, Rikishi was not a replacement for anyone else, but ironically he had to be replaced himself, if that makes sense!

by crippledtart Wed 17 Aug 2011, 3:29 pm

liverbnz wrote:How is it known, or how do you know that the Honky Tonk Man was a big draw? I thought viewing figures, ticket sales, ratings, buys, etc were always measured against the wrestler with the top belt. Did the WWE put on shows with Honky at the top of the bill, without the then WWF champ? (Hogan I imagine)

Good question. The reason is that the best source of information at that time was house shows. The WWF in the 80s ran as many as three house shows a night with different crews: One headlined by Hogan ("the A show"), and usually a "B show" headlined by the likes of Randy Savage or an Intercontinental title match. Sometimes there would also be a C show in a smaller area.

So Honky did headline Hogan-less house shows, and those house shows drew big money.

by UpsideDownFace Wed 17 Aug 2011, 5:03 pm

Thanks for the answers crips and everyone else. Regarding the rikishi thing, I was 9 at the the time and just remember thinking it was poopy to have him be the driver. I was always a fan of rikishi in those times but just didn't believe that it could be him in that role.

by Holymiky Wed 17 Aug 2011, 6:38 pm

I have been thinking, i was watching RAW and i noticed in Kevin Nash's introduction, they said the most influencial and charasmatic superstar or something like that. Is this something that HHH would of got them to say or is there any truth in either of those?

by JoshSansom Wed 17 Aug 2011, 6:44 pm

Holymiky wrote:I have been thinking, i was watching RAW and i noticed in Kevin Nash's introduction, they said the most influencial and charasmatic superstar or something like that. Is this something that HHH would of got them to say or is there any truth in either of those?

Principally it was put in because at least half the crowd won't have heard of him and they will want to hype him as a "great" of the business and real threat to Punk etc. I would also hope that it would give Punk a bigger reaction when he goes over Nash... (whether that will happen or not though).

The second reason is also likely to be Nash's not inconsiderable ego.

by TopoftheChops Wed 17 Aug 2011, 8:23 pm

Why do you think that rey mysterio admits he has had surgery 5 times in his left knee, surely that is a weakness and makes him more vulnerable?

by JoshSansom Wed 17 Aug 2011, 8:55 pm

TopoftheChops wrote:Why do you think that rey mysterio admits he has had surgery 5 times in his left knee, surely that is a weakness and makes him more vulnerable?

It isn't in kayfabe as it is designed to discourage kids from trying those stunts ... it is not part of the show.

That said it is fairly common knowledge that he has had a lot of surgery and for storyline purposes I am sure that his competitors would realise that his high risk style would lead to weaknesses in his joints.

by Adam D Thu 18 Aug 2011, 8:50 am

New question!

I have been watching the US Celebrity Apprentice and it featured Tito Ortiz.

My question is, what was his involvement in TNA, was he ever considered for a wrestling career by them and was he a success in ratings for them.

by Beer Thu 18 Aug 2011, 8:56 am

He was used mainly to give TNA publicity, in the same way that Adam 'Pacman' Jones was.

TNA weren't exactly mainstream in 2005, so having a former UFC champ making appearances for you would give you a boost. Don't think he was a ratings success, it was a couple of one off appearances with 5 months between them, had he been big news there's no way TNA would've let him go off screen.

Lucky sod is married to Jenna Jameson! randy

by crippledtart Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:15 am

JoshSansom wrote:
TopoftheChops wrote:Why do you think that rey mysterio admits he has had surgery 5 times in his left knee, surely that is a weakness and makes him more vulnerable?

It isn't in kayfabe as it is designed to discourage kids from trying those stunts ... it is not part of the show.

That said it is fairly common knowledge that he has had a lot of surgery and for storyline purposes I am sure that his competitors would realise that his high risk style would lead to weaknesses in his joints.

I think the questioner has a great point. It reminds me of something Goldberg apparently once said when he was told to sell more, along the lines of "In a real fight I would pretend not to be hurt".

With wrestling being more about theatrics rather than a sporting event, it has always been the case that competitors go to great lengths to put a big bullseye on any weaknesses they have. In the context of "real" fighting, you're exactly right, people hide injuries rather than exacerbate them. But wrestling is about the story that is told. Taped ribs add to the drama, working on someone's previously injured knee creates a new layer to the story. Selling is a major, major part of what makes wrestling work. In fact, without selling, there isn't much point to it.

It does seem absurd, and it's another example of how close to the edge of believability wrestling is, but it enhances the product.

by TwisT Thu 18 Aug 2011, 12:45 pm

I think my post got lost in the shuffle so I am going to post it again Very Happy

Crips - In the squash matches on TV that were commonplace in the late 80's and early 90's on WWF and WCW, featuring local talent, were there any upsets? The local wrestler actually being booked to beat the well known.

Also, was Ron Simmons always planned to win the WCW against Vader in the early 90's or was he a late substitute for someone else? If it was planned, how much of it revolved around Ron's African-American heritige?

Reason I ask is I remember watching them draw lots to face Vader (or maybe it was a battle royal that Ron won) and him winning the title was totally unexpected..

by crippledtart Thu 18 Aug 2011, 2:31 pm

xTwisTx wrote:I think my post got lost in the shuffle so I am going to post it again

Crips - In the squash matches on TV that were commonplace in the late 80's and early 90's on WWF and WCW, featuring local talent, were there any upsets? The local wrestler actually being booked to beat the well known.

Also, was Ron Simmons always planned to win the WCW against Vader in the early 90's or was he a late substitute for someone else? If it was planned, how much of it revolved around Ron's African-American heritige?

Reason I ask is I remember watching them draw lots to face Vader (or maybe it was a battle royal that Ron won) and him winning the title was totally unexpected..

Sorry, I didn't answer because I think I went in depth once before on this thread about the Vader/Simmons thing. In brief, yes his ethnicity was a huge factor in him getting the push. As for whether it was the plan all along, I'm not sure how far in advance they booked it, but certainly it was planned out in advance that they would have Sting taken out by Jake Roberts and then Simmons would win the lottery for a title shot. I don't think Sting was injured, I think they just wanted a logical transition away from Sting-Vader and wanted to get the belt on Simmons asap. The booking of that show (I think it was a Clash of Champions) was outstanding, but Simmons' reign wasn't a great success.

I'm sure that if you go back through this thread you'll find a more in-depth answer as to why Simmons got the belt.

As for squash matches, they are there to showcase a wrestler, so their very purpose is to have the established star dominate and win the match. However they have been used for storyline purposes and occasionally resulted in the jobber winning. For example there have definitely been times when a wrestler appeared to be a jobber only to upset the established star; it was a textbook way to introduce a younger wrestler starting out in the territory. In fact, that's how 1-2-3 Kid was introduced to the WWF in 1993 - he started out as a plucky loser, only to shock Razor Ramon, which not only got Kid over but was instrumental in Razor turning face.

A similar storyline tool is the classic "punter comes out the crowd and turns out to be a match for the wrestler", used as recently as Santino's WWE debut, which is over a hundred years old: Back in the carny days, wrestlers would challenge members of the crowd to try and defeat them, and occasionally a plant would challenge them and win a worked fight to maintain the illusion that it was possible, and thus encourage others to do the same.

Yet more proof that wrestling may have evolved, but ultimately the things that work are largely the same things that always worked.

by JoshSansom Thu 18 Aug 2011, 2:33 pm

Didn't the Brooklyn Brawler once defeat HHH?

by crippledtart Thu 18 Aug 2011, 2:37 pm

JoshSansom wrote:Didn't the Brooklyn Brawler once defeat HHH?

I think he did, as part of the Triple H-Jericho storyline in 2000. Triple H used to be great at that kind of thing - he worked a match with Taka Michinoku around the same time where it looked for all the world like Taka would win.

My biggest problem with Triple H is that he was so good at every aspect of the business in 2000, and the most successful he's ever been as a result, and then just stopped doing the right things.

by MtotheC's Wrasslin Biatch Thu 18 Aug 2011, 2:39 pm

Crips - on a related note, could you validate my memory please?

Didn't John Cena beat Chris Jericho as a "jobber" at the beginning of his career?

by JoshSansom Thu 18 Aug 2011, 2:40 pm

Davieswasacrippledtart wrote:
JoshSansom wrote:Didn't the Brooklyn Brawler once defeat HHH?

I think he did, as part of the Triple H-Jericho storyline in 2000. Triple H used to be great at that kind of thing - he worked a match with Taka Michinoku around the same time where it looked for all the world like Taka would win.

My biggest problem with Triple H is that he was so good at every aspect of the business in 2000, and the most successful he's ever been as a result, and then just stopped doing the right things.

I saw the TAKA match - was great and really showed how it is possible to play a strong and weak heel at the same time. I vaguely remember the Brawler's win, think it was with interference by either Rock or Jericho and as you say showed HHH at his best.

Not sure if you have seen Raw, but if so with the Riley v Swagger botch spot, who's fault was it? Was Swagger supposed to call when he wanted Riley to jump up or should they have worked on that beforehand?

by JoshSansom Thu 18 Aug 2011, 2:42 pm

Electric Demon wrote:Crips - on a related note, could you validate my memory please?

Didn't John Cena beat Chris Jericho as a "jobber" at the beginning of his career?

Cena did face Angle early in his career and nearly got the victory. It is almost scary to look back on it and see how much skinnier Cena was back then... no huge chest, arms or neck...

by crippledtart Thu 18 Aug 2011, 4:04 pm

JoshSansom wrote:
Electric Demon wrote:Crips - on a related note, could you validate my memory please?

Didn't John Cena beat Chris Jericho as a "jobber" at the beginning of his career?

Cena did face Angle early in his career and nearly got the victory. It is almost scary to look back on it and see how much skinnier Cena was back then... no huge chest, arms or neck...

I watched the Angle match earlier after reading the initial question - I couldn't remember if Cena had been portrayed as a jobber.

I wouldn't put him in quite the same category, but it was a similar thing - the unknown youngster taking on the big guns and proving that he could match up to them.

And yeah, he obviously discovered a, erm, remarkable workout regime sometime after 2002.

by Holymiky Thu 18 Aug 2011, 7:48 pm

I know this isn't opinion based but would you say that Cena was on steroids Crips? I don't think he is but i can surely see why people may think so. I just doubt it.

by Fernando Thu 18 Aug 2011, 8:58 pm

I know this seems very naive but what does the CM in cm punk stand for?

by Nay Thu 18 Aug 2011, 9:13 pm

Hero wrote:CM doesnt stand for anything, it could be traced back to "Chick Magnet" when he was in a tag team.

Others include...

"Charles Montgomery"
"Cookie Monster"
"Crooked Moonsault"
"Charles Manson"

Cookie Master is another he's hinted at a lot based on that was apparantely the nickname his mum gave him as a kid.

For you Nando

by Beer Thu 18 Aug 2011, 9:14 pm

In WWE it's generally referenced as 'Chicago Made'.

Others link it to his first tag team, 'Chick Magnets'.

by Nay Thu 18 Aug 2011, 9:15 pm

Davieswasacrippledtart wrote:The name originated when he formed a tag team called the Chick Magnets on the indy scene.

He took on the moniker CM Punk, and the other guy was called CM something else.

After the Chick Magnets broke up, he kept the name, but the CM no longer stood for anything.

I'm not sure what he was called before the Chick Magnets were formed, or whether this was his first wrestling gig (which would put him in the unique position of still wrestling under the same name he debuted with).

by Beer Thu 18 Aug 2011, 9:16 pm

Nay Bother wrote:
Davieswasacrippledtart wrote:The name originated when he formed a tag team called the Chick Magnets on the indy scene.

He took on the moniker CM Punk, and the other guy was called CM something else.

After the Chick Magnets broke up, he kept the name, but the CM no longer stood for anything.

I'm not sure what he was called before the Chick Magnets were formed, or whether this was his first wrestling gig (which would put him in the unique position of still wrestling under the same name he debuted with).

CM Venom was the other guy.

by JoshSansom Thu 18 Aug 2011, 10:28 pm

Holymiky wrote:I know this isn't opinion based but would you say that Cena was on steroids Crips? I don't think he is but i can surely see why people may think so. I just doubt it.

I don't think that there can be much doubt that he has been on something at least at some point. I didn't watch WWE during his early years - was it a slow build in his physique or did he suddenly look like he-man in jorts?

Another point for the accused would be that prior to this when Cena had time on his hands he had look a), yet while working for the WWE and having limited workout time he looked substantially bigger.

Can anyone confirm, but I don't believe he has ever had a wellness violation? Is this because there are certain loophole substances, they don't test/ban all their stars or because he was on something different that didn't flag the test?

by TwisT Fri 19 Aug 2011, 8:44 am

Crips, as a percent, how much of wwe's mechanidise revenue comes from John Cena related articles? Is he surely the cash cow we are led to believe? I presume that Cena and Rey must be bringing in about 50% of mech income?

by liverbnz Fri 19 Aug 2011, 10:42 am

Considering Diesel was such a poor drawing WWF champion, how come they kept the strap on him for so long? Why didn't they give Bret or 'taker another run, or get the belt on to HBK earlier?

by **ADMIN** Sat 20 Aug 2011, 9:17 pm

Few for you based on the urban myths thread on Bleacher Report...
(apologies if you've already answered any of these)

1. Did Sid soil himself v Taker at Mania 13?
2. Did Macho Man punch Hogan prior to Mania 9 due to a fallout over Miss Elizabeth?
3. Did HBK brawl with Tommy Lee at Mania 11 over Pamela Anderson?
4. Did the Kliq dump in Jerry Lawler's crown?
5. Was Kevin Sullivan a nudist?
6. On the same lines did Raven walk around backstage with no pants on which annoyed Austin?
7. Did Lita sleep her way into the industry?
8. Did Macho Man used to lock Miss Elizabeth in the locker room through jealousy?
9. Did JBL engage in shower room antics with new guys?
10. Were Moolah and Mae Young an item at one point?
11. Did Sid have a pet squirrel that he took everywhere and it ended up biting his nether regions sending him to A&E?
12. Did Norman Smiley once knock out Rick Steiner?

by JoshSansom Sat 20 Aug 2011, 9:32 pm

Are the announce tables and monitors props or real when people go through them / get cracked on the head with them? I can imagine that it wouldn't do the monitors much good if they were being thrown around like that!

by AberdeenSteve Sat 20 Aug 2011, 9:36 pm

On the topic of weapons, when a singapore cane is used is it proper contact made? I remember in the past in matches using them some wrestlers had marks from where they were hit but I am not 100% sure if it is always the case?

by **Crimey** Sat 20 Aug 2011, 9:47 pm

I always wonder the same Josh, but I'm sure those monitors are real because most of the time the announcers are using them all the way through the match.

by Beer Sun 21 Aug 2011, 8:18 pm

Crips,

What's the score with Teddy Long. He's been GM for 200 years. Why is he held in such high regard?

by MtotheC's Wrasslin Biatch Mon 22 Aug 2011, 2:37 pm

Tart,

As Smackdown is not live, is there any element of the guys on Smackdown not being trusted as much as the guys on Raw which dictates what show they go on?

Also, do they ever "re-shoot" parts that go wrong on Smackdown?

by JoshSansom Mon 22 Aug 2011, 2:52 pm

Electric Demon wrote:Tart,

As Smackdown is not live, is there any element of the guys on Smackdown not being trusted as much as the guys on Raw which dictates what show they go on?

Also, do they ever "re-shoot" parts that go wrong on Smackdown?

Yes, there seems to be an element of that - Sin Cara seemed to have been moved at least partly to give him the confidence of not appearing live as they may have thought it would have affected his ability to hit his spots correctly. (though ADR to Raw would also have been a factor).

In terms of re-shoots they may well do, though they also have the ability to selectively cut and edit different shots to cover things.

by JoshSansom Mon 22 Aug 2011, 2:58 pm

Have been watching some of the WWF coverage from 2001 (post Summerslam) and it is notable how great Austin was at making Angle into a bona fide main eventer.

No to my question though, one episode had a main event of Jericho & Jeff Hardy v RVD & Rhyno. Given that three of those four became world champs and certainly RVD would have been a bigger champ had he not had drug issues; was the original plan for Rhyno to become a main eventer?

It did seem as though he had little to no mic skills, though he had a great look and the Gore was always a great finisher.

by crippledtart Tue 23 Aug 2011, 2:59 pm

Holymiky wrote:I know this isn't opinion based but would you say that Cena was on steroids Crips? I don't think he is but i can surely see why people may think so. I just doubt it.

Yes, I lean towards believing he is on steroids. However I think Batista was more obviously a steroid user.

Why do you believe he isn't on them? Is it because he seems like a stand up kind of guy, or is it because you just don't think he has the physique of a typical steroid user?

by crippledtart Tue 23 Aug 2011, 3:05 pm

xTwisTx wrote:Crips, as a percent, how much of wwe's mechanidise revenue comes from John Cena related articles? Is he surely the cash cow we are led to believe? I presume that Cena and Rey must be bringing in about 50% of mech income?

It would be a total guess, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's over 50% between them. When you look at that roster, there aren't many who I would expect to sell a substantial amount of t-shirts. They probably sell the same number of Cena t-shirts in a week that Sheamus, Evan Bourne and Kofi Kingston put together sell in a year.

by crippledtart Tue 23 Aug 2011, 3:18 pm

liverbnz wrote:Considering Diesel was such a poor drawing WWF champion, how come they kept the strap on him for so long? Why didn't they give Bret or 'taker another run, or get the belt on to HBK earlier?

Good question. I expect that Vince truly thought Diesel could be a huge star (after all, he's really, really tall), and maybe just felt he needed time. The clique also had a lot of influence at that time; I'm sure they were all in Vince's ear at every opportunity telling him to stay the course with Diesel.

The fact is that Vince didn't see anyone else as obvious championship material. He was never convinced by Bret, because Bret looked too "normal", and was always looking for alternatives to him. Michaels likewise did not fit Vince's vision of a main event wrestler. His default setting has always been to push taller, more muscular wrestlers, and Diesel fitted the bill at that time. As for why Taker wasn't given the belt, it was because Vince at that time saw him more as a special attraction wrestler to put in marquee feuds, not a centrepiece babyface.

It was only when business got desperately bad that he was forced to abandon the Diesel reign and go with his less desired option.

by crippledtart Tue 23 Aug 2011, 3:23 pm

Hero wrote:Few for you based on the urban myths thread on Bleacher Report...
(apologies if you've already answered any of these)

1. Did Sid soil himself v Taker at Mania 13?
2. Did Macho Man punch Hogan prior to Mania 9 due to a fallout over Miss Elizabeth?
3. Did HBK brawl with Tommy Lee at Mania 11 over Pamela Anderson?
4. Did the Kliq dump in Jerry Lawler's crown?
5. Was Kevin Sullivan a nudist?
6. On the same lines did Raven walk around backstage with no pants on which annoyed Austin?
7. Did Lita sleep her way into the industry?
8. Did Macho Man used to lock Miss Elizabeth in the locker room through jealousy?
9. Did JBL engage in shower room antics with new guys?
10. Were Moolah and Mae Young an item at one point?
11. Did Sid have a pet squirrel that he took everywhere and it ended up biting his nether regions sending him to A&E?
12. Did Norman Smiley once knock out Rick Steiner?

I've never heard of most of them.

1. Never heard this
2. That is the rumour, but Linda Hogan recently disputed it
3. Apparently he was being a bit of a pr!ck towards Lee, and it caused problems. So they instead had Anderson accompany Diesel and Jenny McCarthy accompany Michaels
4. I've heard that is true
5. Ditto
6. No idea
7. Probably
8. Yes
9. Wouldn't surprise me
10. Not that I've ever heard. I think they were both heterosexual
11. Was that a Vince Russo storyline?
12. I hope so

by crippledtart Tue 23 Aug 2011, 3:28 pm

JoshSansom wrote:Are the announce tables and monitors props or real when people go through them / get cracked on the head with them? I can imagine that it wouldn't do the monitors much good if they were being thrown around like that!

Props are real, yes. WWE is happy to throw money away if it makes for good TV. I'm sure monitors don't cost that much. As for Singapore canes, again it's all real. Obviously a Singapore cane shot hurts, but cuts and bruises go away soon enough. And they hit each other in safe areas, such as the back, chest and stomach.

by crippledtart Tue 23 Aug 2011, 3:35 pm

King Beer wrote:Crips,

What's the score with Teddy Long. He's been GM for 200 years. Why is he held in such high regard?

I've always wondered this too. He went from referee to managing curtain jerkers to being the most powerful man on Smackdown. I guess it's because he's a good talker and he's good at getting others over; he's a valuable supporting character who makes the wrestlers look better. Presumably he is a good company man behind the scenes. I'm not sure whether there was an actual explanation though for why he was promoted to such a high position from being a nobody on-screen for so many years.

by crippledtart Tue 23 Aug 2011, 4:01 pm

JoshSansom wrote:Have been watching some of the WWF coverage from 2001 (post Summerslam) and it is notable how great Austin was at making Angle into a bona fide main eventer.

No to my question though, one episode had a main event of Jericho & Jeff Hardy v RVD & Rhyno. Given that three of those four became world champs and certainly RVD would have been a bigger champ had he not had drug issues; was the original plan for Rhyno to become a main eventer?

It did seem as though he had little to no mic skills, though he had a great look and the Gore was always a great finisher.

I think he was seen as a good prospect. I even recall he had Stephanie McMahon as his manager at Summerslam.

He had been a breakout star in the dying days of ECW and of course he had Paul Heyman's backstage support when he joined the WWF. I would assume that he was not seen by many within the WWF as a main eventer because of his lack of height or mic skills, but they clearly considered him a valuable role player in the invasion angle.

You also need to remember that in the summer of 2001 this would have been considered an upper midcard match within the WWF. The company had no major plans for any of the four characters. Jericho was to win the undisputed title a few months later, but it was a half-hearted push and he soon returned to the midcard after dropping the strap (his reign is remembered with rose-tinted glasses. I would put it alongside the Jack Swagger reign for impact on the grand scheme of things). On the depth chart, these four wrestlers were a long way below Austin, Triple H, The Rock, Angle, Undertaker and even Booker T and Kane.

If you were looking for wrestlers in an equivalent position today, take your pick from the multitude of upper midcarders who may have been in main events or may be one day, but at the moment are an afterthought to Cena, Punk, Orton, Triple H, The Miz, Mysterio and Del Rio.

RVD and Hardy were seen in a very similar way to how TNA management views the X division today; midcard spot monkeys with no personality. Throw in their drug use, and the WWF didn't really see either as main eventers despite how over they were. Indeed, the WWF didn't really want them to be main eventers for these reasons.

So I would say that this match was more indicative of the WWF considering the four men to be midcarders rather than wanting to turn Rhyno into a main eventer.

by Holymiky Tue 23 Aug 2011, 4:31 pm

Davieswasacrippledtart wrote:
Holymiky wrote:I know this isn't opinion based but would you say that Cena was on steroids Crips? I don't think he is but i can surely see why people may think so. I just doubt it.

Yes, I lean towards believing he is on steroids. However I think Batista was more obviously a steroid user.

Why do you believe he isn't on them? Is it because he seems like a stand up kind of guy, or is it because you just don't think he has the physique of a typical steroid user?

Actually, no. I believe his shape could easily suggest to anyone that he may be a steroid user. I know that he is the top star however and WWE may well be protecting him, they probably are.

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