wrestling / Columns
Thursday Sports Entertainment News Report 06.21.12
This has to be the most boring column on the site
Posted By: you suck (Guest) on June 14, 2012 at 03:16 AM
*Sniff sniff* Why don’t you like me? Now my feelings are hurt. You put a boo boo on my soul!
Csonka needs to take back Thursdays, or maybe Meehan could come back.
Posted By: Guest#8138 (Guest) on June 14, 2012 at 08:24 AM
Meethinks I’m getting BERRIED~! Oh no’s!
Relax ass goblins, this is the first column I’ve read on this site since Meehan left that is not written by Cook. So I’d say let the kid develop his craft and stop bitching.
Posted By: Bonerfied (Guest) on June 14, 2012 at 08:58 AM
Yeah! What he said! Thanks…Bonerfied? No worries, though. I have thick skin. If a person puts his thoughts out there every week like I do, attracting a few trolls is inevitable.
And with that, let’s dive like Scrooge McDuck into the Junk News. Huzzah!
Bonus points if that rung a bell for ya.
WORLD (WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT) NEWS TONIGHT
Scott Steiner has been on the attack, via Twitter, against Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff. Some have stated that Steiner is simply bitter or that he is working an angle, but it may actually be something else.
Word is that Scott Steiner and Jeff Jarrett are still very close, and that Steiner’s recent verbal attacks on Bischoff and Hogan might be an attempt to get Jarrett back into power in TNA.
If this is true, you’ve gotta admire the Big Bad Booty Daddy for his loyalty. It must be hard for Jeff to watch the company he built from the ground up get taken over by the same guys that arguably ran WCW into the ground. While I question Steiner’s methods, I respect his loyalty. What’s great about Steiner’s Twitter rants is that he’s hilarious, but for all the wrong reasons. Here’s a compilation of Steiner’s greatest hits:
But to play devil’s advocate, Hogan and Bischoff do bring an air of legitimacy to TNA. It seems a lot of people complain about TNA’s roster being stacked with older Sports Entertainers that are well past their prime. I’m sure SpikeTV executives use Hogan’s presence to justify their rates to advertisers. Let’s pretend you’re an ad executive who knows nothing of wrestling, and you’re not sure whether you want Spike to air your ads. Which sales pitch would be more appealing to you:
A) We have these great, young, hungry guys like Robert Roode and James Storm. Ever hear of them? Er, well, never mind that. They’re going to be the next big thing, I promise! And if that doesn’t get your attention, take a look at our X-Division, it really sets us apart from everyone else!
OR
B) You know Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff and Sting? Ever hear of them? Sure you have. So you know that those are the guys that took a small wrestling promotion and made it into the biggest in the world back in the 90’s. Well, they work for us now, and they’re ready to do it all over again. And this is your opportunity to get in on the ground floor!
I’m not saying that they make the product any better or that they ever will, but having Hogan & Bischoff at the helm can’t hurt when selling the product to the suits.
As for Steiner, he should just keep tweeting away. After all, what’s the worst that could happen?
According to nashvillecitypaper.com, TNA has taken legal action against former TNA wrestler Scott Steiner. This is following months of Twitter rants against TNA, Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff and others associated with the company.
TNA filed a “verified complaint” in Nashville Chancery Court on Monday seeking an injunction to prevent more disparaging remarks from Steiner. The company claims that Steiner breached a contract he signed in 2010 that says Steiner is “forbidden from making public statements, including tweeting, concerning TNA or any of its officers, wrestlers, or other individuals without prior approval.”
TNA has not filed an order for injunction after requesting injunctive relief in the matter, and due to that, a court hearing has not been scheduled. Part of TNA’s statement reads as follows…
“In blatant disregard of the parties’ Agreement, Steiner has engaged in a concerted effort to disparage TNA, its wrestlers, and other talent and cast them in a negative light.”
It was also revealed in the filing that Steiner was paid $2,500 per PPV appearance during his time with TNA.
Whoops. What I would like to know is how long that agreement was for. If his contract ran out, then I would think he could tweet whatever he wanted as long as it was within the legal limits of libel. (Alliteration!)
And I was surprised that Steiner was getting “only” $2500 per PPV. While it may sound like a lot of money, I would have thought that someone with the name recognition of Scott Steiner would have commanded a larger paycheck. Maybe that’s why he’s so bitter.
While many of the top names in FCW are from the independent scene, WWE doesn’t feel independent wrestling is producing enough talent that are at WWE’s level. There is now a mission to look for big bodybuilder types who the company can turn in to stars. The company is also looking for athletes from other sports that they can sign and then train them to be wrestlers.
This actually isn’t a bad idea. While I know that many people in the IWC emphasize workrate as a key criteria for talent, at the end of the day, it’s about how much money they make for the company. If this were the WWE’s exclusive strategy, then I’d have a problem with it. But if it’s a supplemental strategy to raiding the independents (Bryan, Punk) or Mexican territories (Del Rio, Sin Cara), then I’m all for it. Variety is the spice of life, so why not bring in a couple of muscleheads and see if they take off?
It’s not like bodybuilders-turned-wrestlers has never worked before. Two of the biggest names of the past 25 years, The Ultimate Warrior and Sting, both came up from a bodybuilding group called Powerteam USA. And John Cena started out as a bodybuilder before become a pro wrestler. The amount of money those three alone made for the wrestling industry is proof that a musclehead can be a big draw.
While I’m certain that this approach will lead to a fair number of stinkers on the roster, if it yields just two or three solid midcarders or, even better, main eventers, then it’ll be worth it.
During Dave Meltzer’s radio show for The Wrestling Observer, he reported that Paul “Triple H” Levesque is not allowing Mick Foley to be used on TV since his return in November.
Meltzer reported that Triple H slams Foley whenever his name is brought up in creative meetings. Brian Gerwitz, WWE’s Senior Vice President of Creative Writing thinks Foley is a creative and good performer, but Levesque says Foley ‘doesn’t look tough’ and can’t be taken seriously as an in-ring performer.
A former WWE creative writer said to Power Slam in 2008 that Levesque would always insult Foley when he appeared for the company and hurt his value in the eyes of Vince and Stephanie McMahon.
Levesque was quoted as saying: “Foley is an out-of-shape nobody. No one cares about him at all. Funaki puts more asses in the seats than Foley does. He should pay us for coming on our shows.”
It is believed that the reason Triple H does this is because he is irritated over the opinion from his closest co-workers that his matches with Foley in 2000 “made him a star”.
Foley has also criticized Triple H in the past, including taking some shots at him in his 2007 autobiography The Hardcore Diaries. He was also against Triple H insulting Lilian Garcia on an April 2010 episode of RAW. He said he may have cost himself professionally but had to say something.
While I do feel that Foley should be more of a side attraction at this point in his career, I don’t feel that he should be kept off of TV altogether. Foley has a lot to offer, and has made many of WWE’s main eventers look tough, including HHH.
Foley’s matches with Edge, Randy Orton, HHH, Undertaker, and so on gave those guys the aura of being hardcore badasses. The Game must be delusional if he thinks that his matches with Foley in early 2000 didn’t make him a star. I remember that time very well, and HHH was probably the 4th or 5th most popular guy on the roster until Foley made him. After that, Hunter won WrestleMania and became a regular on the main event scene.
If Foley wasn’t a draw, then how come he shared the highest rated segment in WWE history with the Rock? How come he’s sold boatloads of SOCKS? How come he was #1 on the New York Times best seller list? Why didn’t HHH didn’t star in those Chef Boyardee commercials? Why don’t people hold up signs saying “Hunter is God?” And how come when WCW announced Foley’s first title win, viewers changed the channel in droves to watch it happen?
No, what’s happening here is that Foley made it higher on the food chain than Hunter ever did (and ever will), and it pisses him off to no end. After all, if you’ve lived & breathed wrestling your whole life, associated yourself with the top guys, and even married the boss’s daughter, how would you feel if some fat guy with a sweatsock down his pants made more of an impact than you? In the world of pop culture, Foley is bigger than HHH, and it drives him NUTS!
Former WWE performer Rory McAllister recently posted on his Twitter about the current crop of WWE Divas, noting the following…
“WWE has some pretty girls working there but what happened to having Divas!? Trish, Candace, Torrie. WOMEN of hotness!
I can see pretty much most of today’s chicks at any bar on a Friday night. #nothingspecial.”
I think that Mr. McAllister has it all wrong. It’s not all about looks. The reason why Trish, Torrie and the others were more appealing is because their characters were actually developed. They had storylines that made us care about them more. Kelly Kelly & Alicia Fox are arguably more attractive than Torrie & Candace (it all depends on your taste), but the former women haven’t had any compelling storylines in their entire careers! The most intriguing diva on the roster today is AJ, and that’s because she has a distinct personality and is involved in a major angle. The solution isn’t to get “hotter” girls, it’s to give the Divas they have something interesting to do!
When I think of Torrie Wilson, I think of that ridiculous storyline with her father Al. Remember that? What major storyline has Alicia Fox been involved in?
According to Pwinsider.com, here is the latest on the status of the WWE Network. WWE has been looking at a model for their proposed network that would see them roll it out as a paid premium channel, one where subscribers would pay a set amount a month to have access to the channel, similar to an HBO or Showtime.
The feeling within the company is that it would be easier to roll the channel out in that fashion because it would guarantee money for the providers as opposed to expecting them to pay WWE for the content initially.
There is a lot of pressure within the company to get the project off the ground and at this time, the above business model is not even 100% confirmed.
Noooooo!
What a horrible idea. Let me put it to you this way: I’ve been watching wrestling non-stop for 13 years now. I write a freaking wrestling column for a wrestling site. And I am not paying for a premium wrestling channel. They already put out 4, soon to be 5 hours of free broadcasting on channels I already receive, plus more on YouTube – why would I pay extra for stuff I probably won’t watch anyway?
If the WWE Nework were just another cable channel, I’d probably flip over to it from time to time. If I liked what I saw, I’d probably flip over a little more often. But if I have to pay for it? No way. This move reeks of desperation, a short term solution that will cause a long term problem. Wake up, WWE! HBO Showtime and Starz are having their own problems with dwindling subscriptions, and they’re established premium channels.
The reason that Eve Torres has been absent from WWE TV as of late is due to the fact that she filming a new NBC competition series titled Stars Earn Stripes. She is one of eight celebrities appearing on the show, which features celebrities competing in tough military training exercises” under the supervision of retired U.S. General Wesley Clark. The show will debut with a two-hour episode on Monday, August 13 at 8PM ET, which will run against WWE Raw.
Celebrities on the show will be WWE’s Eve, Laila Ali, actor Dean Cain, Terry Crews, singer Nick Lachey, Sarah Palin’s husband Todd Palin, Olympic gold medalist Picabo Street, and “Biggest Loser” trainer Dolvett Quince. [Credit: ew.com]
Here is the full press release on the show…
NBC ANNOUNCES CELEBRITY CAST AND HOSTS OF NEW SERIES ‘Stars Earn Stripes,’ AN EMOTIONALLY CHARGED NEW COMPETITION HONORING AMERICA’S ARMED FORCES
Hosts General Wesley Clark (ret.) and Samantha Harris Join Celebrity Cast Including Laila Ali, Dean Cain, Terry Crews, Nick Lachey, Todd Palin, Dolvett Quince, Picabo Street and Eve Torres in the Action-Packed Competition Show
“Stars Earn Stripes” Premieres Monday, August 13 (8 – 10 p.m. ET)
Take a good look at that list of celebrities. That order is not accidental. The people that put that press release together put the most recognizable names up front, and the “who the hell are they?” names at the end. And who comes in dead last? Eve Torres. You could replace her with 90% of anyone else on the WWE roster, and they’d still be dead last. Now you know why McMahon is desperate for some mainstream credibility. When one of your top divas is ranked lower than Dolvett Quince and Picabo Street (who??), then you’ve got a problem.
As a quick aside, when doing an image search for “Eve Torres,” the first related search that Google suggested was “Eve Torres feet.” Really, people? Any Snitsky followers among you? Jeez.
Also, anyone else out there think this is Eve’s first step in thinking she’s meant for bigger things than professional wrestling? I’m sure reality shows and the like brings in more money with a lot less travel, which gets a Diva thinking, you know?
According to TMZ, John Cena’s soon to be ex-wife Liz is convinced that John was cheating on her during their marriage, and she is looking to prove it.
Liz’s attorney Raymond Rafool says they’ve been getting tips that Cena had been messing around during the marriage, which according to him, if true could be grounds for Liz to challenge the prenuptial agreement. Rafool added the following…
“We’re definitely following up on every lead relative to his being unfaithful before AND after the separation.
Anyone out there thinks Cena was faithful? Who thinks he cheated? Like most of the stories related to this subject, it seems like Mr. Rafool is doing everything he can to get that pre-nup thrown out. If he’s implementing Operation: Ring Rat, then there must be some wording in the pre-nuptual agreement that has to do with being faithful.
While I am not one to call John Cena’s fidelity into question, I’d like you to hear Chris Rock’s take on the matter:
NON-SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT THING OF THE WEEK
I am a big fan of comic books, and in my mind, the greatest comic book artist working today is Jim Lee. If you’re from my generation and collect comics, you probably own a copy (or several) of X-Men #1, which featured Jim Lee’s brilliant artwork. After all, X-Men (volume 2) #1 was and remains the best-selling comic book of all time, with over 8 million issues sold.
I’m one of those guys who likes to see how great things actually come together. I like knowing the secrets behind magic tricks, for example, and that kind of mentality also crosses over to the comic book world. How does Jim Lee draw such awesome superheroes?
Today’s Non-Sports Entertainment Thing of the Week is part 1 of a 3 part video series “Behind the Red Door,” by Jim Lee. After doing a signing at the Kevin Smith’s Secret Stash comic book store in L.A., Jim was asked to draw Batman, Superman and Jay & Silent Bob on one of the store’s doors. Jim narrates the whole experience, and it provides cool insight on how to draw comic book characters. If you’re into comic book art and want to see the best artist in the world do his thing, then this video is for you!
YOU’RE IN FOR A REAL TWEET
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SIGNING OFF
Thanks for making the Thursday Sports Entertainment News Report your go-to destination for all things rasslin’. Join us next week as we uncover the truth behind AJ’s deadly connection to Al Qaeda. (Card subject to change).
Hasta Jueves,
This is Sean.
