by Christopher Robin Zimmerman
WrestleLine/WrestleManiacs
Perhaps an analogy would help illustrate the point.
Let's say that you're Pepsi Cola, and you're trying to take the cola
market share away from Coca-Cola.
To this end, you put out a lot of statements like this:
Coke drinkers are to be blamed for Pepsi's lower market share
Coke drinkers are brainwashed idiots who don't truly understand the
proper nature of soda
Coke drinkers don't have the sophistication to properly appreciate
Pepsi as the nectar of the gods
Coke drinkers spend all their time sucking the dick of the Coca-Cola
CEO when they should be drinking Pepsi instead
Finally, and this is the kicker, you *change the Pepsi formula* so that it
merely ends up resembling a watered-down Coke!
Now, REALLY. Are you really going to be SURPRISED when, not only do you
NOT get more Pepsi drinkers, but you end up losing the people who enjoyed
Pepsi in the first place?
(This is actually kind of a fun analogy...we could make ECW Royal Crown,
XPW can be Moxie and WXO can be Like. Lucha libre can be Dr Pepper.
Yeah!)
The POINT (which will escape some of you unless I actually spell it out)
is that it's UNBELIEVABLE that this company is choosing to employ this
strategy, because I can't think of any other industry where it would be
OKAY for one company to attempt to influence the market share by out and
out INSULTING the patrons of a competing company.
And finally...realistically now, if you piss off all the "WWF fans" and
cause them to completely ignore your product, *where* exactly do you
expect to get YOUR viewers? Is there some giant untapped segment of the
population dying for this stuff that none of us know about except the guys
running WCW? I guess we'll find out tomorrow, eh?
QUICK QUOTES: AOL 59 1/4 (+ 1 1/4), TWX 88 7/8 (- 3 7/8), SPLN 19 1/2 (+ 7/16)
ONE YEAR AGO ON NITRO: Flair with a gutshot - trading punches - Flair
chopping (woooo!), Page with an eye gogue - whip into the corner - FLAIR
FLIP! to the top rope - THE DOUBLE AXEHANDLE
HITS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Crowd realises they're seeing
history and goes apeshit. - Celebrate with me the last time that that
move ever worked...from CRZ's 3.5.99 Nitro report
WCW logo - it ain't funny no more
Oh boy! Courteney Cox and David Arquette share a private moment with the
all-seeing eye of the WCW cameras and the TV-14-DL ratings box. "David,
come on - you could get hurt, you could get killed, this is ridiculous."
"I know - I just wish this belt fit a little better." "Yeah, I'll bet you
do - well, you know why it doesn't? You're not a wrestler!" "Now, baby,
is that any way to talk to the HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD?" "Oh
good, Go - come on."
"Highlights" from Thunder, along with a closed captioned logo. Go read the
report if you're really interested in it.
Nitro Grrl-less opening graphic
"Welcome to day number five in the unbelievable title reign of new world
champion David Arquette!" That's it, I'm outta here...
Outside, the car Diamond Dallas Page is driving with Arquette and Kanyon is
confronted by the limousine carrying Russo, Awesome, Jarrett, Kimberly,
Liz, Bischoff, Kidman - everybody gets out but before anything happens,
ANOTHER car squeals into the picture - some kinda muscle car, which ramrods
the limo. We cut to another angle (when the motor mysteriously "cuts out")
to see Hulk Hogan exiting. Kidman shoves Awesome into Hogan, and they
start brawling. We see Arquett and Page working on Jarrett. Kidman and
Kanyon go at it. Bischoff, Russo, and the women pile into Page's car while
security works on separating all the fighting folk.
Light the pyro (including some screaming, streaming ones - just like on
RAW! - but different, 'cause they go UP instead of DOWN) - we are LIVE from
the Vernon Jefferson center in Birmingham, AL - wait, that can't be
right...it's the BJCC, isn't it? Oh well - 1.5.2K and this....is Monday
Nitro
CROWBAR v. SCREAMIN' NORMAN SMILEY & SOME GUY IN A MASCOT OUTFIT - it's a
guy in a dog's head. That's the mystery partner? Crowbar dropkicks
Smiley, gutshot to the mascot, then he puts his head between the ropes and
wedges him in there, taking him out. What's the crowd booing at? Crowbar
back to Smiley - right, right, into the corner, Smiley up and over,
dancing, and Crowbar throws a garbage can at him. Smiley manages to swoop
slam Crowbar on the can. Crowbar thrown over - but Crowbar skins the cat
and takes Smiley outside with a Headscissors takeover. WOW! THE PPV
GRAPHICS ARE BACK! SLAMBOREE 6 DAYS UNTIL! Well, better than "days until
6," I guess. Crowbar tries taking a garbage can lid to the mascot head,
but I don't think it does any damage. Smiley with a chair. Hudson
speculates that perhaps it's the Shockmaster in there. Smiley whips
Crowbar into two chairs. Cover - 1, 2 - no. I guess this is a hardcore,
falls count anywhere match. It helps when they TELL us these things,
right? Ah, who cares. Trashcan lid to Smiley! Trashcan lid! Crowbar on
the apron - running splash to the floor! Cover - 1, 2, no. Crowbar with a
kendo stick. Tony: "Have you ever seen anything like this, fans?" Maybe
we SHOULD be spending more time watching the guy in the head unable to
escape the ring ropes than the actual action, right? Crowbar puts the
stick down and runs at Smiley - who holds up a chair. Crowbar DOES manage
to put the kendo stick in a Golota area. Crowbar does Smiley's "doin' it
in da butt and smackin' by bitch up" to the mascot - Smiley up from behind
with the kendo stick and now HE does *Crowbar* in da butt while he's doing
the mascot in the butt. (I hear that in the biz they call this "a Nitro
moment.") Dueling crossbody blocks and both Smiley and Crowbar are down.
Crowbar gets the upper hand as the mascot FINALLY escapes from the ropes.
Crowbar tries a kendo stick shot - no effect. Crowbar puts Smiley's jersey
over the dog head and whacks him again - no effect. Garbage can thrown at
him. Scoop - and a slam. Crowbar ready to go up top - but Smiley crotches
him. Smiley to the second rope - but Crowbar turns it in midair and lands
on him. Everybody rolls around in pain, and referee "Blind" Nick Patrick
walks over to the mascot guy to tell him his spot it up - the mascot
dutifully crawls over to the schoolboy position where Smiley can fall
backwards - but it works out all right, as he manages to roll up Crowbar on
the followthrough for the "surprise" pin. (3:58) Would you pay money to
see these two guys take on Terry Funk on Sunday?
This portion of Monday Nitro is brought to you by Castrol Motor Oily!
Your hosts are TONY SCHIAVONE, SCOTT HUDSON and SCOTT HALL. Tonight, David
Arquette SPEAKS! Hudson dares to tell us that this is "pro wrestling."
Schiavone proclaims Thunder "a great moment in sports entertainment!"
Backstage, Arquette, Page & Kanyon are WALKING! Arquette tells Page that
he just realises he could have gotten killed. "I don't deserve to be the
WCW Heavyweight champion!" "I know, kid - let's go..."
Meanwhile, Jarrett, Bischoff, Kimberly, Russo, Liz and two security guys
(to keep Liz from running away) - are - WALKING!
Meanwhile, Team Package - is - WALKING!
Meanwhile - oh, wait, this is on tape - "from the set of 3,000 Miles to
Graceland" - Courteney Cox and David Arquette have another conversation
about Arquette going to Birmingham. Somebody walks by - I guess that's
Kurt Russell - and says something about "nude love scene" or something - I
dunno. Cox: "Kurt - did you know that David was the WCW World Champion?"
Kurt, who must deep down be a real fan of wrestling...laughs. Him and all
the other fans, hiyo! Arquette follows after him with a chair as Cox once
again proclaims "You're not a wrestler!"
Local time goes to UPN 44 - advertising the local presentation of "WWF
SmackDown!"
Here's a Special Video Look at Jeff Jarrett and Diamond Dallas Page
- it seems strange, because neither of them has the belt right now.
Shawn Stasiak vignette - the word "perfect" is said four times, so YOU
figure it out. Stasiak says he's going to break the free throw record
tonight. Stay tuned...
DAVID ARQUETTE, DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE & CHRIS "CHAMPAGNE" KANYON walk to the
ring to Bif Naked's "We're Not Gonna Take It," - the "Ready to Rumble"
soundtrack gets the "WWF Aggression" treatmen by appearing in the corner
during the entrance. Ahh, it WAS Kurt Russell. Crowd reaction is...tepid.
"All riiiiiiiiight! Hey Birmingham, Alabama - the hometown of my wife,
Courteney! I can't tell you how much of a dream come true this is for me
to have this belt - and the past seven days have just been amazing, but
what's been best is the way the fans have treated me - you've really been
incredible. But listen, I understand that I'm an entertainer - not a
sports entertainer. And after talkin' with Dallas and Kanyon, tonight I'm
gonna relinquish the belt and give up the title. I don't deserve it -
these guys deserve it - maybe Booker T. deserves it - but I don't deserve
it. Now, I'm gonna relinquish this belt, so I'm gonna put it up for grabs
the DDP and Jeff Jarrett in the three cage match AT SLAMBOREE, BABY! Are
you ready to rumble? I'm relinquishing the title tonight." As they go to
leave....as if on cue, the music plays and JEDOUBLEF JADOUBLEREDOUBLET is
out, along with CRACKA EAZY-E, KIMBRRLY, VIC VENOM, LIZ & TWO SECURITY
DUDES. Russo has Liz in cuffs and on a leash. Jarrett tells Arquette he
doesn't make the rule around here, they do. Bischoff says that he and
Russo have decided that at the Slamboree triple cage match, it'll be a
three-way dance with Jarrett, "DDPuke" ... and Arquette. THE NARCISSIST
interrupts proceedings at this point to chase Russo and Liz out through the
crowd. Bischoff goes back to talking and says that Arquette needs a tuneup
match tonight...him...and Tank Abbott. Bischoff makes his "I'm the
funniest man in the world" laugh as YEAHBABY TANK ABBOTT YEAHBABY walks
out. Page takes the mic and gets muted with "asshole," then says that
Arquette isn't getting in the ring tonight. Abbott tries to get a word in,
Page tells him to shut up, calls him "billy goat," and next thing you know,
Abbott and Page are fighting, Arquette and Bischoff are fighting, and
Jarrett and Kanyon are fighting. Bring out SECURITY . Crowd boos, then
chants "Cold Beer." Abbott says "Page - you wanna go? We can go. Yeah,
we'll go tonight! 'cept there's gonna be a stipulation - you win, your
little Hollywood punk boy there gets off easy - *I* win, he's gonna die
'cause I'm gonna tear his head off!" Abbott's music plays again.
Total Package is WALKING! He's looking for Russo and Liz - EVERY *FUCKING*
SHOW THEY *HAVE* TO HAVE SOME GUY WALKING AROUND LOOKING FOR SOME OTHER GUY
Promotional consideration paid for by Slim Jim, Boston Market TV dinners,
Croissant Pockets from Hot Pockets, America (ha!) Online, and Super Soakers
Close captioning sponsored by George Foreman's favourite brake shop - MEINEKE!
Shawn Stasiak tells us he's "ab-(fondles abs)-solutely perfect" a few more
times and shoots some more free throws. Hey, remember when Lenny Lane was
bringing that "Ab-Solution" to the ring?
Eric Bischoff, the "Knute Freaking Rockne of professional wrestling," tells
Hugh Morrus that he knows what teamwork is all about, and tonight he's
going to teach him. Tonight, Morrus, Steiner and Jarrett are booked in a
three-way dance, and if any of his friends interfere in the match, he'll
fire all of them.
THE WALL v. HORACE in a table match - Wall meets him in the aisle
and it's on. Brawl outside, brawl inside. Horace hits a pretty sweet
top-rope neckbreaker/facebuster and a Spicolli Driver. MISS HANCOCK is out
for no reason. Horace folds up one of the tables and brings it into the
ring. Stomp for the Wall. Top of the hour match is Page/Abbott. I give
that a smidge more of a chance to compete with RAW than Arquette/Bischoff,
at least. BILLY KIDMAN provides the run-in, but this is a "no DQ" match so
we continue. Big boot, chokeslam through the table, thank you, good night.
(2:20) Wall and Kidman doubleteam Horace - ring that bell a million times!
Kidman and Wall with a veg-o-matic. YOU KNOW WHO comes out and Wall and
Kidman scatter - but now JOBBED TO JOBBED TO JOBBED TO JUSTIN CREDIBLE
sneaks in from behind, but Hogan gets absorbs a right and throws five or
six of his own, onne for Wall, one for Kidman, one for Awesome, repeat
until dizzy. FINALLY Awesome helps the numbers get the upper hand. Keep
ringing that bell, PLEASE! Wall brings in another table - Hogan is laid
out and Kidman and Wall hold him for ...no, Hogan is back up and punching
away on Awesome. Hogan on the second rope - he's not gonna SUPERPLEX
him?!? No, Kidman is in and on his back. Awesome trying a Sunset flip -
Hogan holds on - but Awesome picks him up and powerbombs him through the
table.
>From a graveyard and in black and white grain-o-vision, a few words from
Vampiro. "Can you smell that? Can you feel that? Can you taste it? Do
you want it? Sting...this is my dream. This is our dream. It's my home.
Sting...will you come and play? I know you will. I know you want to.
Come on, Sting. 'cause I know curiosity...killed the Scorpion."
Western Union Slamboree ad #2 - at least now, the title is in play in the
cage match, so this makes a LITTLE more sense
VIC VENOM leads out LIZ (who fights a bit more this time) & HER SECURITY.
"Cut the music! Lex, I'm gonna make this short and I'm gonna make it
sweet. Knock it off, Liz, know your place. I don't sweat you, Lex, and
I'm not gonna hide from you all night, so what I'm doing is tonight, I am
calling you out in this ring. And Lex, I promise you one thing - I will
Rack your ass!" Liz openly laughs out loud - everybody walks off. Sign in
crowd "Russo's Only Fan" - you ain't kiddin' buddy.
Commentators all think Russo's nuts.
JEDOUBLEF JADOUBLEREDOUBLET v. SUPERSTAR SCOTT STEINER (with four - no, two
ladies) v. HUGH MORRUS in a three-way dance - Steiner beats up random signs
- he ALMOST takes on the "ROID RAGE" sign but thinks better of it. Scott
Steiner: master of subtle humour.
"Now if I see any more signs like this [BIG POPPA PUMP SUCKS], I'm gonna
come out here and do what I do best, and that's kickin' white trash,
trailor park ass. This best time I ever had in Alabama is when I left it!"
I guess the group is called "Misfits in Action," since two different people
have referred to them as that. Steiner and Jarrett team up to beat down
Morrus. That's about it. Coming up tonight, a "graveyard match"
between Vampiro and Sting - if I had to put money on it, I'd bet on Vampiro
jobbing. Steiner starts doing pushups, and Jarrett covers - but Steiner
takes umbrage at Jarrett trying to get the pin, and he pulls up. Jarrett
going to put on the Stroke - but Steiner comes over and boots HIM instead.
Steiner cleans house a bit - Morrus surprises Steiner with a clothesline -
going for No Laughing Matter on Jarret, but he misses. Jarrett rolls
outside and you just KNOW he's going fot his gee-tar. Steiner Recliner on
Morrus - Jarrett kabongs Steiner - Morrus puts an arm on Steiner - 1, 2, 3.
(2:31) LASH LeROUX, VAN HAMMER and CHAVO GUERRERO JR. - "the remainder of
the Misfits in Action" - come out and "they're celebrating with their
leader!" Well, I guess there's a silver lining - at least Booker T. didn't
get tied to this group.
We go to the graveyard, where Sting is calling out Vampiro. Gosh, I hope
this is the right graveyard! And I hope he doesn't find Vampiro before the
end of this commercial break!
Man, ANOTHER local spot sold to the WWF - this one for WWF Judgment Day
spot - it's 21 May!
During the Break, Bischoff broke up the celebration of the Misfits in
Action by firing Hammer, Guerrero and LeRoux.
Backstage, Russo tells Liz not to watch him changing - that's what this
cameraman over here is for!
Meanwhile, at the Hall of Justice - check that, the graveyard - "throughout
the history of Sports Entertainment, there has never been a fight in a
graveyard!" Tell that to Kane, Tony. Several exciting camera angle - now
Vampiro is running off and Sting is giving chase. Vampiro ducking behind a
wall - he's got a shovel. Sting jumps off the wall and gets waffled.
Please, God, don't let this end in an open grave...repeated shovel shots.
"My house." Shovel, shovel, dragging him over to an ...open grave...kick,
shovel on the back - Vampiro pulls a headstone out of the ground (oh,
please) and now we pause for this dramatic dialogue: Sting: Who are you?
Vamprio: I'm the monster you should have been. - then he breaks the
headstone into a million pieces on Sting's head, causing him to fall
backwards into the open grave. "Time to do your time, Sting - checkin' in,
checkin' out." Then he dumps a wheelbarrow on top. Vampiro hobbles off...
"Is this the end of Sting?" We zoom in on the grave to see a Mecahnix
glove emerging. "That's Sting's hand!" "HE'S ALIVE!"
Slamboree ad #3 - SAME ad
Moments Ago - graveyard
Ric Flair pumps up Team Package, who is pumping up himself
DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE (with TV-14-DL ratings box) v. YEAHBABY TANK YEAHBABY
ABBOTT YEAHBABY - Right by Page, right by Abbott, right by Page,
right by Abbott, right by Page, right by Abbott, right by Abbott, KO right
by Abbott. Abbott turns to the crowd and walks off. Page tries to pull
himself up. We look backstage where Bischoff and Kimberly are watching -
how come THEY get to watch the match while I have to watch THEM? We cut
back to the ring and Page is falling out of the ring to the floor. Oh
well, didn't need to see it anyway. In fact, why should I bother to call
this action? Page making a comeback as we look back to see Kanyon and
Arquette watching on another monitor - they're ready to run out and help
out Page - only their door appears to be locked. Back to the action,
they're over the rail and out in the crowd. Page has a garbage can - Tank
throws a KO right to the can, just for fun. Page takes the can to Abbott a
few times, then takes him back over the railing, where he promptly knocks
down referee "Blind" Mark Johnson. JEDOUBLEF JADOUBLEREDOUBELT provides a
"surprise" bottle shot in cap and sunglasses, which he removes so we all
know who he is. Johnson declares Page out and stops the match (1:57) - so,
yeah buddy, we get a Tank Abbott/David Arquette match later tonight.
Reaction shots from Bischoff and Kimberly - and Arquette and Kanyon.
Here's a replay of the bottle shot from another angle - THIS one doesn't
show it too well either. Abbott actually sneaks in a KO right following
the bottle shot - just to make sure he doesn't lose any heat, right?
Wheeeee
Promotional consideration paid for by Boston market TV dinners, Lean
Pockets from Hot Pockets, Motel 6 7/8, Targon mouthwash, and Boston Market
TV dinners for a third time! Why not?
Thunder ad features David Arquette. Ugh. This week, Thunder's on an hour
earlier - but my report will still be up around the same time, don't worry
NitroGirls.com spot - if this is the only time we see them, can we really
call them the Nitro Girls? They must have fired one of them or something,
since they removed all the "I'm (name)" bits - must be one of the ones I
didn't know.
Page is gurneyed up - a random EMT tells the camera "we gotta get him to
the emergency room NOW!" Hey, is that Richard Jewell? Naah
Meanwhile, Hulk Hogan has found Mike Awesome, and they're fighting. Yeah,
you might have powerbombed him through a table, but THIS IS HULK HOGAN!
BILLY KIDMAN hits the ring. "You know, a simple 'thank you' from you
people would be nice. 'Thanks, Billy, for taking Hulk Hogan and wiping
(your ass) with him. Thanks, Billy, for taking Hogan's nothin'-happening
nephew and kickin' the crap out of him. And thanks, Billy, for showin' us
what the New Blood is all about.' Well I'm gonna tell you what the New
Blood is all about. It's about takin' the so called 'heroes' of this
business - the guys that've been calling themselves heroes for so long that
the name stuck - guys like Hogan, Sting and Nash...you people don't get it.
I'm the future! Show some respect to me! I'm the kingpin around here now!
Taking those names like Nash and exposin' 'em for the washed up pieces of
trash that they are. I'm just not gonna talk anymore. That's it! You
wish you were that lucky. Well, Hogan, everybody knows that at Slamboree,
with Eric Bischoff counting the 1-2-3 (again), that I'm gonna finish you
off there, but tonight, if anybody in the back wants some New Blood...the
Kid is lookin' for some action. Any takers?" We look backstage to see
Terry Taylor stooging out Kidman to Kevin Nash. back to the ring. "...you
stand alone at the top." After a bit more of this, the Wolfpac theme plays
and out walks KEVIN NASH. Kidman tries to get in the first blow, but Nash
absorbs the forearms and takes him down with a kneelift. In the corner,
knee, knee, knee, pause to brush back the hair, elbow, elbow, hey you know
if we're lucky he might frame this one - OH MAN!! HE FRAMED THE ELBOW!!
Big beal. SLAMBOREE 6 DAYS UNTIL, by the way. Nash standing on Kidman's
neck. Bring on the damn run-in already - hey, THIS is a new one - it's I
HATE KONNAN & RAYMOND STEREO! Commentators give us the impression that
these guys were released and don't work for WCW. Uh huh. Nash manges to
turn it around and take out all three guys. Maybe they WISH they'd been
released. Konnan disappears after a sidewalk slam, while Mysterio (who has
bleached his hair) gives us a superball bounce off Nash's big boot. Now
that the ring is cleared of all free agents, Nash has Kidman . Konnan up
again, right hand, Kidman slips out of the ring while this goes on. Konnan
and Mysterio run off - Nash hobbles off after them.
We cut backstage and pick up this chase. Konnan and Mysterio run -
Mysterio tripping for comedic effect (I HOPE it was unintentional) -
Nash is close behind. Mysterio into the bed of a low-rider truck, which
drives off SLOWER than Nash can WALK. But Nash is tired of walking, so he
pulls somebody out of a car to drive off - *then* he realises the truck has
actually stopped, (see, there's some traffic up ahead that apparently
didn't know this road was supposed to be kept clear for this segment) so
instead of driving off after them, he walks the five feet over to the truck
- Mysterio decides that this is stripping away the credibility of the
story, so he gets out - Konnan decides to join him, but before they can run
off again, **the truck starts to slide backwards,** because somebody forgot
to set the parking brake. Konnan frantically tries to hold up the truck
before it smashes into the limo parked downstream. I mean, this is
reaching "Plan 9 from Outer Space" levels of unintentional humour. Could
this be ANY more poorly planned?
Slamboree ad #4
When we come back, outside the building Nash is working over Mysterio and
Konnan - hopefully for allowing themselves to take part in this stupid
segment. I think he's calling Mysterio "Sisqo" - NASH STILL HAS STREET
CRED! I mean, I can see how they would use this segment to try to make the
PREVIOUS segment look like it didn't come off horribly wrong...except that
unfortunately, it begs the question of why Nash is bothering with these two
free agent chumps when his issue is really with Kidman? By the way, you
have to admit that it really gets the New Blood over to see Nash deal with
these guys so handily, doesn't it?
VIC VENOM (With Liz) v. THE NARCISSIST (with The Man) - Fine, I'll mention
the sign. "VINCE RUSSO SLEEPS WITH GOATS (I HAVE PROOF)" Vince would like
to say a few words before the festivities begin. "First of all, Ric Flair,
I first wanna say - I WILL interfere at Slamboree, and I'm lookin' forward
to five minues of kicking YOUR ass. Now as far as Lex goes, it's real
simple, Lex: you beat me tonight, I give you the key to Liz." Russo goes
to remove his Yankee jacket, but stops. "Wait a minute, Liz, do your job.
Do me, baby!" "Hey Russo, you're from New York, right? Well you can even
understand this, kiss my Kentucky a--" Russo pulls away the mic. "C'mon,
Lex! I'm ready! Bring it! Bring it! Bring it! C'mon!" As Package and
Flair walk down the aisle with no music or lighting, we look behind to see
BUFF IS THE STUFF & SHANE DOUGLAS running up on Flair from behind and
punking him out, while A COUPLE DOZEN SECURITY GUYS appear between Package
and Russo and attempt to restrain HIM. Luger powers through them once -
but they swarm. Package gets maced (I think - they didn't helpfully label
the can MACE for our benefit) and cuffed, and Russo invites the tag team
champions into the ring to get some. Douglas does the "headbutt to the
graun" spot that he taught to D-Von Dudley. Bagwell Slop Drops Package as
well. Miss Elizabeth goes over to check on Package. "What the hell, wait
a minute - what are you doin', Liz? Finish him! Finish him, he's
pathetic..." and he actually *hands her the bat* as if she'll go for that.
She whacks Russo, grabs the other end of her leash and runs by ALL the
security guys and back up the ramp. Some more stuff gets muted as all the
security guys stand in the ring. And NOW, out comes KRONNYKKKK to take on
all the security guys in the ring, who have apparently lost their mace,
since they all go down. Bagwell & Douglas decide to take off somewhere in
here and we're treated to an extended beatdown sequence. Adams DOES get
off an impressive press with reps on one of the guys before throwing him
outside onto some other security folks. The madness ends when some COPS
come in and Clarke and Adams end up getting maced. Hudson apparently gets
maced as well, 'cause he slips in a "shit."
Meanwhile, in the dressing room, Arquette panics about facing Tank Abbott -
Kanyon says he'll "think of something."
Wanna see WCW live? Tomorrow, they're in Memphis for Thunder! On
Thursday, tickets go on sale for Nitro in Atlanta, tickets on sale Friday
for Little Rock, and Thunder in Boise, and tickets on sale Saturday for
Nitro in Salt Lake City!
Outside, Nash takes a crowbar to the windows of the truck - he wanted to
use his bare arm and take a Goldberg-esque vacation, but they wouldn't
allow it. Konnan's laid out in the front seat, apparently. We also see
Rey try to hide under the limo directly behind the truck.
Meanwhile, the cops drag out Clarke, Adams and Package. What did Package do?
JOBBIN' VAMPIRO walks out - has he got a bad wheel? "Tonight, the
hunter has become the hunted. Tonight, the predator has become the prey.
Sting walked along the lines of good and evil - when he came out on the
other side he was in my arms like a helpless newborn baby. Yeah, Sting, I
live for that kind of fear. I'm your anti-hero, Sting. I have decided
your destiny and sealed your fate, because I am the Freak - the monster
that you should have been. Tonight, Sting found out that I am the one and
only...true darkness." As if on cue, the lights go out, the "lightning"
hits and Metallica plays. We take a look at ... a crow. Commentators act
like this is the SCARIEST THING THEY'VE EVER SEEN. Tony trumps them with
"Sting has risen from the dead!" We look up top, but are in the wrong
position to catch Sting rappeling from the rafters, so we cut to a
different view - Sting lands on the steps and slips (oops), then comes into
the ring with his bat - whack! Whack! Whack! Into the ropes - GILLOOLY!
Into the ropes - whack! Sting calls to the crowd. Bat! Bat! Sting
decides this is enough...no, wait, he goes back to hit him again! Bat!
Sting takes off - one more belt shot for good measure. Hey, you don't
think Vampiro's gonna ask for his release again, do ya?
Tank Abbott - IS - WALKING!!
Meanwhile, Arquette and Kanyon are WALKING!!
Meanwhile, Stasiak is still admiring his abs and shooting free throws.
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Vince Russo crashes the women's dressing room (where they apparently all
just sit around in bras) and bitches out Liz. Liz, in return, slaps Russo
one, telling him that while he might own her contract, he doesn't own HER!
YEAHBABY TANK YEAHBABY ABBOTT YEAHBABY v. DAVID ARQUETTE (with Chris
"Champage" Kanyon) - the reason this match is NOW is because still to come
is....hoo boy, Hogan vs. Awesome. How come the Mark calls David Arquette
"YOUR world champion...not mine" when he's spent all of last week trying to
convince the world that putting the title on this guy was a brilliant idea?
Kanyon puts on some brass knuckles - guess that's his plan - but
unfortunately, referee "Blind" Billy Silverman decides to send Kanyon to
the back. Arquette tries to sneak in while Abbott is watching all this and
climbs on his back. Abbott gets a kick out of this - then backs into the
corner. We see Jarrett, Bischoff and Kimberly looking on and make sure we
get Bischoff asking aloud "Wonder what Courteney's thinking?" Arquette
tries a shot - no good - Abbott picks him up and takes him down. Abbott
turs his back agai - Arquette tries his spear, but Abbott stops him cold.
We go backstage to see an ambulance arriving with lights flashing...yup,
DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE behind the wheel. I can't believe that EMT in the
passenger seat let him get away with that! Page ready to stagger to the
ring while Arquette is out cold in the middle of the ring. Sign in crowd:
"Is Anybody Watching?" Silverman is taken out of the ring. Page
apparently stops by the production table on his way out and says "play my
music, wouldja?" 'cause "Smells Like Self High Five" fires up. We cut
backstage where Bischoff tells Jarrett to stop Page - whoops, too late.
Page with a Diamond Cutter on Abbott, apparently he came through the crowd
and snuck up from behind - of course, we missed it because we needed to see
Bischoff. Page puts Arquette on top of Abbott, then goes outside to throw
Silverman back in the ring. 1, 2, 3. (2:14) Abbott lays there for over a
full minute from that Diamond Cutter - mm hmm. Page drapes Arquette over
his shoulder and walks off with him. Here's a replay - damn, but Abbott
took that thing pretty hard. Hogan and Awesome are next!
Jimmy Barron phones it in with 1-800-CAL-LATT! Actually, he doesn't even
do that - we get a graphic but no voiceover! What, they can't afford to
pay HIM?
"Moments Ago" footage showed Scott Steiner whupping up on Jeff
Jarrett backstage, which was supposed to explain his never showing up in
the last segment, as well as provide Steiner a little revenge for taking
the gee-tar shot
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Shawn Stasiak says perfect a few more times and asks for the basketball -
this shot will break the record. (How long DOES it take to take 5,222
shots - it it about 107 minutes?) As he sets up the shot, Curt Hennig
comes in from behind, ruining the shot and leaving the rack of basketballs
on top of him.
The 1-800-COL-LECT replay is Page's Diamond Cutter on Abbott.
YOU KNOW WHO v. JOBBED TO JOBBED TO JOBBED TO JUSTIN CREDIBLE - it's twelve
minutes to the hour - don't tell me that they're gonna fill it with this
match! Hogan's FUNB vest now has "TCBollea" on the front. "TCB" is taken
from Aretha Franklin, right? If you're a fan of punches, this is the match
for you! Hogan's trick knee acts up - damn, that's EDGY. Inside, outside,
the weight belt comes off, FINALLY Awesome comes back by using the weight
belt - but Hogan turns it around and there's some more strap-ation, dude.
Hogan whips out his belly-to-back suplex on the floor - that'll probably be
it for the wrestling moves. Awesome crotched on the barricade. Awesome
coming back with the chair. Repeatedly. Back in the ring - AWESOME SPLASH
from the apron to the center of the ring. 1, 2, kickout! Hogan mounting
Awesome and punching away. Punch, two, three, into the opposite corner,
followup lariat, whip into the corner, another clothesline. Head to the
buckle - yup, here's the run-in - it's BILLY KIDMAN with a chair - Hogan
turns around, sees him, gutshot, grabs the chair - WHACK for Kidman. Is
Hogan giving him the bird? CRACKA EAZY-E is out as well. Outside, face
rake for Awesome, right, right, Kidman on the top with the chair - to the
floor - WHACK for Hogan. I sure hope that wasn't the most BLATANT blade
job I've seen Hogan do - and after the past couple of weeks, that'd be
saying something! Oh, look, Hogan IS bleeding. Awesome covers Hogan and
hooks the leg. Referee "Blind" Mark Johnson with the count - 1, 2, 3.
(7:13) Post-match, Hogan goes out, gets the chair and takes out Awesome
and Kidman. And then he chairs Mark Johnson for good measure. And now A
FAN gets all the way into the ring - since he's wearing a Sting mask, I
guess everybody thought he was part of the show or something. Security
moves to take care of him...but just before he's taken out, the slippery
red stuff falls on Hogan. Out come THE WALL, BUFF IS THE STUFF & SHANE
DOUGLAS to help Kidman and Awesome take on Hogan. We look back at the top
of the aisle to see Bischoff giving the salute of the Nation of Domination.
Bring up the credits - we're ending early.
Ewwww! Not "Assault on Devil's Island!" That movie's got WAY too much
Hogan and Billy Blanks, and not NEARLY enough Shannon Tweed!
Christopher Robin Zimmerman
www.CRZ.net