Pro Wrestling Comments

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON THE TWELFTH EDITION OF "THE BEAU ZONE" ON THE HARD ROCK HEROES WEBSITE FROM NOVEMBER 2008 TO FEBRUARY 2010.

It looks like Vickie Guerrero on Smackdown has made something of the catch phrase, "EXCUSE ME!" Don Callis as Cyrus in the original ECW tried, but he didn't make his entrance often enough before the TNN show was pulled.

Speaking of Don Callis, the act of The Brian Kendrick and Ezeikel on Smackdown seems to be someone's ripoff of Don Callis as The Natural when he had Bad News Allen as his bodyguard in Tony Condello's IWA Hardcore, which was the last thing Allen did before retiring, and the last thing Callis did as The Natural before heading off to WWE as The Jackyl. Allen dressed up in that same white outfit Ezeikel wears.

And speaking of Vickie, when she punished referee Charles Robinson for his conduct, I guess she was remembering when J.J. Dillon replaced Ric Flair with him as acting president of WCW on Nitro from Fargo, North Dakota in April 1999 (I was there) after Roddy Piper had Flair committed to the insane asylum the previous week in Gainesville, Florida. (Remember Robinson and Flair talking on split-screen?)

And speaking of Flair, on Raw, when he and Chris Jericho were going to go outside to fight, I was wondering if Jericho might get locked out again like he did on Nitro when he had his security team, including Ralphus, and he locked himself out of the building and couldn't get back in. In the ring, Wrath was watching all this on the screen and figured if Jericho couldn't go to him, he'd go to Jericho. So he left the ring, went backstage, went outside, and they had their match outside. (FUN FACT: The bar First Avenue in Minneapolis is where Prince filmed Purple Rain. Years later, they built the Target Center kitty-corner from First Avenue. When Nitro was at Target Center, there was another match where Jericho and his opponent (forgot who) wrestled outside into the street and I could see First Avenue behind them. Cool!)

I heard a comment from an audience member on MTV Live on MTV Canada when they were talking about colleges and universities: "Well, you know the saying, if you can hold a fork, you can go to York." I chuckled as I remembered Trish Stratus went to York.

WWE has released Stevie Richards, but here's something I had written about him before he was released that no one ever says: The reason WWE fans don't react to Stevie Richards is because they don't get why Steven Richards of the Right To Censor looks like that. Now, I don't remember myself, but what was the angle to end the Right To Censor? I have a feeling there wasn't one. So WWE just dropped it and the leader, Steven Richards, grows his hair again and inexplicably slowly morphs into what original-ECW fans know as Stevie Richards. Without any promos. And so the fans are confused. Ever since the Right To Censor ended, WWE fans just don't know what to make of this man. Can he even be salvaged in WWE? It's amazing he's even still there.

Regarding the May 9 and May 16, 2008 Smackdowns, where they had the winner of the battle royal become the new World Heavyweight Champion: Why couldn't Teddy Long (in Vickie Guerrero's absence) or Michael Cole/Mick Foley bring up the following points: 1) If Edge was medically cleared to wrestle during the battle royal, couldn't they have brought up the fact that he was supposed to wrestle and defeat someone in a qualifying match first? If there is no time for such a match because the battle royal is taking place, that's not fair, it's in favor of Edge, and it's something the announcers could easily have brought up as heat on Edge. Instead, no one brought that point up. 2) And if Edge is going to run out into that battle royal, how is it that he wins just by spearing Batista off the ring apron? I thought that the way you eliminate anyone in a battle royal is by throwing them over the top rope. Edge did not throw Batista over the top rope. He just pushed him from the ring apron onto the floor. Batista should have gotten back in the ring. He was not eliminated. Now, WWE could have still done all this and have the announcers deliberately not bring it up until after the match, which in this case would be on next week's show, but the problem with doing all this is that, although it puts heat on Edge, it portrays the WWE's referees that worked that battle royal as a bunch of incompetents.

Pro Wrestling Comments

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON THE EIGHTH EDITION OF "THE BEAU ZONE" ON THE HARD ROCK HEROES WEBSITE FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER 2006.

Concerning Bret Hart and the WWE Hall Of Fame, I always thought Bret should just ask his fans on his website if they wanted to see that happen or not. (If he did, I've never had the time to go on his website.) So now Bret is in. Kudos to Bret: He's had his cake and has eaten it, too. He's a man of integrity, and he's never come back to work for WWE in any capacity, but he did do just the DVD and the Hall of Fame just to preserve his memory and for the fans that wanted to see those things happen. There is one thing I wonder about that I haven't read much about, though: (and I asked Dave Meltzer at the Wrestling Observer Newsletter if, the next time he writes extensively about Bret and Survivor Series 1997, he can go over this) Why did Bret apparently decline to lose the title to Shawn Michaels at house shows in the U.S. that took place before Survivor Series? In Shawn's book, to further his and HHH's arguments why Bret was selfish and wouldn't do business he makes that point. I can't remember what Meltzer said about that in the Observer in the past, if indeed anything.

Hey, how about the new movie on DVD (direct-to-DVD?) "Santa's Slay" with Goldberg as both Santa Claus AND Satan? Satan? Wonder if anyone in the film used a taser to subdue him.

Those stairs on the Jan. 2 Raw that Trish was running back and forth on while Todd Grisham was interviewing her look familiar. Are those the same stairs Brock Lesnar threw Zach Gowen and his wheelchair down on Smackdown?

So let me get this straight.....there's controversy over whether to allow 50 Cent into Canada and he does get allowed in.....and Lex Luger doesn't? And 50 Cent did a tour here before.....and Luger just appeared in Winnipeg in October. I like how Sting on TNA referred to Luger in his ring introduction as an "international fugitive," though.

Wonder how the new CW network will affect network executive Palmer Canon. Will he lose his job? He already indicated when congratulated by Krystal Marshall he wasn't thrilled about the new network. ("Oh yeah, THAT news.")

Maybe Mickie James can snag (shag?) Trish Stratus if she put on some Tag Body Spray. As long as there's no Mark David Chapman-type stuff in that angle.

Pro Wrestling Comments

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON THE SIXTH EDITION OF "THE BEAU ZONE" ON THE HARD ROCK HEROES WEBSITE FROM AUGUST TO DECEMBER 2005.

How about MNM? Aren't they THE HOTTEST TAG TEAM EVER? Melina reminds me of J.Lo - In fact, Josh Matthews should ask her if Nitro & Mercury are wearing real fur, and she should angrily blurt out, "Of course they're wearing real fur, you moron!" That's in regard to J.Lo and the PETA controversy with her perhaps wearing real fur. It's about time someone started name-dropping celebrities again! I haven't heard that on a regular basis since Jesse Ventura in the 70s said stuff like, "Mean Gene, what do you think of these sunglasses Cheryl Ladd gave me?" I can hardly wait to party with Melina and the boys at Rain at The Palms or the Hard Rock Hotel in Vegas with Ashton, Paris, Nicole, Nick & Jessica, Britney & Kevin, etc.

Re: Viscera & Trish's dinner date: Maybe he should've been wearing that Tag body spray. (If anyone doesn't get that, Trish is the spokesperson in Canada for Tag Body Spray.)

Did you see Punk'd with Goldberg where the stunt backfired and the semi didn't run over his motorcycle? I wonder if Ashton Kutcher remarked to Goldberg, "I guess you're used to this kind of stuff from WCW, huh?"

This is an old comment but I wanted to use it so here goes: Remember when Heidenreich was still a heel and had to wear a straight jacket? So, at that time, lemme get this straight: With WWE's new dress code, if I ran into him at an airport, not only does he have to wear a dress shirt and dress pants, but over it he now also has to wear a straight jacket, too? Hey, how about NOW with the Road Warrior gimmick? Hey, maybe WWE will make him and Animal wear dress shirts and dress pants along with their makeup and those spiked shoulder pads! Wouldn't that be a look? Animal wearing any shirt over his gut would be an improvement, though.

Pro Wrestling Comments

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON THE FOURTH EDITION OF "THE BEAU ZONE" ON THE HARD ROCK HEROES WEBSITE FROM DECEMBER 2004 TO APRIL 2005.

I heard that the Kane vs. Gene Snitsky match at our next WWE card in January 2005, the first one at the MTS Centre, will be a pinfalls count anywhere in the building match. I guess the referee will have to stop them from wrestling into the skywalks, into either Portage Place or Cityplace, 'cause once they go into those skywalks, they're not in the building anymore. If they did wrestle through the skywalks into Portage Place and the food court, I guess it would look like just another day at Portage Place. Maybe the Indian Posse and the Manitoba Warriors can join in the fun.

Let's go back to July when Raw and Smackdown were both held at Winnipeg Arena for two days in a row. My thoughts at the time were: Maybe Chris Jericho can wrestle someone into Polo Park while it's still open before 9:30 p.m. at the July 5 Raw at the arena. Remember that WCW PPV where he and his opponent (forgot who) wrestled across the street and into an office building? Gee, not many office buildings are open Sunday nights, either. Better yet, If Chris wrestles someone into Polo Park, WWE shouldn't tell anyone at Polo Park, they should just go ahead and do it. It'll be a battle royal of Polo Park security guards vs. Winnipeg Arena security guards! Geez, the arena guards will actually get cheered for the first time in their lives! And all live on Spike TV and TSN!!! Here's also what should have happened: Remember how Chris did a Fozzy gig at Cowboys after Raw was over? How about if Christian and Trish Stratus sneak attack Chris onstage at the Fozzy gig and WWE cameras capture it? Travis Tomko will still be backstage as Tony Condello will be asking him if he's related to Al Tomko. Then Christian and Trish can lay out the rest of the band and security guards as they try to make the save and sing their own songs on stage for a while. The smart marks in the crowd would be furiously typing e-mails to Dave Meltzer on their cell phones. It would have been tremendous.

Remember when Eric Bischoff told William Regal on Raw if he doesn't look after Eugene he'll "never work in this business again?" Not just WWE, but the entire business. Joe Aiello said he was scheduled to tape an interview with Bischoff the following Wednesday - the famous NHB interview Bischoff did. Hey, Joe should have told Bischoff if it happens that Regal is dismissed from WWE that he & Cyrus have every intention of booking him for a NHB show whether Bischoff likes it or not and see what he says.

Regarding Big Show throwing Kurt Angle off that platform: Someone should tell Big Show that just because Hulk Hogan can throw him off the roof of Cobo Hall and he can survive doesn't mean Kurt Angle can survive anything similiar, too.

Pro Wrestling Comments

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON THE SECOND EDITION OF "THE BEAU ZONE" ON THE HARD ROCK HEROES WEBSITE FROM JUNE TO SEPTEMBER 2004.

Speaking of The Apprentice, as I was above, here's my idea for a new reality show: It's kind of like The Apprentice, only instead of Donald Trump, you have The Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase, and he makes the teams do all the Fear Factor stuff. When someone asks what these things have to do with running a business, he tells them to shut up and has Virgil beat them up and belittle them. At the end, everyone goes to the board room. The door opens and Ted walks in. Already sitting on his side of the table is Virgil on one side of him and IRS on the other side. Ted then proceeds to fire everyone. It'll be tremendous.

Before Trish Stratus turned heel, I had this idea for how she should turn: Picture a tag team match: Chris Jericho and Trish Stratus vs. Christian and a mystery female partner, who will turn out to be.....Chris' wife Jessica!!! Trish will scream, "You have a WIFE?" and the three of them will triple team Chris. Chris should now be the heel and the other three the faces, but in WWE logic, since you can't have three faces ganging up on someone, the announcers will feel sorry for Jericho, saying he doesn't deserve this kind of triple-team treatment, and will sway Chris into being the face and the other three the heels. Trish will start swearing and smoking in addition to wearing more stilettos to reflect her new heel character. It'll all also be tremendous.

Speaking of Chris Jericho, how about that week on Raw where he comes out and talks about how excited the crowd is to see Canada's greatest athlete - you mean Angelo Mosca was there? And don't say Gene Kiniski - Mosca's the one who won that feud with Kiniski in 1977 at the Winnipeg Arena to determine who Canada's greatest athlete is.

Before this gets too old, as if it isn't already, remember the NHB card Joe and Cyrus put on at The Colesseum (now Cowboys)? If you were there, you'll remember the ring entrance music was awful. I hope they get that fixed for next time. What does Cyrus' entrance have to do with Iron Maiden's "Run To The Hills?" Usually it's the TNN ECW theme that's played for him. And the DJ didn't have that Deep Purple song (forgot the name of it, but I believe it's from the Perfect Strangers album) for Shane Douglas' entrance, either. By the way, playing that song was a nice touch at the previous show at Coyote's when Shane was there, as Joe & Cyrus apparently figured out Shane's WCW music sounded exactly like that song. Maybe if they get DDP here they can play Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" for his music.

Someone should start a new indie wrestling league called MFW - Middle Finger Wrestling. Nice ring to it, eh?

Hey, how about a battle royal where the winner gets to be called "The Coach?" The participants will be John Tolos, Johnathan Coachman, Scott Taylor, and Jeff Allan (whatever happened to him?). I always thought it was funny, but frustrating, that here are two guys opposite each other on the radio calling themselves "The Coach" and no one ever commented on air how funny (as in funny/weird) that was. Of course, the competition doesn't exist, so neither CITI FM (Taylor) nor whatever 97 called themselves at the time (Allan) would acknowledge it. But no one in the Winnipeg press made those comments, either. It could be because of rock radio's low reputation, but that's another story for another day.