They just booked a death angle

[Bix]

[sek69]

Excellent find. As I recall they did the 10 bell salute for him as well.

[pantherwagner]

Loss, excellent way to sum up WWE, mah man.

 

Also, the tribute shows are not sacred and don't mean anything. It's workers working. It's a chance for wrestlers to get themselves over as genuinely good people with the fanbase by playing top this with each other to see who can do the most touching tribute and get the most adoration from it.

Yep, just like shoot interviews are a chance for wrestlers to get themselves over as cool people and try to "work you" telling you whatever stories they want you to know. The only real shoot interviews were/are the ones with insane and delusional people like Shane Douglas.

[JHawk]

To whoever made the Fritz Von Erich reference:

 

Is that regarding the "heart attack" angle? As I recall, there was never any mention of "heart attack" in that angle, and it was sold as if Fritz collapsed because he was a 60-something year old man who got beat up by three guys. Hardly the same situation.

[sek69]

To whoever made the Fritz Von Erich reference:

 

Is that regarding the "heart attack" angle? As I recall, there was never any mention of "heart attack" in that angle, and it was sold as if Fritz collapsed because he was a 60-something year old man who got beat up by three guys. Hardly the same situation.

 

It was all over the local news in Dallas that Fritz had a heart attack, and his condition would worsen or improve based on the gate that week.

 

Also, this gives WWE the chance to copy one of World Class's most infamous moments when they reported on the real death of Gino Hernandez and the worked blinding of Chris Adams as equal tragedies. I can't wait to hear JR tell us about the two losses WWE has suffered in the last week.

[kjh]

If he's that upset about it, he should really take a few weeks off.

Tell that to Wade Keller. From his Raw take:

 

"Let me preface by saying that I have never in nearly 20 years covering the pro wrestling industry been as disgusted with anything in pro wrestling as I was last week, culminating with the opening minutes of Smackdown. A lot of bad things have happened to good people over the years because of various powerful people in pro wrestling who have been negligent, greedy, dishonest, and vicious. For whatever reason, the exploitation of the emotions drawn from deaths of Eddie Guerrero, Owen Hart, and Brian Pillman - the gathering on the stage on Smackdown of all of the wrestlers to honor the "death" of Mr. McMahon - felt more offensive to me than anything else I've seen.

 

I have yet to watch beyond the opening segment of Smackdown and considered skipping Raw tonight, only because the vile I feel toward Vince McMahon and those in power to shake some decency into him is raw and strong still tonight, days later. That said, I will write this ongoing commentary on the site and write a report as usual for the newsletter (which will be posted on the VIP site later). I am watching and reporting on this show because it's my job - not because I'm curious to see what comes next, not because "controversy creates hits" for the site, not because I'm looking forward to anything about this storyline. I am disgusted by WWE as a company right now. Their lack of judgment and decency, to put it mildly, has never been more pronounced. Obviously, the buck stops with Vince McMahon, who has lost his sense of good judgment.

 

Those who had both the ear of Vince McMahon to change his mind and the ability to not participate and walk away with financial security the rest of their lives should protesting have lead to their firing share the shame for their decision to participate in this heinous exploitation of real deaths. That list includes but is not limited to: Stephanie McMahon, Shane McMahon, Kevin Dunn, Triple H, John Cena, Batista, and JBL (who's included because he has Vince McMahon's ear as much as anyone else not on this list and more than some preceding him on this list, and because he's not seen by Vince a a goody-two-shoes, so if he spoke out, it would have really resonated with him).

 

I have more sympathy for the wrestlers without the political power to say no or the financial security to walk away. Yet, I can't help but think if they all got together and staged a sit-in protest - and it would take almost everyone for it to work - they could have collectively changed McMahon's course also. (Undertaker is out injured and didn't partake, so he gets a pass, but he is among those who should be on the phone giving his boss an ultimatum to drop this storyline and apologize on air for it.)

 

The positioning of Vickie Guerrero on the stage on Smackdown last Friday night to hang her head and mourn the fake death for storyline purposes of Mr. McMahon is what put an end to my viewing of Smackdown last week. Right now, as I sat down to report on Raw, the intensity of my lack of desire to stomach more of this storyline is greater than I anticipated even earlier today and this weekend. My feelings have intensified, not calmed over time. With that said for the record, I will now try to cover Raw as usual..."

[kjh]

Tell that to Dan Wahlers too.

[Loss]

Make that two newsletter writers that need time off. Good Lord.

 

There are so many truly horrible things happening in the world that are worth getting upset about and worth our anger and emotion. This is a wrestling storyline. It's gone past laughing at people overreacting. At this point, it's more worrisome because it's really an unhealthy reaction.

 

There have been times in the past where wrestling has managed to piss me off too, so I'm not saying I'm above it. But I finally grew up. Wrestling is fun. This indignant reaction to over-the-top storylines is the type of reaction I'd rather save for worthwhile political causes, for loved ones battling health problems, for families torn apart by infighting.

 

Perspective.

 

These guys need a good massage, a nice vacation, a peaceful swim ... something.

 

I'm starting to wonder if I should include them in the Pro Wrestling Only DVD Club.

[Guest evolution93]

Speaking of that, for any newsletter subscribers or people who listen to Meltzer's Internet show, what is his opinion of the angle? Is he as upset as Whalers and Keller?

[JHawk]

Make that two newsletter writers that need time off. Good Lord.

 

There are so many truly horrible things happening in the world that are worth getting upset about and worth our anger and emotion. This is a wrestling storyline. It's gone past laughing at people overreacting. At this point, it's more worrisome because it's really an unhealthy reaction.

 

There have been times in the past where wrestling has managed to piss me off too, so I'm not saying I'm above it. But I finally grew up. Wrestling is fun. This indignant reaction to over-the-top storylines is the type of reaction I'd rather save for worthwhile political causes, for loved ones battling health problems, for families torn apart by infighting.

 

Perspective.

 

These guys need a good massage, a nice vacation, a peaceful swim ... something.

 

I'm starting to wonder if I should include them in the Pro Wrestling Only DVD Club.

See, I myself find the angle tasteless and disgusting, and it makes me ashamed to be a wrestling fan. My reaction?

 

I'm watching the tape of last night's Raw and ignoring everything but the actual wrestling.

 

I was going to pay attention to the whole show until the build for the five way at Vengeance became about "You killed Vince." "No, you killed Vince."

 

Now I'm watching the matches with the sound off.

 

Much better.

[Bix]

Things in wrestling more offensive than Vince's combustion:

 

WWE:

Vince covers up a murder

Vince covers up child molestation

Russo's proposed & partially executed incest angles

Turning Hawk's real alcoholism/drug abuse into a shitty angle

Employee vs "Independent Contractor"

Terri Runnels fakes a pregnancy/miscarriage because them bitches be crazy

HHH's logo isn't an Iron Cross, really!

Airing the terror cell angle on UPN (but cutting it out elsewhere) because Americans don't care about world issues

WWE barring talent from donating time to the Eddy memorial golf tournament because only the McMahons are allowed to help the family

Chavo/Vickie (representing the evil, lying fans) turn heel on Rey (representing virtuous WWE)

Vince/Steph incest (implied & proposed)

Matt/Lita/Kane/Snitsky rapist sympathy

Lita's miscarrying because they realized they couldn't keep an angle going for so many months

 

WCW:

Larry Zbyszko after Louie Spicolli's death

Turning Scott Hall's real alcoholism into a shitty angle

Russo's proposed & partially executed incest angles

Running the Kanyon goes splat angle in Kemper Arena a year after Owen Hart's death with many of the same fans present

Stacy Keibler fakes a pregnancy/miscarriage because them bitches be crazy

 

TNA:

The Harris Bros. and their SS shirts/tattoos

Haven for WWE drug firings

Not paying for on the job injuries

Jeff Jarrett uses his dead wife to turn babyface

 

ROH & PWE:

Rob Feinstein

 

World Class:

David Manning signing hundreds of fake David Von Erich autographs to sell post-death

Fritz's creepy "MIKE LOOKS JUST LIKE DAVID! YOU SHOULD LOVE HIM JUST AS MUCH!" spiels

Fritz's fake heart attack

Kerry is ushered into the ring while more wasted than most humans will ever be cumulatively so he can work a 60 minute draw

 

Puerto Rico:

Invader I

Savio Vega stabs Invader I

 

Florida:

The Freebirds mock Eddie Graham's suicide

 

FMW:

Onita re-enacts the Invader I stabbing of Brody

 

What else?

[Loss]

Add these.

 

WWE:

Airing a stretcher job taped for TV of Rick McGraw three days after his death

Lobbying fans to vote Owen Hart's death as the best RAW moment ever before the 10th anniversary special

Creating a match on RAW for HHH to purposely take liberties with Jim Ross (Ross now has damaged vision as a result)

Mocking Jim Ross's colon surgery

Randy Orton stating Eddy Guerrero is in hell

Playing 9-1-1 calls on Confidential and framing them in a way where it would appear Lex Luger murdered Elizabeth

Stephanie McMahon falls in love with HHH after he gives her a date rape drug

Shawn Michaels mocks Davey Boy Smith's family at ringside after a match dedicated to his dying nephew

 

WCW:

Ric Flair fakes a heart attack and WCW teases that he may be dead

Gene Okerlund runs Hotline teaser asking what Davey Boy Smith and Magic Johnson have in common

Ed Ferrera wears makeup to create appearance that he has Bells Palsy

 

ECW:

Justin Credible calls Tommy Dreamer's dead grandpa a piece of shit

[Bix]

Airing a stretcher job taped for TV of Rick McGraw three days after his death

The way that the syndicated network was set up at the time, I don't think it was really possible to do it.

 

Lobbying fans to vote Owen Hart's death as the best RAW moment ever before the 10th anniversary special

Creating a match on RAW for HHH to purposely take liberties with Jim Ross (Ross now has damaged vision as a result)

Mocking Jim Ross's colon surgery

Randy Orton stating Eddy Guerrero is in hell

Playing 9-1-1 calls on Confidential and framing them in a way where it would appear Lex Luger murdered Elizabeth

Ooh, those are good. Also the part about WCW's lack of of a loving locker room fraternity contributed to her death.

 

Stephanie McMahon falls in love with HHH after he gives her a date rape drug

I always got the impression that the whole thing, including the roofie, was a setup.

 

Shawn Michaels mocks Davey Boy Smith's family at ringside after a match dedicated to his dying nephew

Sister, but yes. Really, the worst part is Michaels refusing to job to Davey Boy in a match dedicated to his dying sister.

 

WCW:

Ric Flair fakes a heart attack and WCW teases that he may be dead

Gene Okerlund runs Hotline teaser asking what Davey Boy Smith and Magic Johnson have in common

Ed Ferrera wears makeup to create appearance that he has Bells Palsy

 

ECW:

Justin Credible calls Tommy Dreamer's dead grandpa a piece of shit

Those are good.

[Loss]

Add:

 

WWE refuses to acknowledge death of Crash Holly because they felt they had already acknowledged too many deaths around that time

[Resident Evil]

Add these.

 

WWE:

Creating a match on RAW for HHH to purposely take liberties with Jim Ross (Ross now has damaged vision as a result)

What was up with that? I kind of forget now.

[Loss]

Airing a stretcher job taped for TV of Rick McGraw three days after his death

The way that the syndicated network was set up at the time, I don't think it was really possible to do it.

Maybe not. But you would think as soon as he died, they'd immediately make every effort to edit the match out of the syndicated shows. Who knows?

 

Stephanie McMahon falls in love with HHH after he gives her a date rape drug

I always got the impression that the whole thing, including the roofie, was a setup.

Part of the confusion with that was that the storyline didn't make sense. Why did Stephanie need to pretend?

[Loss]

Add these.

 

WWE:

Creating a match on RAW for HHH to purposely take liberties with Jim Ross (Ross now has damaged vision as a result)

What was up with that? I kind of forget now.

 

The story goes that HHH was still bitter about a low payoff he received from a PPV a few years prior. Vince told JR to play hardball with HHH on the amount, HHH was upset and went to Vince, and Vince acted as if it was all JR's doing and that he agreed that HHH deserved more money.

[Bix]

Add these.

 

WWE:

Creating a match on RAW for HHH to purposely take liberties with Jim Ross (Ross now has damaged vision as a result)

What was up with that? I kind of forget now.

The main event at an MSG Raw (I believe it was the last one before the hiatus) was HHH vs JR. HHH potatoed Ross in the eye several times, and he's normally known for being EXTREMELY safe.

[Resident Evil]

Is HHH that safe? Didn't he knock out both the reff and Benoit after a match with chair shots? 1 right after the other.

[Bix]

Airing a stretcher job taped for TV of Rick McGraw three days after his death

The way that the syndicated network was set up at the time, I don't think it was really possible to do it.

Maybe not. But you would think as soon as he died, they'd immediately make every effort to edit the match out of the syndicated shows. Who knows?

Much of the distribution was still done by videotape at the time. It wasn't really feasible.

 

Stephanie McMahon falls in love with HHH after he gives her a date rape drug

I always got the impression that the whole thing, including the roofie, was a setup.

Part of the confusion with that was that the storyline didn't make sense. Why did Stephanie need to pretend?

Vince & Test's hearts would be broken better that way. Or something.

[Bix]

Is HHH that safe? Didn't he knock out both the reff and Benoit after a match with chair shots? 1 right after the other.

Well, yeah, that too. That and the J.R. incident stand out conspicuously as maybe intentional.

[Loss]

Babyface Steve Austin gives Stacy Keibler a stunner and drinks beer afterward, given his own history.

 

How does that fit into all of this?

[Bix]

Babyface Steve Austin gives Stacy Keibler a stunner and drinks beer afterward, given his own history.

 

How does that fit into all of this?

That was bad.

[Resident Evil]

Some of the Owen Hart tribute show was really bad intentional or not.

 

The Dudleys beating up women for face pops is something I always hated.

[kjh]

Jeff Jarrett uses his dead wife to turn babyface

The irony is Wade Keller has had no problem whatsoever with this so far.