SEScoops Mailbag for October 6th
(submit YOUR questions to sescoops@gmail.com)
Q: What is the story behind the episode of Raw where Steve Austin walked out back in 2002? – Keith
A: Austin was already on shaky ground with WWE creative as he was not a fan of many of their ideas. Moreover, the belief is that he was not 100% healthy and things simply boiled over when he was told he would be doing a job for Brock Lesnar in a throwaway “King of the Ring” qualifying match on Raw. Austin has claimed he had no problem with putting Lesnar over, who was being groomed to be the next big star in the company, and told him that directly at the time. His issue came with putting together the first ever Austin/Lesnar match and giving it away for free on TV with no build. When Vince wouldn’t budge on that decision, Austin packed his bags and went home. In a panic, WWE bumped up The Rock’s return (he wasn’t slated to come back to TV for another month) and had him cut a scathing promo on Raw where he essentially buried Austin without mentioning him by name.
Q: What is the status of Shane Douglas? He didn’t appear at Hardcore Justice because TNA wouldn’t give him a match with Ric Flair, but it still seems only fitting that “The Franchise” would be leading the EV2 faction. – Andrew B.
A: Douglas did not part ways with TNA on the best of terms years ago when he worked there as an agent. He’s had bad blood with Flair for years (worked or otherwise) and went into business for himself by issuing that very public challenge. It would have made little sense to have Flair on what was meant to be a reunion of ECW originals. In any event, Douglas likely would have had little interest in leading EV2 and I think it’s safe to say that TNA would have felt the same way. As for what he’s been up to of late, I know he had gone back into teaching some time ago, but do not know if that is still the case.
Q: I just had an epiphany about Matt Hardy. In 2005, when Lita cheated on Matt, he was fired and began doing interviews trashing Edge, etc. Eventually, WWE re-hired Matt and turned it into a storyline, which was probably Matt’s last big run with the company. So it makes me wonder with Matt’s antics now on YouTube, trashing WWE and being flat out weird, if Matt is using the same formula to get WWE or another company to pick him up and run with it. If you think about it, it makes sense. Matt got rehired by the WWE by making an interesting story idea from his rants and interviews. – Shaun McCall
A: Matt has claimed to certain people who have direct-messaged him that it’s all a storyline with a payoff at the end. In his mind, he may think this will result in a big angle for his character on Smackdown, but there’s absolutely no reason to believe that is the case right now. There are many people backstage in WWE who are not happy with Matt Hardy for various reasons. He’s likely trying to get himself fired and WWE won’t bite (yet). Either way, he has done himself no favors with these ridiculous YouTube videos and his grape-loving alter ego, Matthew. Fact is, he still gets cheered by much of the crowd when he’s out there, so crowd support was never an issue for him. If he would have gotten himself back in shape sooner, made a few tweaks to his stale persona and taken a hiatus from Twitter, he wouldn’t have to try so hard to come up with wacky ideas like this to get himself over with management. Contrary to what some may think, his lack of push also has NOTHING to do with his brother jumping to TNA.
Q: What was going to be the outcome of the Kane vs. Fake Kane storyline had it not become so unpopular with fans? It seemed like it was leaning toward a molestation angle given how little Kane wished to speak of him. – Ryan Begley
A: I don’t remember hearing of WWE having an end game in mind for the angle, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t have one. I heard nothing of a molestation twist to the storyline and quite frankly, the thought of Glen Jacobs and Luke Gallows partaking in a storyline where one molested the other as a child has rendered me unable to conceive children. Thanks for that.
Q: Do you know if the TV show “Sports Science” has conducted any experiments that show the toll wrestling takes on the body? – Nate O’B
A: I don’t think so, but it would make for a fine idea for an episode. HBO “Real Sports” should do the same, but only if they keep Armen Keteyian and his papers away from Vince McMahon.
Q: I was just watching WWE’s “Greatest Hell in a Cell Matches of All Time” and was wondering what other wrestling DVD’s would you recommend that have great matches and lots of violence? – Kieran
A: That’s a pretty broad question. WWE has produced lots of DVD’s with great wrestling matches, as evidenced by their releases for Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero and others. If you want lots of violence, check out www.czwrestling.com for Combat Zone Wrestling if you’re into light tubes, thumbtacks and barbed wire.
Q: Since John Cena is a part of Nexus, the GM said that he has to follow the orders of Wade Barrett or he will be fired. Do you think that WWE has planned to actually fire Cena at some point as part of this storyline and then bring him back? – Sharla Guinn
A: I don’t believe so as I fail to see the purpose that would serve, other than to further drive home that stipulations don’t mean anything. There’s no way they would take Cena off TV for an extended period of time, anyway. It’s interesting to note that WWE did something similar to this in storyline at the Judgment Day 1998 PPV when Vince McMahon fired Steve Austin. He was back the next night, but not before WWE offices were flooded with angry phone calls and letters deriding them for terminating their biggest superstar. Judging by the reaction shots of fans in the crowd during this angle thus far, you’d likely have a fair amount of parents who would storm Titan Tower with pitchforks and torches in protest. What’s more, that poor kid on YouTube might self-combust.
Q: Is it true that Dixie Carter shares a birthday today with a certain handsome member of the SEScoops roster? – T. Solomonster
A: What a fantastic question! You would be correct, The Solomonster (who hosts the weekly Sound Off here on SEScoops.com) shares the same October 6th birthday with TNA President Dixie Carter, who turns 46 today. I’m sure she’s a big fan.
Keep those questions coming to sescoops@gmail.com and remember to include your name!