SEScoops Mailbag for December 22nd
(please submit YOUR questions to sescoops@gmail.com)
Q: I was wondering who’s idea it was and who authorized Mick Foley being thrown off the Hell in a Cell and going through that table? And apart from getting good ratings, were they not worried about what damage it would have done to the company on a live PPV and with all those kids in attendance if that stunt had gone horribly wrong, especially as they were competing with WCW at that time? – Kev
A: Competing with WCW is precisely the reason they began pushing the envelope in the first place back in those days. They did dangerous things all the time. It was Foley’s idea to do the jump off the cell. Vince McMahon had to have known it was going to happen because his production people knew. You could tell by the way the camera pans out just as Undertaker tosses Foley off the structure. Foley maintained in his book that his second bump through the roof of the cell was not planned, but I’ve never bought that. Based on the way Undertaker delivers that chokeslam (without much in the way of force), they knew it was breaking.
Q: I realize [Shawn Michaels] came back and fought HHH at Summerslam 2002 in an epic match, but HBK returned in the NWO earlier in the year. Did he ever go away [first and then] come back for that matchup? I can’t remember because I was 11 at the time and I am having no luck on YouTube. – Ozzie
A: Michaels returned to WWE television in June 2002 when he joined the nWo. Booker T had also joined the group around the same time, though he ended up being kicked out. Then Kevin Nash tore his quad muscle in a match on Raw and at that point, Vince McMahon decided to kill off the nWo for good. There was no explanation for Michaels essentially going from heel back to face and he transitioned right into a program with Triple H. If Nash doesn’t get injured, the group lives on, though probably not for much longer anyway.
Q: Could you provide some insight as to how matches are actually taped for television? Specifically, since “most” matches are called on the fly, does the producer/director simply direct cuts and shots based on in-ring action as it happens, or is there some element of pre-production (apart from obvious things like run-ins, turns, etc) and planning before the match begins? – Shawn
A: There are definitely certain spots that Kevin Dunn is aware of in advance so they can be prepared for those shots. That would usually be reserved for major stunts or anything done outside the ring (e.g. in the crowd). That said, it’s not a situation where the wrestlers need to alert them of all of their key spots before they go out. In the context of a basic match, cuts and shots are directed as it happens. They have many more cameras than they used to placed strategically in various areas, so it’s rare they would miss anything significant.
Q: Why does WWE continue to put Michael Cole in storylines and let him belittle the talent? The Cole/Lawler feud was enough, and now every week on Smackdown, he is talking down Daniel Bryan and others. If it weren’t for DVR, I wouldn’t be able to watch. Do you believe Cole as a heel announcer is actually helping faces get over or just hurting the product? – Josh M.
A: Absolutely not. The Cole character is killing the product. The more he talks about how someone doesn’t belong or how boring they are, the audience starts to believe it, not rebel against him for it. Cole as a heel color announcer might have worked if the play-by-play guy was strong enough to fight back against him, like a Gorilla Monsoon/Bobby Heenan dynamic, but having your primary announcer do these things, especially when he’s supposed to convince you to buy PPV’s on the go-home shows and have at least some credibility, is completely preposterous. But Vince McMahon gets his rocks off on it, so it’s not going to stop.
Q: The Nation of Domination should make a return to WWE. The members would be Mark Henry, Ezekiel Jackson, R-Truth, Percy, Titus. Faarooq or Teddy Long should manage them. Do you agree? – Chris T.
A: No, I do not agree.
Q: As I recall, cutting yourself in order to bleed (or “blading”) during a match was banned in WWE around 2008/2009. I was watching John Cena vs. Randy Orton from Hell In A Cell 2009, in a Hell In A Cell match. Orton hit that unique backbreaker he does from time to time, and when Cena fell to the mat, it was very clear that a small shiny object came out of his wristband. The referee picked it up and nothing was ever mentioned. Were there plans to blade in that match? – Connor from Las Vegas
A: If blading was banned, then there were no plans for John Cena to blade in that match. It’s just that simple.
Q: Would you rather watch John Cena and Mason Ryan headline WrestleMania in an Iron Man Match or do Big Show and Mark Henry’s laundry by hand for a month? – Brandon
A: This sounds a great premise for the next Saw film.
Q: I was playing WWE ‘12 and the Stone Cold character had “101 proof” on his vest. What is 101 proof? – Elvir Bajric
A: 101 proof is what I have to drink when browsing the comments section on SEScoops.com.
Keep those questions coming to sescoops@gmail.com and remember to include your name!