SEScoops Mailbag for September 15th

(please submit YOUR questions to sescoops@gmail.com)

Q: Just a quick question I can’t seem to find an answer to. Why are CM Punk and Triple H having a match at Night of Champions? I thought that was the night the every match was supposed to be a championship match? Isn’t that the meaning of the whole PPV or am I just missing something? – Phil M.

A: Night of Champions is the night that ALL titles in WWE are defended. Nowhere in there does it say you can’t have additional matches on the PPV that are not contested for a championship. Ironically, CM Punk was involved in the only non-title match on the show last year against Big Show. But it is a bit ridiculous that the match being promoted as the real main event (and may well go on last) is, in fact, not for a title.

Q: I was watching the DX One Last Stand DVD and I couldn’t believe Matt Striker was commentating on a PPV! Why was he taken off the [announce] team? – Jean Luca

A: At this year’s Royal Rumble when Booker T and Kevin Nash each made their surprise returns, Matt Striker openly talked about “marking out” on commentary. Not long after that, his stint as an announcer came to an end. Hell, I marked out a bit myself seeing Nash in his old Diesel gear, but I sure as hell wouldn’t say that on the air. Vince McMahon apparently felt the same way.

Q: I have always wondered what is wrong with TNA. Why do they have lower ratings than WWE? I thought people don’t like the fact that WWE is PG and that could be an advantage for TNA, but it’s not the case. If you were ever given the chance to change one or two things in TNA, what would you change to improve the show and its ratings? – John

A: What a loaded question. Here’s the thing, it’s not as though TNA’s business was lighting the world on fire prior to the arrival of Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, Ric Flair and the like. They weren’t. But, with Hogan and Bischoff’s deals coming to an end soon, their possible departure illustrates something that anyone with half a brain could have figured out from the beginning. They’ve actually made the TNA product weaker and in the end, may have had a hand in killing it much as they did with WCW. Getting rid of them, and frankly anyone else who embarrasses the company (I’m looking at you Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy) is the first step. The other step is to change creative from the very top, which means getting rid of Vince Russo. They can take Impact on the road to the biggest arenas in the world and it won’t change a damn thing. Part of the reason Hogan and Bischoff have been abject failures in their role is their inability to force Russo out of the company. I thought for sure they would at least be able to accomplish that much upon their arrival. For whatever reason, Dixie Carter remains fiercely loyal to the man and refuses to get rid of him. Until that happens, NOTHING (and I do mean nothing) will change. There’s no point in mentioning anything else. It’s a pointless exercise unless they get rid of the man who writes their TV shows. You never hear about how awful TNA house shows are, only the TV show. I’m actually getting angry sitting here writing this, knowing that Dixie Carter actually thinks there is no other human being alive on planet earth capable of writing Impact besides Vince Russo. It astounds me.

Q: I know you don’t want another incarnation of the nWo (believe me, after nWo 2000, no one does), but if there is a chance the nWo does reform with Kevin Nash and/or Triple H, which superstars would you like to see in it? My choices would be Miz, R-Truth, Christian, Alberto Del Rio, maybe Randy Orton or John Cena. – Frank the Tank

A: People don’t seem to understand the reason the nWo hasn’t worked since the late 90’s is because back then, they were a threat. Their whole existence was predicated upon them being a group of outlaws who used to work “up north” whose mission was to take down an entire organization. People believed it and they thought it was cool. When WWE revived the group in 2002, they were just another faction (and a retread, at that). The letters don’t mean anything anymore. You may as well put those guys in a faction and give it a completely different name because otherwise, it’s doomed to failure. It can never compare to the original. Now, even if you did that, I don’t like the idea of Miz being in a group unless he leads. He should not be playing second fiddle to anyone in a group given his mic skills and the fact that he’s already headlined a WrestleMania as champion. R-Truth is fine, I guess, but certainly not in another “nWo” because if you put him in there, it just becomes a comedy stable. Christian has been made to look weak and whiny coming off his feud with Orton, so ditto on him. Alberto is currently the WWE champion and, even without the title, he doesn’t need to be part of a faction. Randy Orton already lead one faction and what an epic fail that turned out to be. As for John Cena, unless he goes heel (he’s not), I say no thank you.

Q: On 7/15/02 when Eric Bischoff debuted in WWE as the GM of Raw, during his first speech he said that if there was one talent he would have loved having in WCW, one that would have made WCW a success, it was Triple H. What was behind those lines? Was Bischoff really interested in Triple H back then? If so, why didn’t they use him when he was in WCW under the name Terra Ryzing? – Ravi T.

A: During the Monday Night Wars, if you were a star (even a mid-card guy), then you were in high demand. People were jumping ship all the time. I’m sure Bischoff would have loved to snatch Triple H away from Vince during the DX days. But did he ever covet him so much that he thought he alone could take WCW to even greater heights? I never heard that and, frankly, I find it laughable. He was a great worker, but no matter how hard they pushed him, he never had the success or popularity that Hogan, Goldberg, Austin or Rock enjoyed at the time. It’s all revisionist history on WWE’s part. As for why Bischoff never used him to his full potential while he was in WCW, it wouldn’t have been the first time Uncle Eric dropped the ball on someone. I seem to recall him firing a certain foul-mouthed Texan who went on to become one of the biggest stars in the history of the business. While you’re at it, you can ask Chris Jericho and Bret Hart about that, too.

Q: I was wondering if you agree with me that Bret Hart was arguably the greatest pro wrestling champion ever? I base this on the fact that he was never cleanly beaten for any of his World titles. The first time he lost due to interference from Mr.Fuji, the second his MOTHER threw in the towel, the third was bogus because [Gorilla] Monsoon “restarted” the match after the time limit, the fourth time Austin interfered and we all know how McMahon screwed him in ’97. Both of his World titles in WCW were vacated due to injury. Not to mention all the Tag titles, IC and U.S. victories, it seems like all of the other so called “great world champions” had clean losses. What do you think? – txtnt622@aol.com

A: Depends on your criteria for greatest pro wrestling champion of all time. That could mean many things. Are we talking about the one who drew the most money? Then it most assuredly is NOT Bret Hart (that’s actually a great question and my guess would be either Sammartino, Hogan or Austin). Is it the champion with the greatest number of victories? The one who sold the most merchandise? Drew the highest ratings? If you want to want to say Bret was the best because he never cleanly lost the title, that’s fine so long as you understand that wrestling is a work, so that’s not a very valid way of determining who is the greatest. However, I would say that Bret is the all-time champion of chest bumps into the corner. Nobody took them better than he did and nobody ever will.

Q: What are your thoughts on some WWE stars saying bad things about the company they work for on Twitter? – Brandon

A: It’s refreshing to see some real honesty every now and then. It will also be a further drain on our economy when they begin collecting their unemployment checks.

Keep those questions coming to sescoops@gmail.com and remember to include your name!

Solomonster Sounds Off

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE:
Solomonster Sounds Off (Episode 178)
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Est. Runtime: 2 hours

This week, we remember the tragedy of ten years ago and the lives that were lost. But we also make good use of the freedoms given to us and absolutely tear WWE and TNA to shreds, each for very different reasons. Raw was an embarrassing show to watch last Monday and their main storyline, which I defended on the last show, has gone to hell and a handbasket. We’ll also discuss Rock wrestling at Survivor Series, WWE’s new network and Linda McMahon running for Senate in 2012. On the TNA front, Kurt Angle was arrested for his third DUI while under contract and the company has done nothing to punish him. Jeff Hardy made his return to Impact on the same day he was sentenced to jail time on drug charges. I will make the case on why Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Eric Bischoff, Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy should all be FIRED from TNA and name the one legend who deserves to stay. Nothing is held back this week, so if you’re easily offended, don’t listen to this show.

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SEScoops Mailbag for September 9th

(submit YOUR questions to sescoops@gmail.com)

Q: I was wondering if a new version of the Nation of Domination would work today with [Mark] Henry, Zeke and R-Truth? I see a lot of potential in this stable. It could push Truth to main event caliber as leader of that stable. Also, what is Christian’s future after his defeats in his feud against Orton? I can’t help but think he’ll be used to push other wrestlers and stop being in the spotlight after a while. – Shaneel from Mauritius

A: R-Truth already headlined one pay-per-view earlier this year and was promptly ushered back down to the mid-card. It’s not a bad place for him to be considering he’s getting TV time each week and has a gimmick the fans react to, but I don’t see how leading a faction of “angry black dudes” is going to make him into a career main eventer. Besides, we don’t need to see a revival of the Nation of Domination, just like we don’t need to see another version of DX or the nWo. As for Christian, his future is precisely what you mentioned, helping to put other wrestlers over after fighting for the championship for five straight months. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, he proved he can be quite an asset in that role back when he was a babyface in ECW.

Q: I was watching the OMG! The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History DVD and there was the huge ring collapsing incident with Big Show and Brock Lesnar. I was wondering if it was scripted or the ring just gave out because the reaction from the crowd and Taz & Michael Cole made it look so real? – Hesham from Egypt

A: That means they did their job very well. It was all planned in advance and is one of the most impressive stunts they’ve ever pulled off. There was someone at the controls behind the scenes ready to activate the ring collapse as soon as both men crashed to the mat. Taz screaming “Holy S**t!” in response only made it feel that much more realistic.

Q: The recent story I read concerning WWE having to buy the (expensive) rights to “Cult of Personality” by Living Colour reminded me of a question I’ve pondered for a long time now. How was Paul Heyman allowed to use all the licensed music he used for his ECW wrestlers’ ring entrances? I assume he did not pay the record companies. Why wasn’t he sued? – Sean

A: The simple answer is, he wasn’t allowed but he did it anyway. ECW was such a small entity, Heyman either figured nobody would know or care enough to do anything about it. He got away with a lot of stuff like that. I believe they did eventually have video distribution for their PPV events (I could be wrong about this), but even if they did, it was on such a small scale compared to a company like WWF at the time that they simply slipped under the radar, whereas Vince McMahon wouldn’t be able to use “Enter Sandman” on his shows and then turn around and sell DVD’s of those same events for $30 without having to pay astronomical royalty fees.

Q: Do you feel like CM Punk has the biggest hand in young stars like Evan Bourne, Tyler Reks and Zack Ryder being pushed, even if it is just a mini push? Or do you feel like HHH had the idea for new talents to be pushed better. – Anonymous

A: Let’s not get carried away here. Tyler Reks was on camera backstage for all of 20 seconds on Monday night, and I don’t even remember him being referred to by name. I’d hardly call that a push. But yes, Punk did go to Vince McMahon behind the scenes and voiced his support for Zack Ryder. Does he deserve the credit for Ryder’s increased TV time? Who’s to really say, but I’d argue that Ryder should get most of that credit because without starting his YouTube show (which garners more views than many videos on WWE.com) and putting in the extra effort to get himself noticed, he wouldn’t be getting any sort of push at all.

Q: With this whole brand splitting going on, does that mean Smackdown will be live for now on or back to Friday Nights and taped? I really like the whole idea of it being live and on Tuesdays, you seem to get a lot more people to tune in. – Coty

A: Smackdown is still a taped show on Friday nights for the time being. If they schedule another live special on a Tuesday and it performs well, that may convince SyFy to make a move, but as of right now, they only did it that one time to avoid running on the Labor Day holiday. It’s true that airing on Tuesdays would be significantly better for getting more eyeballs as Friday is one of the worst nights of the week for TV, but the show being live has VERY little to do with the overall rating. I’ve had this argument with people before and talked about this on the Sound Off, but people put way too much emphasis on live vs. taped. Yes, some people will read spoilers and avoid watching certain shows, but there’s no real evidence to suggest that taped shows perform consistently worse than live ones.

Q: What are the salaries of some of the main eventers such as John Cena and CM Punk? What are salaries of some mid-carders? – CJ S.

A: There are salary figures posted online if you search for them, but as far as I know, they are not accurate. WWE does not provide information about salaries for specific performers. However, it’s a safe bet that John Cena and Randy Orton, for example, each have a base salary in the high six-figure range and make significantly more than that based on their percentage of PPV revenue and merchandise. Depending on your definition of who is or isn’t a mid-card talent, they can make anywhere from the low to mid-six figures, but something like being in WWE’s annual video game will bring them a lot more money in royalties. In short, it’s not as easy or as glamorous a life as some may think it is, but it’s not bad work to get if you can find it.

Q: Why has the WWE gone away from “themed” PPV’s? I dare you to find one fan that wouldn’t want to see a Survivor Series booked exclusively with “teams vs teams”. In fact, I say bring back the In Your House’s too. I could use a free place to live. – Seth from Parts Unknown

A: Count me as that one fan you claim does not exist. In fact, I could probably find you 10 more people who would not want to see Survivor Series booked exclusively with team matches. It was a concept that worked many years ago, but it’s no longer unique. We see multiple man matches on TV every single week these days. In fact, we just had a 4-on-4 elimination match last Monday night! In my opinion, WWE has gone to the extreme with these “themed” PPV’s and needs to shave a few off because they’re killing those gimmicks. Take “Hell in a Cell” for example. The whole point of the match is to serve as the climax to a feud between two men, and it should be used sparingly so that when you do use it, it feels special. Instead, we now have an annual show that features at least TWO cell matches on the same night! What’s worse is that WWE doesn’t even have any feuds right now going long enough that would warrant having a cell match. You could have done it with Orton and Christian, but they seem to have moved away from that (and rightfully so). The first year they had HIAC as a PPV, it did 283,000 buys. Last year the show did 210,000 buys. This year, I expect that number to drop even lower. Now you’ve killed the concept.

Q: Have there been any Casket or Buried Alive matches that did not involve Undertaker or Kane in any way? Do you think we will ever see these types of matches after Undertaker and Kane retire? – John from Chicago

A: There have not been, and once both men are gone for good, I doubt there will ever be a reason to resurrect them. Besides, WWE does its fair share of “buried alive” matches each year anyway, usually involving John Cena.

Keep those questions coming to sescoops@gmail.com and remember to include your name!

Solomonster Sounds Off

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE:
Solomonster Sounds Off (Episode 177)
*right-click, “Save As”, or stream it!

Est. Runtime: 1 hour, 27 minutes

Solomonster hopes everyone is enjoying their Labor Day weekend and not doing any…you know, actual labor On a week where we were treated to a Raw Supershow and Super Smackdown (and on a podcast where Super Shredder gets a mention), we bring you Super Sound Off 177! We’ll talk all the big shows of the week, why the CM Punk/Triple H/Kevin Nash storyline makes perfect sense with one glaring exception, which Smackdown superstar deserves a run with the World title, TNA’s decision NOT to put Sting and Ric Flair’s first match in 10 years on PPV, Santino’s car accident, Kurt Angle’s hissy fit and a SUPER MAILBAG! Download this super-duper show right now!

Want your question on the air? Send feedback to THESOLOMONSTER@gmail.com.

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SEScoops Mailbag for September 1st

(submit YOUR questions to sescoops@gmail.com)

Q: What are your thoughts on the Raw-Smackdown Supershows? Is it getting more confusing to the average fan? It’s great to have everyone in the same building, but now they are going back to the inter-brand matches. I miss the old days back in the 80s-90s where everything was cut and dry. – Anonymous

A: Yes, everything was a lot simpler back in the day, but I would argue that bringing the Raw and Smackdown talent together does more to resemble those days than keeping the rosters separate. Back then, you didn’t have brands, the roster was unified. I think what’s confusing to some is the fact that they’re never entirely clear on what the rules are. For years now, especially leading up to WrestleMania, we’ve seen a mixing of the brands off and on without any real explanation. Now all of a sudden, Smackdown guys can appear on Raw, but apparently, not vice versa. Why? They don’t bother taking the time to explain these things to their fans and that is what can be so confusing.

Q: Is Triple H the only [wrestler] ever to use a sledge hammer? It’s like it is exclusive for him unlike chairs, tables, ladders, etc. which are used by everyone. Why is he the only guy given the hammer? Was there originally any story or angle behind that? – Jeff T.

A: Nope, Mankind may have actually been the first to use the sledgehammer as a weapon on WWE TV. During a match between Kane and The Rock on the 9/14/98 edition of Raw, Foley came out and struck Kane with the hammer, which actually lead to the first ever “Sledgehammer Match” between Mankind and Undertaker later that night. The first time Triple H ever used it was during a casket match on Raw between Rock and Undertaker on Raw in 1999. He interfered in the match, smashing Rock’s arm with it on the steel steps, then bashing the casket with it repeatedly with Rock inside. There was no story behind it. I’ve always heard his weapon of choice behind the scenes was a shovel.

Q: Any chance of CM Punk leading the return of the Undertaker back to WWE? I can envision a CM Punk/Undertaker vs. HHH/Nash Survivor Series match. Also, why doesn’t WWE allow for one week title changes? For instance, in every sport there is occasionally upsets that make every fan say “wow, I didn’t see that coming!” So why not have Cena/Orton/Punk/Del Rio occasionally lose in an upset to a Kingston/Bourne/Sheamus/Bryan only to win it back the following Raw? I think it would be a fun way to get mid-card talent over instead of the usual boring “push” that ends up being predictable. – Seth from Parts Unknown

A: First, what sense would it make for Punk to bring Undertaker back? He’s on television every week talking about how he wants to bring change to WWE and talking about pushing younger talent like Zack Ryder and Colt Cabana. I just don’t see it. Second, one week title reigns do absolutely NOTHING to get mid-card talent over. We’ve seen abbreviated title reigns for guys like Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler which didn’t exactly move them to the next level. I get what you’re saying about being spontaneous and unpredictable, but swapping titles like candy is not the way to go about doing that.

Q: Is it just me or does anyone else think Sheamus is all of a sudden being under-utilized? This guy is a former 2-time WWE Champion, Unites States Champion and King of the Ring, and just recently there were two rivalries involving The Celtic Warrior that had the potential to go somewhere but seemed to be thrown out. His feud with Wade Barrett ended in a draw, and unless they plan now on doing something with him and Mark Henry, that’s just going to end with each getting a count-out victory, which might as well just be a draw! – Nick Adams

A: He was being under-utilized about a month or so ago, but how can you make that argument right now? He’s been on television in prominent matches for the last few weeks. He headlined Smackdown last week against Mark Henry and headlined the Raw Supershow on Monday, teaming (and winning) with John Cena in the main event. His babyface push seems to be taking off nicely. Would it have been nice to have a resolution in his feud with Mark Henry? Sure, but WWE was so afraid to have either guy lose clean, we never got that. It’s their classic even-Steven booking. One guys wins, then the other guy wins.

Q: I think Chris Jericho and Kane had two of the best (if not the best) debuts of all time. In your opinion, who had the better debut? Jericho interrupting The Rock or Kane showing up in the first Hell in a Cell between Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker? – Michael

A: That’s a really tough question. Both debuts were excellent and left an impression that we still remember all these years later. Jericho got a superstar reaction his first night in and went toe-to-toe verbally with one of WWE’s biggest stars at the time, but Rock made him look like a pansy by the time it was said and done and worse, it didn’t lead anywhere. On the other hand, Kane’s debut had been built up literally for months and he appeared during a PPV main event involving two of WWE’s biggest stars. His entrance was masterfully done, with the lighting and the pyro, and him ripping the cell door off its hinges was a really cool visual. I mean, the guy looked like a total monster. Then, he got to lay out Undertaker and played a pivotal role in the finish of the match. I’ve got to go with the Big Red Machine on this one. Also, if we’re having a discussion about greatest debuts, I have to add Tazz at the 2000 Royal Rumble to the list.

Q: I know that secondary titles do not mean as much as they used to, but do you have a problem with wrestlers like Del Rio, Lesnar and Khali coming in and their very first championship is a World title? Also do you think the MITB briefcases should only be won by mid-carders like John Morrison and Kofi Kingston who can’t quite jump into the main-event level? It did wonders for Edge, CM Punk, and somewhat Miz. Lastly, do you think someone else should have won instead of Del Rio? I don’t think he needed to cash in a briefcase to become champion. – Marc C.

A: I have a problem with Khali winning any championships at all, but that’s beside the point. I do prefer having a guy work his way up the ladder, and perhaps winning a secondary title first before moving on to the World title. In many cases, they rush the title onto these days, who quickly drop them and then end up getting pushed down to the mid-card. I mean, where is there to go once you’ve won the top prize? Anything after that is going to be perceived as a demotion. There are exceptions to this as I think the way they handled Brock Lesnar leading up to his win over The Rock at Summerslam was pitch perfect. As for the MITB briefcase, it does make sense to use them to help elevate non-main event talent. Del Rio did not have to win the briefcase because he had just won a match on Raw a week or two earlier to become #1 contender. His win at the PPV basically rendered that match pointless. And WWE wonders they their ratings have dropped off in recent years. Why bother watching these matches when you’re basically being told they don’t mean squat?

Q: One of my favorite matches was HBK vs. Mankind in September 1996 at Mind Games. However I never really knew how Mankind became #1 contender. I remember Shawn Michaels being interviewed backstage on Raw about the match and Mankind jumping him and slapping the Mandible Claw on HBK, but it seemed to be just announced out of the blue. How did Mankind become #1 contender and what were your thoughts on that match? – Trey

A: Mankind had just come off a very successful feud with Undertaker. In fact, he beat him not only at KOTR that year, but also in the Boiler Room Brawl at Summerslam. I always assumed that by doing so, it earned him #1 contender status, though I don’t know if they ever actually said that on TV. The match between Mankind and Michaels was one of the all-time great title matches in WWE history. Part of what made it so great is that people were completely caught off guard by it. Nobody expected Mankind to be part of a match of that caliber. I can still remember him stabbing his knee repeatedly with some sort of foreign object in the middle of the match to try to get some feeling back into it. The finish sucked, but it wasn’t enough to ruin an otherwise fantastic match.

Q: Did Nathan Jones actually do time in an Australian prison? – Nate OB

A: Indeed he did. He spent seven years in a maximum security prison after being charged with eight armed robberies. As a wrestler, he was awful, so bad in fact that even after announcing him for a tag match at WM19, WWE elected to have Undertaker wrestle Big Show and A-Train by himself in a handicap match. I don’t know what he stole during all those armed robberies, but talent certainly wasn’t it.

Keep those questions coming to sescoops@gmail.com and remember to include your name!

Why Is It So Hard To Book Pro Wrestling?

LOOKING BACK AT SUMMERSLAM 18 YEARS AGO TODAY
by The Solomonster (thesolomonster@gmail.com)
Podcast | Twitter | Facebook

Whenever Vince McMahon likens WWE to a movie or TV show rather than sports, some fans tend to get up in arms. After all, are wrestlers not athletes? Do they not put their bodies on the line year-round and suffer serious injuries? Of course they do. But the more you stop and think about it, the man has a point. One key element pro wrestling has over sports like baseball, football and MMA is the ability to book its own finishes. Just like in any Hollywood film, the director (or promoter in this case) can script out a finale that both makes sense and satisfies the audience’s expectations. The “game” can’t be called due to bad weather. The “fight” won’t end on a swift, 10-second knockout. They have the power to give the people their money’s worth.

So why then is it seemingly so difficult for pro wrestling to get it right?

Visit any news site or discussion forum and you’re likely to drown in a sea of negativity. Welcome to the internet, folks. But when it comes to wrestling, this seems especially prevalent. ‘Oh great, so-and-so lost his match so he’s obviously being buried,’ or ‘man, what a crappy show that was. I’m never watching again!’ (as if). We’re all guilty of it in some form or fashion, so let’s just get that out of the way. Got it? Good. Now the flip side. Truth be told, we’ve seen our fair share of bad TV shows in the last couple of years. We’ve seen some horrendous booking decisions and godawful main event finishes that have nearly made our heads explode. But enough about Vince Russo… the fact is this. You can’t ALWAYS give fans what they want to see. Not every match is going to have a perfectly logical conclusion. Often times, injuries and suspensions can spoil whatever long-term plans a promoter may have mapped out, and for that, I sympathize. And while you can argue that CM Punk has cooled off a bit since his title win over John Cena in Chicago, that PPV was a great example of what happens when wrestling gets it right.

Still, why do these people make such dumb decisions? Why must the hometown hero lose in their hometown 95% of the time? Why must someone who is getting over with the crowd be booked on a losing streak, thus killing whatever momentum they may have? I bring all of this up because A) it’s a relevant question to ask, and B) I wanted to use it as a segue to talk about one of the all-time great blunders in PPV finishes that occurred 18 years ago today. A finish, mind you, that Vince McMahon, a man that some people credit as being a genius, actually thought was a good idea.

August 30, 1993. The site was the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It was WWE’s second biggest event of the year, Summerslam, and it boasted an impressive lineup for that time. Shawn Michaels and Mr. Perfect for the Intercontinental title was like a wet dream for fans of technical wrestling. Bret Hart and Jerry “The King” Lawler were set to finally lock horns after Bret had been viciously attacked following his KOTR victory. And in the main event, Yokozuna, the evil foreigner, would defend his championship against the newly-minted All-American hero, Lex Luger. Now before I go any further, I must point out that the original booking plan for the show had Hulk Hogan putting over Bret Hart for the title, which would have cemented Bret as a main event player much sooner. However, Hogan balked at the idea and decided he would rather drop the title to Yokozuna and flee the company than put over teeny-tiny Bret Hart, forcing a change in plans. That said, there’s still no excuse for their Plan B.

When Hogan left, it left a void at top babyface for the company. They tried Bret Hart in that role already and he didn’t exactly light their business on fire, so he wasn’t the answer. So they decided to turn Luger, who had been a heel since his debut about six months earlier, and transform him into a modern day version of Hogan (only better, you see, because he had a steel plate in his arm!). To their credit, they went all the way with it. The Fourth of July chopper landing on the Intrepid when Luger slammed Yokozuna was a great piece of marketing. Then they had Luger travel cross-country on a bus called “The Lex Express” straight through to Summerslam. I mean, you would have thought the guy was running for political office the way he spent over a month on that bus, shaking hands and kissing babies. To cap it off, Jim Cornette, serving as the champ’s American spokesperson, forced Luger to agree to the stipulation that if he didn’t win the title at the PPV, he would never get another title shot. The stage had been set for an epic championship victory for Luger and the United States, right? Right? Well, not exactly.

Lex Luger would not have been my first choice to lead the company if I had the book. But I didn’t. Hell, I wasn’t even old enough to vote at the time. But you know what? Vince McMahon had a vision and you can tell he was hell-bent on seeing it through. At least he wasn’t half-assing it with the guy. Summerslam arrived and the arena was decked out in red, white and blue. They paraded country singer Aaron Neville out there to sing the national anthem. Out comes Luger to a pretty good response from the crowd (and a new haircut) and we’re off to the races. I’m not going to spend time breaking down this match other than to say it was every American vs. foreigner WWE main event you’ve ever seen, including the dreaded NERVE HOLD OF DOOM. Luger rallies from certain defeat, Cornette tries to interfere, Mr. Fuji tries to interfere, all to no avail. Then comes the big climax – Luger fires off the ropes and clobbers Yokozuna with his loaded forearm, knocking the big guy out to the floor in a heap. The Palace is going crazy. As a fan watching at home on TV, I can recall thinking to myself, ‘boy, he better get Yoko back inside before the referee counts to ten.’ I waited and waited until I saw something rather odd. Luger was making no attempt whatsoever to bring him back inside and seemed perfectly content to leave him laying. In fact, it appeared he was COUNTING ALONG with the referee!

‘Is this guy a moron?’ I wondered. ‘You can’t win the title on a count out. Get him back inside! What’s wrong with you?!’

He never did bring him back inside. The referee counted to ten and called for the bell. And with that, Lex Luger would forever become the poster-child for ignorant, dumb babyfaces. Yet, there was Vince McMahon on commentary going orgasmic over what we had just witnessed. Out came other equally dumb babyfaces like Randy Savage, Tatanka and the Steiner Brothers to celebrate and hoist Luger up onto their shoulders as balloons and confetti rained down from the ceiling. These days, Vince loves to have his announcers throw the term “Bizzaroland” around whenever the Canadian fans cheer for the heels and boo the faces, but back at that very moment, I thought I was living in “Bizzaroland” myself. You spent all of that time and effort to get Luger over to the masses, only to have him fail the fans and make him look stupid? I didn’t get it 18 years ago, and all these years later, it’s just as mind-boggling.

Luger was never the same after that. He was still positioned as the top babyface and got nice reactions, but by the Royal Rumble, it was obvious the fans wanted Bret Hart in that role. Perhaps if they had gone all the way with him at Summerslam, things might have turned out differently. It’s been said the reason for the finish is that at the last minute, Vince McMahon decided that he wanted Luger to win the title at WrestleMania X instead. Of course, that never happened. Instead, at WM11 the following year, Luger was curtain-jerking in a tag match against the Blu Brothers. Talk about a fall from grace.

Pro wrestling shouldn’t be this hard. You control your own destiny. How an intelligent person like Vince McMahon could have thought it was a wise move to book that main event finish, we may never know for sure. But on this day 18 years ago, it wasn’t the first time and damn sure would not be the last time we would see a promoter do such a thing and it begs the question, why is it so hard to book pro wrestling?

The answer is, it’s not. It’s just easier to screw it all up.

thesolomonster@gmail.com

Solomonster Sounds Off

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE:
Solomonster Sounds Off (Episode 176)
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Est. Runtime: 1 hour, 13 minutes

Solomonster brings episode 176 to you this week from the EYE OF THE HURRICANE… well not really, but he *is* just outside the evacuation zone for what looks to be a pretty bad storm, mere days after being rocked by an earthquake. Despite this, he’ll break down a really good Raw show from Monday, the latest on the never-ending Matt Hardy saga, the TNA return of Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio’s prognosis, the MITB buyrate snafu, Todd Grisham leaves for ESPN and THE MAILBAG! Also, thanks to everyone who helped us reach 1,000 Twitter followers!

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SEScoops Mailbag for August 25th

(submit YOUR questions to sescoops@gmail.com)

Q: Why in the world wont WWE change this PG rating already? I keep wondering how we can have these brutal Hell in a Cell matches and Elimination Chambers without a drop of blood. At least now they say ass and bitch sometimes but still, the promos are not as funny as they used to be because they can’t swear, the matches are not as good because they can’t get too violent. Just imagine a Stone Cold era in this PG thing. I don’t think it would be as good as it was. My point is, people are begging for [an end to PG], so why don’t they give the fans what they want? – John E.

A: I swear, it’s like Groundhog Day with this question. So you admit that the language they’re using more often of late is decidedly un-PG, but because they still ban blood and barbed-wire baseball bats, the product isn’t as enjoyable as it used to be. Fair enough, to each their own. Where are these people begging for an end to PG? On the internet? Whether we like it or not, we’re not the majority. There are plenty of older fans who were young enough to enjoy the Attitude Era that now have kids of their own and prefer a more family-friendly WWE without all the crotch-chopping and swearing. To me, it has less to do with PG and everything to do with finding that one big, breakout star. CM Punk could have been that guy, and he hasn’t been buried yet, but they didn’t go far enough with the angle after he won the title at MITB. For now, enjoy hearing the words “ass”, “balls” and “bitch” and all of the inside references on promos because it’s the closest thing we’re going to get to that era. Once Linda McMahon announces her intent to run for office again, it won’t last long.

Q: What are your thoughts on WWE not using Gail Kim well, and maybe punishing her because she went to TNA? – Wesley

A: It had nothing to do with her going to TNA. Remember, it was WWE that foolishly released her all those years ago, it’s not as though she betrayed the company by jumping ship in the middle of a contract renegotiation. Christian has done quite well for himself since returning from TNA and he chose to leave to go there. To be honest, Gail never appeared to be the same performer inside the ring that she was back when she was feuding with Awesome Kong. I’m not sure why either, but having 2-minute matches on TV certainly didn’t help. My guess is if Vince let her go the first time when everyone thought it was a mistake, he must not have seen her as someone to build the women’s division around. She was over 30 when they took her back and in that company, it’s a difficult thing when you’re up against other females 10 years your junior.

Q: Is there any reason why Goldberg seems to “hate” WWE? Did WWE screw him some how or what? – Syed

A: Probably bad blood for how they treated his character back during his first run, coupled with them not making a deal happen to bring him in for WrestleMania in Atlanta this year. Goldberg was open to doing something there given his history in the city, but they could not come to terms. It should be known that Triple H is not a fan of Goldberg and reportedly talked Vince McMahon out of considering him for this year’s Hall of Fame class because in his view, he never really accomplished anything in the business. No really, stop laughing. I guess we’re all supposed to forget that Vince McMahon Sr.’s limo driver is in that same HOF, along with other big money-makers like Nikolai Volkoff, Koko B. Ware and Drew Carey.

Q: I just wanted to know how the Steve Austin/Triple H stunt was performed safely at the conclusion of Survivor Series 2000. Triple H was in the car, which was hoisted up high, and was begging for mercy and when the camera showed Austin dropping the car upside-down with the forklift, Triple H screamed “Holy S**t” but nobody was in the car when it landed. How did WWE manage to do the act safely? – Marko from Zagreb, Croatia

A: It was done safely because Triple H was not actually in the vehicle when it plummeted to the pavement. It was previously-recorded footage that was spliced into the live PPV broadcast. I always found it funny that a mere 8 days later, Triple H was back on television without a scratch on him. He must be unbreakable.

Q: With [Stephanie and Triple H] emerging to take over WWE, could we see Shane McMahon possibly making a comeback to reveal himself as the Raw General Manager or possibly even bring his father back with his % of ownership to make a great storyline before WrestleMania? I would love to see Shane back and stirring things up. – Brian

A: We already had one WrestleMania main event with a McMahon in every corner and that was over a decade ago. Do we really need another? That said, Shane McMahon will not be revealed as the Raw GM. He left WWE behind completely because he could no longer deal with his father’s outbursts. He currently serves as CEO of China Broadband Inc., a provider of cable broadband services, and sits on the Board of Directors for International Sports Management, representing talent including pro golfer Rory McIlroy.

Q: In your opinion, do you think Goldberg was as hot or hotter than Steve Austin in 1998? Also, I was on YouTube watching a match between Vader and Stan Hansen in Japan where Vader was poked in his eye and it popped out! Do you think that is the worst injury you’ve seen in wrestling? – Troy

A: I’m sure plenty of ladies (and some men) found the bald goatee look quite hot back in ’98, but I was not one of them. Oh, you meant business-wise? Good question. They were both insanely over with their respective audiences and had a big impact on TV ratings. I’d probably call it even were it not for the ridiculous amount of merchandise Austin was selling at his peak. WCW never had their house in order when it came to that sort of stuff. As for the Vader/Hansen match, Vader’s eye didn’t exactly pop out, but that’s only because his eyelid was barely holding it in. It was pretty gruesome, but the worst injury I’ve seen in wrestling is Sid Vicious breaking his leg at WCW’s Sin PPV in 2001. I still shudder just thinking about it.

Q: Why is it that almost nobody in the WWE Universe likes Heath Slater? On every website I go to, I see mostly resentful comments directed at the one man rock band. I think he is good in the ring and has decent mic skills, too. I understand that he’s a heel, but even heels are given credit for what they do. Why do you think Heath has been given such a bad rap? – Chris L.

A: He calls himself the one man rock band. For that reason alone, he deserves to be shunned.

Keep those questions coming to sescoops@gmail.com and remember to include your name!

Solomonster Sounds Off

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE:
Solomonster Sounds Off (Episode 175)
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Est. Runtime: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Solomonster would like to apologize for his explicit language during parts of this week’s show. He may have broken his own record for use of the f-word and will try hard to cut back on that in the future, but it won’t be easy. Surely, there must be a patch or some special gum out there to help kick the habit, no? Sound Off 175 features a no-nonsense take on the fall of Matt Hardy and why it’s no great tragedy. Plus, more details on the giant UFC/FOX deal and implications for both WWE and TNA, a review of Impact Wrestling and more nonsense, a great match on Smackdown, a machine that mutes annoying TV personalities, a quick review of Steve Austin’s latest film and THE MAILBAG! A packed show for mature audiences only, so check it out!

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SEScoops Mailbag for August 18th

(submit YOUR questions to sescoops@gmail.com)

Q: I would like to know the real reason for the Stone Cold Steve Austin heel turn at WrestleMania 17 when he joined Vince McMahon. Do you think that was a good move for business? – Troy

A: Austin has said that it was all his idea and he now regrets doing it. Instead of a handshake, if he could do things differently, he would have given McMahon a Stunner to close out the show. At the time, he felt his character was getting stale and needed a fresh start. As far as whether it was good for business, the numbers don’t lie. Ratings began a slow descent that they’ve never recovered from and thousands of fans who watched wrestling back then stopped doing so, never to return. It killed their golden goose and don’t think that it doesn’t play a role in why they’ve been so resistant to turning John Cena heel all these years. More than a decade later, WWE recently began conducting focus groups to see how they can work to get back what they refer to as “lapsed” fans.

Q: It is quite clear that Melina has a poor reputation with the locker room and just about everyone. My question: I believe in “Have A Nice Day”, Mick Foley was very complimentary of her to the point where it was a little creepy. Was this tongue-in-cheek or did Mick really see something in her? It just doesn’t add up. – Paul from Bangor, ME

A: Nope, Mick is a very big fan and thinks quite highly of her, not necessarily from an in-ring POV, but more as a nice, warm person. It’s not a gag. If you ask me, I think he probably just wanted to Bangor (get it? Because the person writing in is from a place called Bangor? Okay, let’s forget this ever happened).

Q: Is the [wrestling] media killing wrestling? Back in the day, WWE had better ratings and more fans then they do now. Could it be spoilers that ruin the surprises or the wrestlers’ personal lives getting on the internet or what? The fans used to love the Hardy Boys, but now people bash them for their mid-life crisis. Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior are disrespected because of their personal lives, but they used to be idols. – Austin N.

A: What a tired argument. The media is not killing wrestling, dumb wrestlers (and bookers) are killing wrestling. It’s like saying guns kill people – no, people kill people and just happen to sometimes use guns. Spoilers have been readily accessible on the internet since at least the mid-90’s and it’s never been proven that a live show consistently outperforms a taped show. The Hardys? People bash them because they’re a few fries short of a Happy Meal and bring scrutiny upon themselves by having their home raided by police, or by posting ridiculous YouTube videos of themselves eating grapes and tasering their girlfriend and running around their home with a gun pretending to chase ghosts. You can’t blame the media for that. As for Hogan and Warrior, they used to be idols to many fans because those fans were 10-years old and didn’t know any better. Now that they’re running around with iPhones cutting promos on each other every five minutes, it’s just sad. That hardly means I hold Steve Jobs and Apple responsible for their silly behavior.

Q: What if one day the WWE were to “really change forever”, as Triple H told us it would, and the company produced [more interesting] storylines and make ALL their championships seem important. Do you think WWE would be better off if they switch all of their programs from the USA network and SyFy to ESPN? And if they were to get a deal right now with ESPN, do you think it would mean anything? – Adrian Ramlochan from Trinidad

A: If only if it were as easy as you make it out to be. WWE isn’t in a position where they can just snap their fingers and shift their programming onto another network. As a matter of fact, wrestling is nowhere near as hot as it was a decade ago and TV executives have figured out the dirty little secret about wrestling fans –by and large, they don’t watch other programming on a promotion’s home network. UFC got lucky when Ultimate Fighter got a slot immediately after Raw and took off because contrary to what Vince McMahon would have you believe, there is lots of crossover between the wrestling and MMA audience. But that’s the exception, so if wrestling fans are only going to watch wrestling shows and wrestling isn’t the hot commodity it once was, then what other network would want it? WWE found that out the hard way when Spike ended negotations to bring them back and left USA as the only suitor. Nobody else wanted them, including ESPN. Besides, it’s a sports network and WWE thinks sport is a dirty word. They’re entertainment now, you see. It wouldn’t be a good fit.

Q: What was the fallout about between Goldust and his father, the “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes that caused them not to talk to each other for 5 years? – Rory B.

A: It revolved around Dustin’s relationship with his future wife, Terri, who he first met in WCW. He talks about it in his book, “Cross Rhodes: Goldust Out Of The Darkness”.

Q: I remember earlier this year, Cody Rhodes said that when he wins at WrestleMania 27, he would unmask Rey Mysterio. When that time came and he won the match, he just grabbed his protective face mask and left. What’s up with that? – Chase Hawkins

A: Just another stipulation, much like John Cena getting fired, that WWE either forgot about or decided wasn’t worth mentioning again. Perhaps Alberto Del Rio remembered Cody’s earlier vow during the Raw Money in the Bank match last month when he ripped Mysterio’s mask off his face and threw it into the crowd. Another example of Mexicans taking jobs that Americans don’t want.

Q: Is there a RAW GM anymore? The computer seems to be around at all the RAW [shows] and Pay-Per-Views, but no annoying dinging sounds in the middle of promos. So do you know what happened to the GM? – Abbas

A: Victim of the recession. Lost his day job and couldn’t pay his internet bill anymore.

Keep those questions coming to sescoops@gmail.com and remember to include your name!

Solomonster Sounds Off

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE:
Solomonster Sounds Off (Episode 174)
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Est. Runtime: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Solomonster is back for the second straight week with another BONUS weekday Sound Off, covering Summerslam 2011 and Monday’s Raw from San Diego in which the word of the day was BURIAL. Kevin Nash buried CM Punk, Punk buried Nash, Michael Cole buried everyone and I buried my face in my hands (literally). The announce team is a disaster of epic proportions, so we’ll talk about that, as well as Alberto Del Rio becoming the *NEW* WWE champion, Mike Chioda suspended, UFC leaving Spike for Fox and the “Impact” it may have on TNA, and speaking of TNA, I’ve got something to say about them supposedly not paying their talent. Lots of good things happened in the last 48 hours, but I’m gonna be honest, I have a ton of hate to get off my chest, as well. Download this now!

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Solomonster Sounds Off

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE:
Solomonster Sounds Off (Episode 173)
*right-click, “Save As”, or stream it!

Est. Runtime: 60 minutes

On the heels of a rare midweek Sound Off, Solomonster is back with another episode and this time, the little red dot on his silencer is locked on Hulk Hogan! It’s been a while since there’s been a TNA rant, but that streak ends this week as we discuss his most recent, sad YouTube promo. Plus, final thoughts on the Summerslam card, more on Linda McMahon’s possible Senate run, WWE wanting fans to pay extra to hear Michael Cole’s commentary and still more of your questions in THE MAILBAG! More audio goodness for you to enjoy or hate, but as long as you listen, who cares!

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SEScoops Mailbag for August 13th

(submit YOUR questions to sescoops@gmail.com)

Q: Why does WWE just let people like the Dudley Boys, Kevin Nash, Mick Foley, Ric Flair, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan go onto the TNA show to build up their business even more, and even worse, their show is Attitude Era. All the stars that were involved in that era have gone to TNA and are making them a bigger brand than WWE itself. – Javad H. from Scotland

A: Really, those guys have built up TNA’s audience to even greater heights than before? I’d love to see evidence of this. Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy were the only guys from outside that had any sort of real impact and in the case of Angle, that was when he first came in. These days, he’s just another guy who doesn’t move the needle. Hardy moved the most merchandise when he was hot, but then they turned him heel, which basically erased whatever value he had to the company. They are not making TNA a bigger brand than WWE, so quit snorting coke off that mirror and hang it back up on the wall, please.

Q: I looked up Ring of Honor’s new TV timeslot in my area and HOLY CRAP its on free TV. With all the news of Impact being on its toes with Spike rebranding and the chance they could be booted, could ROH possibly become the number 2 promotion the in country? Like I said in this area (San Antonio) it’s on free TV in a huge wrestling market. – Kenneth

A: First of all, it’s highly unlikely that Impact is going anywhere, so they’re safe for now. It’s much more likely that UFC leaves Spike at the end of the year when their contract expires. Secondly, ROH’s new TV show will appear in syndication on many Sinclair stations across the country, most or all of which are going to be free TV outlets. I don’t believe any of them are premium channels. As such, their audience of each station is going to be fairly limited, so I think it would be a few years at the very least before we could honestly see ROH making a run for the #2 spot.

Q: What was the highest rating that WWE Monday Night Raw ever received and which year was it? I’m curious because week in and week out, the ratings are always around a 3-something, they never go beyond that. – John

A: Raw’s highest rating ever came on a night when WCW Monday Nitro was pre-empted due to NBA basketball. On May 10th, 1999, Raw scored a ridiculous 8.1 rating for an episode that featured a main event of Steve Austin, The Rock and Vince McMahon vs. The Undertaker, Triple H and Shane McMahon. Only two weeks later, WWE scored what would be its second highest rating ever of 7.2 for its Owen Hart tribute show the night after his death.

Q: Edge won his first World championship in 2006 and retired this year as World Heavyweight Champion. In that time, he has earned a couple tag team championships, a Royal Rumble win and become an 11-time champion. Would you say the last 5 years of Edge’s career was better than the last 5 years of any superstar’s career in recent memory? – Marc C.

A: If we’re talking stars that have retired within the last few years, then yes, I suppose Edge would be at the top of that list. But even with all of those accolades, if we’re going back through WWE history, then Steve Austin would be higher on the totem pole than Edge. In the five years prior to Steve Austin’s final match, which took place in March of 2003, he beat Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania to win his first WWE Title and ushered in a boom period the likes of which the company may never see again. Austin’s big run was a relatively brief one, but he did bigger business than any other individual in the history of company. All due respect to Edge, he could have won 20 World titles and I still could not rank his final five years higher than Austin’s.

Q: After their shocking debut to their uneventful end, would you consider The Nexus to be one of the worst factions in wrestling history? – Lee Wes

A: Hardly. The New Nexus was atrocious, for sure, but if we’re talking about the original group, I don’t see how you can say that. Their Raw debut made a huge impact and is one of the more memorable moments in the show’s history. Before they fizzled out at Summerslam last year, they were the hottest act in the company. On top of that, they actually made a main event star out of Wade Barrett, even though he has since cooled off on Smackdown. Were they handled perfectly? Of course not. But I can think of plenty of other groups far worse than Nexus ever was. Want the cure for insomnia? See the Truth Commission, D.O.A. and Los Boricuas from 1997 WWF. The Union and JOB Squad were also pretty awful, as were the Misfits in Action from WCW.

Q: I was just watching the Rock vs. Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle Triple Threat
match again from Vengeance 2002. When the match ends, J.R mentions he has seen many triple threat matches, but that was the best one he had seen. I thought about it and I agree with him. Where would you rank this match? – Michael

A: I’ve raved about this match before on my Solomonster Sounds Off podcast (check Audio Shows under FEATURES above). It remains the greatest Triple Threat Match I’ve ever seen in WWE. With three of the best main event performers in the company’s history, it should be no surprise, but their triple threat match format can often times be very formulaic and predictable. In this match, there was never a dull moment and the work was top notch. Definitely go out of your way to see it if you never have.

Q: Out of all the past WWF/E superstars to NEVER hold the World title, who do you think deserved it the most? Also, out of all the current superstars to never hold the WWE/WHC, who do you think deserves it the most? – Shane

A: There are plenty of guys that would have made great WWE champions, including Ricky Steamboat, Ted DiBiase and Jake Roberts. The one who deserved it the most and could have made the most money with it was Rowdy Roddy Piper back when he was at his heel peak. Yes, Piper got over without the title, but I can’t help but think Piper as the heel champion meeting Hogan one-on-one could have done phenomenal business. Piper really doesn’t get as much credit as he deserves for paying Hogan’s foil and boosting WWE to new heights in the mid-80’s.

Q: Nothing personal against these guys, but why is TNA pushing Gunner and Crimson so hard. Especially Crimson, [who has] shown zero charisma so far, and they have a roster with at least 10 other guys who deserve a better push. – Russell

A: I will give TNA credit for trying to push some younger, newer faces. Unfortunately, Crimson just isn’t that good. Gunner has a much better upside and is very well liked behind the scenes, but of course, Crimson is big and has “the look”, so he’s getting a chance. Meanwhile, Samoa Joe toils in obscurity with no points in the Bound for Glory series. May the WWE countdown begin.

Keep those questions coming to sescoops@gmail.com and remember to include your name!

Solomonster Sounds Off

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE:
Solomonster Sounds Off (Episode 172)
*right-click, “Save As”, or stream it!

Est. Runtime: 1 hour, 27 minutes

It’s a surprise BONUS edition of the Sound Off this week, a rare weekday episode previewing SUMMERSLAM this Sunday, Monday’s go-home edition of Raw, Smackdown spoilers for Friday’s show (including a title change), a new creative hire for WWE and more of your questions in THE MAILBAG! So wipe that smile off your face and get going on this extra 90 minutes of goodness with The Solomonster!

Want your question on the air? Send feedback to THESOLOMONSTER@gmail.com.

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Solomonster Sounds Off

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE:
Solomonster Sounds Off (Episode 171)
*right-click, “Save As”, or stream it!

Est. Runtime: 1 hour, 22 minutes

Solomonster is back with a rundown of all the WWE cuts on Black Friday and an update on Gail Kim leaving the company. Which of the cuts was the biggest mistake? Plus, Amazing Red bails on TNA, a great start to Raw with a terrible ending, the latest on Sin Cara’s return (well, kind of), Colt Cabana gets a tryout with WWE, Money in the Bank buyrate, USA giving Raw a live one hour pre-show and yes, THE BALD UNDERTAKER! All that and the mailbag with a ridiculous comment from Kevin Kelly regarding CM Punk. The Sound Off is here!

Want your question on the air? Send feedback to THESOLOMONSTER@gmail.com.

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Solomonster Sounds Off

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE:
Solomonster Sounds Off (Episode 170)
*right-click, “Save As”, or stream it!

Est. Runtime: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Solomonster has a bone to pick with WWE and their automatic rematch rule for all champions — when did this start and why it must be ABOLISHED! Also, thoughts on a good Raw and all of the people overreacting to it, what is worrisome about Punk coming back so early and why it reminds me of last year’s Nexus angle, Jim Ross returns, Spike TV rebranding and what it means for TNA, why the Destination X buyrate is so bad, The Miz named #1 in PWI’s Top 500 and THE MAILBAG OF JOY (and terror!). A fun show, so tell your friends!

Want your question on the air? Send feedback to THESOLOMONSTER@gmail.com.

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SEScoops Mailbag for July 29th

(submit YOUR questions to sescoops@gmail.com)

Q: I just read the article about CM Punk getting McMahon to pay royalties for the “Cult of Personality” theme. What was the case with Sandman’s theme back when he was with WWE? It was an instrumental of Korn’s “Twisted Transistor”. – Ryan B.

A: WWE had inquired about the rights to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” after the first One Night Stand, but they wanted a ridiculous amount of money (many millions) that the company wasn’t willing to pay. Frankly, I don’t blame them. McMahon allowing Punk to use the Living Colour song is, in many ways, revolutionary for them as it has always been their policy to avoid that sort of thing. I thought that maybe it was a one time thing on Raw, but according to Punk’s interview with Bill Simmons this past week, it’s going to be his permanent theme.

Q: I know it’s a little early to speculate, but with the recent storyline of Vince McMahon being “relieved of his duties”, do you think Vince will headline next year’s Hall of Fame ceremony? Or since WrestleMania is in Miami, could The Rock headline the HOF? – Rory B.

A: I’ve believed all along that Rock will headline next year as there is no better place for it than Miami. I believe Randy Savage is now under consideration as well and, while I’ve always thought Savage deserved to be the headline induction all on his own, now that he’s gone, I’d be fine with he and Rock co-headlining. As for Vince, it’s not a horrible idea given the storyline, but I would be STUNNED if this happened. First, I fully expect Vince to be back on TV in some position of power before then, anyway. Second, Vince is very strict at the HOF ceremonies that people not thank him or mention him and he rarely appears before the live audience (his induction of Steve Austin being one of the few exceptions). For him to basically put himself into the HOF is something I can’t see him doing, and being that he’s not likely to retire until he’s dead, it will be a shame for him to go in posthumously and not be there to give a speech.

Q: With WWE now apparently looking at returning to long-term booking, do you think the whole CM Punk angle is building towards Punk (anti-hero) vs. HHH (corporate boss) at WrestleMania next year? It makes sense, and with Rock vs. Cena would be another great main event, especially as they have never had a singles match.
And of course, this would leave Undertaker free to face Sting, right? Right? – Russell, UK

A: Long-term booking? Are you talking about the same company that drafted SIX different scripts for Raw last Monday before deciding only hours before the show what they were going to do? As reported on SEScoops, one of those scenarios had Triple H giving Punk a pedigree and having Alberto Del Rio cash in his MITB briefcase to win the title. I agree that Punk and Triple H seems to be the direction they are going, and it’s a fresh match I wouldn’t mind seeing at Mania (if Steve Austin is unwilling to wrestle one more match against Punk), but they came *this close* to doing the match at Summerslam in a few weeks with little build. That’s not a company with much of a long-term blueprint. As for Undertaker, some rumors have WWE grooming Mark Henry to face Taker at next year’s Mania as he continues to destroy everyone in his path on Smackdown. I think what they’re doing with Henry is great and all, but being that the two of them already had a Mania match and it sucked, Sting could not be any worse.

Q: The last time there was any mention of Lita, she attended WrestleMania Axxess and was never heard from again. Is she staying away from WWE because of what happened that year? – Kirk R.

A: I am unaware of anything that happened. Reports were that she didn’t seem too happy to be at Axxess this year, but she was still there. Plus, she had a cameo on Raw last year when Pee-Wee Herman guest hosted, so the relationship there is fine should she ever want to return.

Q: At Vengeance 2006, WWE did a storyline with imposter Kane vs. the real Kane. If you watch the match, the crowd was chanting ”boring” at one point. Is that the reason they suddenly scratched the [whole thing]? Who was the imposter Kane? – Simon Babu

A: That whole angle went over about as well as a fart in church. It was conceived as a way to promote Kane’s movie See No Evil, the first of the WWE Films, and yes, that PPV match was a killer. The funny thing is that the Kane imposter won clean over the real Kane, which is kind of a big deal, yet the very next night, the entire thing was aborted when they had Kane rip off the other guy’s mask and throw him out of the building. Fake Kane was played by Drew Hankinson who would go on to greater success on TV as Festus and Luke Gallows.

Q: What are you thoughts on WWE introducing a Divas tag team Championship? I always thought it would be a good thing because the Divas title alone is not enough since they have to stay in line and wait for so long to get a title shot. Would you recommend a WWE Tag team championship for Divas? – John

A: Repeat after me – NO. NEW. TITLES. Heaven forbid the Divas have to “wait in line”, as you say, for a title shot. I mean, it’s so unfair. Then again, when the WWE Title changes hands three times in eight days, this is the sort of thing people are conditioned to expect. I’m not a fan of TNA having Knockouts tag belts and I sure as hell don’t think WWE needs them. Why bother when the women only get 30 seconds on Raw for a 14-Diva tag match?

Q: Kurt Angle is one of the best pure wrestlers in the business. Where do
you rank him all time? Also, do you think his match with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 19 is one of his best matches? – Troy

A: He’s definitely a top 10 all-time performer. Having won a gold medal in the Olympics and making the transition to pro wrestling as seamlessly as he was able to do is incredible. He can do comedy better than anyone, or he can be deadly serious, so he’s versatile as well. On top of that, his record of titles and accomplishments, his string of classic matches in both WWE and TNA, and his ability to make anyone he’s in the ring with look good (we’ll forget that one Royal Rumble match with Mark Henry) is all the proof you need. As for his match with Lesnar, I don’t think it was one of his best. The two of them had much better matches later in the year, including a fantastic Iron Man match on Smackdown.

Q: Why does WWE always sell Wrestlemania tickets so early, when nobody knows what is going down, they don’t know the match card, what if they pay over a grand for a ringside ticket, and when it comes time for Mania, all huge stars are injured and they have to go through a really slow show featuring people from the lower brands? – Javad Hussain from Scotland

A: You’re absolutely right. From now on, WWE should wait until the last possible minute and try to unload 70,000 tickets in one week.

Keep those questions coming to sescoops@gmail.com and remember to include your name!

Solomonster Sounds Off

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE:
Solomonster Sounds Off (Episode 169)
*right-click, “Save As”, or stream it!

Est. Runtime: 1 hour, 50 minutes

One of the biggest wrestling weeks of the year is in the books and what a week it was! Solomonster reviews Money in the Bank and where it ranks among the greatest WWE PPV’s of all time (and which one it does not beat), CM Punk wins the title and where things stand with him right now, crashing Comic-Con and an AAW show, Triple H takes over for Vince McMahon, Sin Cara suspended for a Wellness violation and the stupid remark he made, Impact Wrestling thoughts, Kevin Nash comedy on the nWo Legends Roundtable, a review of Dave Bautista’s new movie, a poem from Snitsky and THE MAILBAG! Get this show now!

Want your question on the air? Send feedback to THESOLOMONSTER@gmail.com.

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SEScoops Mailbag for July 23rd

(submit YOUR questions to sescoops@gmail.com)

Q: Curious, does it look to anyone else like Kurt Angle has lost a pretty good bit of weight? He’s not as “thick” as he once was, particularly in his face and neck, and he’s not nearly as well built as he was in the upper body. Pretty sure it’s a training regimen for what he claims will be an Olympic run, but do you think he’s just busting ass to get down in weight, or do you think it’s a lack of “chemical enhancers” that formerly made him thicker? It almost looks like he’s got an illness or something. – Steve

A: He’s actually looked this way for some time now, long before he announced his intentions to train for another Olympic run. As a matter of fact, not long after he migrated to TNA from WWE, he lost a ton of weight and looked downright frail. When I saw him at a TNA house show at Webster Hall in New York City back in February 2008, watching him in the ring against Christian, the difference in his physique was startling. Part of it, he’s claimed, is also slimming down for movie roles. The fact is, we can take an educated guess as to why Kurt is smaller now than he used to be and if that means he’s healthier, then more power to him.

Q: Since WCW went under in 2001, guys like Rey Mysterio, Booker T and Goldberg have all come to WWE and won championships, but its always been the World Heavyweight and never the WWE Title. Am I correct on this? – Cody

A: You are correct, sir. Eddie Guerrero did win the title from Brock Lesnar in 2004 and he was a WCW guy for many years, but he made the jump in 2000, which pre-dates the invasion angle. Should Rey defeat Miz for the title on Raw this Monday, he would break the drought.

Q: Where do you rank Joey Styles on the all-time list of greatest announcers in wrestling? Also, why do you think WWE never gave The British Bulldog a run with the WWF Title? – Troy M.

A: Joey Styles is a talented man and it could not have been easy to announce so many ECW shows by himself. That said, it’s a matter of personal preference and Styles does not crack my top 5 all-time list of wrestling announcers. Bulldog might have had a decent shot at a run with the title in late 1992-93 had he not failed a drug test and been fired by the company. He was hot off a classic Summerslam main event at Wembley Stadium and had a ton of momentum. As far as his later years in WWE, the timing simply wasn’t to his advantage as the company had people better suited for the role.

Q: Now that Vince McMahon is relieved of his duties and Triple H is the new Chairman, will he get rid of the PG? – Simon Babu

A: What is “the” PG? Sounds like a nasty rash you might need a doctor’s prescription for to help clear up. The reality is that Triple H has not, in fact, taken over as chairman. It’s a storyline that partially mirrors reality in that he is expected to take over for Vince at some point, but we’re still many months if not years away from that transition actually taking place. As for PG, it makes no difference either way. 95 percent of internet wrestling fans are still making a mess of their underwear over the whole CM Punk storyline, just as they did with his worked-shoot several weeks ago, all of which have taken place on a PG-rated show. I didn’t hear too many people complaining immediately after that took place. An edgier, more realistic product can definitely be PG if done correctly.

Q: A very reliable source claims CM Punk is now under contract with WWE and his free agency is now storyline. – Rory B.

A: Nice to meet you, the name’s Sense. Common Sense. I don’t come around these parts very often, but you’ll know me when you see me.

Q: Do the announcers and referees know the details of the match beforehand? For example, do Booker/JR/King/Cole/Matthews know who’s going to win and when certain crowd-pleasing moments are going to happen? That famous JR comment “As God as my witness, he is broken in half!” sounds purely genuine [and makes me think nobody] knew Undertaker was going to throw Mankind off the roof of the cell. – Jay

A: I don’t believe many people, if any, beyond Undertaker and Foley knew about that spot before their match. The announcers certainly didn’t. The announcers do have run sheets with notes in front of them and are made aware of things only on a “need to know” basis. Referees will have instructions relayed to them through their earpiece on what to do and where to position themselves at key moments, so they too do not necessarily know much in the way of details in advance.

Q: When did The Attitude Era officially end? A lot of people say when they changed there name from WWF to WWE. What you think? – Joe from Trenton, NJ

A: There is no specific date in which the Attitude Era came to a close, but I believe when Steve Austin shook Vince McMahon’s hand at WrestleMania 17, that era officially came to an end. WWF’s “boom” period as far as business certainly began it’s descent at that point. Austin ushered in that era (while stars like Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart and The Rock certainly did their part) and was the central figure in the whole us vs. them, boss vs. employee storyline that really brought their business back from the brink in 1997-98. Once Austin aligned with the owner and turned heel, it was never the same again.

Q: Does it ever bother you how unless it’s a major pay-per-view, WWE doesn’t value the impact of finishers in a match? For example, it always annoys me when a wrestler, such as Kofi Kingston (a recent example) would hit his finisher (Trouble in Paradise) and then instead of the heel, such as Dolph Ziggler kicking out of the move, his foot ends up on the bottom rope or there’s some sort of hokey finish. I believe it makes a wrestler look stronger if they kick out of the finisher instead of getting the corny ending that a heel in the WWE usually gets. Also, does Cena’s version of the STF annoy you? I hate how he almost never hooks the opponent’s neck and the opponent taps as if he were being suffocated. – Fernando

A: Here’s a novel idea. Why even bother having people kick out of each other’s finishers all the time? It’s called a FINISHER for a reason. When you nail it, it’s supposed to be lights out. If you save your false finishes for only select PPV matches, it will feel more special. Otherwise, what’s the point of even having a finishing move? If I were a wrestler and I used my finisher and someone either kicked out from it or grabbed the bottom rope, I’d ditch that move in a heartbeat. As for Cena’s STF, it may be the single most ridiculous-looking submission hold ever used by a WWE main eventer. Mr. Socko is more intimidating.

Q: Why do people often complain about WWE’s style of wrestling? In my opinion, its the best way to keep your wrestlers safe, especially when they work 300+ days a year. It’s not smart to put your body at such risk and threaten your life for one crazy spot in a match. Besides I think it’s possible to put on a great match without 5 hurricanranas and suicide dives, just ask Christian and Randy Orton. – Raoul from Luxembourg

A: Can we stop with the fallacy that WWE guys still work 300+ days a year? During the 80’s, that was commonplace. These days, unless you’re spending many of your free days doing media like John Cena and Miz, you generally work 3-4 days per week. Yes, the travel is brutal, especially on those international tours. Frankly, I don’t know how they do it. But the issue people have with this notion of “WWE safe style” is that they feel a guy coming from the outside who may be known for highspots and the like, or for catering to the crowd a lot during their matches, will come to WWE and not be allowed to use those tools. Often times, they are right, but I would agree that it’s not a such a bad thing to ban certain dangerous maneuvers, to ban the act of blading oneself or tell your guys to slow things down a bit. John Cena and CM Punk’s performance at MITB is proof positive that you don’t need bells, whistles and dangerous spots to create magic between the ropes.

Keep those questions coming to sescoops@gmail.com and remember to include your name!

Solomonster Sounds Off

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE:
Solomonster Sounds Off (Episode 168)
*right-click, “Save As”, or stream it!

Est. Runtime: 2 hours

Solomonster is here with an early edition of the Sound Off previewing MONEY IN THE BANK, including predictions and more on the hottest main event to come along in some time. We’ll talk CM Punk’s sparring session from Monday night with Vince McMahon and a most interesting twist regarding Colt Cabana, WWE ice cream bars, Rock’s best promo yet on John Cena, a quick review of Impact Wrestling (two weeks in a row!) with a new World champion, what Sting and R-Truth have in common, TNA departures and MAJOR heat on Ric Flair, a possible Undertaker sighting and is Jim Ross looking to move in on Solomonster’s turf? Don’t miss this!

Want your question on the air? Send feedback to THESOLOMONSTER@gmail.com.

Wanna subscribe to the Sound Off via iTunes? CLICK HERE!

Visit The Solomonster on Twitter @ twitter.com/solomonster

Friend The Solomonster on Facebook @ facebook.com/thesolomonster

Solomonster Sounds Off

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE:
Solomonster Sounds Off (Episode 167)
*right-click, “Save As”, or stream it!

Est. Runtime: 1 hour, 35 minutes

Solomonster missed most of Raw, but did check out Impact Wrestling this week, so we get a rare review of our friends on Spike. What did he think of it? You may be surprised. Plus — why Vince McMahon nearly ruined the entire CM Punk angle on Monday, what Charlie Sheen and the Insane Clown Posse are doing together, the huge anniversary this weekend that you may have forgotten about (I almost did) and a GIANT mailbag, including an answer to the question of whether or not being a WWE superstar has lost its luster. Oh yeah, and a YouTube video that you simply have to watch…what do Bret Hart and Lebron James have in common?

Want your question on the air? Send feedback to THESOLOMONSTER@gmail.com.

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SEScoops Mailbag for July 8th

(submit YOUR questions to sescoops@gmail.com)

Q: I have been a wrestling fan for over a decade now and have always been fascinated by WWE and the great talents they had in the early 2000’s. I always thought WWE was the only show around. Later, I found out about TNA and [thought to myself,] “cool, more wrestling! I’m not gonna complain.” So I watched a couple of episodes and realized it was garbage compared to what I would watch with WWE. People criticize WWE a lot and complain about bad decisions [Vince] McMahon makes, but when I read everything about TNA, it sounds like an awful show. Please tell me why would anyone watch TNA? – Jake E.

A: I am far from the biggest TNA fan in the world. Reports on their treatment of talent, especially the Knockouts, are appalling. Their television show is, quite often, tough to follow and at times infuriating to watch. And they continue to employ Vince Russo through some blind allegiance that even I cannot explain. Having said ALL of that, you ask why would anyone watch TNA? Because they love wrestling. Because they want an alternative to the WWE product. Because they believe, in their heart of hearts, that things will turn around. You mention that you “read” a lot of horrible things about Impact, which I take to mean that you rarely if ever have bothered to watch the show. That’s like saying I heard such and such a book really sucks and has a boring ending, yet never actually reading the book to form your own opinion. I’ve been guilty of this myself in the past and it’s an easy trap to fall into. Having watched the show last night from start to finish for the first time in a while, I came away from it feeling that, in spite of all the storyline BS, I saw some really great wrestling. Of course, that may change once the Destination X event has come and gone, but I came away satisfied. Frankly, I think the bi-polar nature of their TV show is what frustrates people the most.

Q: What are your thoughts on who is better, the Divas or the Knockouts? Which has the better wrestlers and put on the better matches? Who gets more TV time? – Tyler

A: There was a time when the TNA Knockouts division was far and away the better of the two. Sadly, once Awesome Kong and Gail Kim left, they haven’t really been the same. TNA has veterans in Mickie James and Tara, but WWE counters with Beth Phoenix and Natalya, though they don’t use them nearly enough. I’d say both divisions are mostly on par with each other in terms of talent and TV time. Knockouts matches are likely, on average, slightly longer than a typical WWE divas match, but neither group of ladies get nearly as much TV time as they deserve. In particular, those 30-second diva matches on Raw every week are completely pointless and insulting to the women who routinely put together 4-5 minute matches that are cut down right before they go through the curtain.

Q: Keeping the rumors of his backstage politics aside, how do you rate Triple H as a performer? Through his epic feuds with guys like Austin, Rock and Shawn Michaels, would you rate him as one of the best heels in the company? Also, I have seen JR constantly refer to him as the “Cerebral Assassin”, the most prepared superstar for any match, the most calculated wrestler who knows everything [there is to know] about the ring. Do you agree or is that just a gimmick? – Jeff Thomas

A: I think Triple H is one of the greatest heels in the history of the company. Did he wield his influence to keep himself on top at the expense of other people’s pushes? Absolutely, I believe those stories to be true in most cases. What would have happened had WWE not squashed the love triangle storyline with Hunter, Stephanie and Kurt Angle so abruptly? Or if Rob Van Dam had actually defeated HHH for the World Heavyweight title at Unforgiven 2002, as was originally planned? We will never know, but one thing you cannot doubt is the man’s ability as a performer, especially before all of his injuries caught up with him. He is a very cerebral performer in that he’s been around the business for 20 years and has a pretty good sense of what works and what doesn’t. He’s come to Vince McMahon with several ideas, one of which was famously to resurrect the War Games concept, to which Vince shot him down thinking it was too old school. This is why I am optimistic about his taking over the company at some point. The fact is, he paid his dues working his way up (let us not forget the Curtain Call incident) and has had some fantastic matches over the years.

Q: When Shawn Michaels broke his back during the casket match against Undertaker, did WWE ever refer to that for older fans to [get them] more excited or [add some] reasoning to Shawn wanting to end Taker’s streak? – Dallas

A: They may have mentioned it briefly, but no, they really didn’t take advantage of that back story at all. It still amazes me that they waited as long as they did when Shawn returned in 2002 to put the two of them together, and amazes me even more than once they did, they ignored such an obvious, effective plot point. Shawn tells Taker that he’s never forgotten the fact that he took away 4½ years of his career (very lucrative years, I might add) and is out for revenge on the dead man. Instead, we got the two of them as the final two men in the 2007 Royal Rumble match and Jerry Lawler or JBL (I can’t remember which) on commentary saying wow, here’s a match we’ve never seen before. It really illustrates how idiotic they think we must be not to remember that the two of them had several PPV matches together, one of which was the VERY FIRST Hell in a Cell match, an all-time classic encounter.

Q: Why does WWE not book Zack Ryder for anything but Superstars? His wrestling ability is much better then guys like John Cena (who can do 2 moves, 3 on his best day) and he has a huge online fan community from his web series. It’s entertaining and he actually cares about his fans. – Jesse

A: His wrestling ability is much better than John Cena? That’s not saying much, but let’s not make Ryder out to be the next Karl Gotch here. I have taken a liking to his videos like everyone else and respect the way that he’s trying to get himself over, but don’t kid yourself, not a single person singing the praises of Zack Ryder and asking for WWE to push him on TV are doing so because they like his wrestling ability. They see him as an entertaining character being held down by the suits in the ivory tower and that’s why they’ve rallied behind him. Most of what he does in those YouTube videos are more entertaining that all of the skits in a given episode of Raw combined. He deserves a shot, but it’s not because he’s such a great wrestler.

Q: Why hasn’t WWE awarded Trish Stratus with the now defunct Women’s Championship? She has had the most reigns and, in my opinion, done the most for the Divas division. They gave Mick Foley (and some say Edge) the Hardcore Championship as a sign of respect and thanks for doing so much for the business, so why not Trish? It’s not like they plan on reviving the Women’s title. Please shed some light on this because it seems unfair. – Kyle

A: Why should they? The Hardcore title was retired, whereas the Womens title was unified with the Divas title to make for one, uniform championship for the ladies. They showed Trish plenty of respect by letting her go over Lita and win the Womens title in her hometown for her final match at Unforgiven 2006. This year, she got a WrestleMania payoff and was a trainer on Tough Enough. The next logical step is entry into the Hall of Fame.

Q: In an [recent radio] interview, Randy Orton said that he wasn’t buying Rock’s speech about returning to WWE and never leaving again. Orton said Johnson called management and claimed he slammed him and Triple H in the interview and that Rock only mentioned Triple H to get WWE’s attention, even though he didn’t criticize “The Game” in the interview. I remember Orton really slammed Hunter in that interview. Did Rock really play up the drama? Looks like he may have many enemies backstage in the locker room. – Simon B.

A: I have no reason to believe Orton would invent a story like that out of thin air. Perhaps Rock did call WWE to complain and should have come to Orton personally if he had an issue. That said, jealousy is a funny thing. When Rock is backstage, nobody seems to have a bad word to say about him and they talk about how down to earth and accessible he is with everyone. Now it seems like everyone in the world is against the man, as though he is somehow shaming the business because he went on to a successful career in Hollywood. What they don’t realize is that Rock has done more for them than they will ever know in terms of the doors he has opened up for them. The other thing they seem to forget was how much business picked up pre-WrestleMania when he came back. Raw had a string of about 7 or 8 straight sellouts, ratings were way up and Mania broke 1 million buys, which in the end, meant more money in their paychecks. He is in the main event next year because he is still a draw and Vince is, after all, a businessman.

Q: Do you think we will ever see TNA or WWE use the internet to circumvent the TV ratings system? ECW famously aired content that was overtly violent and sexual. Neither big wrestling company could air content like that, even on PPV. However, they could put content like that online and, let’s say, promote it like, “And fans, check our official Twitter for the link to tonight’s bra-and-panties match. It’s too much for TV, so we’re broadcasting it online.” Technically, they could broadcast ANYTHING like that. The idea isn’t just about the shock value but, rather, targeted content that would enhance storylines. What do you think? – Bill R.

A: No, I don’t. There’s no need for TNA to do this because they’re already pushing a more adult product on their TV show, most of which Spike does not seem to have a problem with. On the flip side, WWE does not half-ass their approach to PG. Yes, a promo like the one CM Punk cut last week will sometimes sneak through that pushes the envelope a bit (even so, there was nothing terribly un-PG about it), but the entire reason PG exists is to bring in more sponsors and appease Mattel. Contrary to popular belief, there are far fewer kids watching WWE today than there were during the Attitude Era. You cannot then have WWE turning around and pushing more mature content on their website. This was a hot topic when they re-launched the ECW brand and people thought that the brand would have more of an edge to it than Raw or Smackdown had. The reality is, they feel they have to pick one direction and stick with it.

Q: What’s up with Earl Hebner? It seems like every time I watch a WWE DVD and they show a match from back in the day, he’s the referee every single time. Did they have only one ref back then or something? – Redneckman

A: Simple answer, there are two Earl Hebners. One of them just happens to be called Dave.

Keep those questions coming to sescoops@gmail.com and remember to include your name!

Solomonster Sounds Off

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE:
Solomonster Sounds Off (Episode 166)
*right-click, “Save As”, or stream it!

Est. Runtime: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Happy Fourth of July!!! This week, Solomonster separates fact from fiction with the CM Punk promo and ranks it amongst WWE’s all-time great worked shoots — plus, The Rock responds to Punk on Twitter and Solomonster reacts to some comments about it on the SEScoops Facebook page. Also, it’s a Sound Off EXCLUSIVE as we review Friday’s TNA BaseBrawl show from Brooklyn, including the magic of Don West, the fantastic heel that is Jeff Jarrett and the absolute disgrace that is Ric Flair. All that, plus a rant on Linda and Nick Hogan (including some old jailhouse audio that if you’ve never heard it before, it will likely infuriate you), Triple H gives Sin Cara some advice, and shocking news on the Million Dollar Man! Oh yeah, and your questions.

Want your question on the air? Send feedback to THESOLOMONSTER@gmail.com.

Wanna subscribe to the Sound Off via iTunes? CLICK HERE!

Visit The Solomonster on Twitter @ twitter.com/solomonster

Friend The Solomonster on Facebook @ facebook.com/thesolomonster

Solomonster Sounds Off

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE:
Solomonster Sounds Off (Episode 165)
*right-click, “Save As”, or stream it!

Est. Runtime: 1 hour, 23 minutes

It’s the Power to the People edition of the Sound Off! Solomonster breaks down last week’s three hour Raw by the good, the bad and the ugly and talks about snow angels and Bugs Bunny in the process! Plus, a DX reunion in a different arena, Chavo Guerrero released, Matt Hardy suspended and delusional (well, no surprise there), giving props to TNA and Psycho Sting, Ring of Honor’s press conference, Hart/Michaels DVD, a HILARIOUS Vince McMahon story told by The Coach, and who recently got read the riot act backstage by Johnny Ace? Oh yes, and THE MAILBAG with a rant on David Otunga and rock/paper/scissors. This is one for the books, so download it now!

Want your question on the air? Send feedback to THESOLOMONSTER@gmail.com.

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Visit The Solomonster on Twitter @ twitter.com/solomonster

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SEScoops Mailbag for June 24th

(submit YOUR questions to sescoops@gmail.com)

Q: Why does WWE think they can feed our head with things like we don’t remember the past? Not even 3 months ago, Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole were in this personal feud that resulted in 2 PPV matches. Now, they sit beside each other as if [nothing ever happened]. I’m also hearing about Mick Foley returning to WWE. Some say he should be revealed as the anonymous GM. So during his tenure with TNA, Mick has been keeping up with WWE that much to feel the need to call shots from home or on the road and e-mail constantly to that stupid laptop with the script being shown on the keyboard. – Terrell

A: I agree, it’s completely ridiculous to have Cole and Lawler sit next to one another like nothing ever happened. Lawler will make a crack here and there that reminds us he still does not like Cole, but as annoying as Cole is and if he made remarks about my dead mother, I wouldn’t be so quick to forgive and forget. As far as Mick Foley goes, I don’t see what the problem is. WWE goes out of its way to not acknowledge TNA, or any wrestling promotion, on TV (WCW and ECW being the exceptions, but they’re both dead and owned by Vince now). Remember when Christian returned to WWE? Funny how he was gone for three years and they never mentioned he not only was wrestling on another national network, but was an NWA champion as well. It’s just how they operate. They have their own little world (err, Universe). So if Foley were to return as the Raw GM, it’s perfectly logical to assume that yes, in fact, he has been doing nothing but lounging on his sofa, stuffing his face with Doritos and sending e-mails to Michael Cole.

Q: I remember a few years back when there was a series of SmackDown After Show Webisodes on WWE.com where Josh Matthews would interview the referee that got injured in a Hell in the Cell match by Triple H. It went for a good 6 weeks where the ref would try to kill himself in various ways (Drowning in a fishtank, Electrocution, Rat Poison) and Josh would talk him out of it. On the final webisode, the ref “shot” himself off camera in a bar. Do you remember this ref’s name and do you know where he is now? – Anonymous

A: The referee in question was Tim White, who had been with WWE for close to 20 years before suffering a shoulder injury in 2002 that effectively ended his career. He tried to officiate matches after that, but his shoulder kept popping out and he retired for good at that point. Since his WWE release in 2009, I’m not sure what he’s been up to, though he has been back to WWE shows and may be assisting in some backstage capacity. By the way, those skits you are referring to were part of a series called “Lunchtime Suicide” where White, depressed over how his career had ended, also tried to off himself by slitting his wrists with a razor blade, drinking a substance in a lab laced with Mad Cow Disease and hiring a hitman to kill himself.

Q: Did D-Lo Brown catch any heat in the company and/or fines for the in-ring accident that left Darren Drozdov a quadriplegic? Also, do you think the accident somewhat effected the star that Brown could have been in WWE? What I mean here is, if the accident never happened, do you think Brown had what it took to have been a main event star? – Jeremy

A: I don’t recall any stories of Brown getting punished for what happened to Droz. He slipped on a running powerbomb out of the corner. It was a freak accident. He carried enough guilt on his shoulders that, if anything, people felt sorry for him. Had the incident not taken place, I don’t believe D-Lo would have been WWE champion. He was never pushed as a main eventer and, frankly, I never saw him in that role. He attained great success as a mid-card act, holding the Intercontinental and European titles simultaneously at one point, and I think that was the role he was best suited for.

Q: I’m an Undertaker fan and I know his time is almost up. Do you think the gimmick should stop with Taker or be handed down? – Vick Pick

A: There can be only one Undertaker. Can you imagine the backlash if they tried to pass it on to someone else? Kane is the only one that would really make sense (you know, bound by blood with Taker and all), but he’s already 40+ years old and has built a legacy for his own character over the last 14 years. It would be unfair both to Undertaker and the person trying to fill his shoes to put anyone else in that role.

Q: Since TNA changed the name of Impact, slogan, and posted videos of the wrestlers talking about “why wrestling matters” and talk about providing more wrestling, how come there has not been a significant increase in the total time of wrestling in the show? – Rory B.

A: In fairness, I do think there has been more wrestling over the last two episodes. Plus, that parking lot brawl between Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett showed an intensity and realism that we need to see more of in wrestling. That said, the whole “Wrestling Matters” campaign was never intended to be anything more than a rebranding of the show. It’s a farce. You still have Vince Russo, who hates wrestling, writing their TV show and until that changes, you’re never really going to see consistency in the product. What I mean by that is, even if there is more wrestling right now and it continues leading up to Destination X, I can guarantee that after that, they will fall back into old habits. If you have followed TNA for any length of time, you already know this.

Q: What do you think is the most hurtful move in WWE? – Frank G.

A: Trying to get yourself over. Oh wait, you mean hurtful PHYSICAL move in WWE? More than a few men have had their noses busted on the receiving end of CM Punk’s GTS (which he “borrowed” from KENTA in Japan) and I reckon if he was to really go full force with the move, it would cause quite a bit of damage. Nobody likes getting hit in the face, let alone with a knee. Beyond that, the Five Knuckle Shuffle and Santino’s Cobra are pretty intimidating, too.

Q: Do you know why WWE got rid of the Cruiserweight title and do you believe that it will ever come back? I know it was pretty much worthless after they gave it to a guy who was smaller then the physical belt itself, but it would be nice for it to be reinstated, especially with the planned introduction of more luchadores into WWE. – Ben

A: They got rid of it because they were never fully behind it in the first place. And by “they,” I mean Vince McMahon. To him, it was just a bunch of small guys wrestling a dangerous style, and when you make them conform to WWE style and slow them down, they lose whatever appeal they may have had. WWE is definitely going after more talent from Mexico, but if you think they’re going to go on TV and wrestle lucha-style matches, prepare to be disappointed. They won’t even allow Sin Cara to use his old La Mistica submission, which is a hell of a lot easier to perform than his C4 finisher off the top rope and every bit as visually impressive.

Q: I was wondering if there was a reason why Bret Hart wasn’t booked to win his first WWF championship at a major PPV event? I recently saw the Hart/Flair match from 1992 and remembered that it took place on Prime Time Wrestling. Was there a rush to get the title on Bret at the time? – Michael A.

A: I don’t believe the match actually aired on Prime Time (though there was a PTW banner visibly hanging in the arena), but rather, was taped for some Coliseum Video releases. I know I have a video called “Smack’em Whack’em” from 1993 that has the match on there. As far as why Bret got the title, I believe it was rushed onto him because Vince McMahon was adamant about getting the belt on someone new who wasn’t a lightning rod for steroids, which is not to say Ric Flair was abusing steroids at that time or looked like a bodybuilder. But, WWE did get real serious in a hurry around that period about getting clean and Flair was part of the old guard. Within a month of Bret winning the title, the company also fired Davey Boy Smith, who dropped the IC title to Shawn Michaels only two months after his big victory at Wembley Stadium, and the Ultimate Warrior, which forced them to bring back Mr. Perfect early as Warrior was slated to team with Randy Savage at the Survivor Series.

Q: I just saw a Fruit Loops commercial where Toucan Sam was chased by a yeti. This yeti looked somewhat modeled off of Randy Savage. The color streams in its hair reminded me of his outlandish attire. The fur on the yeti’s face was drawn like a full beard. It even had a pair of Savage-esque goggles. And it was a yeti so he was muscular. I watched the commercial from the kitchen, so on the off chance he sounded like Savage, I didn’t hear it. – Ryan B.

A: This isn’t really a question, but this commercial is a fail without Tony Schiavone in the background screaming, “IT’S THE YET-TAY!!!” Sometimes, I really do miss WCW.

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