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Columns & Editorials Tossing Salt - Worldwide News (15-03)
Columns & Editorials Tossing Salt - Worldwide News (15-03)| Tossing Salt - Worldwide News (15-03) |
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| Written by Doug Maynard | ||||
| Sunday, 16 March 2008 14:18 | ||||
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Tossing Salt - Worldwide News
March 14, 2008
Doug Maynard
Hey! I'm back. Did you miss me? Time is short, but I want to make an attempt to see if I can throw together a quick, but always enlightening edition of professional wrestling's most eclectic column, the one and only "Tossing Salt - Worldwide News!"
Like I said, there's not much free time today, so let me just tackle a few quick subjects and then call it a day. Does that sound like a plan or what? Let's do it.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are mine and mine alone. So don't go sipping on the hatorade, OK?
Jeff Hardy...
Everyone has heard the news by now. Jeff Hardy flunked a drug test with the WWE and has been suspended for sixty days without pay. And since this is his second Wellness violation, he has only one more strike to go and he'll be fired from the WWE.
My first reaction when I heard the big news about Hardy was "What an idiot!". He knows the rules of working for the WWE. He knows that the media and Congress are both eye-balling WWE right now and they can't afford to have any major scandals right now. He's in the middle of the biggest push of his career. He's the Intercontinental Champion. He's got a spot at Wrestlemania 24 in the "Money In The Bank" ladder match and is considered the favorite to win. He's in line (according to rumors) for a WWE Championship run sometime in the near future. He's on top of the world.
And he just throws it all away. And if what I've heard from a couple of reliable sources is true as to what exactly caused his Wellness violation, he's even more stupid that I'm giving him credit for.
Jeff was fired once before by the WWE for being unreliable and missing shows and for allegedly having a drug problem. He was offered a chance to go to rehab by the WWE and Jeff refused so they terminated his contract. He then moved on to TNA and worked there for a while. Until he was released from his contract for being unreliable and missing shows. Do you see a pattern developing here? Rumors were all over the place about Jeff having drug abuse problems while in TNA, but since TNA has no drug policies and pretty much flies under the radar of the media, it wasn't a big deal or ever really addressed.
And then Jeff came back to the WWE. From all indications, he had his head in the game and was determined to prove all the naysayers wrong. He busted his ass and went above and beyond the call of duty again and again. And it was paying off. And he get busted for violating the Wellness Program. And was suspended for 30 days. But then he came back and managed to climb quickly right back to the level he was at before. He teamed with DX and managed to get wins over both HHH & HBK. He kicked out of the pedigree. He main-evented a PPV with Randy Orton. He looked great in the Elimination Chamber match. He's on target for the top of the ladder.
And he goes out, does some smack and throws it all away.
He's out of Wrestlemania and the PPV that follows. He's off TV and out of work for two months. He loses two months of salary plus what you know would have been a nice bonus check for Wrestlemania. And he's lost the trust of Vince and the McMahon family by showing that old habits die hard and he's as unreliable and as big a screw-up as ever.
That's just plain stupid behavior no matter how you look at it. And Jeff has no one to blame but himself.
So what's next for Jeff Hardy? I've heard that WWE may attempt to send him to a rehab, but if you recall, the last time Jeff was given that option, he refused, saying that he didn't feel he had a problem. And then he left WWE to go work Indys and TNA. So if they offer him rehab again and he refuses, then what happens? Do they bring him back to work squash matches and do jobs until he commits the third Wellness violation? And believe me, if he doesn't at least attempt rehab, there will be a 3rd violation. And then he'll be fired and out of the best job he's ever had. I've also heard some mention that they're not even sure if Jeff will come back to the WWE after this suspension. If he doesn't make an attempt to do anything about his problem (and anything that ends up costing you hundreds of thousands of dollars and a job as a WWE main-eventer.... that's a problem no matter how you want to sugar-coat it), then I hate to say it, but good riddance.
I like Jeff and he's a talented star. But if he can't get his head straight and get his act together, then WWE needs to cut the ties and let him go. Jeff doesn't have to worry about a job. TNA will snatch him up immediately. But by signing that WWE contract and accepting that salary, Jeff needs to be responsible and reliable to WWE rules and regulations... including recreational use of drugs. WWE doesn't need to end up with another Eddie Guerrero situation on their hands with Jeff being found dead in a motel room while under their watch. Or another Jake "Snake" Roberts where he's working matches in exchange for his next hit. And that's exactly where this is headed if Jeff doesn't get his act together and clean up.
There is no such thing as recreational drug use for a contracted performer for a company such as WWE. If you play with the fire, you're going to get burned and it's no ones responsibility but your own.
Man, I didn't mean for this to turn into a rant, but I guess it has. Let me just wrap this up by saying I like and respect Jeff Hardy. I think he's a talented wrestler and from all indications, a pretty good guy as well. But he has to choose between being the best wrestler he can be or being a drug addict. He's getting a chance to step back and think about it and make the decision where he wants to go and what he wants to do. I just hope that he makes the right one and, five years from now, we're not having to write an obituary or talk about Jeff as another statistic.
The AWA
As most of you know, ESPN Classics has recently began showing AWA Championship Wrestling late at night. And as most of you are probably aware, I've been doing nightly recaps of the show for both www.PWInsiderxtra.com and of course, www.Wrestle-Zone.co.UK. And my groups at Yahoo too.
Man, this has been a blast to watch the matches from the AWA in the mid-to-late 80's and witness the great talent that was in and out of the area at the time. I'm talking about Larry Zbyszko, Col. DeBeers, Jerry Blackwell, Greg Gagne, Curt Hennig, Scott Hall, Leon (Not Quite Vader Yet) White, Stan Hansen, Nick Bockwinkle, Jannetty & Michaels - The Rockers, Super Ninja (Great Muta before he was Muta), Doug Summers, Playboy Buddy Rose, Sherri Martel, etc. So many great stars and legends. It's just out and out good stuff.
But the best thing for me has been the big difference between the older-style shows of the 80's and the shows today. In the old AWA shows, most of the matches are squash matches against jobbers. That's not too bad. They saved the big matches for the arena shows because that was where companies like the AWA made most of their money. The matches are not always pretty. They have missed moves, stiff shots, people getting lost during their match and having to improvise and think on their feet. That was wrestling and while it's not nearly as refined or pretty as the stuff on WWE or TNA, it's got a raw and edgy realism to it that just can't be duplicated. It makes it better in my opinion.
And then there are the interviews. The interviews that most wrestlers do today are scripted by the writers and it shows. All of the wrestlers sound alike and say the same things. In the old days, what I've noticed is that the wrestlers are more real in their interviews. They have a point to make and they (usually) get around to it, but they say it in their own way. Some of the interviews are good and some are pretty terrible, but they're all different and original because it's the wrestler himself coming up with the way it was said. The way it worked was wrestlers were given bulletin points of what to talk about, or sometimes the announcer (Larry Nelson in this case) would bring up a subject and lead the wrestler into a topic for his promo. But you could never be quite certain what you'd get. It allows the wrestlers to show their personalities more and, in my opinion, makes for a more complete character for the fans to identify with.
Anyhow, if you get ESPN Classic and have the opportunity to watch some of the AWA shows, I'd strongly encourage you to do so. The shows air at 1:00 am Eastern Standard Time. So check your local listings. It's good stuff and a great opportunity to see what some of your favorites were like so many years ago when they were first starting out. You'll be surprised and impressed. Check it out.
Matt Hardy At Wrestlemania 24
I just wanted to toss a little theory out there. So far, the wrestlers who are scheduled to appear at the "Money In The Bank" match at Wrestlemania 24 are Mr. Kennedy, Carlito, Shelton Benjamin, Chris Jericho, MVP, CM Punk, the winner of the John Morrison - Miz match from tonight's edition of Smackdown, and one other who has yet to be announced. By having MVP inserted into the MITB match, that kind of screws up any chance of seeing a match between MVP and Matt Hardy for the U.S. Title and concluding their long feud.
There's one spot left for Money In The Bank and many have speculated that Matt will get that spot and be a favorite to win the match. But WWE has traditionally always put at least one wrestler in the MITB match that doesn't fit the mold of the other guys. So far, all of the names in the match are young guys that are somewhat on the smaller side and are known, to some degree, for speed or quickness. If WWE wants to keep the tradition of the odd name in the match who doesn't fit the mold, they won't use Matt. Besides, I've got a feeling that if Matt was going to be the last man for the MITB match, he'd have been back on TV by now. So I'll make a prediction here. The man who will fill out the MITB match for WWE will probably be Kane. He's a big name and was in the match a few years ago, besides they don't have much of anything else to do with him. I think he'll be the 8th man.
But what about Matt? If he's not in the MITB match and not getting a match against MVP, where does he fit in? That's easy. It was announced on Tuesday night that there will be a 24-Man Battle Royal at Wrestlemania 24 and the winner of the Battle Royal will get an immediate title shot at ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero. So Matt kept off TV until Wrestlemania and then is put in the Battle Royal as a surprise last minute entry. Can you imagine the pop Matt would get if his first appearance at a WWE show (house shows don't count) is at Wrestlemania? Then Matt wins the Battle Royal, puts on a helluva show-stealing match with Chavo Guerrero and ends up winning the ECW Championship at Wrestlemania. Just a bit better than winning the U.S. title, don't ya think.
Since ECW and Smackdown have this whole crossover thing going on anyhow, it would make perfect sense. And there is no one who can say that Matt Hardy is not a worthy man to carry the ECW Championship. It's a perfect scenario and I think it will happen at Wrestlemania. Watch and see.
Ric Flair and the WWE Hall of Fame...
One of the biggest and most interesting discussions that I've been in recently involves "Nature Boy" Ric Flair and who will have the honor of inducting the "Nature Boy" at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremonies. Some people are saying that it will be Tripe H. Others are saying Shawn Michaels. And of course, Arn Anderson's name keeps coming up too. I've also heard such names as Dusty Rhodes, Rick Steamboat, Mick Foley, Steve Austin and even Vince McMahon himself mentioned. But after much thought about it, I can only think of one way that would really work.
And that's have Ric be inducted by Arn Anderson. And not just Arn, but a few others as well, like Barry Windham, Tully Blancard and James J. Dillon aka "The Horsemen". Actually, I think I remember something about James J. Dillon recently having had knee replacement surgery so he might not be available. But Arn, Barry and Tully most definitely would be. Make sure that Dean Malenko (a former Horsemen) is seated prominently in the front row and if possible, maybe even fly in Mongo McMichael for the event to sit next to Dean.
Think about it. From 1986 to today, Ric's name and the name of the Horsemen have been so intertwined, it's hard to tell where one starts and the other ends. Ric is, arguably, the greatest all-around professional wrestler of all time, but so much of that character, that reputation, is built around his association with Arn, Tully, Barry, J.J., Ole and the others. While I have all the respect in the world for HHH or HBK, they're more recent history than the whole picture when it comes to Ric Flair. The Horsemen have been a part of Ric Flair for over 22 years now. And that's a relationship and legacy that no one can touch.
So give Ric three inductors with Arn, Tully and Barry. Why not. He's Ric Flair. He deserves it! Woooooooooo!
Word of the Day: Flibbertigibbet - means silly, flighty, or an excessively talkative person. Why does this word remind me of Larry Zbyszko?
CHEAP PLUGS...
He's the hip-hop spell-caster and one of the best entertainers to ever come out of the NYC scene. He's Soce the Elemental Wizard. He has great music, funny videos, and a wit and charm that just won't quit. Check him out at www.myspace.com/soce or at www.greathiphop.com.
Come explore the charm and magic of Yahoo groups. Talk to other wrestling fans about all the current events and everything that is the "King of Sports" at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DXSuckIt and at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wwefanzzone.
QUOTABLE QUOTES...
"This is not a fabricated, pretend sport like the ultimate fighting championships; no, this is sports entertainment. This is REAL." - Chris Jericho - WWE RAW - September 6, 1999
"The pinnacle of this icon garbage came in last night's cage match between Hulk Hogan and Roddy Piper...WCW had the gall to say this was the greatest cage match in history...You've got a 46 year old bald movie star wannabe, who looks like Uncle Creepy with a good build, taking on a guy with an artificial hip who hasn't wrestled a full schedule in ten years. It's a tribute, in my mind, to the massive egotism of both men and an indictment of WCW's promotional policy that this match even took place, much less in the main event, when the card was probably the best WCW is capable of having. At the ten-minute mark, they were sucking wind so bad the first three rows passed out of oxygen deprivation. It would be funny if it wasn't so sad... I'm sick of guys claiming to be the icon especially when it usually comes from guys who just didn't know when to quit. Roddy Piper was my idol when I was a teenager, but that was 20 years ago. Hulk Hogan during his best years was 50% media creation and that was long gone. This match was a slap in the face to every wrestler that takes pride in his profession... On a personal note to Hulk Hogan, you are a household word but so is garbage and it stinks when it gets old too."- Jim Cornette, Monday Night Raw 10/27/97
"I personally am quite taken by the way that you display your abilities. I am, I watch you. I watch you Triple H and everybody’s got to admit, man nobody can deny you have proven time and time again that brother, you can spit some water.... What I'm not impressed by that? Of course I am, hey everybody’s got to admit that that takes talent. (claps)" - RVD to Triple H
"On this night 25 years ago, from the testicles of Vince McMahon himself came something so horrifying it sends chills up and down the bodies of men all over the world: tonight marks the birth of Stephanie McMahon." - The Rock, Raw, September 24 2001.
"Is this a case of your equipment malfunctioning? Have you been suffering from some premature pyro? Hey Silent Bob, you can say anything anytime. Hello? Maybe I'll just bring Lita down right now. I have a better idea. Why don't I buy you a box of Kleenex, a carton of Hagen-Dazs. I'll take you to Blockbuster Video then you can rent the Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Go home and have a really good cry. What do you think about that, Junior?" - Chris Jericho to Kane
Other Stuff...
Anything else before I close? Well, I did see today at the Drudge Report that former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura is considering throwing his hat into the 2008 Presidential Election and running as an Independent. He says that he's already talked to one of the Kennedy's about being his running mate and that Vince McMahon has already indicated that he would support a Ventura Presidential run.
That would certainly make what has already been an extremely interesting Presidential election campaign even that much more exciting and just add to the diverse cast of characters that were or are in the running for the most powerful job in the free world. Think about it. So far, we've had The Woman (Hillary), The Black Rock Star (Obama), The War Hero (McCain), The Millionaire (Romney), The Preacher (Huckabee), The Slick Lawyer (Edwards), The Hispanic (Richardson), Mayor 9/11 (Giuliani), The Doctor (Ron Paul), and the Crusader (Ralph Nader). There were others, but those were (are) the ones who actually had some kind of impact. So is a Navy Seal Turned Wrestler Turned Actor Turned Politician really a big surprise or shocker? Hell, with the crowd we've had running for the job so far, Ventura fits right in.
I don't know if he'll run or not, but I intend to keep my eyes on this situation as it develops. If nothing else, it just makes the election season all that more exciting.
Who Am I?
Yeah, it's back. I've got to do something to get ya'll to give me some feedback, right? Here goes...
I was the reason that Scott Hall and Curt Hennig lost the AWA World Tag Team Championship Titles to "Pretty Boy" Doug Somers and "Playboy" Buddy Rose when I caused Scott Hall to be distracted, which gave Buddy Rose a chance to knock him to the floor and get counted out. Who Am I?
Do you know who this man is that I'm speaking of? If you read my AWA Recaps, you do. Let me know the answer at
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.
And now, I have something for you to do. For the next edition of "Tossing Salt", I want to do an all Q&A edition of the column. So if you have any questions, ask 'em. Just send them to my e-mail account and I'll do my best to either answer them in the next column. It doesn't matter to me if it's about wrestling, politics, comics, life in general or whatever you want to know. This is, after all, professional wrestling's most eclectic column, so I may as well live up to the reputation, right?
Send questions and comments to
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. And come visit me at MySpace at www.myspace.com/salt_palace.
And on that, "dat is all de' people need to know!"
I'm Doug and I'm outta here. Have a great week.
Ubuntu!
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| Last Updated ( Sunday, 16 March 2008 14:21 ) | ||||