Issue # 030

Date:  Saturday October 10th, 1998  8:53 pm

My feelings on the Scott Hall Debate
By Steve Appy The past couple days it seems that the newsletter has been dominated with everybody's views on the Scott Hall mess. Which is fine, because it is a controversial issue. Like all great debates this is not a black and white issue.

Like most of you I think the Scott Hall Drunk angle is unethical. I also feel torn because part of me feels it is not any of our business.  Scott Hall is an adult. He has a right to drink himself into a stupor anytime he pleases and he does not have to answer to me. Hall only owes an explanation to the people he loves. Being an alcoholic is not a moral issue, its simply a (bad) lifestyle choice.

Most of us really don't know the extent of Hall's problems. We know he entered rehabilitation earlier this year (May), as well as last March 1997. Hall was suspended from the WWF in February 1996 for testing positive for marijuana use (maybe not so coincidentally just days after giving notice to the WWF). He was arrested last week for scratching a limousine with a key.  He was arrested several months ago, charged with groping a middle-aged woman in her car while drinking.

There is a pattern. Hall apparently has a problem. Is it my business? Tough one. Maybe not. Below I'll list a couple of the reasons why it MIGHT be.

In April 1997, Hall was scheduled to team with Nash against the Steiners at Spring Stampede. This was the scheduled main event of the show. Several weeks before the show Hall entered rehab and no-showed Spring Stampede. WCW chose not to announce that Hall would be missing the main event and viewers found out the hard way, during the show. Were the fans who shelled out $30 for the PPV entitled to know why the main event was changed? Or was this entirely WCW's fault, since they had ample notice to inform the fans that Hall would not be performing at Spring Stampede? Hard to say.

Did this issue become a legit public debate only when WCW decided to parody Hall's problems into a storyline? Are we simply upset because we worry about Scott Hall, and the toll playing out this storyline may be taking on him? Then again, MOST of us don't have a personal bond with Hall; we don't feel his pain, and most of would probably have no desire to dive into Hall's psyche.

Dana Hall's letter complicated things. This whole situation is very real to her. She shared a life, children with Scott Hall. He actually owes her an explanation for his behavior. I felt like a voyeur reading Dana's letter to the wrestling world. She let us into a world I wasn't sure I had a right to glimpse into yet I couldn't look away. It really was fascinating. Did Dana Hall have a right to share Scott Hall's demons with the world?  Another tough question.

Several weeks ago, the storyline had Scott Hall drive drunk to the arena, and he crashed his car. The whole thing made me laugh. On some levels, it was far from funny. The rich superstar drove drunk, crashed, walked away without a scratch or any consequences. Does WCW owe us good role models or should we take wrestling for what it is: a guilty pleasure? A pleasure we all enjoy but also know that very little redeemable comes from it.

I hope all parents out there realize that young children should not be watching wrestling; its one of the worst mediums imaginable if you are seeking a role model.

With years and life's perspective, wrestling can be properly enjoyed by responsible adults (many of the fans at live events do not fit this criteria). Is it horrible that WCW is presenting this storyline, or should we just accept it as entertainment, and laugh when Hall does something that is on some levels very funny, and on other levels ultimately very sad?

As you can tell, I don't have the answers. I'm as torn and troubled by this issue as anything I've encountered in the wrestling business, a hobby I've enjoyed for over 11 years. Like probably all of you I do know people who have let alcohol devastate their lives. I have mixed feelings about the freedom to make lifestyle choices and the responsibility we may all have to stop someone from destroying themselves.

In our last issue, a reader suggested a petition should be started to tell WCW how you feel about this issue. While I'm not going to start a petition I will provide the address you can send your letters to. I still don't know if I will send one, or if any of us should. Its a personal decision. If you are disgusted by the way WCW is portraying Scott Hall on television, send a letter explaining your feelings to:
World Championship Wrestling
One CNN Center Plaza
Atlanta GA 30335-4200

I'm not saying you should send this letter. Only send a letter if your conscience demands you do.
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Reader Mailbag
From: "Ice & Dragon" (icequeen98@xxx.com)
OK, that's it, I can't stand it anymore. I am going to reply to this
because I am so sick and tired of seeing people rag on Hall. All these
wrestling fans are getting on his back saying how awful it is that he
had or has a drinking problem, hasn't even one person stopped to
think, its NONE OF OUR BUSINESS!!!

Fans lately have been getting so wrapped up in the wrestling
storylines that they are starting to forget that wrestling is an
entertainment business. Yes they have a storyline about Hall being
drunk, who cares! Hall is pretending to be drunk, how many people
haven't watched a movie where someone gets drunk in it? When you see
characters in movies appear drunk, you don't know if they have a
drinking problem in real life and you don't really care do you? So why
is everyone making a big deal about Scotty's storyline.

The bottom line is this. What we see on TV, what Bischoff and Vince
put as a plate of entertainment in front of us, that is our business,
that's what we should enjoy watching as nothing more than
entertainment. But when it gets to the point where fans are starting
to say "You're a bad boy Scotty." or butt into other people's
business, wrestler or not, they are being just plain nosey. For all
you fans that feel you need to butt into Scott Hall's real life take a
look at yourself, you're acting like that nosey gossipy neighbor that
everyone hates.

Some of you may feel that since it was made public it is then your
business. That's not true. It should never have been made public in
the first place but since it has we should be respecting Scotty's
privacy by just passing it aside and refusing to listen to it. You
don't deny that Scott has had a drinking problem by refusing to listen
to it, you're simply denying that its something important to the fans.

A lot of people in wrestling have had a drinking problem or drug
problem, a lot of people in the world and government and in your home
town have too. We don't have to make it public just because he's a
wrestler. Remember that we don't know if he does or does not have
some sort of problem and we shouldn't even be concerned with it.

Look at wrestling on Monday, think about how far the organization has
come and how we all love what we're seeing on every night. Forget this
personal life crap, its none of our business the only people who's
business it is, is Scott Hall. Wrestling was never meant to be put on
such a serious note. Just take a moment and think about it, this has
gone too far. Scotty's life is none of our business and for god sake
just leave it at that. Scott is a big boy and he'll work through any
problem he has himself.

These wrestlers are out there for us, they take bumps and sometimes
near death accidents to entertain us. At least have the decency and
respect for them to give them some privacy. Once again, its none of
our business.
~~ Ice Queen
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Reader Mailbag
Submitted by reader: Andy Laudano (Hitman-Andy@xxxxcebtv.net)
Hey Steve, here’s my opinion on that rant about Flair.

Let me get this straight, your hero who taught you so much, who's real
motto is take your steroids, stab everyone in the back behind the
scenes, kiss Eric Bischoff's ass and above all believe in the power of
the all mighty dollar is Hogan? Wrong! its Vince McMahan who made
up "Hulkamania". I'd rather have a man who came back after doctors
said he'd never walk again from a plane wreck and went on to become
the best there ever was in a profession that rewarded him for his hard
work by trying to sue him when he put his family first.

By the way, how many times have Hogan & Elizabeth screwed over Savage anyway, I've lost track. Join the real world someday buddy.
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Reader Mailbag
Submitted by reader: JJ29
I like Mick Foley, I liked him better as Cactus Jack, but just because
he jumps off cages into tables doesn't mean he's a good wrestler, its
called psychotic. Would you vote for a President who did that?

No, Foley doesn't need a title, everyone knows he's great. You go to the IWA of FMW or any of the promotions in Japan, there are guys who do 20 foot stage drops and fight with ALLIGATORS! Yet are boo'ed. Fact is,
heels are meant to be boo'd and Mankind is a heel. Chris Benoit, in
the marks eyes is without a title, does that mean he sucks?
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Reader Mailbag
Submitted by reader: Anfony20
I think that the most underappreciated person in wrestling is Paul
Heyman. Heyman has made ECW the best promotion out there. Although
ECW doesn't get the attention that WCW and WWF get they provide us
with entertainment every time.

 

What is great about Heyman is that he knows that wrestling fans are
smarter than people give them credit for. He provides believable
storylines. All the top ECW wrestlers are extremely talented (no pun
intended) unlike the big names in WCW and WWF. Heyman proved why he is
better than Bischoff and McMahon when he gave away tapes of all the
missed shows to fans in New York who were shut out by Paxnet. ECW fans
know what's going on behind the scenes. And unlike Bischoff, who
would never let us know Scott Hall was arrested last Friday, Heyman
acknowledged Taz's recent run in with the law and gave his full
support to Taz. He doesn't try fooling us, he tells us what is
actually happening. ECW is for real fans and not the marks that WCW
and WWF thrive on. Thanks to Paul Heyman, there is quality wrestling
available. Too bad most people don't get the chance to see it.
===========================================
Reader Mailbag
Submitted by reader: NegativeDA\
I'm a fan of the newsletter and thought I'd throw this out on the
table. It concerns the whole WWF world title situation. I thought
about it for a while and this is a possible angle I got stuck in my
sick little head. No reality to it, just a thought. This whole thing
would happen at Judgment Day.

Kane and UT fight it out for god knows how long. Austin just kinda'
stays in and out of the ring, not saying much to either guy minus a
few "birds" here and there much to the delight of the crowd. A few
staredowns between Austin and both guys happen a couple times as well.
Somewhere in the match, The Rock comes down, just to watch. Austin
is standing near a corner and tells Rocky to keep out of the ring.
Rocky complies but Kane/UT (whichever one) gets whipped into the
corner and since Austin is jawing with Rock, he gets smashed. (Insert
crowd reaction here.)

Kane/UT just kinda' blow this off and continue to fight. As
Undertaker is about to tombstone Kane, Rocky jumps in the ring and
knocks UT off balance. He then hits the Rock Bottom and UT is down.
He pulls Kane onto UT and tries to wake up Austin, who is still groggy
in the corner. Austin jumps over to make the count but UT kicks out.
Rocky is freaking out outside the ring. Kane picks UT up and UT beats
him to the tombstone. UT gets the 3-count.

Austin throws the belt to him and makes his way out. All of a sudden,
Vince McMahon shows up (via video or audio) and says something
like "Since you (UT) were the one who dropped the steps on my leg, you get to fight Austin right now."

They fight and Austin wins the belt. Rocky jumps into the ring pissed as hell. Austin agrees to fight him the next night on Raw. Rocky probably wins the belt and the angle continues on and on and on, etc.
Sorry that was so long.
Thanks,
DA
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Reader Mailbag
Submitted by reader: BriskDanPE
Around late February of this year a friend told me about WCW. I had
known about wrestling before but I had stopped watching it around 4
years ago. He told me about The nWo, Sting, DDP and so on. I tuned
in and frankly, I LOVED IT!!

Later, I found out about the WWF. I think I took to the WWF better but then I saw some controversial things in the WWF, Steve Austin for one.

Stone Cold Steve Austin.  I know of some 5 year olds that go to church EVERY Sunday that talk about Stone Cold. He is probably the best thing that has happened to the WWF since Hogan left. But, when is enough...ENOUGH!! He's a beer-swilling, rule-breaking, editing
machine. Since he lost the WWF Title at WWF Break Down: In Your House, he has been tearing up!! Doing anything he can to get at Vince McMahon
and his family. He needs to calm down a little bit. I don't think his
popularity will decline at all.

Now, my next subject, WCW's only hope, Goldberg. Goldberg, Goldberg, Goldberg. Schiavone, Marshall, Okerlund, Heenan, Zbyszco, Hudson,
Tenay, they all praise him!!

I could be 10,000 and 0 or whatever if the officials liked me. So WHAT!!!! He's just a one hit wonder of wrestling now. I used to like him but when his record got past 125 he just bombed!  I really want DDP to kill him, BANG!  DDP deserves it alot!
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To check out a new Fantasy Wrestling League , go to:
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===========================================
The staff of The Wrestling Booking Sheet
Editor: Steve Appy Columnist: Mark George
Columnist: SamJerry
Columnist: Fritz Capp
Columnist: Rick Phelps
Columnist: Cindy Barnes
Columnist: Josh Hewitt
Columnist: Swami
Columnist: Tom Misnik
Columnist: Nate Pelley
Columnist: Robert Troy (Osiris)
Columnist: Tom Kirkbride
Columnist: Ryan S. Oaks
Columnist: Darren Kramer

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