Issue # 078

Date:  Wednesday November 25th, 1998  10:54 am

The Wrestling Booking Sheet

Ratings for Monday, November 23rd, 1998
RAW- 4.9 Total Rating
1st Hour- 4.7
2nd Hour- 5.0.

Nitro 4.5 Total Rating
1st Hour- 5.0
2nd Hour- 4.4
3rd Hour- 4.1

Heat for 11/22 did a strong 4.1
(Reported by Dave Scherer of http://www.1wrestling.com)
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Rick's Reaction
by:WrestleRic
For those of you who are not already aware, I collect wrestling
magazines. One of my favorite mags is WCW magazine. My favorite
column in the magazine is entitled "Brain Reaction", written by one of
the best journalists in the business, Bobby "The Brain Heenan". I am
going to tribute this man by writing my column in a familiar manner.
As always, the views represented in this column do not necessarily
reflect the views of the editor of this newsletter.

First off, congratulations to Big Sexy, Kevin Nash on winning WW3.
The way he was disposing of other wrestlers reminded me of this guy
from a few years ago in the WWF named Diesel who did the same thing at
this event called the Royal Rumble.  (I am being sarcastic...I know they are the same before any of you smart marks mail me and tell me that Nash and Diesel are the same person). Nash wins WW3 which allows him a title shot against Goldberg at Starcade. I am making my prediction right now....Kevin Nash will walk away the new WCW Heavyweight Champion.

With the impending rumors of Hulk Hogan announcing his retirement on
the Late Show with Jay Leno on Thanksgiving night, that leaves me
pondering over one question. Who is going to provide leadership for NWO Hollywood? Eric Bischoff is to busy running a company, Horace couldn’t lead himself out of the bathroom, and Vincent is about as dumb as a box of rocks. The best chance that NWO Hollywood would have of surviving a Hogan-less faction is start kissing Scott Hall's butt and beg him to come back. He is the most talented and if I am correct, HE...NOT HOGAN... NOT BISCHOFF...WAS the first man to arrive on the scene back in May of 96, which got the NWO ball rolling. Oh wait, I forgot, if I may borrow a phrase from my fellow journalist SAMJERRY, the "Good King Eric" seems to only be concerned with what Hogan is doing.

Eddie Guerrero, whether you agree with me or not, like it or not, pound for pound is undoubtedly one of the best wrestlers in the business today. He is now leading the Latin World Order, a group of Luchadores that Eddie has convinced is being duped by Eric Bischoff. I
have two theories about this:

1) Eddie is going to congregate all of these men and then rob them
blind or

2) He banded these men together just to spite Bischoff and to further
his own career. He has now enlisted the help of "Babyface" Juventud
Guerrera. Great wrestler...but not much of "Hitman" (no pun intended). Eddie has recently spent more time on the mike and less time in the ring. Eddie , please, spend more time in the ring, your interview
skills are deplorable.

Ernest "The Cat" Miller, would somebody please take this man out of
wrestling and send him back to the karate circuit, ENOUGH SAID. I
was thinking about something. If you were to judge a WCW wrestler on
how well he fared against Goldberg in the ring, two men come to my
mind that should be much higher in the rankings then what they are.
Saturn and Jerry Flynn, oh come on, you remember him, it took Goldberg at least 4 minutes to beat this guy. As far as Saturn goes, I feel as if he tested Goldberg more than anyone else in WCW, including Diamond Dallas Page.

While on the subject of Diamond Dallas Page and the United States
championship, what is wrong with Bret Hart?  Love him or hate him (I happen to like the guy) Hart should not have this many problems with Page or any other WCW star.  He is now taking his Hitman moniker too far.  He does not need to cheat to win matches, and it appears to me that every time that he does cheat, it comes back to bite him. Bret is probably one of the top five most gifted technical wrestlers in the world today. He does not need to rely on chairs or whatever household piece of furniture is handy to win a match. It is a sad thing to see such a promising career going nowhere.
See ya next week!!
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Nitro Extra for November 23rd, 1998
IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Scott Norton pinned Kaz Hayashi in 0:18
Disco Inferno pinned Scott Putski with a Piledriver in 3:22
Chavo Guerrero Jr. pinned Tokyo Magnum in 8:06 after a Tornado DDT
Stevie Ray pinned Van Hammer in 3:35 after a Flapjack
Prince Iaukea pinned Juventud Guerrera Jr. in 7:01 after Rey Mysterio
interfered.
Wrath pinned Horace (w/Vincent) in 3:31 after The Meltdown
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ROUNDING THE SQUARED CIRCLE
INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW
By SamJerry

1. If The Big Valbowski wins an Academy Award, will he have to stand
at attention when accepting the award?

2. Did Terri Runnels buy the outfit she almost wore on RAW November
24 from Francine?

3. Did Dirtbag Doophus Page call his favorite toy when he was growing
up G.I. "Scum" Joe?

4. Does Francine own the new Ladies Boutique, Hos 'R' Us?

5. If Dwayne Gill had a match v. UnFit Finlay, would their mothers
care?  Would thy watch?

6. Does the Social Security Administration know that Dirtbag Doophus
Page is still working? Would they care?

7. Was dinner last night at Tony The Shill's house the "Greatest Meal
Ever?"

8. Is The Godfather's business a franchise?

9. Is US Plastics owned jointly by Debra McMichael, Chyna, Sable, Jacqueline and Terri Runnels?

10. If "Pimping Ain't Easy," why is The Godfather the happiest employer around?

11. Is The Very Old Perfessa the Great-grandson of Santa Ana and Granny
Clampett?

12. Are The Dancing Dildoes, Alex Wright and Disco Inferno, blood brothers of The Odd Couple, Too Much? If so, does that make Jerry "The King" Lawler their daddy?

13. Is the Godfather really attempting to recruit The NITRO Bimbos?

14. With Old Baldy retiring, will His Holiness return to The Mount for
another 1,000 years? Will anyone notice?

15. Is HBK now The Corporate Centerfold? If so, will he have to wear The Corporate Fig Leaf?
===========================================
FANTASY BOOKING SATIRE- THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN
Reader Mailbag
Submitted by reader: KahktusJak
I thought the letter by flair_dog@xxx.com on satire fantasy booking was the funniest thing I heard all day, so I decided to do some of my own satire booking:
by Kahktusjak
IN YOUR HOUSE - POINTLESS NONSENSE

F*CKED UP 15 WAY ACRONYM MATCH
LOCATION - MSG in NYC
DX vs nWo vs nWo vs OWN vs HBK vs RVD vs JYD vs LOD vs SCSA vs NAO vs
DOA vs Triple H vs ABC vs XYZ vs LMNOP (Winner gets to get down with OPP)
guest referee TLC

BATTLE OF INATIMATE OBJECTS WRESTLERS CARRY TO THE RING
Mr. Socko vs Head vs Pepe vs The Big Boss Man's nightstick vs
Undertaker's Urn vs Double J's guitar vs Duggan's 2x4 vs Sable's breasts
GUEST REFEREE VINCE MCMAHON'S TOUPEE

WAR OF THE TRANSVESTITES
Goldust vs Adorable Adrian Adonis W/Guest Referee J. Edgar Hoover, and
guest time keeper Rupaul, guest commentator the legendary Marv Albert

THE RUMORED MYSTERY OPPONENTS FROM SURVIVOR SERIES 98 VS THE RUMORED
PEOPLE WHO ARE THE BLUE BLAZER
Terry Funk, HBK, Psycho Sid, Brooklyn Brawler vs Owen Hart, Dan Severn, TEddie Hart, Double J Jeff Jarrett
GUEST REFEREE DUANE GILL

SENSELESS BLACK ON BLACK VIOLENCE MATCH STUPID 6 WAY MATCH
Faarooq vs Mark Henry vs Koko B. Ware vs Norman Smiley vs Ahmed Johnson
GUEST REFEREE - Minister Louis Farrakhan
(after the match Clarence Mason comes out and unites all the wrestlers
involved to form the aWo - African World Order, not Black and white,
not Black and Red, its just plain BLACK!!!!)

CAT FIGHT
Ernest Miller vs Ernie Ladd
(two more candidates for aWo)
GUEST REFEREE - Garfield the cat

AND FINALLY THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT MATCH OF ALL TIME IN WHICH THE
FATE OF THE UNIVERSE DEPENDS ON
"The Living Legend" Marty Jannety vs "The National Treasure" Hugh Morrus, LOSER MUST TAKE WINNER TO BURGER KING FOR LUNCH
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Reader Mailbag
Submitted by reader: Moj8681
If you really think about it, the J.O.B. Squad has to be, beyond a
shadow of a doubt, the easiest gimmick/angle to fall into. You don't
even need any type of personality to become a part of the J.O.B.
Squad, unlike DX, where you have to be scumbag or the nWo, where you
have to think you're good but you really suck.

From what I saw, the J.O.B. Squad is starting to catch on with the
fans. I personally can't picture Bob Holly as a fan favorite to the
extent of Austin or the Rock, but at least he's getting some type of
reaction. And as for how easy it is to be put into this angle, Vince
can basically sign anybody, throw them into the Squad, and they are
semi-cool. For instance, let's say WCW releases Kaz Hayashi, a good
example of a jobber (although I think he has good to great in-ring
ability) and someone who lacks a character. Vince hooks him up with a
contract, he loses a few matches and then out of nowhere, the Squad
starts helping him out. All of the sudden, the guy starts generating
some heat.

I don't know how long the WWF plans on keeping Duane Gill as champ, or
just keeping him at all, but so long as he's in the Squad, he will generate some type of fan reaction and people won't be leaving they're seats right away, claiming that they can't bare to watch a "regular" guy.  So you have to give Vince credit for giving perennial jobbers an
angle, and if Bischoff decides to drop any dead weight, Vince can pick
that weight up and turn it into money. He's done it before, and he'll
definitely do it again, only this time, it might be through the J.O.B.
Squad.
(Happy Thanksgiving.)
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Reader Mailbag
Submitted by reader: BossBlues1
I felt the need to add a few cents into this discussion of "who made
who" in wrestling. The fact of the matter is, times change, promotions
change, and sometimes a very talented wrestler can just be a square
peg that doesn't fit. Other times their weaknesses are easier to
detect under different booking (i.e., Public Enemy). Other times its
the promotions fault 100%.

Bottom line is that the WWF knows how to make characters get over with
the fans. Rarely does it matter who plays which character, as long as
they do it right. Some characters flop. In fact, most characters flop
in the WWF. However, there are a few characters that come along every
now and then that become major stars because they were manufactured by
the WWF. Others like Mark Henry, Faarooq, Taka Michinoku, Bradshaw,
Kurrgan, Triple H, Al Snow, The Godfather, The Undertaker, Jeff Jarrett,
Mankind, and Rocky Maivia go through constant changes of/in characters
until one finally gets over with the fans. Sometimes it has little or
nothing to do with how talented the wrestler is. The popularity of
*most* WWF Wrestlers has to do with the persistency of the WWF.

WCW, on the other hand, seems to push mainly wrestlers with some
talent. They'll bring out a new crew of wrestlers each week and see
which ones go over more. They have very little ability to make *stars*
out of people with minimal talent and charisma. Even WCW-"made" guys
like The Giant and Bill Goldberg have immense charisma if nothing
else. Rarely will WCW make something out of an unknown wrestler with
no in-ring ability, microphone skills, or charisma.

<<Chris Jericho >>
Chris Jericho's initial heel push was dogged by Internet fans because
it was "lame" and "too slow." WCW saw that he wasn't working as a face, and pushed him as a heel. They don't deserve *credit* for making Chris Jericho what he is today, but you can't say they gave him nothing.

<<Goldberg>>
Bill Goldberg has charisma that is in the upper echelon of
professional wrestling. His win streak ONLY has a lot to do with
people noticing him. He came in as an unknown, got a push over a bunch
of nobodies, and eventually became big enough to deserve the win over
Hogan for the World Title. Bill Goldberg simply took what was given
to him and put it over with the fans. Wrath has virtually the same
push, but hasn't been able to make it work for him.

<<Sting/Ric Flair>>
Ric Flair is basically the exception to every "rule" we have as
wrestling fans. You can't make Ric Flair. However, WCW has always
pushed Sting and Ric Flair as much as possible, and therefore has
given them a lot. The WWF's use of Flair in the early 90's was good,
but it doesn't have the same magnitude as his WCW years. By the way,
WCW and NWA Mid-Atlantic (also known as NWA's World Championship
Wrestling) are one in the same.

<<Booker T.>>
Booker T was given a great chance to shine as a singles wrestler in
WCW. They've used him almost perfectly. Again, it has a lot to do
with how you USE a talent, not how much credibility the guy has.
Example: Stevie Ray is ALSO an 8-Time WCW Tag Champion, and sucks as a
singles wrestler.

<<Chris Benoit - BISCHOFF MADE CHRIS BENOIT?>>
Chris Benoit has been a Horseman for almost 4 years. Very few people
can say they have that kind of spotlight. Benoit has not been pushed
spectacularly, but that's not to say he hasn't been given any chances
either. Big times matches against Diamond Dallas Page, Raven, Bret
Hart, The Giant, and others are chances. Chris Benoit is largely
popular because of how he's been used in WCW. The next step is to give
him a few big wins and title belts. That's the only thing really
holding Chris Benoit back from being a major star.

<<Cruiserweights>>
WCW's Cruiserweights have some of the best booking in the United
States. Look at them. For the most part they are all guys that the fans had never heard of. Most of them speak broken English or have no microphone skills, and they're all about the size of the average referee. The WCW booking has not only helped get a few of these guys over big time (Jericho, Malenko) as heavyweights, but has helped create interest in a group of wrestlers that sometimes can't put an angle, feud, or storyline over.

Lastly, give credit where credit is due. Stop holding on to whatever
reason you can to badmouth WCW or Eric Bischoff and praise the WWF or
Vince McMahon. It doesn't really matter "who created who." Comparing
WCW and the WWF is always going to be like comparing apples to oranges.
-BossBlues1
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Reader Mailbag
Submitted by reader: BSmoley
<<Although it was about time for Wrath to lose, this was an
anticlimactic way for it to happen.>>
It may have been a little anticlimactic, but let's look at the match
for what it was.

Number one, it was good to see Kevin Nash wrestling a legit match on
TV again.  Recently, he seems to have been suffering from Hogans decease, which is an accute form of ego enlargement resulting in the sufferer wrestling only at PPVs.

Number two, the simple fact that Wrath could get in the ring with
Kevin Nash and take him as far as he did elevates Wrath to another
level, a potentially threatening one.

And finally, by Kevin Nash defeating the other "undefeated monster
guy" in WCW (Wrath) it adds credibility to his chances of defeating Goldberg at Starcade. With all the rumors surrounding the fact that Hollywood was supposed to supply Goldberg's first defeat, and now with Hogan's supposed retirement looming, don't be surprised if Nash gets the belt.

One other point on that subject.  It may be nothing, and I may be giving WCW too much credit, but I've noticed how Goldberg's "animal ness" level is dropping off lately -- he's been acting a lot more "human", having speaking parts and all. I don't know if this WCW's subtle way of showing that he's becoming vulnerable or what, but it was just an observation...take note and keep watching.

My prediction for Starcade: New WCW World Heavyweight Champion Kevin
Nash!
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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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