Issue # 377
Date:
Monday November 1st, 1999 10:22 am
The Wrestling Booking Sheet
DUSTIN RUNNELS CHARACTER
SCRAPPED
Reported by Al Isaacs
at:
http://www.scoopswrestling.com
Almost before it
began, Dustin Runnels new WCW character has
been eliminated. The
mysterious black clad figure hovering
outside the window of
little boys (with the former Goldust
playing the character
it conjured very creepy images) will
never see the light of
day.
Allegedly a knockoff
of the aliens from the movie 'Dark City',
Runnels initial
appearance started a string of false rumors
linking The Undertaker
to the new character (especially since
he debuted shortly
after UT "quit" the WWF in a televised angle).
Where this leaves
Runnels is uncertain; a solid worker with the
right opponent (and in
shape), his career is at a crossroads.
His last two years in
the WWF saw him put forth some mediocre
performances (not that
he was presented as a top star either).
Vince Russo has
mentioned that Goldust was one of his favorite
WWF characters, so
it's always possible that he will put his
energy into
revitalizing Runnels character (Dustin has certainly
showed a willingness
to take part in bizarre scenarios). It
does appear unlikely
that we will see a return of the big Texan
"Dustin Rhodes",
especially with the breakup of The West
Texas Rednecks.
UNDERTAKER RUMOR
KILLER
A silly rumor is
getting around the internet claiming that The
Undertaker is on the
verge of retirement. In fact, two of the
letters published in
today's issue address this rumor; trust
me, it's not true.
Although plagued by a
sore groin and chronically bad hips, The
Undertaker (Mark
Calloway) will not be retiring, and should be
returning to the WWF
shortly after The Survivor Series.
===========================================
Rick's Reaction
By: Rick Phelps (wrestleric)
Ladies and gentleman,
it is good to be able once again bring you
my random thoughts on
what is going on in this crazy world that
we call professional
wrestling. I typically jump back and forth
between WWF, WCW, and
ECW,but, I have decided that I will
concentrate on one
organization at a time.
World Championship
Wrestling is what I would like to discuss
this week. Before I
even start discussing the happenings in WCW,
I feel I need to
address something that is really bothering me.
I have receive e-mail
after e-mail of people asking me why I hate
WCW. For the record, I
do not and never have hated WCW. If those
of you who pay
attention to what I say, I have negative and
POSITIVE things to say
about WCW, WWF, and every other promotion
out there. So for
those of you who decide to mail myself or any
other person who
writes for a sheet or a site and read us the
riot act, remember two
things.
First, we do this
because we like it, and if you don't, that is
just too damn bad.
Secondly, consider reading the entire column
before you start
writing immature, infantile, and even sometimes
badly worded emails.
For god sakes, I received an e-mail telling
me that "my RITING
SKILS WUR REEL BAD". Anyhow, wrestling should
be about fun, not
about people fighting over petty and minute
issues. FOR THE LOVE
OF GOD......HAVE
FUN AND LOOSEN UP THE JOCK
STRAPS!!!
Now that I have
sufficiently let my feeling be known, I would like
to discuss what's up
in WCW. Halloween Havoc in my opinion was
a decent pay-per-view.
The biggest disappointment of the night
was Hulk Hogan laying
down for Sting. I am not implying that Sting
could beat Hogan or
vice versa (that is a whole different issue),
but what I am saying
is that believe it or not, many people were
either in attendance
in Vegas or ordered the PPV just for that
match. And what do
they get, not a
MAIN EVENT, that's for sure.
Instead, they get
Hogan, the stand up guy that he is playing
the crybaby act and
not even wrestling because he did not get
his way. Work or no
work, it does not make a bit of difference.
If Hogan truly cared
about the SPORT and the FANS, he could have
put his personal
feelings aside and given the FANS what they
wanted. Did I make it
clear that I felt that the FANS got screwed?
On the subject of
Sting, I absolutely am loving this new attitude.
Sting has been the
stand up guy around WCW for so long, that it
is great to finally
see him being selfish and alot more
vicious..............Lex
Luger, what a body! It is just a shame
that he still has not
reached his potential. I remember years ago
when everyone touted
the Package as being the next big superstar.
It did not happen, has
not happened, and will not happen. In my
opinion, the reason is
because he is more concerned about flexing
those boobie muscles
than he is learning some mat moves........
Diamond
Dallas Page. Two greatest
assets, Kimberly......and
the Diamond
Cutter........can not think of anything else nice
to say.......and those
of you who know about my internship with
WCW Mag know why I say
that about DDP. He is a two-faced, sell
out, butt kissing guy.
You really think Page will win another
world title without
Bischoff there?!?!?! "I DONT THINK SO!!!!!!!
I was really enjoying
hearing Goldberg come to the ring with
Megadeth playing in
the background. The whole gladiator bit
is beginning to bore
me. I am, however, enjoying listening to
him speak more. I just
hope he does not become one of those guys
who spends more time
talking about what he is going to do than
actually doing it.
On a side note, I have
really enjoyed the last few weeks of
not having to watch
and listen to the Bore.......I mean the
Cat. He sounds like he
borrowed his grammar skills from an eight
year old. Sonny Onoo........no
entertainment value whatsoever.
The Filthy Animals
just may be the best idea that WCW has had in
a long.....long time.
Think about it, you have four of the best
and youngest talents
in the world jackin' Ric Flair and his kid
.......that was great.
Do not misunderstand me.....always have
been and always will
be a Nature Boy fan, but that was classic.
I would have to say
that WCW showed more class a few weeks ago
than they did in their
entire existence. Bret Hart and Chris
Benoit wrestled a
classic in a sportsman-like battle to remember
the fallen Owen Hart
in the very arena where Owen tragically
died. WCW handled the
situation very well, and for that, I tip
my hat. I was in
Kansas City the night that
Hart passed, and I
did not think that
either promotion would recover, but they
both proved me
wrong.....and I am glad they did. I am reserving
the right to finish
this monologue at a later time. It was great
to "talk" to you all
again. Please let me know of your thoughts
on my thoughts or any
other ideas you may have. I can be
reached at
wrestleric
===========================================
A RESPONSE TO STRAIGHT
SHOOTING
Written by reader:
TWOD
Have to compliment
Fritz Capp on a really intelligent
commentary regarding
music and wrestling. These are
both forms of
entertainment, and his analogies are top
rate. I have used
similar analogies comparing the older
veterans such as Hulk
Hogan to my reaction seeing Rod
Stewart in concert
after seeing his in the early 70s. I
sat there and said to
friends "he is a parody of himself."
The old Rod was gone
and there were more ballads and he
sat a lot throughout
the concert.
When I talked to
younger (not necessarily chronological age)
fans outside the Dome
afterward, they raved about his music
and his ability to
keep it going. Fritz is right on target
by saying it is all in
the perspective and it is all in
the opinions. Fun to
discuss and debate, certainly...but
there is a limit.
This weekend, one of
my favorite (not!) rumors has arisen
again ...that of the
Undertaker retiring. Yes, it will
happen sometime. We
all will go gray and be eligible for
retirement too. Sure,
when there is an injury, the topic
is brought up, and
that makes sense. What does not make
sense to me are the
following reactions (these are also
seen in the
music/entertainment biz)
#1 - My life will
never be the same! (sure it will - if
you get one!)
#2 - The federation
will never be the same (no, but ice
cream all the time
would be a poor diet too)
#3 - How can he do
this? (Easy, if and when it is his
choice - rest assured
these wrestlers - sports entertainers
- are very intelligent
and have planned for the future, with
opportunities in or
out of the industry)
#4 How can he do this
to his fans (In the case of the UT,
I start spitting at
this one and would defend other wrestlers,
musicians in the same
way- he has given you over a decade of
entertainment, whether
you are a fan or a foe, an offering
has been made for you
to enjoy. These men and women risk
their bodies, put
their personal lives on hold and all ...
just to go for it.
Bottom line: the entertainer has already
given to you and you
have given in return. Nothing is owed on
either side except
maybe a sigh of gratitude and some memories)
#5 How can he/she
change federations/gimmicks etc? (These fans
really take this stuff
really too personally. In music my
favorite is: I loved
this band until they went commercial. Some
fans explain this
intelligently, others just babble more radio gaga)
Sex, drugs and rock n
roll? Face it, we do love the
titillation, but there
is a limit. I will never appreciate
or condone some of the
female-male "matches" but loved to
see Chyna against
Jarrett. It is a matter of degree and
taste. And yes, Fritz,
you are right on again, there is
nothing new in
anything really, if you look at the basic
conception of a
storyline or scripted match. However, the
art is in the
abilities and what they can bring to the bare
bones and give it
flesh. You really had me thinking on that one.
As for your comments
on ratings, ratings should not be ever
used by fans, again,
that is just my opinion. Networks need
the demonic digits to
see if a show is working for them, and
the advertisers need
it to get a price for their ads and find
out if they are
getting the number of impressions (people
watching, listening)
for the right number of dollars. Yes, in
the schoolyard, it was
fun to be with the most popular team,
but today's wrestling
fan is far more sophisticated (who wants
to be seen as number
two?). We need those nasty numbers for
the business aspect,
but not for personal enjoyment. When we
have to run with the
crowd, throw the originality out the door.
It all comes down to
"mine is bigger than yours is." As we
mature, the resolution
is "are you doing all you can with
what you got?"
===========================================
WRESTLEBABE
By Cindy Barnes (wrestlebabe316@xxxxs...)
Hello Everyone!! Yes,
Wrestlebabe is back. Before I get
down to business, I
have an announcement to make. Due to the
tremendous increase in
my work schedule, (I'm working 60+
hours a week now) I
have no choice but to discontinue doing
weekly columns. I will
however, be doing editorials
periodically, so keep
an eye out! The quality of my columns
has suffered almost as
much as the quantity, which lead me
to this decision. To
all the friends I've made writing this
column - I LOVE You
ALL a BUNCH! Keep in Touch!!
E-mail
replies won't be
quick, but they will be answered!
Wrestlebabe316@xxxxs...
Now down to business:
The Most Desirable
Wrestler voting is over. The results of
this poll will be
posted on the SPAM Newsletter Awards Issue.
The SCOOPS website
should have subscriber instructions for
you to subscribe if
you don't already.
The Heel of the
Millenium poll is still going strong. I will
announce the winner in
a year end column sometime in December.
wrestlebabe316@xxxxs...
My personal choice for
most desirable wrestler is looking
BETTER than ever!!
Brian "Crush"
Adams was on the 10/14
Thunder show against
Horace Hogan. Clean shaven, hair
darkened and 40 lbs
lighter!! I didn't recognize him until
he stood up and the
camera zoomed in for a closer shot.
HOT
DAMN, The man looked
AWESOME!! He looks like he's in the best
shape of his career!!
Rumors are flying again about WCW cutting
him. If that's the
case, Vince should snatch him up and throw him
in the soup. Brian has
talent and potential, he just needs to
find his nitch. If
anyone happened to get a picture of Brian's
new look, PLEASE
e-mail me!!
Droz is having feeling
in his feet!! This is EXCELLENT NEWS!!
Keep praying that Droz
has a complete recovery.
Gorilla Monsoon is
gone at 62!! He was one of the best
"HEEL" wrestlers of
his time! He was tag champion with Killer
Kowalski. He was 1/2
of the best announce teams ever formed
in wrestling with
Jesse "The Body"
Ventura. He was also a
no-nonsense WWF
President. Everything Gorilla did, he did with
honesty and integrity.
These traits are hard to find in this
day and age. Though he
never won the WWF Championship, he laid
some well placed @$$
whoopings on then champion Bruno Sammartino.
As the WWF President,
he survived a butt kicking from a irate
Vader. Everything you
did, you gave 110% Rest in Peace Gorilla,
you will be missed!!
GOOD NEWS - DX is BACK
TOGETHER!! I'm SO Excited!! Their
reunion is a prayer
answered!! (Now, God - How about the LOTTO!!).
SCSA isn't happy, then
again, he looks like he's having fun!
So, Russo and
Ferrara have gone to WCW? I
worked so I didn't get
to see Halloween
Havoc. From the looks of the 5+ reports I read,
it was just Havoc!
Hogan laid down for Sting? Ric Flair was
"retired" in an
unfitting way by the Filthy Animals? Right now
I'm taking a wait and
see attitude. If they are smart, they will
put Ric Flair in as an
announcer!! One thing is for sure, last
week that Hall and
Nash segment with the girl that had boobs
bigger than my rear
end was totally ridiculous and juvenile!!
Two of the best draws
in WCW are being portrayed as total
@$$holes!! That's not
my idea of the "wholesome" entertainment
that WCW claims to
provide. Well, I'm still gonna take a wait
and see, it hasn't
been long enough.
I have to say, MY
TWINS as bodyguards for the Powers that Be is
OK with me!! I LOVED
seeing the pictures of them in suits!!
(THANK YOU CHANTAL!!)
They looked FANTASTIC!! They're definitely
sexier in jeans and
leather!!
Final Thoughts:
Big Show/Bossman angle
BITES THE BIG
ONE!! The Bossman has the
sense of humor of a
wet dish rag!! Show hasn't found his nitch
yet, he will when The
Undertaker comes back. if he does at all.
I hope No Mercy comes
out on video soon!! I didn't get to see it!!
(Working AGAIN) I
really want to see the entire ladder match!!
Two standing ovations?
I NEVER heard that happening in all the
years I've watch
wrestling!!
Mick's book is out!! I
can't wait to get my copy!! He did an
excellent interview
with Howard Stern. It was refreshing to
listen to 2 totally
honest human beings in the same room.
Hopefully the
interview will be on the Saturday night show soon.
Please!! Moolah and
Mae Young, RETIRE, before you break a hip
or have a heart
attack!!
What's Val Venis
trying to do? He actually thinks he's in the
same league with
Mankind, The Rock, SCSA or Triple H? PLEASE!!
Val hasn't been in any
WARS or earned a single stripe! He's got
a long way to go!!
Especially going the route of a crotch
grabbing pervert!!
What are they doing to
Chris Benoit? Did they take your mind
and hide it or did you
lose it? Loners in WCW get lost in
the shuffle. Want a
change in partners? Get in touch with Kanyon!!
Kanyon - Hope you
weren't swept away in the clean-up!
MISS YOU BUBBY/Taker.
Heal and come back soon!!
Bye for now!
:-)Wrestlebabe:-)
===========================================
A DISGRUNTLED LONGTIME
WCW FAN
Written by reader:
William (madspector)
Bill Busch, Ed Ferrera
and Vince Russo can all kiss my ass...
I'M WATCHIN
FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!!
Here is a message for
those true non-bandwagon WCW viewers...
the ones who comprise
the 3 million people who chose Nitro
instead of Raw bofore
Russo and his clowns invaded....your
message is this:
You've been screwed,
For being dedicated
and loyal watchers of Nitro you've been
rewarded. Yep, you've
been given the opportunity to watch
your wrestling company
deteriorate into another circus.
You've been had. For
sticking it out with WCW you have had
the privilege being
grand witness to Bill "I have no damn
business whatsoever
near a wrestling company" Busch basically
turn the fed into the
exact same thing you probably turned
the channel from in
the first place.
By bringing in Russo
and Ferrara, Bill Busch is telling you
"I don't give a rats
ass if three million people like this
brand of wrestling...I
need to make a name for myself...I need
to justify my position
in the company I had nothing to do with
building"..so he went
for a quick fixer upper. You've been
hoodwinked. Bill Busch
has taken WCW away from its fans and
handed it to the short
attention non-fans of the WWF.
You've been sold out.
The three stooges Bill, Vince and Ed don't
care about what you,
the ones who help carry the company through
thick and through
thin. They are more concerned with what WWF
marks want...where
does this leave you?...without anything to
watch. You've been
suckered.
For hanging in there
during a trying year for WCW you get to see
the Outsiders, one of
the most dominant tag teams in recent memory,
wrestle strippers and
porn stars...for no real reason. You who were
smart enough to see
wrestling for what it really was, and art form
that mimics sport in
spectacular fashion, will now be cast aside
while the "idiots that
be" kiss the inconsistent asses of the
casual wrestling fans
who cant even spell wrestling, let alone
appreciate it.
You've been replaced.
Bill, Ed, and Vince have decided that
you are expendable,
that if they are going to stupify the fan
base of WCW they
definitely don't want any of its previous fans
around, or anyone else
who can think for themselves.
The trend has begun,
the "Stooges that be" are taking everything
you like about WCW and
wiping their @$$es with it. What happens
next is up to you...if
you care. Better move quick though. The
aroma of "sports
entertainment" is right around the corner...and
from where I'm
sitting...it stinks.
===========================================
ADVERTISEMENT
ISPW will be in
Selinsgrove, PA at Selinsgrove Area High School
this Saturday night,
November 6th, at 8 P.M. The main event will
be the ISPW Champion,
"Mr. Main Event" ACE DARLING defending the
title against former
WWF Tag Team Champion, MARTY JANNETTY!
For their ISPW Tag
Team Titles, JULIO FANTASTICO & GLENN OSBOURNE
take on SAMU & L.A.
SMOOTH, THE HEAD SHRINKERS.
ECW Superstar MIKEY
WHIPWRECK will take on JUDAS YOUNG.
ISPW Commissioner, THE
IRON SHEIK will be there to address
all of the wrestlers
in the ISPW! Former WCW Manager
CHASTITY will be there
to meet and greet the fans and will
be a part of a special
interview segment.
In other matches: "The
Psycho" Derek Domino takes on Jak Molson,
J.R. Ryder battles
Crazy Ivan, and Flash Wheeler takes on "Sure
Thing" Ryan Wing
For more info visit
the ISPW website at:
http://www.ispwwrestling.com
or E-mail ISPW at:
ispw2
===========================================
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
Any submissions sent in by readers or columnists become the
property of The Wrestling Booking Sheet, and are subject to
editing due to grammar, spelling, or content. Any
information taken from The Wrestling Booking Sheet must be
credited properly, with our E-Mail address listed. We have
no problem if you want to use our stuff; just credit it
properly.
Copyright- Steve
Appy of The Wrestling Booking Sheet ©1998, 1999, 2000
"When you're young and you
pick up a guitar, it feels so powerful. It feels
like you pulled the sword from the stone. I used to believe
that it could save the world. But I don't really believe
that anymore." - Bruce Springsteen
"The greatest challenge of
adulthood is holding on to your idealism
after you lose your innocence and believing in the power of
the human
spirit after you come crashing into the limits of the real
adult
world." - Bruce Springsteen
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