The Wrestling Booking Sheet online newsletter

Issue # 403

Date: Thursday November 18th, 1999 6:18 pm

The Wrestling Booking Sheet

WCW RELEASES BARRY & KENDALL WINDHAM
Reported by Dave Scherer at: http://www.1wrestling.com
Scherer reports that WCW has released The Windhams; at this point it is
unknown if WCW will offer them contracts at a reduced rate.

Barry Windham, once one of the best workers in the world, has been the
victim of injuries, weight gain, and sometimes a lack of motivation.
One time considered the heir apparent to Ric Flair in WCW, it's likely
that a promoter will one day give Windham another shot with thoughts
of his enormous potential in mind.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SMACKDOWN CORRECTION
Reported by Brett Wagner (The Big Schwag)
In our report of The Smackdown tapings for 11/16 we incorrectly
identified Tom Powers as wrestling in a dark match; in reality, it was
UPW graduate Tom Howard.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
JERICHO COMMENTARY
Below we present Chris Jericho's latest commentary to his fans, found
at: http://www.ChrisJericho.com

11/18/99

NP: Dream Theater-Images and Words

Hello Jerichoholics!

Just a quick note before I go to do a day of promotions in Toronto
tomorrow, followed by matches in TO, Montreal and TV in Buffalo and
Rochester.
Let me start off by saying that I was VERY happy with my match with
Chyna at Survivor Series. I worked my butt off to make it memorable and
the crowd in the Joe Louis arena felt that it was, as well as the
entire WWF office and most importantly, I thought it was.

No matter what the sheet writers, internet prognosticators and other
various critics think, the only person who can convince me that I've
had a good match or a bad match is me. And believe me, I know when I've
had a stinker, I've had plenty before!!

But I was very pleased with my response as well as my direction in this
match!
Now for all of you upset with the result, I have this to say to
you....relax!!

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed about not getting the IC
belt, but I'd also be lying to you if I said I was bothered by not
getting it! In this day and age, winning and losing is not as important
as entertaining the fans and having a character that you people care
about.

Y2J is obviously a character that you care about and I'm happy about
that. If you're upset that I didn't win, then show your disappointment
by bringing a Y2J sign to the arena when the WWF comes to town, or
email the Fed and let them know. But if you honestly look at the big
picture
and think that Y2J won't be a dominant part of the WWF in the near
future than you need to look again!

I'm absolutely thrilled to be in the WWF and flattered that you guys
are choked I didn't win, but I promise you that we will all have our
day in the sun!!!!

As far as all of the BS rumors about me on the net, they were created
by a bunch of idiots with nothing else to do but hope for the failure
of Y2J.

Unfortunately, this is true.

Last week, due to accidentally sitting on the comb of Prince Albert, I
got into a pull apart with Vince McMahon and Stan Stasiak. I then
inadvertently broke the nose of Test, before falling into a car that
drove right into Steve Austin. Linda McMahon was going to fire me for
that, but I had already been fired by Jim Ross for poor performances in
my matches and not getting any reaction from the crowds at house shows.
So I will lose every match until Dec 31, 1999 and after that time I
will return back to WCW to become a tag team with the returning Kendall
Windham as the New Conquistadors.
God bless you guys!

-Chris Jericho
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NJPW SALUTES OWEN HART
Written by reader: Kevin Bryce (KevinBryce)
I just got my new Japanese Tape yesterday, and I was pleasantly
surprised to see NJPW do a 10 bell-tribute to Owen Hart. All the
wrestlers stood outside the ring, while 1 man stood inside the ring
holding a picture of Owen as the bell ran 10 times. It was very
touching and alot better than the WWF's scripted tribute to Owen Hart.
-Kevin Bryce, London
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE "SYMBOL"
Written by reader: Joe Marino (JMarino516)
It is really funny how quickly wrestling fans become angry with angles
that gore their favorite oxen, but call those of us who go to church
names when we are not happy with federations for doing a mock (and
mocking) crucifixion of
Steve Austin on a cross-like symbol, his swearing the whole time, and
the other anti-Christian angles that they have done.

Is Jim Ross more precious than Jesus Christ? Is doing a parody of the
man who coined the term "slobberknocker" more blasphemous or offensive
than mocking the Man who many of us believe died for our sins?

Is Owen Hart so much more precious (and believe me, I feel a deep sense
of loss over the death of Owen Hart, so do not misunderstand this) than
Jesus Christ? Is it really mocking him to have Dustin Rhodes float to
the ring on a wire no more than 8 or 10 feet off of the floor, as much
as it is mocking God to have a man tied to a cross-like figure swearing?

When you are outraged by these perceived wrongs, please remember that
feeling when those of us who have given our lives to Christ see Him and
His sacrifice for us mocked.
-Joe Marino
(Man Mountain Joe)
http://hometown.aol.com/jmarino516/index.html
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
DISRESPECT OF THE TEN BELL COUNT
Written by reader: Jared Fialko (Jrsyboy17)
While I have to agree that in the past few weeks, we have been
subjected to some of the most disturbing images and angles that
professional wrestling has seen, the disrespecting of the ten-bell
salute is far from a new concept.

If you can recall, there have been at least two incidences where the
ten-bell salute has been used to further an angle. One of which
involving the Undertaker in March of 1998 where the WWF had a ten-bell
salute for the "Dead Man" which was soon interrupted by Kane and Paul
Bearer.

Another angle involving the ten bell salute was when ECW used the death
of Tommy Dreamer's grandfather to further his feud with Justin
Credible. In that angle, Credible disrupted the 10-bell salute for
Dreamer's grandfather, who had recently passed away. So while the
ten-bell salute may not be sacred, it's not exactly a new trend in
professional wrestling.
-Jared Fialko (Jrsyboy17)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ED FERRARA
Written by reader: Anna (KNashsGirl)
Here is a link to a picture of Ed Ferrera when he was known as
"Beautiful Bruce" Beaudine at Slammers. Slammers is a wrestling school
where I live. I came across the picture and thought others might want
to see. http://www.slammers.com/school.htm
The picture is at the bottom of the page.
-Anna
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
DX, BIG SHOW, AUSTIN
Written by reader: Darren Bass (bassdarren)

I am sure I am not the only one disappointed with having Big Show as
the WWF champion. He has had absolutely no direction or build-up,
bouncing from being Undertaker's protégé, to the grief-stricken son to
a champion within 9 months. Hopefully, it will turn out to be him
driving the car as this may be the only way to get the crowd to react
to him.

I hope Austin does return, and if he does I hope he'll come back as a
heel. I don't see the point of DX reforming if they were not going to
help HHH keep the belt. I think they should have protected him from
Rock, Show, `Taker and
Kane in the same way The Horseman stopped Luger beating Flair in the
late eighties, while going for Tag and IC belts.

With HHH protected, this builds up the psychology leading to Cage,
Lumberjack, HIAC, and various other matches with stipulations that DX
can find a way to get involved in. WWF feuds seem to revolve around
`Hardcore' rules or Ladder matches. There are some creative young guys
in WWF such as Jericho, X-Pac, Dudleys, Hardys, Edge, etc. Whatever
happened to Strap-Matches, Dog-Collar Matches or even Lumberjack
matches! Mankind/Snow vs Dudleys in `double dog-collar' match anybody
?!?

I hope the WWF can keep their product interesting and give the fans
what they want ... Interesting angles, (semi) realistic storylines, and
creative hard-hitting action in the ring where the real WWF workers can
get the opportunity to do their stuff …… Unfortunately, this will
probably remain unlikely.
Thanks for listening,
Darren
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
CHRIS JERICHO
Written by reader: Newton E Calkins (mr.gray)
Why in God's name are they making Jericho a psycho? It makes no sense.
Jericho, as a heel, is most effective when he's a sputtering ass. I was
apprehensive when they started having him feud with Chyna. I thought,
"Any male wrestler who feuds with Chyna is going to automatically be
forced into a mysoginistic angle."

Jericho is not evil enough for this. His value comes from having a
rapier wit and in-ring skill. But he's been losing more often than
winning, and now they have him beating Chyna with a hammer. It's not
Jericho's style, and I can't imagine why he would go along with it. The
bookers HAVE to see Jericho's potential as a face, or at least see that
his fans don't like the current direction of his character.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE RIGORS OF BACKYARD WRESTLING
Written by reader: JonKev5562
I've been getting this newsletter since last December and this is the
first time I have something to say about something written in it. I
didn't see Dateline or Real TV but I wrestle with my friends in an
almost backyard style, but I am not crazy about using weapons.

I hate to say this but I'm almost like Steve Corrino in that I like to
wrestle but I can say that my wrestling has had a toll on my body
anyway. I even wrestle on mats and you still
can get hurt. I have had some big-time pain; I have had my back
cracked against the grating part of a fan, I have had back, neck, wrist
and knee injuries and my friends and I wrestle on mats
-K.P
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
RANDOM THOUGHTS
Written by reader: Pablo Haberman (voodoochile23)
First off, I'd like to talk about the same thing everyone writes in
about and put in my two cents. That is the Big Show/Big Bossman angle.
I think the poem and all of the other verbal provocation that the Big
Bossman has done is a great way to draw some heel heat. But the pocket
watch thing and the funeral thing? Come on, the storylines in wrestling
are usually at least marginally realistic. Everyone is making such a
big deal out of it, but if you ask me it is much too stupid and
unrealistic to be worth thinking twice about.

Secondly, I would like to respond to Brenda A's letter about the Nitro
Pinata thing. I think that it's terrible that they should mock Mexican
wrestling like that. I watch AAA's Lucha Lubra every week and I think
that the Luchadores are the best talent that WCW has, so I agree with
you 100% Brenda.

I also haven't heard anyone comment on ECW from last week. I thought
that the speech Tommy Dreamer made was awesome and Raven's breakdown,
like all of Raven's segments, was cool as Hell.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
RATINGS
Written by reader: Jarrad Waterman (jwaterman)

To those who say that WCW still sucks just because Nitro is losing the
ratings war, I say who cares. The ratings come from boxes on randomly
selected TV sets which I'm guessing are left there for about a year or
so. So therefore, if some young kids who are adamant WWF fans and would
never watch Nitro even if Boss Man was in the Main event have the box's
on their TVs then the ratings might never change.

Though judging from the amount of people who say that what Russo did
with the impersonation of Ross, (which I might add WWF did first a
while ago) I must say it seems that a lot more people are posting on
the net about WCW, so maybe the ratings don't tell the whole story,
though when it comes down to it, people should just watch what they
want and if they don't like the other product then that's their problem.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE STATE OF WRESTLING IN THE STATES
Written by reader: jamiethistle
Sorry about the decline of real pro wrestling in the USA, but
truthfully we haven't had that much to brag about in a decade. A
couple of ladder matches and plenty of hardcore brawls isn't that great
of a legacy for the 90's. It doesn't hold a candle to what goes on in
Japan regularly in terms of
in-the-ring skills.

Not to fear domestic wrestling fans, we're adding strong flavorings to
the mix that the Nipponese have always lacked. The build-up of mike
skills and storytelling is obviously the way the pendulum is swinging
on our side of the ocean. Both major feds are committed to heavily
scripted TV productions. Whether or not the goon show is going too far
is now being debated and vociferously resisted in traditionalist
quarters. We can be mostly agreed that it's over for the old guard in
WCW and, if we have a heart, we can now get ready to say goodbye to the
Rattlesnake and Mankind. (God bless them for sacrificing their bodies
for our entertainment.).

A big problem, as I see it, is the idea of imposing conventional
morality on a booker's writing. Doing the same to an author's scripting
of characters and stories in fiction would not be acceptable to most of
us yet so many fans are up in arms about Big Show's dad or Stephanie's
virtue or Bell's palsy or whatever. Unless you're a deluded mark or an
unsupervised child WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? It's a story! Not a
documentary. Not a commercial (Thankfully no product placements yet).

Am I missing something? If they trick you momentarily, well that's
their job! Get over it. It's training you for discernment in real life.
You know those actions that go on outside the little screen. Not that
morality doesn't have its place in our perception of the whole world of
pro wrestling. Steroids and silicone are real issues because they are
affecting real people, namely the athletes and models who play our
beloved and despised characters. The fact that there's no unions and
little security is a real working day issue. In fact, there's loads of
issues that are genuine. Let's discuss them rather than indulging our
moral sensitivities over the latest tempest in a teapot.

Bad taste is not the same thing as immorality and thank G*d pro
wrestling has usually been a bastion of bad taste in a culture that
mad- doggedly refuses to shed its Puritanical underpinnings. The
average Joe and Josephine deserve a little haven of impropriety in the
midst of so much pressure from the left and right to conform to their
brand of correctness. Let's give the bookers a break and save our
outrage for something that at least pretends to be real. Have a nice
day!
-Jamie
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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See you at ringside!
===========================================
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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