The Wrestling Booking Sheet online newsletter

Issue # 437

Date: Thursday December 16th, 1999 8:35 am

The Wrestling Booking Sheet

BRUNO SAMMARTINO & WCW?
Vince Russo is entertaining the idea
of having Bruno Sammartino make an
appearance in WCW; Russo is a longtime
Bruno fan and would not book Sammartino
into an intentionally humiliating angle
(like he did with Japanese legend Jushin
Liger).

Rumor has it that Sammartino is open to
the idea on two conditions: the way he
would be used & the money (in that order).

Sammartino, the two-time WWF World
Champion who held the belt for a combined
11 years, has been a vocal critic of Vince
McMahon Jr. in recent years. Would Bruno
find a role well-suited to him in today's
WCW? It's debatable, though Russo sounds
motivated to try to make the fit.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
COULD THE WARRIOR RETURN TO WCW?
Reported by Bob Ryder at: http://www.1wrestling.com
Vince Russo reported on the 12/15 edition
of WCW LIVE that he has been in contact
with The Warrior over the past couple
months. Russo is open to the idea of
bringing him back and he "believes he
could come up with a creative way to move
his character from the comic book persona
of the 80's to a more contemporary style."

Jim Hellwig is a terrible worker, an
incoherent interview and very capable of
either refusing to do a job or no-showing
an appearance if he doesn't like the way
that he will be used. His recent WCW stint
resulted in a very disappointing buyrate
(not to mention a candidate for worst match
of the year).

Could a motivated Russo possibly revitalize
the character? Maybe, but couldn't that
energy be used better on a more motivated
performer?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BAN THE STORYLINES?
Written by reader: Kevin Bryce
(KevinBryce)
I have read the last few Booking Sheets
and I see that the "Sport Entertainment
fans are back out in force". Now I do not
watch the WWF, but I know they use soap
opera storylines and are not really
bothered about in-ring quality wrestling.
You see, there are so-called wrestling
fans sending e-mails in praising the HHH,
Stephanie McMahon angle, people, who
cares about some stupid Soap Opera angle.

The wrestling is the most important thing!!!
Seeing fake marriages happen is a joke in
my opinion and an insult to my intelligence;
seeing people get hit with Sledgehammers but
still managing to stay conscious and fight
is pathetic and an insult to my intelligence.
The sad thing is that most Raw and Niro
viewers do not watch because of the wrestling
action, they watch because of the T & A.

I then read people praising Vince for letting
Miss Kitty reveal her breasts. Amazing!!! I
thought it was a wrestling show, not a strip
contest. This sort of thing shouldn't be
happening when kids are watching and if it
does the WWF should let people know. When a
film has nudity, bad language, violence, or
porn in it, before it comes on it will let
you know this things are in it. Even if it
has a adult certificate, you will still be
told!!!

Anyway, the biggest news in pro wrestling
this week was: Keji Mutoh lost the IWGP
Heavyweight Title to Tenryu. This is a big
shock, as many thought Mutoh would drop the
title to Chono at the Dome on Jan 4th. I
think Tenryu was just in the right place at
the right time, as Mutoh's knees are shot
and the man badly needs a rest!!! Mutoh
did work hard though as the match went 25
minutes, and even though his knees are shot,
Tenryu was still able to use Dragon Screw-Leg
Whips on Mutoh. I haven't seen the match yet,
but a match earlier in the year between the
two lasted 25 minutes, and was ****1/2 (a
match of the year candidate). So I guess it
must of been quite good. Congratulations to
Tenryu!!! The man is 49 years old and now is
the only Japanese wrestler to hold the Triple
Crown and IWGP Heavyweight Titles. Well done
son.
-Kevin Bryce, London
+++++++++++++++++
Steve Appy responds:
Kevin,
At this point it's not practical to condemn the
WWF for including storylines in their
programming; a good storyline can make a show
that much more compelling. Was the HHH/
Stephanie soap opera perfect? No, there are
enough holes for a logical mind to plow through.

It was compelling, though, and built interest in
their product. When I look at all of the silly
skits that will never draw a cent I can at least
respect one that heightens interest in their
product.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE GOOD OLD DAYS?
Written by reader: Pierre Bautista (IamanL7)
Regarding what Glenn Binder (MISS KITTY
EXPOSES HERSELF) said: "I just wish we
could go back to the days of wrestling
like in the 70's and 80's, when it was
fun to watch clean wholesome wrestling."

Clean wholesome wrestling???? In the
70's? You mean to tell me a "sport"
based on solving one's problems through
violence is clean and wholesome? The
smoky halls, the bloody matches, the
cussing? Before people delve into
revisionists history, wrestling was not
family entertainment. It was a battle
between two men/women to see who is the
better opponent. It was more wrestling
based, and not storyline based. The WWF
MADE it wholesome family entertainment,
but the gist of defeating your enemy
through fisticuffs is something I would
not teach my children

There was blood, it was violent. The WWF
made it a cartoon. It's like Disney's
'Sword in the Stone'. The King Arthur
tales also included incest and bloodshed,
but Disney made it packaged for the
family. It's like saying that you want to
see medieval fairy tales turn back to
wholesome entertainment, when in fact the
content was originally meant for adult
audiences.

I'm not saying the Ms. Kitty thing is right
or wrong, as a single adult, I don't mind
it at all. The WWF should really stop being
in denial about it being fine to advertise
to kids on Smackdown when their current top
stars cuss and beat up on women. It's like
showing fifth graders "Dirty Harry." But,
to say we miss the good 'ol days of
wholesome fun when Ricky Steamboat lost his
voice, and when Jake Roberts lost his
eyesight is ludicrous.
-Pierre Bautista
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A RESPONSE TO STRAIGHT SHOOTING
Written by reader: Lawrence Szatko (phantomkis)
Fritz stated in WBS #436 that he loved
the bare breasts in Armageddon and that
how Vince was taking a stand against
the censors and sponsors.

I would agree with him only if the WWF
hadn't put an apology on their website
the following day. It weakens the stance
assumed to be made and it makes Vince
seem weak himself. He didn't stand even
more firm in the face of all the backlash
that followed. That is not being bold.
Keep up the good work.
-Lars
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE NATURAL ORDER OF THINGS
Written by reader: Paul S (psflair@xxxxs...)
Regarding Miss Kitty's "kittens" and some
of the previous letters: I don't think the
issue is that this is a natural thing, and
that Americans are too inhibited to look at
it/them. You have to consider the intentions
that were there when the situation "arose".

There was no intention of a natural anatomy
lesson being presented at Armageddon at all.
It's about shock value and ratings (and
future buyrates).
Best Regards,
Paul (psflair@xxxxs...)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BRET & VINCE
Written by reader: WayneTDX
In response to Tim Callaway & Steve
Appy's comments about SS 97, can't
we just admit that both Vince and Bret
were at fault and let it go at that?
Both men have huge egos and let them
get in the way of something that could've
been handled better from both sides.
With all of their combined experience in
this business I'm sure it could've been
resolved with a compromise. Bret didn't
screw Bret and Vince didn't screw Bret,
they screwed each other and the fans as
well.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ROB VAN DAM
Written by reader: Archemides
Has RVD and ECW missed their chance?

I think ECW has made a really big mistake
in not giving RVD the ECW World Title.
ECW waited too long to give RVD his title,
and instead of giving him the new burst of
popularity that seems to come to every ECW
champ, they let him slowly start to fizzle
out. Rob Van Dam's popularity began to
swell right after the November to Remember
'98 PPV. While he had always been a very
charismatic wrestler (whether face or heel)
he really began to get huge and become
ECW's most popular face at this time.

At the Guilty as Charged PPV, he was becoming
(taking into account the far smaller scale of
ECW compared to the big two) the most popular
wrestler in America. His popularity peaked
at Living Dangerously when people saw not
only his charisma but incredible skill, as he
and Jerry Lynn carried their match to near
match of the year quality.

At Hardcore Heaven and Heatwave, it had
obviously peaked. And by Anarchy Rulz, had
begun to drop slightly, as Heyman brought in
Raven and Mike Awesome, who took away his spot
near the top of the company. In hindsight, it
would have been the wisest thing to do to have
RVD drop the TV title to Lynn at a third match
at Anarchy Rulz, rather than having them team
up in the main event.

That would have given him the opportunity to be
put in the main event, instead of Masato Tanaka
and Mike Awesome. Taz could have dropped the
title there, and in turn, given RVD that final
boost of popularity that would really make him
the most popular man in wrestling. Now, he has
lost a huge amount of popularity going into his
feud with Sabu, who is on track to become the
real face of this feud.

RVD has been hinting a heel turn at every taping,
and at Guilty as Charged, you may see him not only
make a full turn, but drop the title as well.
While there is really no question that he will win
the title in the coming months and PPV's, it's
pretty obvious to me that ECW should have struck
while the RVD was hot, boosting him to an unseen
level of popularity in ECW...
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE SABLE/JACQUELINE BIKINI CONTEST
Written by reader: Malenda L. Mayfield (Layla26843)
I would really just like to point something
out to all of these people complaining about
Miss Kitty showing her breasts on Armageddon.
I seem to remember a PPV not that long ago
that featured a "Bikini Contest" between
Jacqueline and Sable.

If you will think back, Sable's "bikini" was
actually NOT a bathing suit at all. She was
COMPLETELY bare breasted, with only paint
(maybe latex) covering her nipples. Was there
this heated of a controversy of that? Not
that I recall. I really don't see the
difference, except for the fact that they
let Sable stand there almost nude for A LOT
longer than Miss Kitty.
Thanks,
Malenda L. Mayfield
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE FLASH
Written by reader: Keith Parry (spooner)
No doubt this was a planned well thought
out flash...I just fail to see the outrage.
Friends, the children who witnessed this
were fully supported by their parents to
see mock and real violence and suggestive
language. If the parents had no problem
with the content of "Suck it" and some of
the other, let's say murky thematical
terrain of many of the angles, well these
parents should have no problem with
something as inoffensive as the baring of
female breasts.

In Canada adult female breasts are found
readily on television 24 hours a day, and
from what I can gather this is a worldwide
pattern; perhaps that is more of a sensitive
topic in the US. It is a body...they are
breasts...there is absolutely nothing
negative about exposing children to bodies
at a younger age. In this age of information
I dare say it is a required and updated part
of the upbringing curriculum.

I see the argument that the parents "had no
warning" of Ms Kitty's titties, but seriously
...compared to the bulk of the thematical and
linguistic content of a WWF PPV or RAW (that
parents had no problem with?!), Ms Kitty's
actions are hardly anything to complain about.
Offensive to whom?

And to some other wrestling news post who
commented that Ms Kitty's breasts resembled
that of a "13 year old". My god man, the only
woman on wrestling TV who the sports the most
obvious resemblance to actual REAL mammalian
protuberances is criticized? Get real...
literally and figuratively.

Ms. Kitty sports a nice pair....and small is
more than fine. And Ms Kitty is not small. The
jerk who would have trouble with breasts that
size is a deluded dumbass. Alright, I'll cut
this before I get nasty.
-Keith Parry
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FANTASY BOOKING (This will not happen)
Written by reader: Butch702

Raw Is War 12/20/99
The show opens with Triple H and Stephanie
coming down to the ring. Triple H says
that since he beat Vince at Armageddon, he
gets a title shot. He then goes on to say
that he doesn't want to wait for the Royal
Rumble and wants to fight the Big Show for
the belt tonight. Stephanie then says that
since she is part-owner of the WWF, and she
is married to Triple H, they have the power
to book that match.

The McMahon music comes on and Vince comes
out on the ramp. He goes on to say how
betrayed he feels by Stephanie and how much
he hates Hunter. Then he says he and Shane
have more power, making up the 50%, and
says that Triple will not get his title shot
tonight. Instead, because of what he's been
through in the last few weeks, Test will
fight Triple H tonight for the number one
contender spot. Hunter and Steph both agree.

Test and Triple H fight in the Main Event.
Towards the end of the match the referee is
knocked out. Then Test looks to have the win
after an elbow drop off the top rope and the
pin, but the ref is still unconscious.

Suddenly DX, led by Stephanie, storms the ring
to attack Test. Moments later Vince, Shane, Big
Show, and several other wrestlers come down to
the ring for the save. It's an all out brawl.
By the time the ref comes to, he sees the chaos,
and declares it a no contest to end the show.

Smackdown 12/23/99
By the second hour Triple H, Stephanie, and DX
come to the ring. Triple H says that he should
of won the match on Raw, and says he and Test
will finish their fight tonight. Shane comes onto
the stage and says it's Triple H and DX's fault
there was no winner in the first place, and just
for that he wont get his title shot at The Royal
Rumble. Instead, HHH and Test will fight at The
Royal Rumble in a No-DQ match to declare the number
one contender (The Big Show will defend the title
against someone else at the Rumble after working
on his own angle during this time). The winner of
the match will go on to fight the champion at the
February pay-per view, where the winner of that
match will obviously go on to Wrestlemania to
defend the title against the winner of the Rumble.

For the weeks leading up to The Royal Rumble the
DX/ McMahon/Test feud continues to grow and gain
more hype to the Test/Triple H match. Encounters
between Stephanie and her family, and Test are
also included.

Royal Rumble 1/23/99
The final match of the night is Triple H/Test.
It's an all out brawl in the ring, out of the ring,
and the audience. At one point in the match
Stephanie comes down to ringside and hits Test in the
back with a chair. She's about to hit him again until
Shane comes down, grabs the chair, and chases her back
to the locker room. The match continues.

In the end both men are down. Test on one side of
the ring doesn't notice Stephanie's return to the
ring with the famous sledgehammer. She hands it to
Triple H, who's closer to her, and he gets up. He
swings the weapon into Test's ribs, but Test grabs
a hold of it before it can hit him, kicks Hunter in
the stomach, and nails him in the back with the
sledgehammer, causing Triple H to fall.

Test then looks at Stephanie and the audience asking
for approval to hit Triple H with the hammer. The
fans scream in unison for him to do it. As Test
raises the weapon Stephanie comes into the ring and
lays in front of Triple H to protect him. Test
tells her to move, but she doesn't. Then she gets
up and starts arguing with Test and trying to take
the sledghammer away. In the meantime Triple H is
slowly trying to get up.

Stephanie and Test continue to argue until in a
split second, Test let's go of the sledgehammer,
and Stephanie quickly turns around and nails
Triple H in the head with it! She throws the
hammer out of the ring and stands in the corner
as Test set's Hunter up in the middle of the ring,
and then ascends to the top rope. From there he
delivers the elbow, and gets the 1-2-3 for the win.
After the pin, Test gets up and stares at Stephanie
who then runs over to him, and they embrace in a
hug in and a kiss.

From there they let one another take a bow to the
audience for their great performances over the last
couple of weeks. Shane and Linda come to the ring
to join in the celebration, followed by Vince, who
walks up behind Triple H outside the ring, picks up
the sledgehammer, waits for Triple H to turn around
and swings the hammer into his gut. Vince then gets
into the ring and hugs his daughter. The Pay-Per-View
ends with a shocked Triple H getting the "crotch
chop" from the McMahons' and Test.

What happens from then on is for your creative imagination.
Thanks,
-Butch702
===========================================
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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