The Wrestling Booking Sheet online newsletter

Issue # 438

Date: Friday December 17th, 1999 11:28 am

The Wrestling Booking Sheet

HHH vs. FOLEY HEADLINING ROYAL RUMBLE?
Reported by Dave Meltzer at: http://www.WrestlingObserver.com
There is speculation that the WWF
is planning on having Triple H defend
the WWF World Championship against Mick
Foley (possibly as Cactus Jack) at the
Royal Rumble.

While original plans called for The Big
Show dropping the title to HHH at the
Rumble, the idea will apparently be
dropped in favor of Foley in the main
event slot.

Will Triple H regain his championship
on a RAW or Smackdown in the near
future? Abandoning Paul Wight's title
reign before the PPV is a sign of the
WWF's possible lack of confidence in
Wight's development (despite being
given the title against conventional
wisdom)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TSN DROPS PRO WRESTLING
Reported by Dave Meltzer at: http://www.WrestlingObserver.com
TSN, the major network television
outlet for both the WWF & WCW in Canada,
officially announced yesterday that they
are dropping all afternoon pro wrestling
programming. This is due to pressure from
the CRTC as a political concession for
TSN's attempted merger with CTV.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
IN RESPONSE TO "BAN THE STORYLINES?"
By Fritz Capp (afcpwbts)
I have to ask one question here. How can
someone make any comment whatsoever on
any subject if they start their first
paragraph by saying, "Now I do not watch
the WWF..."

According to Kevin Bryce, he can form his
opinions by what he reads. How can that
feasibly be done? I have traveled the
newsboards for going on three years. In
that time I have read many things (mostly
junk to be quite honest). Should I form
my opinions of storylines or even
promotions just by what I read?

If that would be the case I should hate
the WWF and totally be in love with WCW.
No wait, I should love the WWF and totally
hate WCW. Ummm...let me rephrase that...I
should love ECW and hate everything else.
No, I should hate ECW and just stick to
indies.

See what I mean. You cannot make a
reasonable opinion without actually having
watched the product you are talking about
and I wish everyone who does so would just
keep it to themselves because they really
do not know what they are talking about.
-Fritz Capp
http://pwbts.com
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE WEAKNESSES OF JAPANESE WRESTLING
Written by reader: kleyner
To that same guy who keeps writing in and
praising the realism of Japanese wrestling:
Vince's sledgehammer attacks or Stephanie's
inebriated wedding pale in comparison to
stuff like how Misawa's forearms are
supposed to hurt or that a man could do a
corkscrew plancha in real life. Most of
the Japanese stuff requires a different
level of believability: that a fight
between two men would be able to include
some of the most breathtaking aerial, or
power, ballet seen on Earth.

Whether that is more entertaining than
American wrestling is open to debate and
taste. But it's not open to the question
of whether it's realistic or not: it
isn't.

In other news somebody beat somebody in
Japan. Star, star, hold I never heard of,
congrats to somebody who should have
retired long ago. God, Japan sure pushes
its guys based on talent and not on stupid
things like popularity. America could take
a lesson from them.
-Yuriy Kleyner
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
Written by reader: Eric Fusco (eldago1@xxxxs...)
I see a lot being written about Miss Kitty
flashing the crowd at the Armageddon PPV.
Some readers are outraged that children at
the event and at home saw a topless female,
others are happy that Vince McMahon, Jr. is
taking a stand against his critics and
censors, and at the same time upset at the
WWF issued an apology. Still others point
to the fact that Sable was virtually topless
for a longer period of time than Kitty and
there was no uproar.

I would like to share my gripe about the
Armageddon PPV and Miss Kitty bearing her
breasts at Armageddon, specifically: I
DIDN'T GET TO SEE IT!!! I had other
obligations that night and did not get to
see her BOOBIES!!! DARN! DARN! DARN!
Thank you.
IBJ For Life
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
IS THE WWF INSULTING THE INTELLIGENCE OF THEIR FAN BASE?
Written by reader: JP0379
MANY of the things that happen in the WWF
are hard to swallow by anyone with a
"logical mind." Therefore, the only people
it should interest are people who are
willing to accept ANYTHING Vince wants to
offer, including having him win the WWF
title. The nudity that occurred at the
last PPV, and then the apology on WWF.com,
is another example of how Vince and company
treat their fans as if they were idiots.

Anyone STILL believe it was a "mistake?"
Of course. Those are the people Vince
loves...the ones that buy anything he's
willing to sell. Sorry, but when I'm
respected as a fan, then I'll watch. As
for the nudity, that is completely
ridiculous, just as a lot of the
storylines are.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TV-14 (AND IT'S MEANING)
Written by reader: KNashsGirl
I just wanted to say that since it
(Armageddon) was with a rating of TV-14
that does NOT mean they can show nudity.
It should have been rated TV-MA. I'm sick
of people trying to say it was okay that
the WWF did that because the rating was
TV-14. That is no excuse. You know, you
have to be 18 and over to see an R-rated
movie. You can't buy a Playboy if you are
under the age of 18. If the WWF is going
to choose to show someone partly nude or
completely nude they are going to have to
change the rating on things AND not allow
ANYONE under the age of 18.

Hell, you can't go in a strip club if you
are under 18 and you surely can NOT bring
in a child with you to a strip club. You
can't rent a porno if you are under 18,
and the WWF is pathetic for trying to lie
about it being an accident. I don't care
if they want to show fake boobs but rate
it right and do NOT allow anyone under 18
in the arena when it is going to be done.
After that it is up to the parent if they
want their child to watch the PPV at home.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"REALISTIC" WRESTLING MANEUVERS
Written by reader: HEYLUKE
This is in response to the reader that
said that seeing someone get hit with a
sledgehammer and stay conscious was an
"insult to his intelligence."

What a ridiculous statement. I can't
think of a wrestling move that wouldn't
be an "insult to his intelligence," then.
Have you ever been put in the Figure Four?
Or the Boston Crab? Either one of these
moves will easily break bones. A
Piledriver will kill. Having a 300 pound
man fly ten feet through the air and
landing on some poor guy would break every
bone in his body. And with men the size
of those who get inside a wrestling ring,
any punch or kick they threw would draw
blood and be devastating to anyone.

Even a move as silly as "The People's
Elbow" could break something. This is all
common sense. None of this stuff- even
the most pure form of traditionalist
wrestling- is supposed to actually be
feasible.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ANGLES & THE ENHANCEMENT THEY BRING
Written by reader: Hammerjamz
Sorry bro, we watch for everything thrown
into one. I watch purely for wrestling,
that is what makes the show. Some people
enjoy the T&A very much, but would still
watch without it. As for the angles,
they make the matches more personal.
This means there is even more distinction
between faces and heels.

Wrestling is as good as ever. As far as
the Miss Kitty thing goes, I can't complain.
I mean, I'm only human. I think if kids
don't see it here they'll see it on some
damn porno or something anyway. Perhaps it
is better they see it like this. I bet they
have already.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ASIAN STEREOTYPES
Written by reader: Anthony Chu (WildManFan)
I think that with all the recent
controversy with Asian wrestlers and that
horrible incident with the legend, Jushin
"Thunder" Liger being disgraced in WCW and
Kaientai in the WWF, it has made me think
about the problem and the solution.

The problem is that Asian wrestlers don't
have the most important thing that is
destroying their chances of getting over:
SIZE and height. Look at Kaientai, Tajiri,
and Masato Tanaka. Imagine if fans tuned
into WWF or WCW and saw a 6-foot, 250 pound
Asian bodybuilder who was ripped with pure
muscle, then I think that people like
McMahon and Russo would take notice and
definitely make that Asian wrestler get
over with the fans.

Second, the other problem is the stereotypes
but the main one is that Asian wrestlers
often don't have a good hold of the English
language. When was the last time you saw a
full-blooded Asian wrestler speak perfect
English without an exaggerated ridiculous
accent? Not since Yokozuna (who wasn't
Japanese anyway), but the Yokozuna days of
wrestling are over.

As weird as this sounds, I am 6 foot and
250 pounds, a solid bodybuilder and Asian
as well. I can speak perfect English and
I think that wrestling needs someone like
me. But then again, maybe the bookers and
talent scouts are not looking for that.
But as long as there is someone like Vince
Russo, I don't think any Asian wrestlers
will get over.
-Anthony Chu (Wildmanfan)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BRUNO & THE WARRIOR
Written by reader: JBanks1372
Bruno and the Warrior in the WCW? I doubt
it. Russo may be a fan of Sammartinos but
somehow I can't see Sammartino being a fan
of Russos'. Bruno is old-tradition from way
back. Anybody who knows anything about Bruno
knows how outspoken he's been about Vince
McMahon and his idea of "sports
entertainment". There is no way I can
possibly even conceive of him wanting to
work with Vince "McMahon-wannabe" Russo.
Just can't see it.

As for Warrior, please spare us. If Russo
ever were to do an opinion poll among the
wrestling fans (not that Russo has ever been
interested in the fans opinions) he'd
probably find out that the fans opinion of
Warrior coming back is "So?". Warrior was
exciting 10 years ago, but since then he's
been known as one of the most unreliable
wrestlers around. He comes around for a few
months, pounds his chest a bit, gets a big
pop, then as fast as he runs into the ring
he's gone again. And his interviews? Does
he even know English? Hellwig isn't worth
the stamp it takes to mail him his
employment papers.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE WARRIOR
Written by reader: JSRacingTeam24
I just read that WCW is trying to bring
back the Warrior. Sure, last time around
it ended in failure, but when he first
showed up there was a buzz about him being
there. If used in the right capacity it
could work. One logical way to bring him
back is to have the "Powers That Be" call
him in for an interview and say that he is
still under contract and if he wants a
paycheck he better start showing up.

They can say that they actually liked him
for a brief period of time (say...when he
beat old man Hogan). Bring him back and
put him in handicap matches (Powers That
Be think he will lose) and have him beat
a bunch of nobodies. Have him be a loner
that doesn't talk to anyone.

After a good winning streak they call him
in and say the streak ends tonight (on a
Nitro) by facing him against the Outsiders.
Well, to make a long story short the
Warrior gets destroyed by these 2 men, but
the following week asks for a rematch. The
Outsiders, thinking he won't be able to get
a partner agree and to their surprise out
comes the "Old Neon" Sting. That would
generate ratings. The black & white Sting
is getting boring and he seems to be losing
every week.

Revitalize the old Stinger and give the
Outsiders some actual competition for the
tag belts (besides Harlem Heat, who are 765
time Tag-Team champions). Many current fans
don't know Sting as the "Neon Colored" Sting
and even fewer remember Powerteam USA or the
Bladerunners. Put these two together,,,,and
instant ratings.
===========================================
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.

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