Any words found in brackets [*****] are words that can be defined in my wresling terms definitions page for your conveiniance, the wrestling terms definitons page can be found under the miscellaneous section of the main page.
WWF NEWS/RUMORS
*STEVIE RICHARDS
Dancin' Stevie Richards hasn't been seen with Dude Love since Raw Is War last Monday. I reported earlier that they would be split up very soon in the near future and Stevie Richards would come out and do an Undertaker parody. It will be very soon, so soon that Richards has the outfit in his bag ready to wear it when the occasion goes down. Richards may not come out looking like the current Undertaker but rather instead like the Undertaker from his 1994-96 genre with the purple gloves and boots. We shall see.
*STEVE AUSTIN UPDATE
Rumors were going around that Steve Austin was not going to be on Raw again until WWF's No Mercy PPV. They were saying that Austin is taking time off to go hunting while he still can and this is why he wasn't at Smackdown. Jim Ross says that the rumors are untrue. And Austin will be at Raw this week. Also rumors had Steve Austin being forced by the WWF to drop his knee brace because it took away from his toughness. That was seriously bogus. Besides the fact that it's apart of Austin's trademark look, it's also apart of his character after that SummerSlam knee beating he took from Triple H.
*The following recap of MSNBC's 10/7 segment on Darren Drozdov's injury comes courtesy of Michael K. Johnson and Dave Scherer:
MSNBC did a segment on Darren Drosdov's injury.
They set the discussion with the same taped segment MSNBC always plays whenever they discuss wrestling: The Indiana study on WWF vulgarity, the wrestlers on the Indie scene, etc.
The host John Gibson was so prepared he called Darren Drosdov "The Droz" the entire segment. He introduced Jim Ross and Bruno Sammartino.
When asked about Droz's injury, Jim Ross explained that the move was a "Horrific accident" coming out of an elementary maneuver most learn their first day of wrestling school. Ross was quick to correct that the move was not a "stunt." He said that in 40 years of watching and being involved in wrestling, he was witness to two horrific accidents, and they both were in 1999, the other being Owen Hart's death.
Bruno Sammartino said that he wasn't sure how Droz broke his neck, because he doesn't watch it anymore. He said there is no comparison between then and today. He spoke about his usual tangent about how bad the business is today, with the vulgarities, women, etc.
When asked why guys were getting hurt when they were trained not to, Jim Ross said that it is no different from football in that when you make a mistake, someone gets injured. When the host asked that it's pre-planned why are guys getting hurt, Ross responded that everyone is human and anyone can make an error.
When asked if the promotions push the wrestlers too hard, Jim Ross responded that there is more verbalizing and athletes are wrestling 15 days a month, 180 days a year, much less than wrestlers were performing in Bruno's era. He used the report MSNBC played before the segment to back his claims.
Bruno speaks about how when he returned to wrestling, there were more drugs in the locker room, etc. Basically the same claims Bruno has made for the past few years. Bruno did state that today there are mats outside the ring and the ring is more like a trampoline compared to the boxing rings he used to wrestle in. Bruno discussed his injuries, actually helping Ross' point that accidents happen in wrestling, same as any athletic activity.
Ross called Droz a college educated young man with a great background. Bruno questioned who hurt him, and Ross stated that it was D-Lo Brown, and that there were no drugs involved, it was an accident. Ross apologized to the host because the incident isn't as controversial as he would like for his ratings.
After a commercial break, the host referred to the move as "the drop" where a wrestler was going to be dropped on his head. Ross told him he had incorrect information, and that any wrestler has to take a flat bump on their back. He explained that the powerbomb is an elaborate bodyslam, and there was an error. "It was not be design" said Ross. The host asked where the blame was, and Ross stated that he hadn't seen the tape, and that both men are teammates.
The host then wanted to talk about the moral picture of wrestling, and pulled up the academic study of Raw that a Indiana University did sometime back. He asked why there was such an increase in vulgarities, crotch chops, etc.
Ross said the report was possibly low in it's totals, and that the primetime shows are rated TV-14. The raunchier aspects are edited out. The host brought up the underage percentage of the audience, and Ross responded that it is not their responsibility if parents let their kids watch the shows. Their show ratings (TV-14, etc.) should tell the parents not to let the kids watch those shows, and to let them watch the tamer shows on the weekend.
After another break, the host asked Bruno how could it be that he stood for "Mom and Pop" but the host remembered Gorgeous George, and what's the difference. Bruno said "Give me a break" and said that he never did anything low and vulgar in his day. Bruno conceded that it is "show biz, but it's supposed to be wrestling." Bruno says that the shows are all geared towards kids, and that it doesn't matter what the rating is, because teenager go to the shows without their parents. He says that when Steve Austin speaks, everything is bleeped out.
A caller from Kansas City mentions wrestlers he saw growing up, and asks why wrestling has to be a melodramatic soap opera...but the host cut off the caller and ended the segment.
Why do a segment when nothing gets accomplished??
For the record, the host never bothered to ask how Droz was. Real classy.
*Jerry Lawler's run for Memphis Mayor unsuccessful
Memphis Mayor's race ends
From The Associated Press
Friday, October 8, 1999
MEMPHIS, Tennessee - Willie Herenton, the city's first elected black mayor, has won a third term and defeated a member of Memphis' most politically powerful black family in the process.
Herenton drew 74,896 votes, or 46 percent, Thursday while his chief rival, City Council Chairman Joe Ford, gathered 41,161 votes, or 25 percent. Coming in third in the 15-candidate race was pro wrestler Jerry "The King" Lawler, with 19,092 votes, or 12 percent.
While not mentioning any challenger by name, 59-year-old Herenton said he hoped the race, which included verbal spats between himself and the Ford family, would not cause lasting hard feelings among the candidates.
I know that during the campaign we probably took some jabs at each other, but that's all over now ... and I offer this apology to the Memphis public for the divisiveness in the campaign," Herenton said.
In conceding defeat, Ford said he looked forward to working with the mayor for the rest of his time on the City Council. He did not seek re-election to that post, and one of Ford's brothers, Edmund, was elected to succeed him when the current council term expires Dec. 31.
"I want to congratulate Mayor Herenton on this win tonight. The voters of this city have spoken and they want the same leadership, and I will continue to work as the chairman of the Memphis City Council with the mayor and his administration," Ford said.
Herenton charged that the family of former Rep. Harold Ford was attempting a power grab by running Ford, a brother of the former congressman and an uncle of current Rep. Harold Ford Jr., D-Tenn.
Fords serve on the City Council, County Commission and in the state Senate.
"Joe Ford's name is on the ballot, but Harold Ford Sr. is running. That's no secret," Herenton said during the campaign.
Joe Ford accused Herenton of selling out to special interests by spending money downtown while ignoring the city's poorest residents.
Herenton campaigned on the strong local economy, the revitalization of downtown Memphis and a falling crime rate. The term lasts for four years, and there is no chance for a runoff - whoever gets the most votes wins.
Memphis, with 650,000 residents, is 55 percent black.
Other candidates in the nonpartisan election included Lawler, who in 1982 slapped comedian Andy Kaufman on "Late Night With David Letterman," and Pepper Rodgers, the former college football coach who led Memphis' failed attempt to get an NFL team.
*Bob Ryder reports that "Dr. Death" Steve Williams won a court victory this past Tuesday when an Oklahoma judge revoked a default judgement that had been the basis of criminal charges filed against Williams last month in California.
The criminal charges alleged that Williams failed to pay child support payments outlined in the default judgement.
The ruling by Judge Charles M. Humphrey III throws out the original judgment and should get rid of the criminal charge as well.
Judge Humphrey ruled that Williams had never been notified of the woman's original petition that alleged paternity and asked for child support, and further ruled that Williams had never received notice of proceedings in the civil case until after the default judgment had been entered against him.
DNA tests will be performed to determine if Steve Williams is the father of the child
* According to Dave Meltzer WWF Smackdown drew an overall rating of a 4.4 up from a 4.1 from last week. WCW Thunder did a 1.9 rating.
WCW/NWO news/rumors
*THE INSANE CLOWN POSSE
According to their own hotline report, the Insane Clown Posse will be returning to Nitro this Monday. The Insane Clown Posse have used their hotline in the past to spread misinformation as it benefited them. I hope this turns out to be true, the ICP had previously stated that they were gone from WCW, then they said they were back when they weren't, then they said they were back again when they weren't, so we will have to wait a few days and see what is really happening with the ICP.
*THE NEW & IMPROVED REFEREES
WCW is going to toughen up the referees and stop making it a comical conclusion that in every match the referee must be tossed around for the finish to occur. According to numerous sources the referee bumps will be reserved for important matches, and they will be few and far between. This kind of takes the wrestling psychology back a step, which is a good thing from what I've seen of WCW. They're going to try to kill a lot of the DQs and "No Contests".
*RUMOR
The big rumor going around is that Hulk Hogan is going to quit WCW. It's kind of odd, Hulk Hogan is said to be angry over Ed Ferrera and Vince Russo's soon to be total control over WCW. The rumors come in before Ferrera/Russo have even disclosed any plans for the future of WCW to anybody in the company. It's said to be that Hulk Hogan is just going to leave because he thinks Russo & Ferrera aren't going to push him.
