WWE Byte This! Report for 8/23

[Guest FeArHaVoC]

WWE Byte This! Report for 8/23

 

 

The WWE’s internet broadcast begins with the RAW main event. Shawn Michaels preventing Triple H from taking the sledge to The Rock. The Game levels HBK, Rock and Triple H go at it again, Brock hits the ring and Michaels disposes of him, Rock calls back Lesnar, goes after him, HBK hits the floor the long way to get to Triple H and puts him down while J.R. screams, “Four years, my ass! HBK is back! HBK is back!”

 

Coach and Dr. Tom Pritchard comin’ at ya, hype Summer Slam. Coach calls this one of the biggest Byte This programs ever, with Triple H and Shawn Michaels appearing. Dr. Tom said KK is not here this week because he’s having a hysterectomy…er, hernia surgery. Dr. Tom says this truly may be the biggest Summer Slam ever with all the buzz going around about it.

 

Droz comes in via telephone. Droz says that at first he thought that Brock may have been coming in too quickly, but says that his performance recently, along with the stellar training video/promos playing with Rock and Brock, has got him jacked about the main event. Droz is impressed at how the two stars train after the strain of being on the road. Dr. Tom mentions that, though they’re trying to reach KK, he’s sleeping now, and then they show the bald Hermie picture. Droz talks about The Game/HBK match. Droz says he was scared when Michaels, and he’s looking forward to seeing HBK between the ropes. Coach and Dr. Tom move on to Rey Mysterio/Kurt Angle, saying that the match could steal the show. He says that Kurt will be humiliated if Rey Rey beats him, though Rey is an unbelievable performance. Naitch/Y2J is next on the agenda, and Droz says to look for a bloodbath after seeing Flair Monday night. Dr. Tom takes a net question, “What do you think about HBK’s back injury?” Droz said that the two are going to have a brawl, and Michaels’ drive will carry him through the match.

 

From there Coach mentioned that with Summer Slam being in New York so close to Sept. 11, how important the event will be to the city. Droz agreed, saying that WWE action takes away from the somberness of the day. Droz then exited, wishing a happy belated birthday to Dr. Tom. Coach then says that he wants to take a moment to show what happened when SmackDown went off the air, with the Rock in the ring with a young man named Mitchell, who, as I understand, is having his wish from the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Rocky is on the mic, and asks Mitchell if he likes pie. Everyone in the crowd cheers, Rock looks to the crowd and says, “I meant apple pie, you sick sumbitches!” Mitchell replied with “I’ve never had pie before,” and Rock answers, “Good, because, as every man in here will attest to, pie will get your ass in trouble every time!” At that point Tazz approached the ring to give Mitchell his sunglasses, and Rock piped in with “he doesn’t want those junky-assed glasses!” Mitchell was glad to take them, though, then ended the night with his own version of “If ya smmellll, what the Rock is cookin’,” along with the Rock’s music. A wonderful moment.

 

Coach then recaps with saying that’s one of the things you miss when you don’t attend live events, and pointed out that The Rock did do that as part of the Make-a-Wish Foundation with Mitchell. They then went to the phones and got Ryan, who asked why the 24/7 rule was done away with. Dr. Tom said that Eric Bischoff wanted to change some things and Coach added that the rule had become a bit passé. Dr. Tom then noted that whatever people think about Bischoff, he’s not afraid to take risks, and noted that RAW will be edgier with him in control. Coach noted that matches like the mud match (which was entertaining on many levels) shows the edge Eazy E is bringing to the show.

 

Matt from Jersey asked the next question, who asked about Kane’s intro videos and if they’re an indicator that he’s coming back. Coach said that he sure hopes so, and Dr. Tom said he’s ready to go, though whether he’ll be on RAW or SmackDown has yet to be determined. He was last a RAW superstar, but with WWE’s revisionist history, I guess he’s now a free agent.

 

Coach then takes us back to RAW and his interview with the Rock, where The Great One called Lesnar “The next big bitch,” and said once and for all, “Just bring it.” Coach then says they’re waiting for Tazz to get out of the sauna in preparation for the Summer Slam broadcast Sunday night. In the meantime, he hypes the Tag title match, and Dr. Tom says that WWE fans would love to see Booker T and Goldust become tag champs. Personally I would love to see Booker wrestling for the title rather than being wasted as tag champ, but that’s just me. Dr. Tom says then that Tazz will not be on the show today, and the two talk about Edge and Eddie, saying that it could steal the show, at least the fourth match that could steal the show. They go back to the phones with Josh from Ohio, who asked about the Hardyz breaking up. Dr. Tom says that Matt has been overlooked and is now bringing his own attitude to SmackDown. Coach then says that Lita will be doing commentary on Velocity with Marc Loyd.

 

From there, Triple H is introduced on the show. Triple H says that Shawn Michaels has bitten off more than he can choose, as everyone knows. He says that for four years he has sat on his couch and done nothing, now he’s getting in the ring with The Game. He says that he’s looking for HBK to never take another step after the match. Hunter said that Shawn Michaels at 50% is still dangerous, but he’s looking to take him out at Summer Slam. Dr. Tom asked if Triple H hasn’t bitten off more than he can chew, and Triple H said no, because he knows that the only way to beat him will be to cripple him, and that’s what he’s going to do. Coach then asked about X-Pac, and Triple H said that’s the first he’s heard of it, but he’s sure it’s for good reason. He added that he has some personal problems that are more important than his career, and thinks that once he gets over those, he’ll be back. Dr. Tom asks The Game how he’s feeling after his elbow problems and his leg. HHH answered that his leg feels 100%, but his elbow isn’t perfect, but isn’t bothered with it in the ring. Coach asked if all the travel to Australia and around America has taken a toll on his body. Triple H said not really, because the schedule is a little less grueling than it used to be, plus he does so much yoga and aerobics that he doesn’t worry about it. Dr. Tom said “yeah, you can tell,” and the three men laughed. Dr. Tom asked if he liked being a heel again, and Triple H said yes, that he enjoyed being a babyface, but as soon as he started acting like a heel again it felt like he had a leash taken off, so he enjoys it. They then went to the phones, Rebecca from Long Island. Rebecca said she had third row tickets, and The Game warned her to try not to get any of Shawn’s blood on her. She asked what his expectations of Shawn during the match. Triple H said that he expects HBK to be 100%, and he is training as such. He expects him to perform as one of the greatest performers ever. Coach asks The Game about Rock vs. Brock, and Triple H said that the pressure is on Brock, being a young guy in the main event with a veteran. He said that it’s both a good and unenviable position for The Next Big Thing to be in. He predicted a Rock win. Next up was Rey Mysterio/Angle, and Triple H hailed Rey as one of the great cruiserweights, with or without the title. He said that Rey has proved he can hang with the big guys not only here, but in WCW. The Cerebral Assassin closed by saying that there’s not a single match he’s not looking forward to. He said that his match with Shawn has been seven years in the making. After a most interesting break that included about five seconds of dead air and a soundless Summer Slam promo, Coach and Dr. Tom returned with HBK in-studio. Coach asked Shawn how excited he was. HBK said he was really excited. He said that “we” (HBK and Triple H?) were in the ring for 45 minutes trying to shake off the ring rust. He said that it would be impossible to shake off four years’ worth of rust, but he’s loosening up. Shawn said he’s been praying a lot about it, and the lord and the people will determine how the match goes. He said that he felt the electricity in the ring Monday night, and that the people’s emotions will drive him Sunday. Coach says that with the changes Shawn has gone through in his life, how much the crowd can pump him up. Shawn said that most of his excitable personality came from being behind the curtain, but as soon as he entered the arena he was always in a good mood and pumped up. He said he’s glad to be having his comeback with Vince, and that Vince told him the first time around to just enjoy his push, and that’s what he’s trying to do now. Dr. Tom asked how his wife felt about it, and he said that she’s fine. Whenever past comebacks were discussed, she wasn’t happy about it, but now he said she’s at peace with it and comfortable. His son, he said, doesn’t watch wrestling because he doesn’t think he needs to see it yet (maybe when he’s older, he said—an interesting statement to me). He said that there was a lot of animosity with his feeling at his last WrestleMania, and that this time around there a totally different feeling. Dr. Tom asked that, with how things are going, whether there will be more matches on the horizon. Shawn laughed and said that this he looks at this as his last singles match. He may be willing to do a tag match, but he can’t put his body through the strain of a match on a regular basis. Coach compared this match to Rock/Hogan at WrestleMania, saying that the last time he felt a buzz like this was in that match. Shawn said things were different for Rock and Hogan because they knew what was going to happen, which he and Hunter really don’t know what’s going to happen. A lot of the match is just going to have to be there, he said. Shawn then said he is nervous, and that’s something he’s worried about that. He is in good shape, he said, but he’s concerned about nerves. He said that Monday night he got excited and superkicked Brock when he wasn’t supposed to. They then took a call, and the caller said that Shawn’s style before his injury was that he took a lot of bumps, and asked if Triple H was going to take more bumps to make up for it. Shawn said this time it’s different because this is a street fight and the bumps aren’t quite the same. He said he’s not capable anymore of wrestling a classic wrestling match any more, and a street fight, where you spend more time selling moves, that the match is better for him. He also mentioned that he was 35, and getting older. He also said that he’s been trying to lower expectations by saying he’s not the showstopper anymore, but after Monday those expectations are high. Back to the phones. Caller asked what HBK asked about new superstars like Brock and John Cena. Shawn said that those guys are on SmackDown so he doesn’t know them well, but thinks that they’re really talented, and mentioned RVD among those guys.

 

Dr. Tom talked about the cliq’s curtain call and how after that it became Hall and Nash on WCW, and that the four of them tried to take over the business, and asked if he felt a responsibility to the locker room now. Shawn said that they did try to become influential at the top of both companies, but today, he said that “everyone knows who his role model is now,” (God), but he doesn’t come at any one unless they approach him. He mentioned that he thinks Test has really come into his own. He says that now he sits there with Ric Flair and Arn Anderson saying “back in our day…” but mentioned that people today seem to have their heads on straight for the most part. He said that in his day people told him not to come off the top rope so much, and he ignored them, and when people ask them if people like the Hardyz should take such high risks he says “no, but they’re going to do it anyway,” and says it’s part of the changing business. Shawn then talked about his son, and how he doesn’t watch the program, but he knows that “Daddy’s going to work,” and that the schedule is better because he is home for a couple days out of the week, when in the old days he would be gone weeks at a time. Shawn seemed surprised at X-Pac’s departure (no one told him?) and said that you have to make choices in the business, change or face the consequences. He said that he’s still friends with all of those, and says that everyone knows that the door is always open in WWE, and if they can straighten out their problems, they’ll be welcomed back. He said that it had been six weeks since he’d seen “Kev” and “Kid,” but they picked up right where they left off, because they were truly friends.

 

They then took a question from a pastoral student, who asked him what turned Shawn to Christ, where he gets his shirts, and if he’s spoken publicly about his salvation. Shawn couldn’t remember the name of a web site that he buys his shirts from. He says that he speaks about Christ, and people have approached him, and a few in the dressing room who ask, but he doesn’t speak with people who don’t want to hear it. Shawn said he found salvation because he felt that he was missing something in his life. He said that the Bible is a blueprint for how to live your life. Shawn said he has a beautiful wife, a great son, a boss who, even after everything he put him through over the years, never stopped caring about him.

 

Now back to wrestling. Dr. Tom asked an e-mail question, about how he wanted to be remembered. He said he wanted to be known as someone who gave everything he had and that he has grown from starting in wrestling as a boy to being a man today. He wants to be remembered as someone he has done everything he can for the business. He invited Shawn to stay to watch the Rock’s training video. They did watch the kick-ass training video with Rock’s voice-over where he took the viewer through running sprints, box jumps, running the steps of the Orange Bowl, doing pull-ups with a towel, and doing the clean and jerk.

 

Back to Coach and Dr. Tom. Coach lauded The Rock for his workout routine, then moved into point/counterpoint. Coach said this will be the highest-rated Byte This in a long time, and not because of Triple H and Shawn Michaels, then took the position the Rock will leave Summer Slam as champion. He called Rocky the Yankees of WWE, having been in the big matches and the history of winning. Dr. Tom takes Brock, saying the “tangible intangible” of Paul Heyman will make the difference. He thinks that if Brock doesn’t win, he will no longer be seen as the next big thing. Coach gave a quick recap of the Summer Slam card, then closed with Shawn Michaels vs. Vader from Summer Slam ‘96. Boy, Vader was a monster. How misused was he? Vinnie Mac and Good ‘ol J.R. on commentary with not one, but two false finishes, with the referee, then President Gorilla Monsoon restarting the match before HBK finally put Vader away with Sweet Chin Music. Nice old school language with Cornette calling HBK a “stinkin’ coward.”

 

credit: 1wrestling.com

[Guest FeArHaVoC]

{He (Shawn) also mentioned that he was 35, and getting older.}

 

I thought Shawn was 37?

[Guest Akeem]

Shawn Michaels is 37. He was born on July 22, 1965