The OAO Christmas From Baghdad SD! Thread 12-25-03

[King Cucaracha 0]

Seeing basically nude women girating is my idea of a good time

Yeah, but I'd watch porno or go to a gentlemen's club for that kind of thing. The marquee says 'Wrestling.'

Yeah, but read the next word on this marquee, and it'll say 'Entertainment'.

 

Or better yet, re-watch the past 7 years of programming and count up the amount of times they mention 'sports entertainment'.

 

It shocks me that people either STILL don't know what to expect when they watch the WWE, or they moan when what is expected happens. I mean, come on...it was always billed as a 'show for the troops'. It was a glorified house show, an opportunity for the wrestlers to feel special(the only good thing to come out of this whole trip)...anybody who expected an awesome show because they were in a country other than America is pretty stupid to be honest. Anybody who expected Vince to put on a great show KNOWING viewing figures would probably be down on Christmas Day anyway is pretty stupid.

 

RRR, you said 'why televise it'. I think you already know why. Vince was looking for cheap publicity. 'Let's go to Iraq, entertain the troops, throw in some cheap pop Saddam jokes and get some free publicity.' And I agree that this was a stupid idea. Like I said, Vince knew ratings would be down anyway, so decided to put on a throwaway show that might produce some publicity. And choosing which shows matter and which don't is not good business.

But wrestling is still before entertainment on the marquee. Whether Vince likes to admit it or not even he knows if he went full on with the enteretainment route, he'd bomb.

 

Just because viewership is going to be down doesn't mean it's a good idea to have a bad show. In fact, that's all the more reason to have a great show as a treat to all the hardcore WWE fans who are actually watching but I suspose they don't matter to the WWE. If that's the mindset of the WWE, I'm scared. Complacency will ruin the company. Not that the WWE can put on a good show in the first place but they can at least try to be their normal idiotic selves instead of the atrocity we got from Iraq.

1) By that logic, 'World' comes first...and from the pro-American bullshit we regularly get, you can tell what Vince thinks of that.

 

2) Read down below the point you picked out. I already said all you said. It wasn't a good idea to be complacent about the show. I know that. I'm just saying, Vince doesn't want to waste big happenings like Cena's US Title win when most people are busy celebrating Christmas. If people saw the Thanksgiving shows, they'd realise what was going to happen. Filler, wins for popular guys, women in festive costumes, a throwaway bout between smark darlings, and some mindless crowd popping. If people watched the show expecting a great show, I pity them.

 

And complacency will damage the company. Ruin it? People have been predicting the WWE's death for, what, 3 years? Still looks alive to me.

[Tawren 0]

Maybe some people are criticizing it because it sucked? Yeah, I thought it was a fun show to watch because of the atmosphere, but it blowed worse than Paris Hilton. Some people like wrestling, so they watch a wrestling show to see it. They didn't see it, they didn't like it. No need to go off on them and be another whiny anti-smark just because someone thought Eddie/Benoit was to short.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

If people are bitching because I wanted a long Benoit/Eddy match, heres why I expected it...

 

1.) ONLY FOUR MATCHES TAPED FOR A 2 HR SHOW, WITH NO BACKSTAGE SEGMENTS.

 

2.) They work well together, and the last match they had at Vengeance went 20+, so that might have been expected.

 

3.) Potential *****-Classic.

 

But there was only one problem I forgot about Iraq.

 

ITS TOO FUCKING HOT. So naturally, I was like damn it was short, then noticed Benoit sweating bullets half-way into the match.

 

The only complaint is the SLH segment which ran longer than all of the matches but above said.

 

 

To get my points overall:

 

1.) It was a fun show. Like everyone said.

 

2.) It wasn't meant to be ***** classics. Same way like the SD after 9-11 and Raw is Owen, it was just to entertain.

 

3.) The atmosphere kicked ass like I say all the time, so it's natural I'll enjoy it.

[haVoc 0]

Speaking of whiny douchebags.

 

An interesting idea, but ultimately a pretty forgettable show.

 

The SmarKdown Rant – December 25 2003

 

- Taped from Iraq. Boy, never thought I’d type THAT one.

 

- Your hosts are Cole & Tazz.

 

- This is an outdoor show taped at an airport, which makes for an interesting visual, if nothing else. WCW would likely claim it to be 100,000 people.

 

- Vince joins us to start and gives thanks to the troops. He’s interrupted by Santa Claus, however, and luckily the production guys have a graphic ready, just in case Santa should decide to show up, I guess. He distributes some t-shirts to the crowd, but Vince is upset at being left out. And he has childhood issues, so he waits for Santa to turn around, then lays him out. It takes quite a guy to turn heel on Santa Claus. However, the beard falls off, revealing Steve Austin, who of course delivers a stunner and drinks beer.

 

- Earlier, army terrorist experts brief the boys on possible sniper attacks. There’s a million of these “WWE guys meet the troops” videos throughout the show, and they’re all pretty dull stuff.

 

- Earlier, troops help set up the “arena”.

 

- Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin v. The APA. Faarooq starts with Benjamin, who pounds him in the corner, but Faarooq gets a shoulderblock for two. Bradshaw comes in and works him over, but gets poked in the eye and Haas comes in. Bradshaw keeps pounding and holds off both guys, powerslamming Haas for two. The APA works Haas over for a bit and Faarooq tries the Dominator, but a cheapshot turns the tide. They do the switcheroo, and luckily Benjamin looks enough like Haas (??) that the referee doesn’t notice. Both guys get a two-count on Faarooq and Haas pounds away. Faarooq comes back with a backdrop and makes the hot tag to Bradshaw, as Cole notes that “this place will explode!” Bad choice of words, Michael. DDT on Haas gets two. They send Benjamin out and Bradshaw gets a second-rope blockbuster slam, but Benjamin superkicks him. Faarooq slams him, and Bradshaw finishes Haas with the Clothesline from Heck at 4:38. Just kick and punch stuff. ½*

 

- Elsewhere, Austin gives Benoit a peptalk.

 

- Rikishi v. Rhyno. Rikishi wins a shoving match to start and slugs Rhyno down, but misses a BUTT splash. Rhyno spears him in the corner and charges, but runs into a superkick. Rikishi tries the buttdrop, but lands on knees. Rhyno misses the Goar, and Rikishi finishes with a samoan drop at 2:46. DUD Rikishi dances with some soldiers afterwards.

 

- John Cena comes out to rap about Big Show and Christmas and stuff.

 

- Elsewhere, Steve Austin chats with Eddie Guerrero.

 

- Eddie Guerrero v. Chris Benoit. Benoit takes him to the corner to start, but it’s a clean break. He overpowers him and Eddie backs off. Eddie goes for the arm and takes him down with a headlock, into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for two. Eddie goes back to the headlock, but gets monkey-flipped and chopped down by Benoit. Eddie hides behind the ref and bails, grabbing a flak jacket. He uses it for distraction and cheapshots Benoit, and chops away in the corner. Benoit escapes a suplex and they both tumble to the floor, and we take a break out of nowhere. We return with Guerrero getting surfboarded by Benoit, but escaping by running him into the corner. He goes up, but Benoit follows him up, and they mess up a powerbomb spot off the top, which gives Eddie two. Rolling verticals are reversed to the crossface, but Eddie rolls out of it, to the ropes. Benoit chops him, but Eddie returns fire. Benoit faceplants him and fires off the rolling germans, and they reverse until Benoit gets a shoulderbreaker. He goes up and whiffs on the headbutt, but Eddie whiffs on the frog splash. They reverse off a suplex attempt and Eddie gets the pin off a powerbomb reversal with a sunset flip and feet on the ropes at 12:14. Good, but the heat was obviously killing both guys. **1/2

 

- Replay of the Austin angle from the beginning of the show.

 

- Santa’s Little Helper contest: Usual deal with Sable, Torrie and Dawn Marie dancing. Seen one, seen ‘em all.

 

- Big Show v. John Cena. This is, as usual, non-title, which brings Show’s lengthy roll call of title defenses to zero. Show fends off an attacking Cena and chokeslams him right away, which puts Cena on the floor. Cena necksnaps him, but walks into a clothesline. Show tosses him around and headbutts him into the corner, but Cena fights back, only to get kneed down again. Another headbutt and Show chokes away, setting up an abdominal stretch. Show bumps the ref with a big boot and sideslams Cena. He grabs the chain, but Cena goes low and knocks Show out for two. Show tries a chokeslam, but Cena FUs him at 4:11. Wisely kept short. ½* Austin comes out as we take a break.

 

- Austin stuns both guys, and then invites all the guys into the ring.

 

The Bottom Line:

 

Pretty boring show overall, although the setup made for a neat atmosphere and it was interesting as a curiosity. Other than that, it was just sort of there. I can’t imagine all the jingoism playing well anywhere other than the US, though.

 

Not that anyone is watching tonight anyway.

 

Merry Christmas, y’all.

 

Scott Keith

[NYU 0]

Please. Scott Keith is unbelievably optimistic compared to some of the people that have been bitching in this thread.

[Guest wildpegasus]

2) Read down below the point you picked out. I already said all you said. It wasn't a good idea to be complacent about the show. I know that. I'm just saying, Vince doesn't want to waste big happenings like Cena's US Title win when most people are busy celebrating Christmas. If people saw the Thanksgiving shows, they'd realise what was going to happen. Filler, wins for popular guys, women in festive costumes, a throwaway bout between smark darlings, and some mindless crowd popping. If people watched the show expecting a great show, I pity them.

 

And complacency will damage the company. Ruin it? People have been predicting the WWE's death for, what, 3 years? Still looks alive to me.

Yeah, I know you already said that but I just felt like ranting. And complacency will ruin the company if left unchecked. In fact, I say it's already ruint due to a bunch of factors. The WWE will survive for a while yet though.

[Tawren 0]

To be fair, SK is Canadian (as am I, but I love America ) so all this army crap can be really pointless to us canucks.

[Guest wildpegasus]

Please. Scott Keith is unbelievably optimistic compared to some of the people that have been bitching in this thread.

It's a good thing I didn't have too much access to a computer during the attitude era. Then there would've been some complaining. Man, I could never watch a full show of that stuff.

[Guest wildpegasus]

To be fair, SK is Canadian (as am I, but I love America ) so all this army crap can be really pointless to us canucks.

Canadian as well. It must be something in the water. You just KNOW that Cena and the WWE would be taking potshots at Canada just like the French if they didn't happen to tour in Canada which makes them big hyprocrites in my book. The French didn't want to fight. Get over it WWE!

[Styles 0]

This was a nice effort put on by WWE. The troops seemed genuinely happy to have them there. Why ware it televised? Why not? It's good pub and I myself was interested to see how it went. The setup was freakin cool, and I enjoyed the segments where they rode around in the helicopters and interacted with the troops. Why have Austin there? It's a guest appearence? Everyone knows he's still part of WWE, and I think it's great that they go a huge star like Austin to make the trip. I'm not going to even dignify the snide remarks about how Benoit/Eddy should have wrestled for 30 minutes in the 100 degree heat in the middle of a warzone on basically an exhibition show, or why a segment with a little T&A was shown to soldiers who have spent months away from their girlfriends/wives. I enjoyed the show, it was a unique affair and a nice gesture by Vince and everyone else involved. I applaud everyone involved for taking their time and even risking their lives to go to Iraq and entertain. If people are still so dense and jaded and unhappy to understand the nature of this show they can go watch their puro tapes or whatever it is you people like.

[iliketurtles 0]

In more serious news, 5 US soliders died last night in Baghdad...it's really freaky when you think about that because they WERE wrestling in a war zone.

 

Just the fact everyone made it out safe gets a Thumbs Up from me in itself.

[Tawren 0]

If people are still so dense and jaded and unhappy to understand the nature of this show they can go watch their puro tapes or whatever it is you people like.

Shut the fuck up you ass-ranching moron. PURO HAS NOTHING to do with this at all.

[Styles 0]

If people are still so dense and jaded and unhappy to understand the nature of this show they can go watch their puro tapes or whatever it is you people like.

Shut the fuck up you ass-ranching moron. PURO HAS NOTHING to do with this at all.

You want to watch Benoit/Eddy in a ***** 30 minute classic, it's avaliable on tape I'm sure, and they wear masks too.

 

The only point I'm trying to make is, WWE went out of their way to put on an entertaining show for our troops in Bagdad, and some people have the gall to complain about petty things when they shouldn't.

[Guest Choken One]

I should Clarify...Benoit NEVER wore a mask*

 

*Aside from one or two times.

[Styles 0]

I should Clarify...Benoit NEVER wore a mask*

 

*Aside from one or two times.

Thanks for the clarification! Could you clarify also, what "an ass-ranching moron" is too?

[Guest PowerPB13]

The Show sucked - which was expected.

As one should expect of any WWE show.

 

Trying to justify it with "this show doesn't count" is rather ridiculous - since it was meant for broadcast.  You can't just pick and choose which shows matter and which don't.

 

No WWE show has counted in a long time...how many individual Raws or Smackdowns or even PPVs have any kind of long-reaching impact months down the line?

 

And Austin on WWE TV when they *just* re-aired the whole Austin saga on RAW is fucking retarded.

 

Again, you expected different?

 

Bottom line, as far as I'm concerned, it was STUPID to put a good chunk of the roster in danger just for the sake of scoring a few P.R. points...but I imagine Vince doesn't give a shit about his wrestlers as long as he gets his brownie points from the media.

 

-Patrick

[NYU 0]

Bottom line, as far as I'm concerned, it was STUPID to put a good chunk of the roster in danger just for the sake of scoring a few P.R. points...but I imagine Vince doesn't give a shit about his wrestlers as long as he gets his brownie points from the media.

It couldn't have been because Vince ACTUALLY wanted to put on a show for the troops, because he's grateful for the work they do? It's not possible that these wrestlers APPRECIATED the offer to come to Iraq, so they could show grateful they are to the soldiers? I know around these parts that Vince is the Devil and all but shit guys....this could have been done just to be nice around Christmas time. Sure, publicity could have played a part in the decision, but it was not the be-all and end-all for deciding to fly to Baghad

 

Enough with these fucking conspiracy theories already on what Vince's intentions were. It was a nice thing for him to do for the troops regardless.

[Guest wildpegasus]

This was a nice effort put on by WWE. The troops seemed genuinely happy to have them there. Why ware it televised? Why not? It's good pub and I myself was interested to see how it went. The setup was freakin cool, and I enjoyed the segments where they rode around in the helicopters and interacted with the troops. Why have Austin there? It's a guest appearence? Everyone knows he's still part of WWE, and I think it's great that they go a huge star like Austin to make the trip. I'm not going to even dignify the snide remarks about how Benoit/Eddy should have wrestled for 30 minutes in the 100 degree heat in the middle of a warzone on basically an exhibition show, or why a segment with a little T&A was shown to soldiers who have spent months away from their girlfriends/wives. I enjoyed the show, it was a unique affair and a nice gesture by Vince and everyone else involved. I applaud everyone involved for taking their time and even risking their lives to go to Iraq and entertain. If people are still so dense and jaded and unhappy to understand the nature of this show they can go watch their puro tapes or whatever it is you people like.

I'm sure all the troops' girlfriends and wives were so happy to see thier boyfriends and husbands looking at other naked women. The WWE, always thinking about the good of everyone.

 

Puro has nothing to do with anything. I sense from your words you don't like it because some elitists watch it. Personally, I like wrestling from everywhere. If I didn't, I wouldn't post here. Seriously though don't diss puro because it happens to be such a great product. Puro wasn't born just so internet people could ridicule the WWE product. Enjoy all wrestling. You'll only benifit yourself.

 

Another point here is that the WWE didn't entertain. They put on a horrable show. While I'm ranting here the completely blind patriotism ticks me off too.

 

Benoit and Eddie have wrestled in intense heat before in the infamous hot buildings of Japan. My only point I said here was that Benoit and Eddie if given the choice would gladly have wrestled forever in the heat.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Man, try and throw a birthday party for Jesus and everyone bitches about the kind of icing on the cake.

[Guest wildpegasus]

If people are still so dense and jaded and unhappy to understand the nature of this show they can go watch their puro tapes or whatever it is you people like.

Shut the fuck up you ass-ranching moron. PURO HAS NOTHING to do with this at all.

You want to watch Benoit/Eddy in a ***** 30 minute classic, it's avaliable on tape I'm sure, and they wear masks too.

 

The only point I'm trying to make is, WWE went out of their way to put on an entertaining show for our troops in Bagdad, and some people have the gall to complain about petty things when they shouldn't.

Benoit and Eddie never wretled each other underneath masks. They've also never wrestled each other for 30 min (At least on avaialble tape)

[Lil' Bitch 0]

For once, I'm glad Vince did something positive. How kind of the WWE.

[Guest wildpegasus]

I should Clarify...Benoit NEVER wore a mask*

 

*Aside from one or two times.

Benoit wore a mask for the better part of 2 years.

[Art Sandusky 0]

For once, I'm glad Vince did something positive. How kind of the WWE.

This was just for a cheap PR stunt and they didn't do a damned thing but put a glorified house show on TV! That stupid fucker, and you're even stupider for liking it! Fuck off!

 

</person who didn't get the concept of the show>

[Lil' Bitch 0]

Different strokes for different folks.

[Guest wildpegasus]

Man, try and throw a birthday party for Jesus and everyone bitches about the kind of icing on the cake.

I don't agree with calling the troops Jesus. The show was more like manure on top of well ... manure.

Edited December 26, 2003 by wildpegasus

[Tawren 0]

For once, I'm glad Vince did something positive.  How kind of the WWE.

This was just for a cheap PR stunt and they didn't do a damned thing but put a glorified house show on TV! That stupid fucker, and you're even stupider for liking it! Fuck off!

 

</person who didn't get the concept of the show>

It's more like the people who liked the show attacking those who didn't. Read the thread.

[Art Sandusky 0]

For once, I'm glad Vince did something positive.  How kind of the WWE.

This was just for a cheap PR stunt and they didn't do a damned thing but put a glorified house show on TV! That stupid fucker, and you're even stupider for liking it! Fuck off!

 

</person who didn't get the concept of the show>

It's more like the people who liked the show attacking those who didn't. Read the thread.

I did read the thread. The people who liked the show aren't attacking, they're just questioning why anyone would read so much into a holiday show. Christmas episodes of any television program never matter, so why would WWE be any different?

 

And I didn't call the troops Jesus. Christmas is Jesus' birthday, genius. I was making a smiliar statement about people not liking this show as people not liking the icing on a cake at a birthday party. "Vanilla? Chocolate is being held down! -**** party!"

 

I just don't see why you people can't let off of the triggers for a Christmas show, yeesh. I don't see a problem with people saying it's boring or whatever, but the majority of the qualms are coming from people saying that it shouldn't have even happened in the first place.

[NYU 0]

Benoit and Eddie have wrestled in intense heat before in the infamous hot buildings of Japan. My only point I said here was that Benoit and Eddie if given the choice would gladly have wrestled forever in the heat.

Wow, that is one of the dumbest things I've ever read. As if you know Benoit and Guerrero close enough to know that they would have LOVED to wrestle in the heat. They were sweating bullets out there and looking exhausted. 15 minutes wrestling in that stifling heat was enough, so don't make an ignorant comment like they would have loved to go longer - especially if you really have nothing to back it up.

 

And I'll admit right off that I don't know much about Japanese wrestling at all. But I've never heard about intense heat in Japanese arenas. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt on that one, but Benoit and Guerrero wrestled there years ago. They're now older and probably can't go through those kind of atmospheric hardships as well as they could a couple of years ago.

 

This whining about the length of the Benoit/Guerrero match is getting ridiculous. This show wasn't about wrestling - it was about entertaining the troops. On this night (and various others), wrestling came second - and people around here have to recognize that.

[King Cucaracha 0]

Maybe some people are criticizing it because it sucked? Yeah, I thought it was a fun show to watch because of the atmosphere, but it blowed worse than Paris Hilton. Some people like wrestling, so they watch a wrestling show to see it. They didn't see it, they didn't like it. No need to go off on them and be another whiny anti-smark just because someone thought Eddie/Benoit was to short.

What is it that makes me an anti-smark. Not having an anti-HHH-joke about his voice-sig like yourself?

 

Read what I posted again. I said the idea was a solid one, it's execution was poor, but expected. People like you expecting a ***** classic every time Benoit or Guerrero step into a ring...heat of Iraq or not, Christmas season or not, non important show not my opinion but the opinion of the boss or not...is what I'm talking about. If I'm an anti-smark for not expecting Benoit/Angle 2 from a throwaway show in a foreign country...maybe I'm an anti-smark.

 

Then MAYBE you're a smark for saying the show blew. I'm sure the troops liked it, that was the point of the show...thank you.

 

Then again, don't listen to me...

 

 

...my opinion differs from yours, so I'm an anti-smark.

[Tawren 0]

Maybe some people are criticizing it because it sucked? Yeah, I thought it was a fun show to watch because of the atmosphere, but it blowed worse than Paris Hilton. Some people like wrestling, so they watch a wrestling show to see it. They didn't see it, they didn't like it. No need to go off on them and be another whiny anti-smark just because someone thought Eddie/Benoit was to short.

What is it that makes me an anti-smark. Not having an anti-HHH-joke about his voice-sig like yourself?

 

Read what I posted again. I said the idea was a solid one, it's execution was poor, but expected. People like you expecting a ***** classic every time Benoit or Guerrero step into a ring...heat of Iraq or not, Christmas season or not, non important show not my opinion but the opinion of the boss or not...is what I'm talking about. If I'm an anti-smark for not expecting Benoit/Angle 2 from a throwaway show in a foreign country...maybe I'm an anti-smark.

 

Then MAYBE you're a smark for saying the show blew. I'm sure the troops liked it, that was the point of the show...thank you.

 

Then again, don't listen to me...

 

 

...my opinion differs from yours, so I'm an anti-smark.

For the record, the HHH quote in my sig is from someone in the Hardcore discussion forum who turned a Simpsons quote into a joke on HHH's YJ Stinger commercials. 'Tis funny.

 

My main point is that some people, you know, LIKE WRESTLING, so when there isn't wrestling on a show, they don't like it.

 

The anti-smark comment isn't based on what you say about entertaining the troops, it's about whenever someone complains about ANYTHING, people jump in with the "quit being so negative", "the match was great", "the match was fine as is", "quit looking so deep and just enjoy it", "yeah...well...you didn't like it...PURO SUCKS".