WCW facts, tidbits, and stuff people forgot

[King Kamala 0]

Yep, Merchants of Cool was the title. They also showed a few shots of WWF New York but most of the clips they showed when talking about wrestling were WCW.

[JoeDirt 0]

What were the dates of Russo's first and second tenures writing for WCW? I know that end date of his second stint is a little hazy, but maybe somebody has a rough idea of when he was pushed out?

[King Kamala 0]

First one was October 18th, 1999 till right before Souled Out 2000 in January. The second was April 10th, 2000 till sometime early in the summer of 2000. He quit but decided to come after shortly there after and then quit/got fired sometime after the October 2nd, 2000 Nitro where he told Goldberg he had to match his 176 and 0 winning streak or be fired.

[JHawk 0]

First one was October 18th, 1999 till right before Souled Out 2000 in January. The second was April 10th, 2000 till sometime early in the summer of 2000. He quit but decided to come after shortly there after and then quit/got fired sometime after the October 2nd, 2000 Nitro where he told Goldberg he had to match his 176 and 0 winning streak or be fired.

A sad angle to go out with for several reasons:

 

1. Goldberg's winning streak ended at 174, not 176, so he had to top his old streak by 2.

2. With Russo gone shortly after that, why didn't the new man in charge (Flair in kayfabe terms, IIRC) just say, "Screw it, Goldberg in the main is money, so he gets the shot"?

[RepoMan 0]

I saw Merchants of Cool in a sociology class around 2003. Then it just seemed like the film was a little dated, now I would have marked out for seeing WCW in class.

[cabbageboy 0]

Well, ostensibly Flair did a subtle heel turn where he actively contributed to Goldberg losing his new streak and thus losing his career.

 

I remember having to do a presentation in an Effects of Mass Media class in the Spring of 1999. I ended up discussing wrestling and it was the most fun time we had in the class. If I recall, even the chicks in the class realized how crappy WCW was getting.

[KTID 0]

More hilarity...

 

The first post-Bischoff PPV was Fall Brawl. If anyone needs evidence of how screwed up WCW was at this point, consider the fact that there wasn't any card at all a week before the show aired. Even the cable companies finally lost it, and the following ad appeared in newspapers nationwide: "We're the advertising agency and they won't even tell us who's going to be there! For God's sake don't miss it!" Below that, it read: "Sunday, September 12. Insert time here."

 

Russo would later tell the New York Times: "There is one word that we start and end every conversation with: logic. Once you lose the logic of the situation, then you lose the realism and you lose the audience." Indeed.

 

And speaking of titles, Psicosis was suddenly the Cruiserweight champion. Thankfully, WCW.com explained what happened: "Psicosis was awarded the belt after the West Hollywood Blondes angle was dropped."

 

The only other "highlight" of the show was a match between Tank Abbott and a guy named "Big Al" that no one had ever heard of before (or since, come to think of it). At the end of their leather jacket on a pole match, Tank pulled a knife on Al, and screamed, "I could fucking kill you!" He then placed the knife squarely on Al's throat as the cameras quickly cut away. Tony Schiavone, thinking on his feet, came up with a remarkable explanation: Tank, he said, was just trying to shave Al's beard. Unfortunately for Tony, Al had no beard.

 

The April 19 Thunder also saw Brian Knobbs' last appearance in the world of wrestling, as he was doing an angle with Meng in which Meng hit him with a life-sized cardboard cut-out of Goldberg (which Knobbs sold). He was then thrown out a thirty-foot window. He didn't really fall thirty feet, but it was in fact the last time Knobbs ever appeared on a nationally televised pro-wrestling event. If you're going to go, you might as well go in style.

 

A man named Peter Goldschmidt sued another man, Robert Catell, for appearing on WCW telecasts holding up various derogatory signs, including "PETER GOLDSCHMIDT LOSER 4 LIFE." Apparently, the two used to be friends on Long Island. Then, one day, Catell asked Goldschmidt to help him move. Goldschmidt supposedly said he was unable to because it was a work day, and the friendship came to a bitter end, leaving Catell to travel around the nation and hold up disparaging signs at wrestling events. The number of lives that WCW ultimately affected is staggering.

 

Lex Luger, in an interview segment with Stevie Ray called "Suckas Gots to Know," asked if what he was about to say was just between the two of them. Apparently he was unaware that the program was being broadcast nationwide to several million people. Stevie was apparently unaware as well, since he responded that it was "just between you, me and 5,000 viewers." Yes, 5,000 viewers. Tony Schiavone tried to make the save by claiming - really - that he meant 5,000 viewers in each house.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

RD was wrong.

 

Big Al was 911 in ECW.

[cabbageboy 0]

I dunno, are you sure about that? That dude Big Al didn't really look a whole lot like 911 to me. Did 911 cut his dark hair and get a blond buzzcut look?

[ChrisMWaters 0]

I dunno, are you sure about that? That dude Big Al didn't really look a whole lot like 911 to me. Did 911 cut his dark hair and get a blond buzzcut look?

http://www.obsessedwithwrestling.com/profiles/a/911.html

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Poling

[Guest Arnold_OldSchool]

Some interesting results from 1989 in the AWA

 

1/26/89 San Bernadino

Sgt. Slaughter beat Col. DeBeers

AWA Tag Team Champions Badd Company Pat Tanaka & Paul Diamond beat Mando & Eddie Guerrero

Manny Fernandez beat Wahoo McDaniel COR

Greg Gagne beat Terry Funk

Wendi Richter beat Susan Sexton

 

Funk was 4 months from his big heel push and Gurrerro 6 months away from his big tryout in WCW. Didn't realize either of them competed in the AWA.

[Guest hasbeen]

Some interesting results from 1989 in the AWA

 

1/26/89 San Bernadino

Sgt. Slaughter beat Col. DeBeers

AWA Tag Team Champions Badd Company Pat Tanaka & Paul Diamond beat Mando & Eddie Guerrero

Manny Fernandez beat Wahoo McDaniel COR

Greg Gagne beat Terry Funk

Wendi Richter beat Susan Sexton

 

Funk was 4 months from his big heel push and Gurrerro 6 months away from his big tryout in WCW. Didn't realize either of them competed in the AWA.

 

 

I know Hector did, I wonder if that's a misprint. As for the other, it sums up why the AWA went out of business. "Greg Gagne beat Terry Funk" Even at the end, still pushing Greg. It's still amazing to me, a group that in around a four or five year period had Hogan, Michaels, The Road Warriors, Scott Hall, Curt Hennig, Leon White (Vader), Slaughter just a year after his great WWF run, the Freebirds, Martel, Yokozuna, DDP, Brody, Hansen, Snuka just 2 years after his good run in WWF (Piper feud), Zybsko (still had a good run around 92 in NWA) several other names, could have fallen so hard so quick. Even the Nasty Boys and the Destruction Crew (Wayne Bloom, Mike Enos-the Beverly Brothers) had good runs later on. Also had Lawler, Cactus Jack, Scott Steiner, others had they continued to work with Memphis, I think Undertaker before going to WCW as Mean Mark would have been available, and had names like Tully Blanchard and Nikita Koloff for short periods. Some of those didn't really develop as true stars until after they left the AWA, that's another sign of a bad promotion. Yes, the WWF took some of those, but it's garbage like Gagne over Funk that still irritates me as an old time fan of the regional promotions. Continued to push Gagne, Bockwinkle, even Ray Stevens as some of the top names.

[Guest hasbeen]

Here's another from that year. Even with a limited roster, that's pitiful. There are the Guerreros, but no Eddy, that doesn't mean he didn't make some spot appearances but I don't remember them if he did.

 

War in the Windy City-Chicago, June 23, 1989, attendance: 1,000

Tommy Jammer defeated Jonnie Stewart

Mike George defeated Rockin’ Randy

Akio Sato defeated Paul Diamond by disqualification

Chavo Guerrero, Mando Guerrero and Hector Guerrero defeated the Texas Hangmen and the Executioner

Wendi Richter defeated Candi Devine

Ken Patera and Scott Norton defeated the Destruction Crew by disqualification

Larry Zybszko drew with Greg Gagne to retain the AWA title

Col. DeBeers defeated Derrick Dukes in a loser gets painted yellow match

 

Dukes was completely wasted in another worthless DeBeers apartheid angle. Good look, decent skills, a black wrestler for those who don't remember. I don't remember if Tanaka was gone by that point, if he was Paul Diamond should have been higher on the card. Around that time they still had Tom Zenk, Slaughter, the Trooper (later the Patriot), a couple of others to build around and the promotion shouldn't have gone under.

[cabbageboy 0]

Gotta love the title match result: Larry Z. in a draw vs. Greg Gagne. Still, I won't give the AWA too much shit. At least their downfall goes in the normal "push the owner's son" category. Nowhere in the same realm with WCW.

[Guest hasbeen]

I remember one supershow they had Brody and the Barbarian, teamed in the main event against Snuka and...Greg Gagne. Which name doesn't fit?

[MillenniumMan831 0]

War in the Windy City-Chicago, June 23, 1989, attendance: 1,000

Akio Sato defeated Paul Diamond by disqualification

 

The Orient Express EXPLODES!!!

[Guest Hadley]

Does anyone know why they didnt have spring stampede in 95 or 96? For that matter, why no Great American Bash in 93 or 94?

[Timmy8271 0]

Great American Bash was Beach blast in 93. 94 i don't know why. It was mentioned in the thread. Didn't Spring Stampede come after Slamboree?

 

Teddy Long managed Sid Vicious and Dan Spivey when they teamed as the Skyscrapers circa 1989. If I recall, Spivey then left the team (later to be Waylon Mercy in the WWF) and Mean Mark was brought in. Not too long after that, Mean Mark left WCW and went to the WWF as the Undertaker.

 

Didn't Dan Spivey get fired from WCW after the Steriod Scandal of the early 90's? He went to japan, got injured, went back, Impressed Baba and got injured again.

 

David Flair went to IWA Puerto Rico to team with Slash venom. He left when he found Victor Quineores Jacking off to him in his apartment. True story. Same thing happend to Homicide.

 

My questions:

 

1. Why was Missy Hyatt with The Nasty boys in 94? I remember it's when she lost her looks, got bad surgery and turned slutty. How long did this last?

 

2. When did World Championship wrestling turn into WCW Saturday Night?

 

3. If you remember the Kevin Sullivan/Jimmy Garvin Precious angle where Sullivan would attack Precious, here's a question for you. At clash 2, the Garvins faced The Varsity club in a match where sullivan was locked in a cage. Precious was looking at Sullivan the whole time. Towards the end of the match, precious, who has the key gets near the cage and sullivan grabs her and gets the key. He then attacks precious until she's saved by Dr. Death steve williams. The babyfaces clean house and celebrate in the ring. Precious then leaves the shocked faces in the ring. Did anything happen after this? Did Precious go with Sullivan? Or was it dropped?

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Along the lines of the PBS documentary, I marked the fuck out during an episode of Whose Line a few years ago. Bunch of clips of Mike Awesome and I think Harlem Heat used in a game.

[Hasbeen1 0]

Great American Bash was Beach blast in 93. 94 i don't know why. It was mentioned in the thread. Didn't Spring Stampede come after Slamboree?

 

Teddy Long managed Sid Vicious and Dan Spivey when they teamed as the Skyscrapers circa 1989. If I recall, Spivey then left the team (later to be Waylon Mercy in the WWF) and Mean Mark was brought in. Not too long after that, Mean Mark left WCW and went to the WWF as the Undertaker.

 

Didn't Dan Spivey get fired from WCW after the Steriod Scandal of the early 90's? He went to japan, got injured, went back, Impressed Baba and got injured again.

 

David Flair went to IWA Puerto Rico to team with Slash venom. He left when he found Victor Quineores Jacking off to him in his apartment. True story. Same thing happend to Homicide.

 

My questions:

 

1. Why was Missy Hyatt with The Nasty boys in 94? I remember it's when she lost her looks, got bad surgery and turned slutty. How long did this last?

 

2. When did World Championship wrestling turn into WCW Saturday Night?

 

3. If you remember the Kevin Sullivan/Jimmy Garvin Precious angle where Sullivan would attack Precious, here's a question for you. At clash 2, the Garvins faced The Varsity club in a match where sullivan was locked in a cage. Precious was looking at Sullivan the whole time. Towards the end of the match, precious, who has the key gets near the cage and sullivan grabs her and gets the key. He then attacks precious until she's saved by Dr. Death steve williams. The babyfaces clean house and celebrate in the ring. Precious then leaves the shocked faces in the ring. Did anything happen after this? Did Precious go with Sullivan? Or was it dropped?

 

 

I think it was just dropped.

[Wrestlefreak 0]

Tony Schiavone tried to make the save by claiming - really - that he meant 5,000 viewers in each house.

 

That's one of the funniest lines in the entire "Death of WCW" book!

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

I dunno, are you sure about that? That dude Big Al didn't really look a whole lot like 911 to me. Did 911 cut his dark hair and get a blond buzzcut look?

http://www.obsessedwithwrestling.com/profiles/a/911.html

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Poling

Two different Big Al's. The one Tank faced really was a friend of his.

 

Didn't Dan Spivey get fired from WCW after the Steriod Scandal of the early 90's? He went to japan, got injured, went back, Impressed Baba and got injured again

 

Spivey was already an All Japan regular when he was in WCW in 1989/1990. He wasn't fired, he just left early for a tour.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

It's a shame for High Voltage that they never had the chance to come out to "Danger! High Voltage!" by Electric Six.

 

On second thought, that makes no sense.

[spman 0]

I'm sure it's mentioend in here somewhere, but which WCW PPV was it where they went 3 full hours, and at 11 o'clock, they were just starting Hogans entrance for the ME, when they just got cut off by Cable Providers who weren't informed that they would be going long. Didn't they just end up repeating the whole Main Event the next night on Nitro, even further screwing the people who paid 30 dollars to watch the show?

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

I'm sure it's mentioend in here somewhere, but which WCW PPV was it where they went 3 full hours, and at 11 o'clock, they were just starting Hogans entrance for the ME, when they just got cut off by Cable Providers who weren't informed that they would be going long. Didn't they just end up repeating the whole Main Event the next night on Nitro, even further screwing the people who paid 30 dollars to watch the show?

 

Halloween Havoc 98

[King Kamala 0]

It's a shame for High Voltage that they never had the chance to come out to "Danger! High Voltage!" by Electric Six.

 

On second thought, that makes no sense.

 

 

Yeah- they would have had to been turned into gay lovers.

 

 

Although High Voltage was way cooler than Billy and Chuck or The West Hollywood Blondes.

 

 

Don't know if this should go here or in the question thread, but while I'm here I should ask how did Jim Duggan join Team Canada?

[MillenniumMan831 0]

He turned on General Rection of MIA during his US Title match against Lance Storm.

[Slickster 0]

In particular, the Rection-Storm match held at Halloween Havoc 00.

[Jericholic82 0]

In particular, the Rection-Storm match held at Halloween Havoc 00.

wasn't duggan the special ref for that match?

[bob_barron 0]

In particular, the Rection-Storm match held at Halloween Havoc 00.

 

No, it was Fall Brawl.