Guest Trivia247 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 RVD mocked the WWE version of the hardcore division recently when asked for his comments on his time in ECW to hype its' upcoming DVD release. He said, "When it comes to hardcore, you just have to think of ECW. I mean they had the hardcore matches (in WWE), which were a sorry imitation, and that just basically meant you were going to go tip over the taco stand, or maybe you'd bring a plunger to the ring - that was hardcore." [source: PWTorch.com] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Shoes Head Report post Posted November 17, 2004 He wasn't fired for saying a lot worse when he was Willie the Worker, and he won't get fired now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Quik Report post Posted November 17, 2004 I thought Jeff Hardy was Willie the Worker? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest CronoT Report post Posted November 17, 2004 RVD mocked the WWE version of the hardcore division recently when asked for his comments on his time in ECW to hype its' upcoming DVD release. He said, "When it comes to hardcore, you just have to think of ECW. I mean they had the hardcore matches (in WWE), which were a sorry imitation, and that just basically meant you were going to go tip over the taco stand, or maybe you'd bring a plunger to the ring - that was hardcore." [source: PWTorch.com] Is RVD trying to piss off the Creative Team again? Has he already re-signed with WWE, or is he just pissing in Vince's Cheerios again? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChick 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 He said that on WWE.com. I'm pretty sure they look over that stuff before putting it online, so it's no big deal, I'd assume. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Phenom Report post Posted November 17, 2004 I thought Jeff Hardy was Willie the Worker? No, he was The Willie Worker. Lord, I apollogize... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Mandarin 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 Oh tag. ..wake me when he says that WWE's indy stance is pathetic compared to ECW's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 But WWE hardcore was actually the waterdown version of what New Jack did but without the 5 minute theme music. Just bring a shopping cart full of plunder, hide a stop sign under the ring, or let Al Snow go bowling! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Special K 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 Not to say that New Jack was great shakes, but I don't remember many balcony dives in WWE. ESPECIALLY not in Hardcore matches. Though the Kane/Raven golf cart race was a majestic self-parody. Also, again not to defend New Jack, but beating the shit out of someone with a VCR is a far cry from endless tin-foil trash can shots. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dobbs 3K 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 Well, at first the WWF Hardcore division was kind of cool when guys like Foley and Boss Man started in it, but by 2000 or so it was the same match every week...bunch of mindless yet rather tame brawling, a few street sign shots, and then a fire extinguisher spot. Pretty uncreative. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndrewTS 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 Since WWE killed off the hardcore division for being a a joke too drawn out even for them, it's no big deal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 When the props became the focus of the match WWE Hardcore become a reason to change the channel. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest LooneyTune Report post Posted November 17, 2004 Al Snows 7-10 split in the corner has, and forever will bring a smile to my face. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JRE Report post Posted November 17, 2004 Still though...RVD keeps pushing to bring the division back- or at least he did at the WM brunch. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Duncan Eternia Report post Posted November 17, 2004 I thought Jeff Hardy was Willie the Worker? I still don't believe WWE wrestler was Willie the Worker. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kahran Ramsus 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 WWE never treated the division seriously until RVD got there, so its not like its even comparable to the ECW stuff. It was started as a joke division to begin with. Just look at the way Foley was handed the belt. However, as far as hardcore matches go, Bret/Austin from XIII is 100x better than anything ECW ever produced. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 I don't know those Tanaka vs Awesome and Tajiri vs Super Crazy matches were fun to watch. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeDirt 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 I thought Jeff Hardy was Willie the Worker? I still don't believe WWE wrestler was Willie the Worker. Meltzer confirmed it wasn't Hardy. There's a thread about this in general wrestling. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kahran Ramsus 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 I thought Jeff Hardy was Willie the Worker? I still don't believe WWE wrestler was Willie the Worker. Meltzer confirmed it wasn't Hardy. There's a thread about this in general wrestling. How about Matt Hardy? He's a known whiner. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob_barron 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 Matt was on the WM card- wasn't him. Wasn't it revealed that it was RVD? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Precious Roy 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 Still though...RVD keeps pushing to bring the division back- or at least he did at the WM brunch. I kind of wish they would, but only if they're willing to put effort into the division, with workers who'll commit to the style and aren't restricted to working formula matches by the office. You don't need blood, balcony dives or wacky props to have a good hardcore match, just a good, tight match with some well planned spots thrown in. It definitely helps to have veterans involved though, guys like Raven, Finlay, Bossman, Regal, Snow etc, which unfortunately they don't have enough of. I can only think of a handful of midcard guys I'd trust to put on credible hardcore matches; RVD, Christian, Tajiri, Rhyno, Bob Holly, Dudley Trio, Nunzio, Steven Richards off the top of my head. Maybe the younger guys like Kenzo, Snitsky, Heidenreich, Reigns, Jindrak etc. could take to it, but that's a crapshoot. They don't really have the horses with the brand split, to pull it off you'd have to make the current champion a temporary free agent with matches on both shows, they need to have more shit that spans both brands to make things less stale and predictable. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NoCalMike 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 I think the point RVD was trying to make is that when WWE 's "creative" team looked at ECW, the best imitation they could come up with was the crappy version of "hardcore" matches they put on. Truth be told, Raven had some very fun and entertaining WWE hardcore matches, and the finale between RVD & Tommy Dreamer (on Raw I believe) was very good. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hunter's Torn Quad 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 He said that on WWE.com. I'm pretty sure they look over that stuff before putting it online, so it's no big deal, I'd assume. They don't look over stuff all the time. Sometimes stuff gets up on their that gets pulled the moment someone high up the food chain sees it, because it's seen as knocking WWE in a way that isn't acceptable. Case in point would be Shawn Michaels comments over his match with Ric Flair at Bad Blood last year. WWE.com posted an interview with Michaels where he complained about them only getting 15 minutes for their match. Within a few hours it was pulled. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fökai 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 Wasn't it revealed that it was RVD? Meltzer didn't want to incriminate the worker, but he, along with Keller and Scherer, knew who it was. They kept trying to make subtle hints at who it was, though (WTW's feud with Scherer a while back). Also, before any of the clues sprouted, Scotsman's right-hand man Hamrick, traced the e-mail back to Van Dam. Before you question the validity of that, Hamrick is known in those circles as "Detective Hamrick" who seems to have an infinite number of resources and connections. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Art Sandusky 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 I want New Jack in WWE just so we can have his music play for the whole match. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Si82 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 Truth be told, Raven had some very fun and entertaining WWE hardcore matches, and the finale between RVD & Tommy Dreamer (on Raw I believe) was very good. Yeah, Raven had a great match with Rhyno at Backlash 2001. Probably the best match of his WWF career. I wouldn't say that match was too "cartoon-like". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Cucaracha 0 Report post Posted November 17, 2004 Didn't he say the exact same thing on Eddie's DVD, in the commentary for RVD/Eddie. And for the record, he's likely talking about the Crash Holly era of the division...and if so, he has a valid point. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Duncan Eternia Report post Posted November 17, 2004 Didn't he say the exact same thing on Eddie's DVD, in the commentary for RVD/Eddie. And for the record, he's likely talking about the Crash Holly era of the division...and if so, he has a valid point. You know what though...I would still laugh my ass off seeing Crash vs. the Headbangers in the ball pit and the kiddie land segment - classic stuff! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
evilhomer 0 Report post Posted November 19, 2004 He said that on WWE.com. I'm pretty sure they look over that stuff before putting it online, so it's no big deal, I'd assume. They don't look over stuff all the time. Sometimes stuff gets up on their that gets pulled the moment someone high up the food chain sees it, because it's seen as knocking WWE in a way that isn't acceptable. Case in point would be Shawn Michaels comments over his match with Ric Flair at Bad Blood last year. WWE.com posted an interview with Michaels where he complained about them only getting 15 minutes for their match. Within a few hours it was pulled. This is all just to sell the ECW dvd. They want to appeal to WWE fans who didn't see any ECW material, and wouldn't buy a dvd of the "wussified hardcore" that they saw in the WWE. RVD is allowed to shoot off like this because it's something that will generate sales for the company. Eventually some higher up might get his panties tied up in a knot over this and it'll be pulled, but I'd assume that this is exactly the type of comment that RVD was asked to make. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest LooneyTune Report post Posted November 19, 2004 Didn't he say the exact same thing on Eddie's DVD, in the commentary for RVD/Eddie. And for the record, he's likely talking about the Crash Holly era of the division...and if so, he has a valid point. You know what though...I would still laugh my ass off seeing Crash vs. the Headbangers in the ball pit and the kiddie land segment - classic stuff! Lawler humming the chase music while everyone went down the super fun happy slide was fucking hilarious. Crash Holly's reign as Hardcore Champion made it entertaining. when Blackman got the thing, the division went to hell and never came back. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
