Vince Russo Raw days

[GODSON 0]

Does anybody remember the first and last episodes of Raw Vince Russo wrote as head writer?

[Silence 0]

Does anybody remember the first and last episodes of Raw Vince Russo wrote as head writer?

 

I think Russo's last episode of Raw was probably the one before Unforgiven 1999. Jarrett and Russo both left after that night due to having problems with JR and Stone Cold, if I remember the story correctly.

 

I'm not really sure when Russo's first episode of Raw was, but I think 1997 was his debut year as the head writer.

[Guest jm29195]

I think Russo's last episode of Raw was probably the one before Unforgiven 1999. Jarrett and Russo both left after that night due to having problems with JR and Stone Cold, if I remember the story correctly.

 

I'm not really sure when Russo's first episode of Raw was, but I think 1997 was his debut year as the head writer.

 

Russo's last week of WWF programing was the week in mid September 99- 2 weeks after Unforgiven 99, when Mankind proposed to the Rock- I believe the week after the 'This is Your Life' segment- Foley mentions it in one of his books as the worst tv he'd ever written...

 

Jarrett stayed on after Russo left for a couple of weeks as he took a payoff from Vince to drop the IC belt to Chyna at No Mercy- it was pretty much a given that Jarrett was going as he was Russos favourite and was equally pissed off with Ross and Austin....

 

As for his first Raw as head booker, I'd imagine it would be some time in February 1997- I know Cornette was removed as head booker following the awful show which had Crush in the main event, which was on the same time as the European tour... I'd say the first Raw that had Russo's trademark booking heavilly featured was the one with Mankind/Vader vs Taker/Sid as partners who didn't trust each other, a staple of Russos TV style that ironicaly was heavily featured in a slightly different format in his last Raw with Rock/Mankind....

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I think it was Feb or March 97, right after the horrible taped show from South Africa that did like a 1.8 rating.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Keeping in mind I never really watched WCW, what was so terrible about Russo?

 

I mean, he was at the helm of WWF during the summers of 97 and 98, right?

[Papacita 0]

Only real gripe I had with him in WWF (didn't see his WCW run either) was the fact that he devalued the titles. Plus he tended to make a lot of unexplained/stupid swerves for the sake of remaining unpredictable (i.e. spending months building Road Dogg and Billy Gunn up for Hardcore and I-C Title matches respectively, then having them switch places about a week before WMXV).

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Russo came on the writing team after the Raw from Europe, when the Sid vs. Mankind match got tripled in the ratings. He didn't become head writer until early 1998.

 

Jim Cornette was never head booker/writer. He was just part of the writing team.

 

Russo was terrible because he had no concept or clue about the boundries of good taste or logic. Give him an editor, and you had a chance of filtering his crap into something with a marginal amount of meaning. Give him free reign, and you were left with nothing but crap.

[geniusMoment 0]

Foley mentions him as head writer in his first book when talking about Survivor Series 97, so I believe his influence really took shape when the show went to sex and attitude. Which occurred the week after Summerslam, when the WWF gave up on Bret and started with stuff like the Pillman-Marlena sex tapes, Sable stripping and DX.

[cawthon777 0]

Russo came on the writing team after the Raw from Europe, when the Sid vs. Mankind match got tripled in the ratings. He didn't become head writer until early 1998.

 

From his shoot, Russo said it was the 4/14/97 show, which Cornette had a lot to do with, with matches taped from Johannesburg, South Africa and Muncie, IN.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Russo came on the writing team after the Raw from Europe, when the Sid vs. Mankind match got tripled in the ratings. He didn't become head writer until early 1998.

 

From his shoot, Russo said it was the 4/14/97 show, which Cornette had a lot to do with, with matches taped from Johannesburg, South Africa and Muncie, IN.

I asked Meltzer about this a while ago, and he said it was the week after the Europe show because Vince McMahon felt he he had to shake things up after the WWF Title match got destroyed in the ratings.

[Si82 0]

Russo came on the writing team after the Raw from Europe, when the Sid vs. Mankind match got tripled in the ratings. He didn't become head writer until early 1998.

 

From his shoot, Russo said it was the 4/14/97 show, which Cornette had a lot to do with, with matches taped from Johannesburg, South Africa and Muncie, IN.

I asked Meltzer about this a while ago, and he said it was the week after the Europe show because Vince McMahon felt he he had to shake things up after the WWF Title match got destroyed in the ratings.

So that would be the 4/21/97 show with the Austin/Hart streetfight, which was the first Raw I saw all the way through.

[cawthon777 0]

Russo came on the writing team after the Raw from Europe, when the Sid vs. Mankind match got tripled in the ratings. He didn't become head writer until early 1998.

 

From his shoot, Russo said it was the 4/14/97 show, which Cornette had a lot to do with, with matches taped from Johannesburg, South Africa and Muncie, IN.

I asked Meltzer about this a while ago, and he said it was the week after the Europe show because Vince McMahon felt he he had to shake things up after the WWF Title match got destroyed in the ratings.

So that would be the 4/21/97 show with the Austin/Hart streetfight, which was the first Raw I saw all the way through.

 

The Europe show was the 3/3/97 taped show from Berlin, Germany that featured WWF World Champ Sid vs. Mankind and the Davey Boy / Owen European title match.

 

3/10/97 was the first "Raw is War" telecast with the pyros, Marilyn Manson music, etc. If that was Russo's first show then it makes perfect sense.

[Si82 0]

Russo came on the writing team after the Raw from Europe, when the Sid vs. Mankind match got tripled in the ratings. He didn't become head writer until early 1998.

 

From his shoot, Russo said it was the 4/14/97 show, which Cornette had a lot to do with, with matches taped from Johannesburg, South Africa and Muncie, IN.

I asked Meltzer about this a while ago, and he said it was the week after the Europe show because Vince McMahon felt he he had to shake things up after the WWF Title match got destroyed in the ratings.

So that would be the 4/21/97 show with the Austin/Hart streetfight, which was the first Raw I saw all the way through.

 

The Europe show was the 3/3/97 taped show from Berlin, Germany that featured WWF World Champ Sid vs. Mankind and the Davey Boy / Owen European title match.

 

3/10/97 was the first "Raw is War" telecast with the pyros, Marilyn Manson music, etc. If that was Russo's first show then it makes perfect sense.

Sorry, I confused it with the show taped in South Africa.

 

However, I'm sure I read in an article in an old issue of Raw magazine that said the South Africa show did really badly in the rating and that after that the decison was made to change the direction.

[cawthon777 0]

That's what I heard as well.

[DARRYLXWF 0]

There was that short couple of days when Russo returned to WWE in the 00s. He claims to have written a large chunk of the RAW where Eric Bischoff returned. I think he left the day after.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

He claims to have written a large chunk of the RAW where Eric Bischoff returned. I think he left the day after.

If he said that, he's lying.

[Guest BarnacleBill]

There was that short couple of days when Russo returned to WWE in the 00s. He claims to have written a large chunk of the RAW where Eric Bischoff returned. I think he left the day after.

 

Vince Mcmahon Brought him back in july 2002 he lasted less than a week when he pitched terrible ideas to the writing team and he quickly parted ways with the company,cause I remember getting an observer with a story saying he's back and the next issue saying he's gone.

[Guest jm29195]

This is John Petries Raw recap from the 14th April 1997 show, I think it's pretty clear why it got such a low rating!

 

HOUR ONE: Hosted by Vince McMahon, Jim Cornette, Honky Tonk Man and Jim Ross.

- In a massive bit of video sleight-of-hand this week's RAW is pieced

together from various taping sessions of the past few weeks. McMahon and

Cornette host the matches here in the U.S., while Ross and Honky Tonk

host the matches from South Africa. The show is presented as if it's

live, even though the matches took place over several days. They jump

back and forth via "satellite feed". The South African footage is of a

lesser quality video-wise, and there's an annoying blurring effect when

people move.

 

- LEGION OF DOOM vs. THE GODWINNS

Ugh! In a lengthy, dull, uneventful match the Godwinns beat the Road

Warriors with the help of the British Bulldog and Owen Hart. The match

just plodded along, going at least fifteen minutes, until the Bulldog and

Owen came out. Hawk was down on the floor getting posted by Phineas.

Animal had Henry in the ring and the Bulldog knocked him out with his

World Tag Title belt. Henry covered for the pin.

 

They then cut to Johannesburg, South Africa.

 

- HUNTER HEARST HELMSLEY (w/ Chyna) vs. "DOUBLE J" JESSEE JAMMES

Chyna had her hair down, not in a ponytail, which made her look even

weirder. This match, unlike the aimless action of the last, was mostly

restholds. Helmsley had the upper hand for most of the match until Jammes

could stage his comeback. Just as he was close to earning the win, Honky

Tonk went to ringside. Catching his eye, he drew him over to the ropes

and laid in a shot to the gut. As Jammes staggered back, Helmsley grabbed

him and slipped him into the Pedigree. Hunter gets the pin.

 

After Helmlsey and Chyna left Jammes challenged Honky to get into the

ring. After some verbal bantering, Honky teased climbing through the

ropes. Many of the fans were holding identical signs which read

"chicken", possibly from the South African version of KFC.

 

As they went to break, to keep us tuned in, they showed Sable's ass from

the SLammy Awards.

 

- ROCKY MAIVIA vs. SAVIO VEGA (w/ the Nation of Domination)

Jim Ross shamelessly compares Maivia to Tiger Woods. Vega is only

accompanied by Crush and D-Lo Brown (so we all knew Brown would get beat

up eventually. Why else fly him all the way to South Africa?). Ahmed

Johnson, via split-screen, makes some unintelligible comments. Maivia's

lack of experience showed here as he did little more than punches and

armbars. After numerous restholds, Faarooq comes to ringside with his

left arm in a sling. They go to break.

 

The restholds continue. Rocky eventually escapes from a two or three

minute armbar. The two then go into an okay series of near pins and

escapes. Rocky hits a few moves and sets Savio up for a shoulderbreaker.

Savio escapes, pushes Rocky into the corner turnbuckles, then rolls him

up for the pin (with a handful of tights, getting as close as one can to

a clean win in the WWF these days).

 

Faarooq, D-Lo and Crush jump in the ring and they, along with Savio,

stomp the crap out of Rocky. Faarooq whips him with a belt. This brings

out Ahmed with his 2X4. D-Lo (the big NOD member who does nothing but get

beat up by Ahmed) takes a shot from the board. Faarooq narrowly escapes

being hit.

 

Incredibly enough, they'll be doing this match again at In Your House.

This one wasn't for the title, but Sunday's match will be.

 

This time they show Sunny in her bikini as they slip to commercial.

 

HOUR TWO: Hosted by Vince McMahon, Jim Ross and Jerry "The King" Lawler.

 

- They show a bunch of clips from last week's show.

 

- "Stone Cold" Steve Austin comes out for an interview with Vince McMahon.

He says "ass" several times (all of which get bleeped). Austin accuses

Hart of "copy[ing] everything I've ever done!".

 

- THE SULTAN (w/ the Iron Shiek) vs. GOLDUST

Ohhhh lordy ... was this the best they could do? Goldust comes out with

his face made up like a cheetah. They go to break, flashing us Marlena's

ass, then some comments from Bret Hart (about family values ... not

Marlena's ass).

 

This match actually wasn't all that bad. Goldust looked more healthy and

motivated than he has in some time. The Sultan hits a textbook piledriver

before slapping on a momentum killing chinlock. Goldust escapes and uses

his old favorite, the Bulldog.

 

Suddenly Helmsley and Chyna run in. All three of the heels stomp on

Goldust for a bit, then drag him over to the corner for a spkie pile-

driver. The Sultan slaps on a brief Camel Clutch, then they finish up by

breaking the Iranian flag handle across his back.

 

They go to break showing a picture of Bret Hart as he appears in this

weekend's episode of "The Simpsons".

 

- They run a package of comments from Bret Hart in Kuwait. Waving the

Kuwaiti flag, Hart restates his case against the American fans.

 

Another break, this time with a look at the Funkettes.

 

- THE HEADBANGERS vs. MANKIND/VADER (w/ Paul Bearer)

The match starts off fairly straight, with the Headbangers taking

command. Mankind runs in after a few minutes and it turns into a four-way

brawl which spills out of the ring. Bodies are flying everywhere.

 

Jim Ross interrupts the commentary to hype the new issue of RAW Magazine,

which contains details of Shawn Michaels suffering a nervous breakdown.

Hmmm.

 

Things settle down with Vader taking control of things. He tags in

Mankind. Mosh gets dumped to the floor. Before climbing back into the

ring, he slips under the ring apron. As Mankind pulls him up to the

ropes, Mosh spits "something" into his eyes. Mankind whips around,

blinded. The ref signals for the bell, DQ'ing the Headbangers. Mankind

meanwhile is flying about the ring. Vader comes over to help. Mankind,

thinking Vader is one of the Headbangers, slaps the Mandible Claw on him.

Vader, unable to escape, slips into unconsciousness. Paul Bearer is

eventually able to pull Mankind off. As Jim Ross and Honky Tonk speculate

on the outcome of Mankind's match this weekend with the Undertaker, the

lights begin to flicker. The Undertaker's voice comes over the P.A. and

says Mankind is going to Hell ... or something.

 

- In the "T & A" segment of the show, they give us a sneak peek at Sable in

various states of undress from the next RAW Magazine (with a bloody Vader

on the cover). They then run highlights of the bikini contest from the

Slammy Awards.

 

- The Commandante of the Truth Commission comes out before the South

African crowd and says pretty much what he said last week.

 

- AHMED JOHNSON vs. CRUSH (w/ the Nation of Domination)

Ross takes a poke at WCW, saying the WWF wrestlers are stars worldwide,

not just stars in Atlanta. McMahon makes reference to a RAW Magazine

article suggesting that Crush may be on the way out of the NOD.

 

Ahmed is pumped up, and seems really over with the crowd. He quickly gets

dumped to the floor and suffers some stomps from D-Lo. Once back in the

ring the rest of the match just seesaws back and forth, with all

varieties of power moves and restholds-none of which was all that

spectacular or engrossing. The finish comes as Crush is setting up for a

Heart Punch. Ahmed blocks it, then hits a surprise spinning heel kick.

He then whips into the ropes. Crush raises a knee into Ahmed's mid-

section, but Ahmed rolls through it and rolls Crush up for the pin. He

slips out of the ring as the rest of the NOD enter to complain to Crush.

 

Faarooq then gets on a house mic and makes a challenge to Ahmed

(responding to Ahmed's challenge from a few weeks back). Apparently if

Ahmed can singlehandedly defeat Faarooq, Savio and Crush in a single

match, then Faarooq will disband the Nation of Domination. I think.

Faarooq has as hard a time laying out the stipulations as Ahmed did

previously.

 

The cut back to McMahon and Cornette for one final hyping of this

Sunday's PPV.

 

- Next week's main event: None announced.

 

Comments: The production values were slick. Vince McMahon's hair looked

good. It was nice to see Sable's ass again.

 

That's about all the good things I can say about this week's show. It was

bad enough that they had to cobble together pretaped footage, but did they

have to pick from the worst that was available? Actually they probably

showed the best they had, which is even scarier. Here's the rundown for

"Revenge of the Taker", and what they did to hype each match:

[Guest jm29195]

And this is CRZs recap of what Foley says is Russos last Raw show from October 4th 1999- Russo had written the Raw the previous week and defected to WCW whilst Vince and the rest of the roster was in the UK for the Rebellion PPV

 

CRZ's SOCAL SWING: I fly out tonight to hit Burbank, San Diego, Calabasas, Palm Springs, and then Coachella for two days! Chemical Brothers, Underworld, Art of Noise, Roni Size, Plastikman, Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, Juan Atkins, Spiritualized, Mu-Ziq, Moby, Gus Gus, BT, Banco de Gaia, DJ Shadow, Gil Scott-Heron, LTJ Bukem, Autechre, 4 Hero, Jason Bentley and even some people you've heard of (Tool, Beck, Morrissey, Perry Farrell - oh, Rage Against the Machine too) - OVERLOAD BABY! Are you jealous? I hope you are, these tix are EXPENSIVE.

Anyway, I started my vacation a bit early by promptly sleeping through both shows, waking up at 3am and going "damn, I still gotta do this. What kind of warped sense of loyalty compels me to jot down show results for you, the reader?" And then the answer came, "the same one that thinks I'll put out a halfway decent SmackDown! report while drunk off my ass in Calabasas." Stay tuned for THAT one, we still have to get through THIS one...

 

TONIGHT: a tag match for the ages - Mae & Moolah take on Ivory & Jarrett - oh boy! Stephanie McMahon was injured Saturday in the UK - we'll update her condition - oh boy! And the Rock and Mankind will be around - OH BOY!

 

One World Leader Attitude - TV-14-DLV - WWF!

 

Opening credits are close captioned - but you STILL can't figure out the words

 

NO fireworks and NO look at the crowd as we IMMEDIATELY head into a ... well, it looks like a MATCH!

 

NEW AGE OUTLAWS v. THROUGH HELL FIRE AND BRIMSTONE IT'S KANE & X-PAC (with a can of Hansen's Energy Drink) v. HARDCORE HOLLY & CRASH HOLLY (with Scale Holly) v. ACOLYTES in an elimination match - the USA censor is a bit off - tried to mute "shiznit" but ended up taking out "style" instead. So they didn't even bother to try to get "beeyoootch." I have failed to mention the prominent placement of the Hansen's Energy Drink in X-Pac's EntertainmentTron video, so there it is now. Let Us Take You Back to last week where the Hollys had some fun at the Outlaws' expense both on RAW and SmackDown! The Acolytes had some fun with X-Pac, but they're too busy rushing the ring for us to B-roll THAT footage. Referee "Blind" Tim White somehow manages to turn this Pier Eight brawl into a normal match, with Hardcore Holly and Mr. Ass in the ring. Ass reverses into a hangman's neckbreaker for the first near fall. Holly back with a great dropkick. Later tonight, Austin SPEAKS! Holly and Gunn end up on the outside - Holly tastes the barricade, and Gunn sails over the STEEL steps. Crash is over to join the fray, then Dogg - and the next thing you know, White's counted out both teams, leaving X-Pac and Faarooq in the middle of the ring. Hard whip into the turnbuckle. Faarooq whips Bradshaw into X-Pac, but he ducks the clothesline and hits one of his own on Faarooq. Spinning heel kick attempt on Bradshaw is caught into a slam. Elbowdrop from Bradshaw, repeat, out of the corner hard. Tag to Faarooq, open shot. Into the corner, nasty backbreaker coming out for 2. Head to the boot of the partner, tag. Hairpull takedown, short arm clothesline is ducked, foot caught, enziguiri caught...in the mush. X-Pac crawls to Kane....and refuses to make the tag, making the "up yours" gesture instead and turning back around to Bradshaw. Kane comes in to work on Faarooq, instead. Kane goes ahead and cleans house, until Faarooq catches him in a piledriver. Kane pops up and tries a choke, but Bradshaw is clubbin' from behind. X-Pac back up with a spinning heel kick, but Faarooq breaks the count. Bradshaw tries a powerbomb, but X-Pac counters with a backdrop. You can see Bradshaw get into position for the requisite broncobuster. Meanwhile, Kane hits the chokeslam on Faarooq - X-Pac probably shouldn't have been watching that, though, as he turns around into a lariat. Kane and Bradshaw both covering - but remember who the legal men are? 1, 2, 3 - double pin, but only Bradshaw's counts. (4:39) Is there trouble between X-Pac and Kane? What ELSE is new?

 

Backstage, the British Bulldog is WALKING! Last Saturday, Sky Box Office presented WWF Rebellion and an insane turn for the Bulldog in his home country. An errant toss of a trashcan apparently landed on Stephanie McMahon's head (just out of camera range) as Bulldog continued to hunt for a title shot from the McMahons. Later on, Smith sealed the deal by interfering in Chyna's match - the result was the Bulldog getting booed by his own hometown fans.

 

And now BRITISH BULLDOG is out to the ring, and the fans try on their first "asshole" chant of the night. "Well - Vince, you must be pretty shocked about what happened to Stephanie - it's unfortunate, Vince, you would put her in a position where she could get injured - I mean, God knows I would never, ever put my daughter in a locker room with wrestlers. There are too many women in the World Wrestling Federation today! And they don't belong here, and that's a fact. So Vince, I've come out here to apologise to you for what happened to Stephanie, because YOU put her in that position - not me - and you screwed me out of my title shot in the United Kingdom. I mean, I think it's a big gesture on my part considering you turned my own country against me. Well you know what Vince, you screwed up, because I don't give a damn about my country, I don't give a damn about this country or these people. All I care about is one thing and one thing only, and that is the WWF Title. And in the next pay-per-view, No Mercy, I am gonna step in the ring with The Rock. And I am gonna give the Rock No Mercy...and after I'm done finished kicking his ass up and down this ring and I beat him 1, 2, 3, I've only got one thing and one thing only left, Vince McMahon, and that is when do I get my title shot?" Our favourite theme plays and THAT SLUT CHYNA appears 'neath the EntertainmentTron. "Awww, is that you, big Bulldoggy making all that noise out here, barking barking. Seems you have a problem with the women around here, well you know I got a problem with that. So how 'bout we find out if your bite is as bad as your bark?" "YOU challenging ME to a match?" "Yeah that's right Deputy Dawg, I'll see you tonight." Well, that'll be later tonight.

 

Also later tonight - Steve Austin! Round 2 of the Terri Invitational! The Rock and Mankind are here! And Moolah & Mae Young challenge Jeff Jarrett and Ivory. Lawler: "I think they'll appear in colour tonight!" And, an update on the condition of Stephanie McMahon.

 

Backstage, Mankind is WALKING! He's got some bad news for the Rock...

 

I have missed the chance to bring it up, so since we're in the first ad break I'll tell you that WE ARE LIVE from the Continental Airlines Arena at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, NJ 4.10.99 and RAW IS WAR on the USA Network - and in a rare live airing, on TSN!

 

The Lugz "Boot of the Week" is Val Venis's testicular claw on Mankind - or is it the Dudley Boyz' destruction of Rock's "Rock and Sock Connection" jacket?

 

Backstage, Mankind enters Rock's dressing room and says that he thinks they should break up the Rock & Sock Connection. Rock's on his cellular phone and completely misses the conversation, but Mankind doesn't realise it since his end of the phone call meshes perfectly with what he's saying. This is apparently hilarious on some level.

 

Your hosts are JIM ROSS & JERRY LAWLER.

 

We go live to Connecticut where MICHAEL HAYES is with TEST to get an update on Stephanie McMahon's condition. Test reveals that the doctors have shared with him that she's got post-concussion with major head trauma. "She didn't do a damn thing to deserve this." Asking about the wedding, Test says "Wedding? Man, she doesn't even recognise me."

 

Backstage, our favourite Odd Couple has found Ivory and managed to relieve her of her top before the referees and officials separate the three. You know, I GUESS I can tolerate Young & Moolah hanging around if it means I get to leer at Ivory in a bra every week...or can I?

 

Eidos Interactive - makers of "Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver" presents the Smack of the Night - from SmackDown!, Christian's piggyback superplex on Jeff Hardy.

 

Backstage, Mankind discusses Rock's pain with Stevie Richards...and reveals that he's got an idea...and I've got an uneasy feeling...

 

TERRI is out to provide commentary for the next match and model one damn small top. I can see the bottoms of her thingys!

 

RAW is WAR is brought to you by the JVCkaboom!box, Skittles, and the Air Force.

 

EDGE & CHRISTIAN (1) v. NEW BROOD (0) in Match Two of the Terri Runnels Invitational - those guys enter through the crowd, while THOSE guys enter through the burning ring o' far and without Gangrel. They meet on the ramp and it's on. Into the ring, where Edge hits a 'rana on Matt. Tag to Christian, double flapjack for 2. Matt hits a kneelift and manages a tag. Jeff runs right into a backdrop and a scoop slam. Tag to Edge, double front slam for 2. Reversal of a whip, Matt grabs the feet and pulls out Edge - Ross finally getting the brothers straight here - there's a baseball slide by Jeff - Matt continuing to pound on him, and bringing him back in. Tag. Double faceplant from the atomic drop position for 2. Head ot the buckle. Into the corner - and into the opposite corner. Repeated rights from Matt - he appears to have demons in his head or something - stomp - choke on the rope for 2. Tag, bodyslam by Matt, sentonbomb by Jeff for 2. Oh, we keep cutting to Terri, yeah - just in case you're not interested in watching wrestling tonight. Edge ducks a crossbody attempt and Jeff sails to the outside. However, he manages to get back in and make the tag before Edge does. Eidos brings us the senton on the Double Feature. Matt tries a quebrada but hits the knees. Tag to Jeff - hot tag to Christian! Both Hardys knocked down twice - Matt manages a hot shot on Christian and Jeff covers - but only gets 2. Pier Four Brawl now. Edge dumps Matt on the charge. Christian on all fours - Edge springing off him for the spear, which Jeff doesn't sell as well as he usually does...but still stays down for the 3. (4:20 - cough cough) Edge & Christian are up 2-0, which no doubt means the Brood will either take two in a row, or this series will be real short.

 

Yowza! It's Triple H and he's WALKING!

 

MICHAEL KING COLE is backstage with Kane & X-Pac. Why didn't X-Pac tag out when he had the chance? He says it was time to take a stand. He challenges the Acolytes to a four corners match - he's gonna prove that he still belongs in the land of the (muted) giants. Speaking of muted giants, Kane says nothin'.

 

TREBLE H is out - I hear he's the game. (Which game? Clue?) Next Monday night, the great big event at the Georgia Dome - get excited! "Two weeks - thirteen days! Stone Cold Steve Austin, you and I will stand in the very centre of this ring, face to face, eye to eye, one more time, and Austin, you will see the fire in my eyes. That same exact fire you saw in my eyes the night I laid your ass out - the night I took you out of this business - Austin, at the aptly titled No Mercy, you will be lucky to escape without the same. Now I've noticed that the toughest SOB in the World Wrestling Federation didn't have the guts to be in the same building with me here tonight. But I do understand that there was an 'exclusive' interview and he might not have the guts but I know somebody with enough gut to get in here, so JR, why don't you come up here with me and enjoy this little interview I'll have to see? Come on, JR, look, I'm gonna apologise right now - all that stuff between you and me, the whole broken arm thing, I'm sorry, man. That was in th epast, you know? I was an angry young man then, just like you said a million times, and now that I am the Champ, I'm a little more calm, I'm in control, JR, I promise you this: nothing will happen to you. What I'm gonna do, I'm gonna come out here, I'm even gonna do this - 'cause I know you work hard JR, and I don't want you to, you know, strain yourself, so I'm gonna get you a chair, so you're nice and comfy...I'm gonna get in the ring right here, JR - set that up for you, front row chair. Come on in here with the Champ here, JR, I promise, nothing bad will come of this." JR finally reluctantly gets in the ring. "Come on, let's hear it for Good Ol' JR! No hard feelings, right?" and they shake hands. Triple H calls for Bruce to play the footage on the EntertainmentTron.

 

Last Friday, Ross asks Austin if he'll be cleared to compete by No Mercy. Austin said cleared or not, he'll be at No Mercy to kick Triple H's ass. Ross asks Austin how he can stay motivated through his rehab - Austin says all he has to do is look at the SummerSlam tape. Nobody pays back like Stone Cold Steve Austin - nobody.

 

"Pretty bad words from a crippled man that's not here from far away - that sounds pretty good - but uh, JR, you and uh, you and the old Rattlesnake are pretty tight, right? You're pretty good friends with him - he's your boy, right? He's your boy. Let me ask you a question, JR. What do you think, ah, what do you think Austin thinks of me?" "I'd really rather not say." "I can see where you'd say that because you're afraid I'd get mad at ya, but I'm not gonna beat up the messenger on this, you're just - you're saying what he would say - it's not your fault now so if it's bad don't worry, I'm not gonna beat you up or nothin', you can tell me - what do you think a guy like Austin, I respect his opinion, what do you think he thinks of me?" "He thinks you're an asshole." What, no mute? Chant naturally follows. "Figured he would - figured I crippled him and all - let me ask you, JR, you know, me being the Champ and all, I am the Man here. Let me ask you this. Since I am the Champ, and I am the Man - what - what does a guy like you - I mean, you're a respected journalist, over there, you know, commentator, what would a guy like you think about me, what do you think of me, JR?" "You really want to know?" "Oh I really really, REALLY wanna know what you think of me." "I think you're a sorry, lowdown SOB." Now what on earth possessed him to say THAT? "That's a - that's a pretty good piece of business!" and he clotheslines him. Field goal kick is up - and good! "Oh, it's a damn slobberknocker, isn't it JR?" Stomp. "Business is about to pick up, JR?" Stomp. "Oh, I'm gonna stomp a mudhole in yo ass, JR?" And he keeps stomping. The REFEREE CORPS is out, saving a chair to the leg. Austin with some private words for Ross to deliver to Austin before the six zebras manage to keep Triple H out of the way. Here's a replay. Good old Lawler - "I was about to get up and help him but the refs came out!"

 

TERRY TAYLOR is backstage with Jarrett, Kitty and Ivory - he asks Ivory if they've accepted the challenge - Jarrett takes the mic and answers "of course" for her. When Jarrett's done with them, he'll let her knock the osteoperosis right out of them. Oh yeah, THIS is a match ...snicker...for the ages!

 

WWF Attitude comes LIVE to the San Jose Arena Friday 26 November! Isn't that the day after Thanksgiving? Oh, that won't work. Sorry guys!

 

Mankind is backstage with TWO GUYS FROM GvsE who are playing dominoes. This segues into an ad for Sunday's "GvsE" which happens to feature Mankind - following Heat!

 

MICHAEL KING COLE is out to take Ross' place. Here's one more "Moments Ago" replaly of the Triple H clothesline.

 

JEDOUBLEF JADOUBLEREDOUBLET (with Midoubles Kidoublety) & IVORY (and s scarf) v. FABULOUS MOOLAH & MAE YOUNG - Let Us Take You Back over the past month to show you what fun Moolah and Young have had with Jarrett and Ivory on various shows. The 70-something's come out to some old music that obliterates ALL the sound on this show. Jarrett shoves Kitty at Young, who doesn't know any better and takes her down. The first of many exciting thong shots as Kitty's skirt rides up while she tries to crawl away. Hairpull takesover from Moolah. There's a choke. Kitty crawls over to Ivory and tags her in. Ivory ... well, there's nothing much to call here. Hey, a dropkick from Ivory! Scoop...and a slam. 1, 2, Young makes the save. Ivory turns to Young and floors her with a right. Turning around, Moolah punches and sends her into the ropes. Right hand, cover, 2. Jarrett's on commentary, but not saying anything worth noting. Ivory over to Kitty - and tagging! Kitty protests, despite the fact that she probably shouldn't have been standing on the apron if she didn't want to be in this match. Head to the buckle - rollup - 1, 2, 3. (2:40) Ivory is working over Young on the outside - Moolah over to put a stop to it while Jarrett is in to yell at Kitty - well of COURSE this can only end in a figure four on Kitty. Moolah & Young ...very slowly...getting into the ring to stop it - Jarrett breaks the hold before they get there. More badmouthing from Jarrett.

 

Backstage, Mankind is getting some makeup - he's got a big surprise planned for the Rock...err...oh boy it's next?

 

GvsE promo featuring Mankind - pretty funny - but I STILL will be watching "the Simpsons!" And taping "Felicity!"

 

We're in the shadow of New York City! Really! It's right over there in that fog!

 

GTV brings us Droz opening up D'Lo Brown's bag...and puking in it. Well, that's probably preferable to what the wrestlers NORMALLY do in it, I suppose...

 

MANKIND leads "GvsE's" CHANDLER SMYTHE and HENRY NAME OBSCURED BY USA LOGO to the ring. "Hello New Jersey! Have we got one hell of a surprise for you tonight, and I'm glad two of my main men are here right now - maybe you saw a little promo for 'GvsE' with my two men Chandler Smythe and Henry McNeil and I'll tell you what - we did this show a couple months ago, I had a hell of a lot of fun, I think everybody's gonna like it and Mr. Socko makes a little appearance himself, but. In hanging out, I think these two learned a little bit about me and they can tell you straight up that as it pertains to Val Venis, Mankind does not like having his testicles grabbed by another man. I didn't like it when I was an Altar Boy and I didn't like it last week! So Val Venis, you get one free squeeze but now consider yourself warned. Chandler, Henry - now I'm gonna ask you to grab a special front row seat, because in a moment this arena is about to fill up with the type of electricity you've never seen before! And I don't want anybody to get hurt. So, what I'd like to do right now is play a little composition and see if you can guess who this special guests is right now!" "If ya smellll......" well sure it's LA ROCA. "Last week, you brought the Rock out, you brought out his coach, you brought out his teacher, and you brought out a girl who cut the Rock off at second base, and now you lost Rocko and you even lost the Rock's jacket? And now you wanna break up the Rock & Sock Connection? Well let the Rock make one thing perfectly clear - he never WANTED the Rock--" "Hold on, wait a minute - I know you never wanted the Rock & Sock Connection to breakup - which is why I'm here. You see after we spoke I had a little heart-to-heart with myself, I did some deep thinking, I did some serious soul searching, and I looked at the Man in the Mirror, and do you know what I saw?" Rock says 280 pounds of monkey crap. Mankind says he's made a decision - to rededicate his life and career to their tag team. "You see Rock, after fifteen years in this glorious business, I have decided that I do not want to go down in history as a three-time WWF Champion, I don't want to go down in history as a hardcore legend, I don't wanna be known as the guy who flew off the top of the Hell in the Cell. I don't even want to be known as a guy that used to wrestle in barbed wire, 'cause I did that type of thing. I want to be known from here on in as one half of the greatest tag team in WWF history - the Rock & Sock Connection!" Mankind leads a "Rock and Sock" chant. "I'll tell you what - it's a great day because even though we saw the postponement of Test and Stephanie's wedding, in some ways I feel like we just had a marriage take place right in here." Rock puts up his hand for Mankind to talk to. "Are you implying to the Rock that you are asking for his hand in marriage?" Figure of speech, says Mick. Rock says he's not...well I don't know how to spell it. "poontang pie" is just missed by the USA censor. "Well, Rock, I'm not a biology major, but I don't think I have any poontang (mute missed again) to offer you." "If you'd shut your mouth and listen, they are chanting the Rock's name." Cue the Pavlovian dogs! Mankind says he doesn't want them to end up like the Funks, Briscos (cue car repair shop plug), "I don't wanna end up like...like Skip & Zip - I know you don't wanna end up like Zip, and I sure as hell don't wanna end up like Skip! All I'm saying is I want us to be kinda like - the three Musketeers! All for one, and, by golly, one for all!" "The three Musketeers." "Yeah, you know, the guys with the swords - I love American history!" "You like swords, huh?" This leads into a familiar speil about what Rock might do with a sword - but just before he sticks it straight up their candyass, the Y2J countdown starts! I have been SAVED from this segment by CHRIS MONDAY JERICHO! "Welcome to RAW is JERICHO!" CURTIS HUGHES stands nearby. "You know, I was standing backstage listening to this ridiculously unfunny, unentertaining display between you two idiots - and I came to one conclusion. Rock, maybe you should accept the marriage proposal of this retard - I mean, I think that you would be perfect as the woman in a male and male relationship. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) Let's look at the evidence! Your ridiculous, effeminate hairstyle - your flashy, yet oh so sassy Versace wardrobe collection - and the worst example of all, your obsessive fixation with sticking inanimate objects up other male's anusses! (USA censor tries again, and fails) I mean it seems obvious to me that you ARE a little - (still can't spell it!) - so go ahead! Unite yourselves! That way you two idiots can get on your horse-drawn carriage, ride off into the sunset, and never, EEEEEEEEEEEVER waste the time of Y2J or all his Jerichoholics agayne." A fan rushes the ring here and we cut to an overly long shot of Jericho mugging while he's cleared out. "Before the Rock begins, you wanna keep your jerkoff dad out of the Rock's ring?" Hey, that didn't look like Ted Irvine! "After two boring minutes, the Rock says you should do two things, and that is know your role and shut your mouth! You think you impress the Rock? Why? Because a couple of months ago, you were beating some jabrone named Juventud? And now you wanna come onto the Rock's show ... and interrupt the Great One for the second time? Onto the Rock's show - surrounded by the millions ... of Rock's fans, and you refer to the Rock's show as..." "It's RAW--" "IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU REFER TO IT AS!" "Now seeing as you did something you just shouldn't have done and that's piss the Rock off, the Rock wasn't planning on doing anything tonight, but tonight...tonight the Rock's got a little gift for you - tonight, little jabrone, you can come to the Rock's ring - better yet you WILL come to the Rock's ring and go one on one with the great one! So according to the Rock's Rolex, you are exactly twenty minutes away - and the ROCK MEANS..." Mankind joins along and Rock gives him a look. "Don't you ever do that again, jabrone. If you smellllllllllll..." Mankind with a "lalalala" before Rock shoots him a glare. Rock finishes the catchphrase. Another twenty minutes of my life I'll never get back - but at least it was better than LAST week! Still, if the ratings were to not spike like last week, so as to give the impression that maybe we're not interested in sitting through this EVERY week...I'd be up for that.

 

How does Rock know who Juventud is when he has to ask Mankind who Val Venis is?

 

Backstage, Mankind says he'll give a match to Dude Love (Stevie Richards) later - but the Dudley Boyz rush both of them instead. Looks like we might have a tag match later...? The EMT's arrive - Mankind is up. "I'm okay, I'm okay - " then he checks out the rack on the blonde EMT and goes down "I'm hurt, I'm hurt..."

 

BRITISH BULLDOG v. THAT SLUT CHYNA - I missed the credits and ratings box, oh well. We're in the War Zone. Bulldog tries a sneaky move before the bell but Chyna pulls him outside instead. Whip hard into the STEEL steps. Chyna poses in the ring. Boot to the rope to the nads as he tries to get back in. On him until referee "Blind" Jim Korderas (cast free) separates them. Chyna with a gutshot and a DDT for 2. Forearm shots from Chyan, Bulldog reverses, and also goes to the eyes, but Chyna reverses a whip into the corner - nice flip from the Bulldog! Chyna motioning for the figure four - but JEDOUBLEF JADOUBLEREDOUBLET is out with a coffee urn shot. (DQ 1:16) - well, I guess Jarrett had grounds for that attack. Bulldog takes the mic. "I told ya there was no place for women in the World Wrestling Federation - I told ya I'd kick your ass and that's exactly what I did!" He puts her on his shoulder. "So Hunter, I'm giving you ten seconds to get out here and give me my title shot, or else I'm gonna plant her ass right in the middle of the ring. "1, 2, 3, I lied" and there's a running powerslam. That was pretty cool. Commentators wonder aloud if Triple H was even going to show.

 

Terry Taylor has the Dudley Boyz. They apparently broke the first commandment - "thou shalt not steal" - THEY found the jacket in the garbage and Mick had no right to try to steal it from them. Hmmmm...

 

Let Us Take You Back to Earlier Tonight where you see what you just seen

 

MANKIND & STEVIE RICHARDS v. DUDLEY BOYZ - sorry, that should be DUDE LOVE, as Richards comes out to "Theme from Dude Love" and with a graphic stating such. JIM ROSS is back out before the Dudz show up. Ring is rushed and it's on. As a Pier Four Brawl commences, the lights and music are up and BALD VENIS is out, opening his fly and pulling out - Mr. Rocko. Seeing Mr. Rock hanging out of his fly is enough to pull Mankind out of the match. Before Mankind can get a good piece of Venis, the Dudleyz are up on the stage to take out Mankind. Stevie joins THEM while Venis gets to the commentary area. Slowly we get back to the ring while Venis tells us he's lost all respect for Foley. Before he can finish his diatribe, B.B. Ray tosses Mankind into the commentary table - and Val's lap. Back in the ring, Mankind ducks a lariat and hits the double underhook DDT. Richards and Mankind take D-Von outside the ring and Richards follows. Val on the apron - Mandible Sock on Venis. Meanwhile, there's the 3D on Richards. 1, 2, 3. (2:41) For a brief moment, Rocko and Socko are reunited, but again the Dudleyz strike. Off the ropes - double DDT from Mankind! But Venis has absconded with Rocko. Hey, remember when Rocko was the LOD's best buddy?

 

Backstage, Vince McMahon exits a limousine.

 

When we come back, Vince is just finishing an entrance to "No Chance in Hell." "All right, Bulldog, I'm not gonna ask you to come out here and apologise to me. I'm not gonna ask you to apologise to the American public. I'm not even gonna ask you to apologise to your own countrymen in the United Kingdom. All I want you to do is apologise to the young lady whom you bashed in the head with a metal trash container. Bulldog, I'm asking ya, no, hell, I'm not asking ya, I'm DEMANDING you come out here right now and apologise to my daughter Stephanie McMahon!" BRITISH BULLDOG is at the top of the ramp. "I'm SICK and TIRED of apologies! I am not gonna apologise for something that was YOUR fault!" "Then you leave me no alternative than to invite you down the ramp, into the ring, and let me BEAT an apology out of ya! Come on! Come on Bulldog! Come on, let's go! Come on, you son of a bitch!" "Hold it right there - Big Boss Man! You think you can beat me? NOBODY can beat me? And lucky for you, I'm taking the rest of the night off." And off he goes.

 

Backstage, Chris Jericho is WALKING!

 

In another shot, the Rock is also WALKING!

 

Mankind shows off his ear again by way of a GvsE promo

 

No Mercy comes to you through the kind sponsorshi of Eidos - makers of "Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver!" I know what NONE of those words means!

 

LA ROCA v. AD BREAK - Rock enters first so we can learn that finally he's come back to Joisey. He promises to stick Curtis Hughes up Jericho's ass - now WHY did we have to go there?

 

Another GvsE promo - with Mankind!

 

LA ROCA v. CHRIS MONDAY JERICHO (with Curtis Hughes) - Jericho appears at the top of the ramp - and Hughes appears behind Rock and gets a sneak attack. Jericho in for the doubleteam. Referee "Blind" Earl Hebner gets Hughes out of the ring and rings the bell. Jericho still stomping away. Whip into the corner, follow clothesline. Still kick away on him - Hebner pulling him off and Jericho right back on him. Hebner pulls him away again, and Rock hits a clothesline out of the corner. Stomping from the Rock now. Head to the buckle, head to another buckle, right hand, whip into the opposite corner, Jericho sidesteps the charge and hits a facebuster. Lionsault! Jericho laying into him with rights. Clubbing forearm. Knife-edge chop - into the ropes, head down, kick from the rock, clothesline. Right, whip, reversal, duck, spinning heel kick from Jericho, who nips up. Side headlock - vertical suplex. "C'mon baby" only gets 2. Rock blocks a punch and lets loose with some of his own. Whip is reversed, gutshot and double underhook into a backbreaker from Jericho. 1, 2, no. To the headlock. Jericho with a shot to the chest and now he resumes the headlock. Rock to his feet - right, right, right, Jericho puts a side headlock on but Rock drops into a back suplex. Both men up slowly. Rock with a right, Jericho with a right, trading blows, Rock again - off the ropes, Hughes grabs Rock's feet and trips him up. Double leg takedown from Jericho, trying to turn it into the Liontamer - it's on!! Rock won't give up - reaching for the rope - crowd chanting "Rocky" - there's the rope. Hebner and Jericho argue - Hughes up on the apron. Hebner turns his attention to Hughes while Jericho takes Rock outside. Off the apron with a forearm. Both men over the barricade. Rock gets the better of it and clotheslines him back over the barricade - whip is reversed and Jericho hits a short clothesline. Cable choke while Hebner is again distracted by Hughes. The lights slowly go out as Rock is rolled back in. Some spotlights quickly go on as we catch Jericho waffling Rock with the bell. Cover - 1, 2, no! Jericho still on him - whip into the corner - Rock avoids the splash. Right, right, right, right, right. Now stomping in roughly the same amount. Whip is reversed, reversed again, and there's a DDT! 1, 2, Hughes pulls Hebner out of the ring. The lights are back on, guess that wasn't planned... double clothesline takes both men down. Hughes slides a metal chair into the ring. Both men up slowly - it is the Rock, with Rock Bottom on the chair! Here's the People's Elbow - 1, 2, 3. (7:43) BRITISH BULLDOG is quickly out and on the Rock. Meanwhile, Jericho is arguing with Huges on the outside. The refs are out but having trouble separating the two men. Hebner is STILL limping - wonder if Hughes managed to hurt HIM. Now VINCENT K. is out to get him some of Bulldog - no, just throwing him in to the Rock. Rock stomping away - BALLSHOT! As Vince looks on, we fade out...