The MeeThinks Friday FreeThinks: 09.28.07
Posted by John Meehan on 09.28.2007
Now with VIDEO, Rob Conway's Underwear, and a Throwdown You Won't Wanna' Miss!
Welcome back, all, and thanks for taking the time to stop by and see what we've got in store for you in this, your regularly scheduled week-end dose of wrestling optimism. It's The MeeThinks Friday FreeThinks: Shining 'rasslin's light from under a bushel since September, 2007!
We've got a TON of stuff to cover this time, including a bunch of exclusive videos (don't tell the 'E), plus some kickass "exclusive" photos (ok, not really "exclusive" -- but I haven't seen 'em on 411 yet, at least), and -- perhaps my personal favorite -- a good old fashioned SLOBBERKNOCKER of a 'net feud throwdown between yours truly and self-proclaimed "wrestling expert," author Irvin Muchnick.
I assure you, it's worth the wait.
On Tap This Week:
Operation Raw Deal Rocks Steroid Industry
WWE Offers Major Rehab Deal to Ex-Wrestlers
Want a Pair of Rob Conway's Underpants?
"SaveUs_222" Video Goes Viral, Stirs Speculation
Randy Orton Ties the Knot
THE MEETHINKS THROWDOWN: MUCH[NICK] ADO ABOUT NOTHING!!!
YouThinks: Minority main-eventers and Y2J is a.o.k.
YouThinks: No Mercy Destined for a Screwy Finish?
YouThinks: Sex, Drugs, WRESTLING, and Rock & Roll.
In the biggest national-and-quasi-wrestling-news item of the week, the D.E.A. arrested some 124 people from across the United States in connection with a performance-enhancing drug trafficking ring. The raid, codenamed "Operation Raw Deal," started with an investigation of some 30 Chinese companies that were shipping raw materials used for synthetic and anabolic steroids to the U.S. From there, the federal government busted just about 60 drug-lab sites in the U.S. alone, and seized 242 kilograms of steroids -- enough raw materials to produce an estimated 1.4 million units of steroid dosage.
On Monday, special Agent John Gilbride, a D.E.A. rep in New York City told reporters that the D.E.A. "will be identifying all the end users. We do have the lists of a lot of individuals and will be going through them. They may not all be prosecuted, but we will be identifying them."
MeeThinks?
Obviously this has the potential for HUGE repercussions across the professional wrestling industry. Many of 411's longest-tenured and well-spoken writers have already attested to that fact... and with a Congressional steroid inquiry into the world of pro wrestling now just days away? It's undoubtedly going to make for some rough waters ahead, both for 'rasslin promoters, performers, AND their fans.
ALL THAT SAID, however --
One HUGE and vital bit of information that seems to be getting lost in this "wrestling=steroids" scandal is that the D.E.A. seized enough 'juice to make for over A MILLION SEPARATE DOSES. Even if athletes are doping up on a daily basis (and thus ordering more doses apiece), that means that the sheer number of folks buying these drugs could easily still number into the high hundreds, thousands, or beyond.
In layman's terms?
It ain't just 'rasslers who are shooting up, people.
Again (and without question), the fallout from "Operation Raw Deal" is almost assured to result in a number of grapplers going down to a new slew of Wellness-related woes. But in the broader sense, MeeThinks that the sheer size of this raid should serve as a stark reminder to the entire world (and not just us "rasslin' fans") that performance-enhancing drug use continues to be a very real and very rampant problem in many an athletic realm today. In other words? Wrestling's gonna get dinged for this one, sure -- but if this rabbit hole goes as deep as it seems, people are going to have a LOT more to chip their teeth over than just a bunch of "fake fighters" popping pills for their pseudo-sport.
Obviously this one isn't really *big* news, per se, but it's always great to see a grappler doing something *positive*, for a change, so I thought it made for a fun little tidbit just the same. The following was taken from this eBay auction:
These items come directly from Rob Conway and are a must have item for any wrestling collector. At buyers request, the items can be signed by Rob as well, with a photo taken to verify authenticity. Rob is a personal friend of my husband. He will get these items signed to your specifications. PART OF PROCEEDS FOR THIS ITEM WILL BE DONATED TO THE CHILDRENS TUMOR FOUNDATION WWW.CTF.ORG. My son has Neurofibromatosis Type 1 which is why this charity was selected by Rob Conway. MORE ROB CONWAY STUFF TO COME!!!
Again, not particularly earth-shattering news or what have you, but a classy move by "The ConMan" and a welcome break from the usual cycle of "drugs, death, and pinkslips" that we so often hear from wrestlers past and present.
Early this week, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon sent a letter to more than 500 former WWWF/WWF/WWE performers. In it, the Chairman addressed the staggering number of dead wrestlers in the past decade, and offered a major restitution from World Wrestling Entertainment to any ex-employees who may be in need of rehabilitational services.
The complete text of the letter is below:
Over the last ten years, an inordinate number of wrestlers have passed away. Some of those deaths may in part have been caused by drugs and alcohol.
In an effort to prevent such tragedies in the future, the WWE is willing to pay for drug and/or alcohol rehabilitation at a certified treatment chosen by WWE for any performer with a prior WWE booking contract who may need this service. The WWE will pay for this service in full.
There is no cost to you or your family. Help will be provided regardless of the circumstances of your departure from the WWF or the amount of time you performed for the WWE.
If you do not have a drug and/or alcohol problem, but know you know a former WWE performer who does, we are asking you to try to help them by encouraging them to take advantage of this opportunity.
Liz Difabio has been appointed as a representative in this matter. Liz has been with the company for over 24 years and has been directly involved with the majority of WWE performers who have received treatment for substance abuse. She understands emotions that individuals and family members go through in this process. Any conversation you have with Liz will remain confidential and will not be released to the public.
In many instances, an individual in need of help is in denial and will not want rehabilitation. There are professional intervention companies that will help persuade that person that they need treatment. Liz will be able to facilitate such interventions, should they be necessary. An intervention and treatment will be at the cost of WWE exclusively.
This service is being provided for performers with a prior WWE booking contract only. No family or friends. Please reach out to Liz if you think you might have a drug or alcohol problem or if you know someone who does. We all need to do anything we can to help prevent another tragedy.
Sincerely,
Vincent K. McMahon
Chairman, World Wrestling Entertainment
Obviously this is HUGE news to former WWE stars the world over, as it really solidifies that their ex-employer is (nominally, at least) willing to work with them in order to curb a dangerous and all-too-regular trend throughout the wrestling industry.
Inevitably --
Many folks have come out in criticism of this letter, saying that it's little more than a "PR stunt" to help sail the 'E through their upcoming inquiry from Congress. Others have come out and said that this latest change in policy is "too little, too late," and nothing more than a large-scale example of a company "closing the barn doors after the horses were already gone."
To them I say --
A) So what?, and
B) Get over yourselves.
Whether WWE's motives in this particular venture are noble, ulterior or flat-out
selfish, the bottom line is that this is a welcome, and *much-needed* improvement for an industry that has gone without any broader system of health care, retirement benefits, and worker's union rights for WAYYY too long. Added bonus points for extending the benefit to *ALL* former talents regardless of how long they may have been with the company (see: Konnan), and on what sort of terms they might have made their exit (coughWarriorcough).
*(Cheap plug -- I wrote my University Honors thesis on this exact issue some two years ago. It's 50 pages long, but definitely worth a read if you've got the time).
Now sure, there's a certain amount of PR-savvy that goes into any decision by a major corporation to do right by those less fortunate than them -- but there's also an undeniable potential for POSITIVE change to be affected by this policy just the same. And "selfish" motives or not, if it keeps Mee from reading another headline about a dead wrestler? I could honestly care less about how "noble" the decision to institute the policy *may* or *may not* have been.
To curb any further gossip on the "what's up with Randy Orton" front (more on that below), it should be noted that the WWE star was given the week off by management in order to spend a few days with his new wife, Samantha Speno, who he married on Friday of last week.
Here's a photo of the new "Mr. and Mrs. Orton" taken at a recent autograph signing. If you take a gander at the right forearm of The Legend Killer, you can see that he's already added his lady-love's name to his ever-expanding collection of body art:
On behalf on myself and 411mania.com, a huge "congrats" to both Randy and Samantha. Not that they're reading this article, of course -- but MeeThinks at least one major self-proclaimed "Orton insider" most definitely is, for sure.
Just as this week's RAW went to its final commercial break (following the Coach's backstage "statement to the media"), viewers were treated to a cryptic video bumper, which ended with the mysterious message "SaveUs_222." This immediately set the internet forums and message boards ablaze with speculation, and a number of wrestling websites have taken to playing back the video in SUPER-SLOW-MOTION, and dissecting the thing in a frame-by-frame fashion in hopes to figure out what all it might mean.
Take, for example, this piece but 411's own Dan Wilcox.
Anyhow, the long and short of it is that *MANY* wrestling fans are speculating that this video footage is a surefire tip-off that none other than CHRIS JERICHO will be returning to World Wrestling Entertainment, possibly as soon as their October PPV, No Mercy.
In case you missed the video when it originally aired, feel free to take a look at it on the left-hand side of the table below. To the right of that table, I've included video of the payoff to the last "cryptic countdown" in WWF/E history -- which, as we all know -- culminated with the initial debut of "The Millennium Man" himself, Chris Jericho.
"SaveUs_222" Promo
"Millennium Countdown"/ Y2J Debut
MeeThinks?
It's Jericho, people. No need to read any further into things than that. Save yourself the effort -- it's a well-made teaser for Jericho, lumped in with a bunch of random crap that people on this site (and others like it) are spending WAAAAY more time disecting than ANYONE at WWE ever did.
(Though it definitely got people talking. So mission accomplished!)
The "SaveUs_222" video is a brilliantly executed attempt at viral marketing on the part of World Wrestling Entertainment. To wit, it's something of a "DiVinci Code" for 'rasslin fans, who have long felt that the 'E was in serious need of a good "shot in the arm" (that DIDN'T come from an anabolic needle). The video is great, because it's designed to get people talking and to keep them guessing -- and it's working to perfection, as people are finding themselves genuinely excited over the prospect of the guy's return.
*For those of y'all reading this column at work and/or who may be just too lazy to sit through a seven-minute-video, here's a transcript taken from the first few minutes of Chris Jericho's first RAW debut promo (originally aired way back on August 9, 1999). I've highlighted the most pertinent part in bold:
Chris Jericho: "Welcome to RAW IS JERICHO!!! And I am the new millennium for the World Wrestling Federation! Now for those of you who don't know me I am Chris Jericho, your... your new hero, your party host and most importantly the most charismatic showman to ever enter your living room via a television screen. Now when you think of the new millennium, you think of an event so gigantic that it changes the course of history. You think of a dawning of a new era. In this case the dawning of a new era in the WWF.
(to fans chanting the Rocks name) Thank you, Thank you.
And a new era is what this once proud and profitable company sorely needs. Chris Jericho has come to save the WWF! You can care less about every single idiot in the dressing room, and espically this idiot in the middile of the ring. (points to the Rock) You people have been lead to believe that mediocrity is excellence -- uhunh -- JERICHO is excellence. And now for the first time in WWF history, you have a man who can entertain you. You have a man who is good enough for you. You have a man you can make you jump up off your chairs, raise your filthy fat little hands in the air and scream 'Go Jericho Go! Go Jericho Go! Go Jericho Go!' Thank you. The new millennium has arrived in the WWF and now that the Y2J problem is here, this company, from the front office idiots, to all the amateurs in the dressing room, including this one (points to the Rock), to everybody watching tonight will never, EHH-EHH-EHHHVER... be the same again!"
"Chris Jericho has come to save the WW[E]?"
"SaveUs_222?"
Well alrighty then. Let the countdown begin. Again.
... unless, of course, it's all just one major swerve for the WWE return of...
But that'd just be absurd.
Speaking of absurd... grab your popcorn, kiddies -- cuz' it's time for the much-ballyhooed:
THE MEETHINKS THROWDOWN: MUCH[NICK] ADO ABOUT NOTHING!!!
Warning in advance: This one's gonna' get a bit wordy, folks. But if you're a fan of a good old-fashioned "OMG ITZ A WEB FEUDZZ!!" -- then you're in for a major treat, as I'm about to sine yo piddy on da runny kine.
Translation: Oh it's on like Donkey Kong.
On Monday afternoon, I received a forwarded copy of an e-mail from 411Wrestling's Wrestling Co-editor, Steven Randle. Seems that Irv Muchnick, wrestling author and self-proclaimed "expert" took issue with MeeThinks on his coverage of an alleged suicide attempt by one Randy Orton (as reported in last week's column). The long story short was that:
1) Muchnick published a story suggesting that Randy Orton attempted suicide in the past year.
2) I noted that his story was LOADED with factual discrepancies (and flat-out innacuracies).
3) I said as much.
4) He got offended, said as much on his blog, and sent Randle an e-mail informing him of the same.
Anyhow --
Muchnick's blog entry/e-mail is printed in its entirety below. For ease of reading, I've italicized and indented the text of his message, I've included a few pertinent third-party sources (indented in non-italic, blue text), and I've interjected my comments in non-italicized (and non-indented) text where appropriate.
Enjoy.
Much of the reaction to the report here of Randy Orton's rumored suicide attempt in the spring of 2006 looks through the wrong end of the lens. This is typical of a mentality holding that the paramount value is to protect the business. In reality, such a stance is destroying the pro wrestling business.
Oh brother. Here we go...
And it's doubly ironic because if the story is proven true – as I'm confident it will be – and proceeds to reach a certain threshold of public awareness, Orton's bosses at World Wrestling Entertainment will have no qualms about incorporating it into a new storyline. (As I post this, Teddy Long is "semi-comatose" from a Viagra reaction.) They won't miss a beat, and the fans will buy tickets and pay-per-views on the basis of a fiction loosely based on a fact.
Now I know I may not have the same "unimpeachable" sources that you have, Irv... but I seem to see a clear discrepancy here. Your version of the Orton "suicide attempt" = intentional misuse of prescription medications. WWE's angle featuring the Teddy Long coma = unintentional misuse of prescription medications. In your story, Orton was depressed, despondent, and deliberate in his actions. In WWE's? Teddy Long was elated, hopeful, and never saw it coming.
Moreover, if the message WWE is conveying with their storyline is ultimately one of "drugs are dangerous" (as Teddy Long's "drug-related coma" would indicate), I fail to see the taboo. Going a step further, pro wrestling has "faked" injuries in order to get an angle or performer over for generations (a fact to which your late uncle, wrestling promoter Sam Muchnick, would have attested). Should kayfabed injury angles -- a longtime staple of the industry -- be likewise "off-limits" as well, since they're really no more than "a fiction based loosely on fact?" After all, we wouldn't wanna' cheapen those actually hurt by letting somebody else "play pretend" with a fake injury, ya' know.
Strike one, Irv.
And wrestling fans wonder why they have a lousy reputation?
This comment is just too good to ignore -- but I'll save responding to it until the very end of this e-mail.
An Internet columnist by the name of John Meehan criticized my report at http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/columns/60170/The-MeeThinks-Friday-FreeThinks:-09.21.07.htm. Great. Lively dialogue makes the world go 'round. Unfortunately, Meehan's gripes ranged from half-legit to delusional, as I pointed out to him in a September 21 email. The text is below; I've not heard back.
Gee that's funny, Irv, because I never once received an e-mail from you. Dunno' what address you're using there, Irv -- but mine is clearly posted at the bottom of this page (as it is every single week). Pretty crazy that your message would "magically disappear" when dozens more successfully reach my inbox on a weekly basis, huh? Especially since I've shown zero problem posting viewpoints different from my own (just ask Andrew "Test" Martin) in the YouThinks Reader Mail section in this and every MeeThinks column for the past three years. But you're right... I must be "ducking" you.
Strike two.
For an example of a much more sensible reaction to the Orton story, you can turn to a blog of his fans called "RKO Rules." See the post and discussion board at http://community.livejournal.com/pieces_of_randy/37697.html. Imagine that: people who actually express concern about Randy Orton's health and life, rather than knee-jerk denial of unpleasant news and fear of his being wiped off their TV screens and fantasy worlds.
Ok, Irv. I took your advice and visited this same forum to which you'd so kindly linked. As of this writing, there were only seven users who'd commented on the Orton story on that page. As such, I found the following posts quite prominently displayed ON THAT VERY FORUM (you know, the "sensible" and "concerned" forum you'd so fervently encouraged Mee to read). I've highlighted the most pertinent parts in bold:
*"Off the air, [radio host Brian] Stull had spoken with Cowboy Bob Orton, Randy's father. Bob Orton told Stull the report was false. Bob Orton also said he had spoken with his son, and Randy said he had no idea where this rumor started.
*To follow up on a story that we reported on yesterday, there has been no one inside the WWE locker room that has backed up the claims by wrestling journalist Irv Muchnick that Randy Orton attempted suicide earlier this year.
*journalist Bryan Alavrez denies this: from this week's f4w newsletter:
A rumor is swirling that World Wrestling Entertainment star Randy Orton attempted suicide within the last year. Very well-placed wrestling sources tell me that the rumor is true." All I know is that after this story came out I talked to someone in WWE who would likely have been in a position to know this information who said they had not heard such a thing. They said Orton did have a "personal issue" at one point, but at the time they'd chalked it up to perhaps a drug issue, and could not confirm or deny any stories of a suicide attempt. Irv speculated that this may have been the reason he was not suspended when the list of Signature patients came out. Actually, I believe the reason he wasn't suspended was because he wasn't on the Signature list.
Now I know it must pain you to see even your own "sensible and concerned" sources leave you out in the cold, Irv... but a spade's a spade. You said "check out this forum to see what CARING people really think." I did, and that's what I found.
Strike three?
Ok then -- doesn't look like you're off to a good start, but let's get to the body of your "throwdown" -- err, e-mail (which, again, was never actually sent to my inbox -- but never mind the details):
1. You and I disagree over what is "a major detail." As browsers of my blog can see, I immediately corrected the error about the Legend Killer gimmick, which did indeed precede Eddie Guerrero's death (though, for defenders of WWE's taste, I must say that the correction might be worse than the disease). I also immediately — as in minutes — corrected Congressman Tom Davis's state in my column for BeyondChron; that kind of copyedit touch-up happens all the time between editions of a newspaper. Which shows better faith: my lack of defensiveness about these very minor errors, or your need to hype them as "major" without even referencing the quick, voluntary corrections?
1) You stated that "You and I disagree over what is "a major detail," and in that you are 100% correct. Where I come from, your timetable surrounding the "Legend Killer" gimmick (and your erroneous claim that WWE bestowed this moniker on one of their performers following the death of one Eddie Guerrero) is what we in the writing biz like to call a "GLARING FACTUAL ERROR" -- and a major one at that, as it slants your entire story in a completely different light. Ditto for goofing on the timetable of this alleged "suicide" attempt -- which (by your own admission in later interviews) falls WELL before the "past year" mark as you'd initially indicated.
While we're talking "MAJOR ERRORS" -- here's a few from your book "Wrestling Babylon" that Eric Cohen picked up over at About.com:
One page of this book is so horrifically wrong that it just threw into doubt everything else I had previously read. The only reason that this page stayed in the book, was not changed, or even had a correcting post-script can only be because these "facts" were used to prove his point. His point was that after SummerSlam 92, the top performers in the company were going to be steroid monsters despite claims by the WWE that they were changing directions in the wake of the steroid scandal.
The first big mistake was that the "Anabolic Warrior" was going to win the WWE Title at SummerSlam 92 (he lost). The next paragraph was that the Legion of Doom, "the catalyst of the contemporary steroid craze", were going to win the tag team titles. They weren't even in a title match that night. The tag team title match featured the champions Earthquake & Typhoon, two morbidly obese wrestlers, successfully defend their titles. The worst part was the next paragraph that said that wrestlers like Bret Hart and Randy Savage were "too small to set the standard for drug-free sports entertainment." Savage was the WWE Champion when the article was written and had previously held that honor for a year. A few months later, Bret went on to become the WWE Champion and was the biggest star in the company for almost five years.
Ouch. Seems like these occassional "minor mistakes" aren't exactly a new thing for you, eh Irv?
When a "real" news outlet gaffes in their coverage of a pro 'rasslin nuance, the sin is at least partially forgivable (like when The Today Show mistakenly identifying Chris Benoit's in-ring nickname of "The Canadian Strangler"), as they don't claim to be quote-unquote "insiders" or "experts" in the realm of wrestling journalism. You, sir, do -- and thus your all-too-convenient oversight (ignorance?) of a "minor" wrestling FACT is all the more egregious. Is this the sort of fact-checking readers can expect from your long-form publications?
Back to you, Irv!
2. Why you represent that I claimed "that Randy Orton was ‘downgraded for a few weeks in TV storylines'" is simply mystifying. Please read the following consecutive sentences, as quoted in your own item: "Some vague number of the miscreant wrestlers, not named, were 'suspended,' but the suspension appears to have consisted of simply being downgraded for a few weeks in TV storylines. From the same evidence, Randy Orton was not touched at all." One universally accepted fact is that Randy Orton was not in this current round of suspensions. Your reading of my written words is much sloppier than those very words.
2) In regards to Orton's "on-air-downgrade," you say that my "reading of [your] written words is much sloppier than those very words." My sincerest apologies, as I was thrown by your introduction of the words "on-air downgrade", which seem to create an artificial (unnecessary?) substitute for the more conventionally accepted term of "SUSPENSION." To recap, that which *TYPICAL* fans have defined for decades as a "suspension," you are now terming as an "on-air downgrade," correct? Got it. In that case (thanks to the wonders of your invent-a-word-3000 approach), you are indeed correct in noting that Randy Orton was "not touched" by the latest round of suspensions... err, I mean... "on-air downgrades." Unless you've got another conspiracy theory to explain his "myserious absence" on RAW this week.
In that same vein...
3. Unquestionably, Kennedy et al. were kicked off TV for a while, and that was most inconvenient for them and for WWE's creative team. I also understand that some, most, or all of them are being rushed back in 20-odd days, which makes for a strange 30-day suspension. And in any case, aren't suspensions, by definition, "on-air downgrades"? Where's the "major hole" promised by the intro to your bullet points?
No, Irv. By definition, a suspension is an OFF-air downgrade, in that you're not allowed on the air during your punishment. As for "Where's the 'major hole' promised by the intro?" I'm pretty sure we've already covered this at length, but I'll go over it once more just to make sure that we're on the same page. Among them: rampant examples of revisionist history, a MAJOR flub on the origins of the "Legend Killer" gimmick, a faulty timetable on the date of the alleged suicide attempt, the needless inclusion of irrelevant details, etc.
Clear as mud? Good. Strike five, is it?
4. You seem to be saying that if Randy Orton did not attempt suicide between September 2006 and September 2007, but did attempt suicide between March or April of 2006 and September 2006, then a report of such an incident "within the last year" (quickly amended to a more accurate time frame) is utterly invalidated. I think your priorities are trivial, and I think most reasonable readers would feel the same
No, Irv. If, in fact, this professional wrestler *did* indeed attempt to take his own life, then it'd be nice to see such a sensitive story covered in a likewise professional and sensitive manner -- not in a salacious piece of shock journalism that's loaded with glaring factual oversights from a so-called "expert" who's just out to keep his name in the news and sell a few books.
You've got it on "good authority" that Orton may have overdosed within the past few years? Fine, SAY THAT. Don't drum up some overarching conspiracy theory about how Orton's history of addiction has lead to the "evil corporation with the paper-thin drug policy" treating him with the kid gloves simply out of fear that they might lose their meal ticket if they come down too hard on the poor guy. While it's painfully clear that you're still sore at "the evil Vince McMahon" for obliterating your uncle's beloved NWA territory into obscurity... that was thirty years ago, dude. Might I suggest:
To that end, I found it both telling and sad that you defended your error-riddled story in the Figure4Wrestling podcast, saying "there are different standards for the blogosphere." Pardon the language, Irv, but "Bull. Shit." You can't build a "blogosphere" reputation on half-truths only to turn around and ask people to take you seriously the second you publish a book. Of course, if your books are as factually sound as Mr. Cohen so graciously pointed out...
Your turn:
5. I don't think you're saying that I had no right to include those details of Orton's private life (which were culled, by the way, from a joint interview he and his fiancee did this spring in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Still, when a writer has to explain too much, he's probably composed a passage too cryptic for comfort. I therefore accept your criticism on this one. I thought the information in that paragraph was interesting, but the item could have done without it and probably would have been better received without it.
Irv Muchnick
Never said you "had no right to include those details of Orton's private life" in your story, nor do I take issue with the source from which you culled those details in the first place. What I *said* was that, in the tacked-on manner in which those final details were presented, they weren't "too cryptic for comfort" -- they simply bore no relevance on your story. If you wanna' tell a story with a lede like "Orton has it all: fame, fortune, a big house, a beautiful wife" etc. and then launch into your "but all is not well in the world of The Legend Killer" exposé, go right ahead. That way, even if your content was suspect (which is was, is, and will continue to be) -- at least the story would read more coherently.
And finally, that brilliant rhetorical question from the outset of Muchnick's latest piece...
And wrestling fans wonder why they have a lousy reputation?
When so-called "industry experts" with "unimpeachable sources" rush salacious, poorly-researched and factually innacurate stories to print (simply because "controversy creates cash" and, in their mind at least, "there are different standards for the blogosphere") -- well no, Irvin, I don't.
But as a fellow writer and as a wrestling fan for over twenty years, I'd like to be the first to commend you for your continued efforts toward dispelling the "sensationalist" stigma that is far too often levied against this great pseudo-sport of kings. Moreover, I applaud you for presenting your material in a manner that is sure to restore a much-needed modicum of credibility to we wrestling fans at large; a group that is routinely and unfairly characterized as "lowbrow" and "tasteless" by so much of today's society. To that end, I salute you both for your commitment to journalistic excellence ("blogosphere" facts be damned and all!), and for naming your books with such subtle, nuanced, and understated titles as "BENOIT: Wrestling with the Horror That Destroyed a Family and Crippled a Sport"; "CHRIS AND NANCY: The True Story of the Benoit Murder-Suicide and Pro Wrestling's Cocktail of Death!"; and "WRESTLING BABYLON: Piledriving Tales of Drugs, Sex, Death, and Scandal."*
Pure class right there.
* In fairness to these titles, I should note that Muchnick's past literary endeavours have earned ringing praise from the likes of Frank Deford ("Irv Muchnick knows wrestling like Anna Wintour knows fashion") and the New York Post ("Loaded with detailed and well-researched goodies"). But then again, in order for these plaudits to hold water, these critics should -- in theory -- likewise be pretty familiar with the subjects on which they remark ("Never trust a skinny chef," you know?). Now without question, both of his "blurbers" are indeed well-recognized in the literary field -- but then again, I'm also pretty sure that "professional wrestling" falls into *neither of their respective areas of expertise. As such, I'll take their accolades (and Irv's future "news" reports) with a well-earned grain of salt.
I mean, sure, Paris Hilton is a published author and all... but I dunno' if I'd trust her take on Tolstoy.
And so, to bring this sucker to a close:
Thanks for reading, Irv. I knew you would!
Meehan: 1 Muchnick: 0
Since you haven't quite yet mastered the art of sending an e-mail, please don't waste your time with a blog response. Though I'm sure your readers (both of 'em) would love to be linked back my way, and all, MeeThinks I've already given you enough free press the way it is.
YouThinks Reader Mail
Dave Singh gets us started this week.
Hope your all good Mr. Meehan, back again with some things I thought I would point out:
What does Teddy Long, Ron Simmons, Kristal, the priest, the two best men, The Godfather all have in common?
They are all black.
Now I know that is quite a random statement but I noticed watching the wedding segment on Smackdown last week how these black African Americans were put in the main event segment and given a major storyline with major time given to them, shows how far the business really has come in terms of race in the past 10-15 years, don't you think? I am all for it and praise they are letting this happen.
Now one thing I have seen going around is to do with the clip "Save_US.222" shown on Raw this week. I watched it and my second thought was what everyone is thinking....Chris Jericho. It made sense to me at the time, Jericho always had the countdown number-esque thing in his videos and his debut was similar with a countdown. I also did the freeze frame thing and I noticed what everyone else noticed, all the clues etc. What do you think about the situation?
The one clue I found was:
5.0.7OCT - 7th October = No Mercy = Chicago, Illinois, Allstate Arena
Never know, it could all be a ruse and it could turn out to be my original thought.....a promo for The Hart Foundation 2.0. I do not know why but that was my original thinking when the video clip played and especially when I kept seeing Save_US.222 flashing on the screen.
Because, everyone seems to believe that Save_US.22 refers to "save us" as in what Y2J repeatedly used to say when he debuted. However, it could also mean "Save US", as in the USA. After all, "us" is never spelt in capitals and when it is, it refers to America. The Hart Foundation coming in as an anti-US stable, could be quite interesting and could make them stars. Never know.
Just a thought.
Take care man
Dave
Thanks for writing, Dave. Like I said above -- the Y2J theory seems to be the best fit going these days, but many a fan has speculated on The Harts and a buncha' others... so who knows, right? On the bright side, REGARDLESS of how it ultimately turns out, it's getting fans EXCITED about a pro wrestling angle once again -- which is something I haven't really seen (to this extent, at least) since Matt Hardy "invaded" RAW after his firing back in 2005.
Of course, we all know how *that* one fizzled out -- but in the past year, Hardy's really been on a roll. And whether it's Jericho, the Harts, or anybody else, if the rest of the "SaveUs_222" angle is as impressive as the kickoff has been? MeeThinks that wrestling fans are in for one pretty sweet ride no matter how it pans out.
And yes, as you noted, major props are in order to WWE for the diversity in their main event picture -- particularly in the case of Smackdown. In addition to each of the high-profile black superstars featured in the wedding angle that you mentioned, you'll also note that blue brand mainstays Mysterio, Mark Henry, Batista and Khali are each of minority descent as well. Ditto for RAW's Bobby Lashley (when he comes back healthy), Umaga (once he returns from suspension), Carlito (and to a lesser extent, WWE midcarders like Shelton Benjamin and Chavo Guerrero), and ECW's "Big Daddy V" (not to mention Elijah Burke and The Boogeyman -- who are peripheral main-eventers on the third brand, when needed).
Alex O'Keeffe likewise has him some Y2J on the brain:
I'm so psyched for this rumoured Jericho return... but i've had this thought. wat if the WWE has him return to cause a double count out in this last man standing match for the WWE title? for his story it would work but it would mean another screwjob finish for a ppv main event.
- Alex O'Keeffe
Good point, Alex. If WWE *did* decide to go with the "no-finish" finish for RAW's No Mercy main event, then that'd make for two PPV's in a row where the red brand ended a PPV with a less-than-conclusive result. Now while that's usually a surefire recipe to send fans home hcrappy... MeeThinks that both critics and uberfans alike would be more than willing to take a "non-finish" if it came with a Jericho return to soften the blow.
Smart call, Alex. Dunno' if the 'E will ultimately go that route -- but I for one would HAPPILY take a screwjob finish to Orton/Cena III if it meant that I'd be guaranteed a high-profile return for the Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla.
William Jansen chimes in with HisThinks all the way from Denmark!
Hi Meehan
Thank you for many great articles on 411wrestling-website. I thought this article might interest you:
In short: Wrestling has approx. 400% increase in the risk of death to it's performers (the recent HBO-special as source). The music-industry has approx. 200-300% increase in death among it's most successful performers. A closer study might indicate that the number was higher, because the less successful performers are probably more likely to have lived in poverty which carries an increased risk of death (that is a general statement relevant to the majority of society, which I assume also applies to the music-industry's former performers). Also the music-industry study is age, gender and nationality-adjusted, and if HBO's numbers aren't, then the two segments of the entertainment industry are pretty close to even.
I think one of the reasons that WWE is being picked upon is that the main-stream media doesn't need WWE as a content-provider, the same way they need the music-industry. It would be more justified to call this a general problem within the entertainment industry (an industry tht includes WWE), instead of making it a WWE-problem.
Anyway, I am not a blogger or a columnist, but I thought somebody with your skill-set could use this to expose the hypocrisy of the media. But please don't turn it into a 'trying to clean yourself with other peoples dirt'-deals. I know the English-language doesn't have 'don't clean yourself with other peoples dirt' as a saying, but you catch my drift hopefully, and I don't know how to say it with a regular English expression.
Once again thanks for the good work.
Be Happy!
- William Jansen
Brilliantly said, William, and thank you for your insightful and well-thought-out contribution!
MeeThinks you absolutely nailed it with this sentence alone: I think one of the reasons that WWE is being picked upon is that the main-stream media doesn't need WWE as a content-provider, the same way they need the music-industry.
You could not be more correct. If Congress cracks down on drugs in Hollywood, then all their famous friends (and campaign supporters) go bye-bye -- which is a media nightmare when you're a guy like, say, John Kerry, who depends largely on the pop-appeal of every celebrity under the sun to help "get out the vote" for your camp. (This happens on BOTH sides of the political aisle, of course, but Kerry's "Vote For Change" tour just happens to stand out as the most recent and obvious example of mobilized-celebrity-support-for-a-candidate campaign, is all).
Major League Baseball routinely draws MILLIONS more fans than professional wrestling. Ditto for your average Hollywood movie, as well as your average top-selling recording artist on a world tour. I don't have concrete figures in front of Mee, but i'd wager that ticket sales for an act like The Dave Matthews Band alone probably rake in more money than the combined salary for every single performer on all three WWE rosters put together.
That's big bidness.
Not to sound like a crazy guy on a soap box, but if the U.S. Congress was really so dead serious about "winning the war on drugs," then they'd have agents waiting to administer drug tests in the dressing areas and locker rooms of *every* major concert, theatre, and sporting event in the country.
Instead, they go after the wrestlers... but only when one of 'em goes apeshit.
Long and short of it? We'll see what long-range impact this latest round of Congressional investigations into the "drug underbelly" of pseudo-sports turns up. My guess (sadly), is that there'll be a lot of grandstanding and hot air -- and little in the way of actual recourse or change effected when all's said and done.
Willy Nelson, meanwhile, will continue to brag about how much dope he's smoked over the past week alone.
Finally, a quick clarification from Kevin Olene:
As usual, another good column. Just wanted to mention one thing on the opening quote:
"Win if you can. Lose if you must. But *ALWAYS* cheat!"
Back when Jesse was still Jim and slinging tires in the Montgomery Ward's Northtown Store's tire shop, that quote was uttered first by the legendary Mad Dog Vachon on AWA tv. Just thought I'd mention that, though I have no doubt Jesse would have "borrowed" it.
- K. Olene
Well scouted, Kevin! And MeeThinks you're 100% right on that one -- though Jesse Ventura most definitely brought that particular quip to the level of national noteriety. Of course, coming from Superstar Billy Graham... err, I mean... "Jesse Ventura" -- perhaps "borrowing" from other acts isn't exactly uncharted waters, eh?
And With That... I'm Outta' Here
That does it for Mee 'till next Friday, folks. Thanks for reading once again, and do feel free to shoot Mee an e-mail with YourThinks by way of the e-mail address below if you feel so inclined (I know these things can be tricky, Irv). 'Till next time, enjoy the first official weekend of fall, set your TiVos for a Monday Night shootout (GO PATS GO!!!), and always stay positive.
