Hidden Highlights 07.28.08: Issue #152

Posted by JP Prag on 07.28.2008

Mark Henry proves he is the World’s Strongest Champion at the Bash, Michael Cole forgets what night RAW is on, John Morrison remembers his past wins, Sharmelle dresses for bed, Ezekiel acts as a good attendant for Brain Kendrick, and more!

Hidden Highlights
By JP Prag

Issue #152

Commentator: Previously, on Hidden Highlights…

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Commentator: The controversy of new format continued to the point where some people decided that no positivity was preferable to adjusting to a major change after three years.

ONE PISSED OFF CANUCK: This way sucks, I guess no more Hidden Highlights for me. For shame.

Comentator: And while some people were driven away, new readers were being found every day.

T. LaRue: I pretty much stopped watching wrestling after that Benoit shit went down, but I'm really glad to see that the subtle stuff like that doesn't go unnoticed.

Commentator: Some people understood the idea of the new format…

Jake: I thought the old way was good, but I think this is better because there are more quality highlights. With old way of getting 3 in each show, you could end up with some pretty weak highlights, but now you might only have 1 or 2 weak highlights and 13-15 strong highlights.

Commentator: … While others felt it was a disruption to what they enjoy…

Stan: The new format is lazy in effort and HTML coding. I used to enjoy a nice long read. If it's written by fans, why rank and possibly not include highlights? That's very discouraging!

Commentator: Some blindly accepted what is given to them…

Rick Landis: JP knows what's best for us.

Commentator: … and others yet were more likely to give critical and helpful feedback…

Greg: This time you guys are jumping all over the place and it gets distracting.

Commentator: Meanwhile, things went on behind the scenes as JT came to JP's and the new format's defense in fan forums.

JT: Go easy on JP. Trust me, writing HH even as a two man team is a chore and a half. Breaking each show down, doing all the HTML work, the banners, the repore, the writer/writer interaction, the emails etc etc. can be brutal.

Commentator: But even friends of Hidden Highlights learned that being too close to the article can cost you more than you would believe.

Nick Noel: So the US finally decided to kick me out of the country, I'm leaving tonight. But I know I still at least get iMpact and RAW in Australia, so you haven't fully escaped from the man, the myth, the … you know what, I'm still pretty sick.

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Commentator: And now, 411mania.com proudly presents…





JP: Hello everyone who still needs the floor washed after a house party, and welcome back to Hidden Highlights! If you've never been here before, let me tell you what we are doing in these pages.

Hidden Highlights are about the little things that make the product great. They are about showing the positive motions all those involved in wrestling do to make a better show. The Miz may hold his opponents hands down to make a pin attempt better. Charles Robinson may let a little tear shed from his eye every time someone mentions Ric Flair. Mike Tenay may tell you about the 17 year history of a visiting wrestler and make them sound huge in one sentence. These are all examples of little things that make the product far better.

Every week this article spotlights the Top 15 Hidden Highlights of the week, whether the be from television (RAW, ECW of SciFi, iMPACT, SmackDown!, and a PPV or television special if there is one), the past, small shows, tapes, or the indy scene.

This article may have an author, but it is also dependent upon the readers and true fans of professional wrestling—those who love what they watch and want to tell the world what they have found. The Top 15 are chosen from what I see and what readers write-in. Whatever is the best is what you'll see!

And who am I? Well, I am JP Prag, and I bring you Hidden Highlights with one goal in mind: to appreciate all those little things that make a huge difference.

Now let's get on with the Hidden Highlights!


(15) Shhhhhhh

JP: We'll kick it off in the past with last week's SmackDown in a couple that came in a bit late. First up is Adam Winstone!

Adam Winstone: What up mate?

JP: Way too much! It's two hours twenty minutes before deadline (and six hours twenty minutes until I need to wake up) and I'm writing an article and scanning in my expense receipts for the week. But you want to talk SmackDown, right?

Adam Winstone: You bet! During the Finlay/Hornswoggle v Rated Rmy Tag match, JR reffered to Dave Finlay as 'the quiet man', as he is one of those strong silent types your mother fancies. Of course this also references the John Wayne film of the same name (not a co-incidence seeing as JR is a big a fan of the Duke) and the film is set in ireland about an (Irish-american) professional fighter.

Say what you want about JR, he's still rocking the HH's

JP: I am no JR fan, but he does manage to slip a few things in there. I think since he's been moved to SmackDown he (1) cares less what happens to him and his job, which makes him say all sorts of fun stuff and (2) is thrown off his comfort zone without the King. These two are better without each other because they were so comfortable there was no difference between them. Now that King can beat up Michael Cole and Foley can idolize JR, all is fine in the announce booth. What was that? Mike Adamle? Errrr… hey, we got another prior week's SmackDown…


(14) Wedding bells ring

Jamie: My HH is from Smackdown 7/18.

JP: Yes, I believe I covered that.

Jamie: During the Mr. Kennedy vs. Umaga match I noticed that Mr. Kennedy was wearing his wedding band. Usually wrestlers tape up their hands if their wearing a ring or they take the ring off for their match but Mr. Kennedy didn't.

JP: I wonder if he was just inspired by Vickie and Edge's wedding and felt he should show off his ring as well?


(13) The leg bone is connected to the…

JP: Since I can't seem to escape it, here's even more of last week's SmackDown!

Aaron: Hey I have a hidden highlight from the June 18th airing of SmackDown…

JP: Yes, that is known…

Aaron: … during Edge and Vicky's wedding.

JP: Oh!

Aaron: While Edge was shown macking on the wedding planner, he started complaining about his "trapezoid." I laughed my butt off at this because a trapezoid basically a four-sided polygon with 3 sides having equal length. This little slip clearly shows Edge didn't pay much attention in his biology/anatomy class. What he should have said was "trapezious."

JP: Oh, I'm pretty sure Edge knew EXACTLY what he was saying!


(12) I made a huge mistake

JP: I think that catches us up to everything in the past so we can move on to the curr—

Mike Labbe: Not so fast!

JP: Eh?

Mike Labbe: Just remember, you did this to yourself.

JP: Did wha— oh no! You wouldn't!

Mike Labbe: Yes, to continue in the tradition of wrestling in TV or movies:

The 1982 movie Creepshow is a horror anthology consisting of 4 separate tales. In the second story "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill" Stephen King plays the dimwitted hick Verrill. After discovering a meteor that has fallen from the sky Verill retires to his residence for a cold beer and some television. What is the program he chooses to watch, professional wrestling of course. The match: WWF Champion: Bob Backlund vs. one half of the Wild Samoans Sika from Madison Square Garden with Vince McMahon calling the action. I believe the match took place March 24, 1980.

JP: I think we'll take your word for it, unless you want to Ask411's newest host Chris Lansdell! Oh yes, please, let's see if we can set a record for scaring away hosts of that article.


(11) Welcome to Friday night

JP: All right, now let's take it to this week with Monday Night RAW. At least, I think it was Monday night, because there was quite a funny little slip up by RAW's play-by-play announcer Michael Cole. After the Santino and Beth Phoenix segment, they started to go to commercial and pimp the main event. As the graphic came up, Michael Cole said, "Coming up next on Friday Night RAW…." Oh, Michael Cole, some habits are really hard to break. But to his credit, Cole did not flinch at all and kept going. So well was his cover that the King did not even try to correct him.


(10) Going back in time

JP: On the subject of questionable wording, something else caught my ear on iMPACT this week. They were doing a video package for Kaz and they caught up to current times with Kaz winning a match at Sacrifice this year that at the time was called "The Terror Dome". But during the video, they called the match the "Steel Asylum". Looks like TNA did not like the name and has decided to retcon it as much as the WWE has done with John Morrison vs. CM Punk last June.


(9) Lining things up

JP: Back in ECW, Trevor Alexander caught someone doing the right thing.

Trevor Alexander: Even Bourne actually moved his opponent in position for the SSP. I get tired of seeing guys go for a top rope move and the guys on the ground move themselves slightly into position. Evan lined the guy up and dragged the leg to the perfect spot to take the move.

JP: Thankfully someone wants to add realism to the product! I agree, I go nuts watching guys move themselves into position or turn over on their backs (why would you ever do that at all; you are safe from pinfall if you are on your stomach?). Actually having someone do the movement for them looks so much better. But riddle me this: why is Even Bourne allowed to do the Shooting Star Press when Paul London is not and Billy Kidman was banned (after making it into an angle that he was intentionally trying to injure people?). And why does Tazz say, "Show me anyone else in the WWE that can do that move?" I can show you a dozen!


(8) I was drinking that!

JP: On that same ECW, there was also a fatal four way to determine the new number one contender to the ECW Championship. During the match, John Morrison and Finlay were fighting out in the crowd when Morrison threw a well placed beverage at Finlay's face. But there was this kid standing behind Morrison that had this utmost look of horror and disgust when the drink was thrown that it totally sold the moment for me! I mean, the kid looked like someone just ran over his dog. That had me laughing on rewind for quite a while.


(7) That way too inside

JP: You know, I thought we were done with the past, but then Jeremy from Palmdale had to come along.

Jeremy: On the July 17th edition of Impact, Eric Young told Borash that tonight was the first meeting of the Prince Justice Brotherhood. Why is that a highlight? Because Prince Justice is a name that Abyss once used in the indies.

JP: Oh, I smell a Vince Russo "insider smart mark" rib going on. I didn't get it before, but now I do. Ha.


(6) No means no

JP: Back on SmackDown this week, one half of the new WWE Tag Team Champions Kurt Hawkins took on Festus of Jesse and Festus fame. At the beginning of the match, Festus was laying in fast a furious punches—all of which were illegal. The referee then got involved and pulled Festus out of the corner. Instead of admonishing Festus as normal, though, the ref just wagged his finger at Festus and said, "No!" like he was talking to a dog. I thought that was great since Festus in his uncontrollable rage does not really understand anything, and that was the only response that might get through.


(5) JR and his references again

JP: Let's grab one from this past Sunday's Great American Bash courtesy of 411mania's own Sat!

Sat: During the Four Way Tag Team match, J.R. mentioned that Charlie Weis' favorite tag team is the Finlays. It makes sense because Charlie Weis is coaching the Fighting Irish and the Finlays are Irish.

JP: See, this is what I was talking about before. Since being cut apart from Lawler, JR is all about his own subtle little comments!


(4) Dress for… errr… bed?

JP: But speaking of TNA, there were a couple from this week's iMPACT that I thought were a blast. For the past few weeks, Booker T has been coming out wearing his bath robe after relaxing in his lounge. When he came out on iMPACT this week, not only was he in a robe, but his wife Sharmelle was in a (very short) nighty as well! That was just too funny, like the two are just hanging out in back in their bed time clothes every week.


(3) Remember the good old days

JP: Although we have talked about the fatal four way to determine a new number one contender for the ECW Championship, there was something that happened before it. In the back, John Morrison and the Miz were complimenting each other on their chances, being very brave in the face of Black Sunday. While the Miz was particularly complementing Morrison of being a former ECW Champion, Morrison was kind of mumbling to himself. But did you happen to catch what he said? "I beat CM Punk at last year's SummerSlam." That was priceless! Not only does it put over that he beat that current World Heavyweight Champion less than a year ago, but that when's going off in his own world that he's thinking of really concrete things.


(2) That's a good hand

JP: The main event of SmackDown this week saw the real Brian Kendrick take on Shannon Moore. Yes, that was the main event; I kid not! And although that in of itself is a Hidden Highlight, the real one goes to Brian Kendrick's body guard Ezekiel. Before the match got underway, Kendrick handed his jacket over to Ezekiel. Well, I guess the jacket is a little tight as he had to roll the sleeves inside out in order to get it off. When Ezekiel got the jacket in hand, he then took the time to put the sleeves right side out! That is some serious attentiveness to the large back up man and a good sign of what he might be capable of in the future.


(1) Nothing but Mark Henry

JP: To finish us off this week, I thought I'd give a little props to production courtesy of the ECW Champion Mark Henry. When Henry came out at the beginning of the program to accept his new silverback championship (Teddy Long is soooooooo in cahoots with Henry and Tony Atlas), his background image on the HD-tron had already changed to have the new belt on it!

Gearóid Moroney: That wasn't all! I was watching The Great American Bash and noticed that when Mark Henry was coming out, his video in the background said "World's Strongest Champion", where I assume it would normally say "World's Strongest Man". I thought it was a nice touch!

JP: That it was! It looks like Mark Henry is the happy recipient of many a Hidden Highlight!


Well everyone, that wraps up this week's show. Thank you for reading the 152nd ISSUE of Hidden Highlights!

Do you have a Hidden Highlight from this or any week in history that you would like to share? Please e-mail this article at [e-mail] with your thoughts! Send them by Saturday afternoon to be considered! And remember, they can be from any show, live or taped, or any house show, or anything you saw. The best of the best will be featured among the top 15 next week.

In the meantime, be sure to catch my very own Saturday morning news report The Hamilton Ave Journal: the only wrestling news report focused on the business of wrestling.

Until then, you have just experienced the most positive article in all of the IWC: Hidden Highlights!