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1/4 Wrasslin' thread of Bret Hart, Hulk Hogan, and the new Monday Night Wars (lol)
- Thread starter Lost Fragment
- Start date
- Status
I watched that TNA show, it was the first time i really wanted to watch wrestling since the early to mid '90.. I usually skim the threads here to know whats going on
I turned it off after about 1h30.. I just couldnt take it anymore. I love the whole business drama is really popular with fans these days, but holy god was it boring for me. I wanted more wrestling and action.
Hogan looked happy when he arrived, he had a real genuine smile, which was nice.
- That strip poker thing with the ugly broad was really lame and uninteresting
- I wanted fights, I got what seemed to be hours of Hulk Hogan rambling about changing things and fat Razor Ramon reacting to that
- too many commercials (i know it was a special 3 hours event but come on..)
- The wrestlers looked incredibly generic
- "THIS IS AN HISTORIC NIGHT" repeated every 2 minutes by the hosts, and wrestlers
- I :lol at Diesel, now old. totally drunk and incoherent during some interview with a girl
I turned it off after about 1h30.. I just couldnt take it anymore. I love the whole business drama is really popular with fans these days, but holy god was it boring for me. I wanted more wrestling and action.
Hogan looked happy when he arrived, he had a real genuine smile, which was nice.
shoplifter
Member
Jeff Albertson said:
Hulk quickly retracted that prediction. Personally, I thought it sounded like a pretty decent show for next week.
jobber
Would let Tony Parker sleep with his wife
:lol
Eric Bischoff Controversy Creates Cash Book
$3.98 (84.69% Off)
http://www.wweshop.com/item/eric-bischoff-controversy-creates-cash-book/hotdeals/77-00065
Eric Bischoff Controversy Creates Cash Book
$3.98 (84.69% Off)
http://www.wweshop.com/item/eric-bischoff-controversy-creates-cash-book/hotdeals/77-00065
shoplifter
Member
Fatalah said:
I think he tried while he was there before, to no avail. Eventually he just gave up and collected a paycheck to be an on-screen character.
D
Deleted member 20415
Unconfirmed Member
Fatalah said:
They kicked him out of TNA not too long ago Fatalah. He was there, not able to do too much.
He's booking Ring of Honor now, which I might have to start watching again. I used to go to shows all the time.
infinityBCRT
Member
They must've reduced the price to a point where Bischoff is getting next to nothing in royalties.KiNeSiS said:
Dork Knight
Member
If y'all liked that amazing Cornette rant, you'll also like this hilarious preview of the Bob Holly shoot interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNoefaxekLQ
ZombieSupaStar
Member
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeL0_tFI_I0&feature=player_embedded
Some kid pretending to be Cena.
I almost feel bad posting this here.
Some kid pretending to be Cena.
I almost feel bad posting this here.
TNA had 1.5 rating!
2.2 milions viewers average, 2.9mil when hogan debuted! [raw had 5.7 mil when bret hard entered the arena]
Awesome news, im glad that they gained new viewers. Kevin Nash is hinting at his twitter page that TNA is planing possible permanent move to Monday Nights[IMO they should do it in 3-4 months, sometimes after WM26]
This is a good time to be a wrestling fan.
2.2 milions viewers average, 2.9mil when hogan debuted! [raw had 5.7 mil when bret hard entered the arena]
Awesome news, im glad that they gained new viewers. Kevin Nash is hinting at his twitter page that TNA is planing possible permanent move to Monday Nights[IMO they should do it in 3-4 months, sometimes after WM26]
This is a good time to be a wrestling fan.ZombieSupaStar said:
And for a while in the early 2000's, I believe Smackdown outdrew Raw. I swear, the ratings had to have peaked around the time of the HHH-Steph-Kurt love triangle. That's still my favorite angle to this day, and they completely botched the end of it. Kurt was exploding in popularity, and they had a real chance to give that feud more legs. But I feel it was HHH who shut that down, and the Steph-HHH "era" bullshit followed after that. I can trace the decline of WWE to the Summerjam where there love triangle thing got squashed. Armageddon after that was just the beginning of the end.
I used to buy PPVs back then. Ponying up $50 for a PPV is no small feat, but the WWE was good entertainment back then. I used to laugh at the Russo-run WCW floundering around with just awful booking and awful writing. That Vince Russo, Eric Bischoff, and the rest of the untalented blowhards are still in charge anywhere in this industry tells you that things are bad.
WTF has Vince Russo done that keeps him employed? He's supposed to be responsible for the Austin-Vince feud or something? It's been so long that I can't even remember what big accomplishment he had that warranted anyone caring for a BAD soap-opera writer. How many better storylines has GAF and other wrestling sites produced in the same time? Vince Russo should be fired and never allowed near anything other than writing porn scripts. That's the quality of his work right there. I fuck, didn't that dickhead almost end up getting Terry Funk kicked in the head by a horse because he had them fight in a fucking barn?
Ugh. If the wrestling promotions are staking the future on a bunch of has-beens that have already exceeded the average wrestler's lifespan (ie. old guys about to die), then there's no hope. WTF do kids today know abou the Hart feud, or the Brett feud, or even about Hogan's turn? What is the industry doing to nurture new fans? They keep burying young talent and pushing old guys that not even my own nostalgia can allow me to stomach. It's why I have moved on to MMA. I get better action most of the time, and the blows are real. PEACE.
infinityBCRT
Member
I don't think we're going to see numbers like that again due to the amount of crap there is to watch (and do... like play video games) nowadays. That being said I bet that number would be a point higher if TNA wasn't on.ZombieSupaStar said:
RBH said:
Holy shit indeed!!!! Thank you for posting this, probably the best thing I'll hear this years.
Cornette was awesome, but this one line really got me, talking about Raw: "...because they have writers that know bigger words so the guys have more trouble pronouncing them" :lol :lol :lol
I love Cornette, but he was full of shit with a lot of that interview. He ignores the cardinal rule of wrestling( give fans what they want. We wanted to see Bret) bashes the females of TNA for being "girls", goes out of his way to bash all the young talent RAW showcased( the Miz delivered a better character promo than any I have seen in ROH entire television run.) and ends shilling for ROH, which let's be honest has so many problems right now regarding production values and continuity that it often comes as amateurish. ( Fix this? Why? As Cornette said in that rant, wrestling is entertainment on a cheap budget so why improve)
Cornette is in ROH. He now has power along with a voice. Either he improves his own damn show or he shuts up
Cornette is in ROH. He now has power along with a voice. Either he improves his own damn show or he shuts up
Killing_Joke
Member
ZombieSupaStar said:
Holy shit indeed. Stone cold lit a HUGE fire under WWEs ass. I never knew HHH drew big too as he was the main champion from end of 1999-2000.
worldrunover
Member
Killing_Joke said:
Well remember that was the height of Stone Cold's popularity and HHH and the Rock just coming into their own as champions. Plus you still had guys like the Undertaker and Kane at the top of the ticket.
worldrunover said:
Yeah its hard to say that Triple H was a draw per se. Well he does bring in money, but he never realy shouldered the weight of the company.
And really no one has since Austin which is why the ratings have been on a decline. And then the rest of the fans died off with the piss poor product.
riskVSreward
Member
avatar299 said:
Jim Cornette was full of correct with almost all of that podcast. Everything he said about TNA was pure truth, it was a piece of shit show put together in apparently 10 minutes. It was exactly what I expected it to be, shitty old WCW. I expected it so much in fact, that I started to unexpect it, that's how expected it was. If you take away the main event, which was great (and what happened to sticking with it i.e. no more commercials Tenay?) everything about the show stunk of Russo's ideas and Hogan's ego, everything. I could go into it greater detail, but we all know. To sum up what I thought of TNA on Monday, envision the face that Fat Hall made when he was trying to get past security.
Raw was the same shit it's been for the past few years, I enjoyed the stuff with Bret because it represents the time when I was really a fan, but that was it. The only other thing I liked was Santino as Jericho, he cracks me up. Even though I didn't enjoy it for the most part, it was still leagues better than TNA.
ROH may have it's technical issues, but at least you get good wrestling. If the writing and technical stuff gets in the way for you, you could always check out DGUSA, PWG, CHIKARA, JAPW, AIW, etc... Gabe is starting a new company, EVOLVE. Also, a few of my friends are gonna be on the debut of PRIDE Wrestling this Friday in NY, looks like a good card.
cartoon_soldier
Member
I think people who tuned into Wrestling during the Attitude Era, will atleast for a while, follow TNA.
God knows where Hogan and Bischoff will take that show though.
God knows where Hogan and Bischoff will take that show though.
GoutPatrol
Forgotten in his cell
Also, if any of you go to the WO/F4W forums...
http://forum.f4wonline.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=90101
You know what to do.
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
One thing I never understood/understand is why the fuck do they think remixing/remaking a theme song is always a good idea.
I mean listen to this beauty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We9P42z1tvQ
And then there was the abomination from Breaking Point. Same goes for everyone else...
I mean listen to this beauty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We9P42z1tvQ
And then there was the abomination from Breaking Point. Same goes for everyone else...
http://www.myspace.com/masanorihorie
This guy Masanori Horie has hundreds of pictures taken with almost every big wrestling star out there over the years:
Lex Lugar is smiling!
Sting wearing the fannypack!
Jim Cornette acting crazy as usual
A younger HBK
Chris Jericho flicking off the camera.
HHH is living it up! :lol
Looking over all of these photos literally spanning decades is some great stuff.
This guy Masanori Horie has hundreds of pictures taken with almost every big wrestling star out there over the years:
Lex Lugar is smiling!
Sting wearing the fannypack!
Jim Cornette acting crazy as usual
A younger HBK
Chris Jericho flicking off the camera.
HHH is living it up! :lol
Looking over all of these photos literally spanning decades is some great stuff.
So If I don't like ROH technical problems, I should watch other shows with more of them?riskVSreward said:
ROH isn't the only show with quality wrestling and they should stop acting like such. Indy shows have gotten way to much leeway with poor production and poor booking. Cary and Cornette need to shut up, get off HDNet and onto something that people actually have, focus on writing their shows and work on their live presentations becuase as much as I enjoyed Final Battle, I would be embarrassed to show that to a casual fan, far more so than Impact.
Than again in Cornette's worlds wrestling was only good when we had a territory system.
Mr.NiceGuy
Banned
Guys is this pic is ok to be used as my new avatar ? and if it's not can someone fix it for me cause I'm not good at picture editting stuff.
thanks
thanks
Keyser Soze
Member
Mr.NiceGuy said:Guys is this pic is ok to be used as my new avatar ? and if it's not can someone fix it for me cause I'm not good at picture editting stuff.
thanks
That's fine to use. The forum will automatically set the width to 90px
Mr.NiceGuy
Banned
Keyser Soze said:
Thanks.
British Monsoon
Member
avatar299 said:
I think the show has improved since Cornette came in. For one thing he introduced the Pick 6 rankings which actually add some importance to random matchups, but as a fan who watches the DVDs and the TV show it's obvious they still have continuity problems that stem from pre-taping so many shows in advance, but if I were watching just the TV show I doubt i'd have any problem with the continuity as they do a good job of building storylines for the TV show.
avatar299 said:
Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/rohbrazil
avatar299 said:
Final Battle was certainly a clusterfuck in terms of technical problems, but bear in mind that it was ROH's first ever attempt at a live show on their own and was probably just a precursor to live HDnet PPVs this year now that their previous TV PPV deal has expired - if that does happen, i'd expect HDnet to produce the PPVs like they do the TV show and also hopefully they'd consider the iPPV route for fans without HDnet/outside the US.
avatar299 said:
On Monday nights? Yeah, they are. Roderick Strong vs Davey Richards was better than any match on Impact or RAW - AJ/Kurt came close but was ruined by a ridiculous number of kick outs, and that was to quote TNA "a PPV quality match".
avatar299 said:
Poor production maybe, as most indy fans don't really give a crap about production as long as the in-ring product remains exciting, but poor booking? Can't agree there, indy shows get little leeway when it comes to poor booking - just look how ROH's fanbase has dipped since Gabe left and Pearce took over, or how quickly people abandonned FIP once Punk & Homicide stopped working there. I might be one of the few who enjoys ROH's weekly show, but many don't watch it because of some percieved poor booking, same reason why many no longer watch ROH's dvd shows. Just look at how the fans reacted to Aries vs Black in a 60-minute time-limit draw at Final Battle and the amount of flak the booking team recieved for playing out the match that way.
British Monsoon
Member
Kota Ibushi >>>> Everyone
Never get tired of seeing that turnbuckle asai moonsault.
Never get tired of seeing that turnbuckle asai moonsault.
Uhtred
Member
The following is the latest online blog from Vince Russo's official Facebook page:
BISCHOFF/HOGAN
It's Thursday morning, mountain time, as I sit here still trying to recoup from the series of events that lead up to that monumental Monday.
As I sit here there is a staff meeting going on back at the TNA offices in Nashville that I am missing. Look, I'm going to be 49 in 17 days--I don't bounce back as quickly as I once did--both in mind and body. Right now, I can't mentally sit through a staff meeting--I'd much rather be sitting here in my office, listening to some Joe Cocoker vinyl, and talking to you.
So, here I am--sorry Dixie, but I think I earned a pass on this one.
Before I write another word, I can't go any further without thanking all of you. A 1.5 is a tremendous, tremendous rating going head to head with "Raw", and nobody can take that away from us. Keller, Meltzer, all the other dirt sheet writers that some of you may know, can critique all they want--the bottom line is--TNA WON--PERIOD. However, the reason we won is because all of you came out. You came out and you watched TNA. Whether you were a channel changer, or not, you spent some time with us on Monday night and that's all we wanted. I can't thank you enough--I really can't. Without your support, Vince Russo does not do what I know I was born to do. Without your support--quite frankly--I don't know what I'd be doing.
We learned a lot, on Monday night as a company--a lot. We hit some home runs, but also struck out once, or twice--but that's OK. What really mattered is that we took risks. We gave you everything we had--and didn't play it safe. That's what Eric Bischoff and Russo/Ferrara both did back in the mid-to late 90's. Nothing was safe--NOTHING. The programing, wheteher it was WWF, or WWC was DANGEROUS. Never one time, no matter how hot we got--did Ericv or I EVER rest on our laurels--NEVER. I can't tell you how long Vince has been resting on his . . . I honestly can't.
I sat in the production truck and I wanted our show, side-by-side to Vince's Monday night. It was great to see Bret--I love the guy--always have. But as our show went on, and as I watched his, I just kept asking myself--"where's the effort"? Does Vince think that little of TNA that he felt that he could just produce "another show" on Monday night? I mean, you take away that first segment and that last segment, and you had a wrestling show that wasn't even mediocre at best. Again--going back to the 90's--that NEVER, would have happened if Eric, or I were in Vince's shoes--NEVER. Resting on your laurels is the worst mistake that anyone can ever make--no matter what type of business you are in.
I remember back in the mid 90's--before Eric and WCW started killing us--the mentality of the WWF was simply--"Whatever we put out there--good, or bad--the fans are not only going to eat it--THEY'RE GOING TO LIKE IT!!!!" That's what brought about the era of Freddy Joe Floyd, the Goon, TL Hooper, The Mastadon, and of course--fake Razor and fake Diesel. That was Vince's attitude because there WAS NO competition--that's where Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan came in--the rest was history.
Vince McMahon is at that same place again. There was no effort on Monday night--because in his mind--there is no competition. Man--how can yoiu be a "genius" and not learn from mistakes of the past. Now, I know there are probably many of you out there saying, "Vinnie Ru--why do you want to wake a sleeping giant?"The truth--he may be sleeping--but I don't really think he's a giant any more--maybe 6'7", or 6' 8", but not a giant. The truth--I don't think the creative team over there has, or ever did have, the creativity and the spauldings that a younger Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff ever did. The truth--I'm almost a 49 year-old man right now--and they STILL don't have the passion that I do. Look at the WWE history there since Ed and I left--where are the great angles? Where are the "Bret screwed Bret", stories? Where are the ones where DX pull up to the enemy's camp driving a missle launcher, or the one where the Rock joined the corporation? WHERE ARE THEY? Now don't get me wrong, Triple H putting a midget on a skateboard and rolling him around backstage may be entyertaing to some--but I have to say--it fails in comparision to Stone Cold Austin vs. Mr. McMahon.
Now, have guys gotten over themselves over there--yes they have--John Cena is a tremendous talent--Randy Orton may be the best I've ever seen--but where's the meat and potatoes--the stories. Now, you can say whatever you want about me--love me, or hate me, but you watch any TNA show and there are stories going on for everybody. Stories that build "character"--the same stories that built the D-Lo Browns, and the Mark Henrys, and the Kanes and the Val Venuses. EFFORT goes into everything we do--EVERYTHING. Our challenge has been that we have so many young , inexperienced guys to get over at once--but that just takes time--we WILL get then over. But we're trying--we're trying for you the fans.
Which brings me to Monday night. On record here I will say that I have NEVER workd on a show any harder then that one you witnessed on Monday night. That show was being crafted for 6 weeks--every, single day of the week. We never stopped--NEVER. We tweaked, and tweaked, and tweaked until we couldn't even tweak anymore. We ran young Matt Conway, the junior creator of our staff--into the ground--he will never be the same again. Ed took time away from his elderly parents, who need him more then anything now--and I took time away from the thing I love most--my family. We didn't come up one, single day for air--not one. Eric called me on Christma day--not to exchange pleasentries--but to work--and he did the same New Year's day. IT NEVER STOPPED!!!
And that's the point of this article. I'll be the first to say that Ed, Matt and I have been spending so much time in trying to help get the younger talent over--that we might have gotten ourselves in a rut. Even though we knew that it takes time due to our earlier history at the WWF--we were starting to feel like that gerbal that goes round and round in that wheel. That was until Eric Bischoff came along.
No, Eric and I did not like each other, yes, it is all documented in my new book. We were oil and water, we were just two different guys with two different mindsets and two different styles. At WCW we were BOTH put in positions that neither one of us wanted to be in. We were forced to work together--when we couldn't. Well--the truth is that Dixie Carter forced me to work with Eric Bischoff again. I didn't want to--but I had no choice. Dixie is the boss--I'm an employee--and I have to give the boss what she wants. I dreaded the day. I rememeber a few months back when I had to go meet Eric--with Dixie--the day following the Hulk Hogan press confrence. It was the first time I would see him in ten years. Man--I swear to you--as the hours grew closer--I would much rather have had to go to the dentist and have him tear every tooth from my mouth--NO novacane. To me--this was the meeting from hell.
So I flew to New York. Dixie put me up in some hotel that was so out of my league--that it made me feel even more out of my skin. Then came the monumental breakfast. I walked away thinking--"Has anything really changed here? 10 years--has anything changed?"
Then there was a phone call, or two, then Eric came in to Nashville to work with Ed, Matt and myself.
There's a lot in there to talk about--and I will at a later time--but let me get to the end of the story because I really don't have the time to write my third book right now.
The more, and more I worked with Eric--the more, and more he started to remind me of somebody. A guy that I worked very closely with some 10-15 years ago. A guy that was once so driven so determined and so MOTIVATED that he had me giving my life to him on a silver platter. He had me putting him . . . before my entire family. A guy--that oozed bravado--his favorite word. Eric reminded me so much of Vince McMahon 10 years ago that it was surreal.
But I'm not exactly talking about the "real" Vince, the egotistical maniac who loved no one more then himself--who treated everyone he worked with with the emotion of a cyborg--I'm talking about the Vince McMahon who had the passion to win at any cost. The Vince McMahon who didn't want to rest on his laurels. Eric made it clear to me by his actions--early one--that he wasn't there to take Dixie Carter's money--he was there to win. Love him, or hate him--he lite a fire under me. A fire that I really hadn't had for sometime. Eric provided HOPE--hope that TNA could be the #1 wrestling company in the world. And, when he talked about it--I believed it. I believed it because of his passion--the same passion that you witnessed Monday night--the same passion that "Raw" greatly lacked--the same passion that Vince McMahon lost a long, long, time ago.
And Hulk Hogan was no different. Again--put the personal feelings aside--that's not what this is about--this is about what those two guys--Eric and Hulk--came to do . . . AND THEY DID. They didn't just talk about it--THEY DID IT. Hulk sat in on production meetings, Hulk was a leader in the back--Hulk was the last to leave. You have to respect that regardless of what happened 10 years ago.
So on this night--Monday, January 4th, 2010, I publically give Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff the respect they deserved . . . and the respect they earned.
But remember--it's just the first page of what looks to be a very, interesting, third book for me.
And one more thing--c'mon, Vince--get back in the game--even if it's just for old times sake. Let's have some fun!!!
Peace,
Vince
BISCHOFF/HOGAN
It's Thursday morning, mountain time, as I sit here still trying to recoup from the series of events that lead up to that monumental Monday.
As I sit here there is a staff meeting going on back at the TNA offices in Nashville that I am missing. Look, I'm going to be 49 in 17 days--I don't bounce back as quickly as I once did--both in mind and body. Right now, I can't mentally sit through a staff meeting--I'd much rather be sitting here in my office, listening to some Joe Cocoker vinyl, and talking to you.
So, here I am--sorry Dixie, but I think I earned a pass on this one.
Before I write another word, I can't go any further without thanking all of you. A 1.5 is a tremendous, tremendous rating going head to head with "Raw", and nobody can take that away from us. Keller, Meltzer, all the other dirt sheet writers that some of you may know, can critique all they want--the bottom line is--TNA WON--PERIOD. However, the reason we won is because all of you came out. You came out and you watched TNA. Whether you were a channel changer, or not, you spent some time with us on Monday night and that's all we wanted. I can't thank you enough--I really can't. Without your support, Vince Russo does not do what I know I was born to do. Without your support--quite frankly--I don't know what I'd be doing.
We learned a lot, on Monday night as a company--a lot. We hit some home runs, but also struck out once, or twice--but that's OK. What really mattered is that we took risks. We gave you everything we had--and didn't play it safe. That's what Eric Bischoff and Russo/Ferrara both did back in the mid-to late 90's. Nothing was safe--NOTHING. The programing, wheteher it was WWF, or WWC was DANGEROUS. Never one time, no matter how hot we got--did Ericv or I EVER rest on our laurels--NEVER. I can't tell you how long Vince has been resting on his . . . I honestly can't.
I sat in the production truck and I wanted our show, side-by-side to Vince's Monday night. It was great to see Bret--I love the guy--always have. But as our show went on, and as I watched his, I just kept asking myself--"where's the effort"? Does Vince think that little of TNA that he felt that he could just produce "another show" on Monday night? I mean, you take away that first segment and that last segment, and you had a wrestling show that wasn't even mediocre at best. Again--going back to the 90's--that NEVER, would have happened if Eric, or I were in Vince's shoes--NEVER. Resting on your laurels is the worst mistake that anyone can ever make--no matter what type of business you are in.
I remember back in the mid 90's--before Eric and WCW started killing us--the mentality of the WWF was simply--"Whatever we put out there--good, or bad--the fans are not only going to eat it--THEY'RE GOING TO LIKE IT!!!!" That's what brought about the era of Freddy Joe Floyd, the Goon, TL Hooper, The Mastadon, and of course--fake Razor and fake Diesel. That was Vince's attitude because there WAS NO competition--that's where Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan came in--the rest was history.
Vince McMahon is at that same place again. There was no effort on Monday night--because in his mind--there is no competition. Man--how can yoiu be a "genius" and not learn from mistakes of the past. Now, I know there are probably many of you out there saying, "Vinnie Ru--why do you want to wake a sleeping giant?"The truth--he may be sleeping--but I don't really think he's a giant any more--maybe 6'7", or 6' 8", but not a giant. The truth--I don't think the creative team over there has, or ever did have, the creativity and the spauldings that a younger Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff ever did. The truth--I'm almost a 49 year-old man right now--and they STILL don't have the passion that I do. Look at the WWE history there since Ed and I left--where are the great angles? Where are the "Bret screwed Bret", stories? Where are the ones where DX pull up to the enemy's camp driving a missle launcher, or the one where the Rock joined the corporation? WHERE ARE THEY? Now don't get me wrong, Triple H putting a midget on a skateboard and rolling him around backstage may be entyertaing to some--but I have to say--it fails in comparision to Stone Cold Austin vs. Mr. McMahon.
Now, have guys gotten over themselves over there--yes they have--John Cena is a tremendous talent--Randy Orton may be the best I've ever seen--but where's the meat and potatoes--the stories. Now, you can say whatever you want about me--love me, or hate me, but you watch any TNA show and there are stories going on for everybody. Stories that build "character"--the same stories that built the D-Lo Browns, and the Mark Henrys, and the Kanes and the Val Venuses. EFFORT goes into everything we do--EVERYTHING. Our challenge has been that we have so many young , inexperienced guys to get over at once--but that just takes time--we WILL get then over. But we're trying--we're trying for you the fans.
Which brings me to Monday night. On record here I will say that I have NEVER workd on a show any harder then that one you witnessed on Monday night. That show was being crafted for 6 weeks--every, single day of the week. We never stopped--NEVER. We tweaked, and tweaked, and tweaked until we couldn't even tweak anymore. We ran young Matt Conway, the junior creator of our staff--into the ground--he will never be the same again. Ed took time away from his elderly parents, who need him more then anything now--and I took time away from the thing I love most--my family. We didn't come up one, single day for air--not one. Eric called me on Christma day--not to exchange pleasentries--but to work--and he did the same New Year's day. IT NEVER STOPPED!!!
And that's the point of this article. I'll be the first to say that Ed, Matt and I have been spending so much time in trying to help get the younger talent over--that we might have gotten ourselves in a rut. Even though we knew that it takes time due to our earlier history at the WWF--we were starting to feel like that gerbal that goes round and round in that wheel. That was until Eric Bischoff came along.
No, Eric and I did not like each other, yes, it is all documented in my new book. We were oil and water, we were just two different guys with two different mindsets and two different styles. At WCW we were BOTH put in positions that neither one of us wanted to be in. We were forced to work together--when we couldn't. Well--the truth is that Dixie Carter forced me to work with Eric Bischoff again. I didn't want to--but I had no choice. Dixie is the boss--I'm an employee--and I have to give the boss what she wants. I dreaded the day. I rememeber a few months back when I had to go meet Eric--with Dixie--the day following the Hulk Hogan press confrence. It was the first time I would see him in ten years. Man--I swear to you--as the hours grew closer--I would much rather have had to go to the dentist and have him tear every tooth from my mouth--NO novacane. To me--this was the meeting from hell.
So I flew to New York. Dixie put me up in some hotel that was so out of my league--that it made me feel even more out of my skin. Then came the monumental breakfast. I walked away thinking--"Has anything really changed here? 10 years--has anything changed?"
Then there was a phone call, or two, then Eric came in to Nashville to work with Ed, Matt and myself.
There's a lot in there to talk about--and I will at a later time--but let me get to the end of the story because I really don't have the time to write my third book right now.
The more, and more I worked with Eric--the more, and more he started to remind me of somebody. A guy that I worked very closely with some 10-15 years ago. A guy that was once so driven so determined and so MOTIVATED that he had me giving my life to him on a silver platter. He had me putting him . . . before my entire family. A guy--that oozed bravado--his favorite word. Eric reminded me so much of Vince McMahon 10 years ago that it was surreal.
But I'm not exactly talking about the "real" Vince, the egotistical maniac who loved no one more then himself--who treated everyone he worked with with the emotion of a cyborg--I'm talking about the Vince McMahon who had the passion to win at any cost. The Vince McMahon who didn't want to rest on his laurels. Eric made it clear to me by his actions--early one--that he wasn't there to take Dixie Carter's money--he was there to win. Love him, or hate him--he lite a fire under me. A fire that I really hadn't had for sometime. Eric provided HOPE--hope that TNA could be the #1 wrestling company in the world. And, when he talked about it--I believed it. I believed it because of his passion--the same passion that you witnessed Monday night--the same passion that "Raw" greatly lacked--the same passion that Vince McMahon lost a long, long, time ago.
And Hulk Hogan was no different. Again--put the personal feelings aside--that's not what this is about--this is about what those two guys--Eric and Hulk--came to do . . . AND THEY DID. They didn't just talk about it--THEY DID IT. Hulk sat in on production meetings, Hulk was a leader in the back--Hulk was the last to leave. You have to respect that regardless of what happened 10 years ago.
So on this night--Monday, January 4th, 2010, I publically give Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff the respect they deserved . . . and the respect they earned.
But remember--it's just the first page of what looks to be a very, interesting, third book for me.
And one more thing--c'mon, Vince--get back in the game--even if it's just for old times sake. Let's have some fun!!!
Peace,
Vince
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