- Victor S. writes:
We were watching Nitro and the Hogan - Luger cage match with my three year old son. (Don't ask why a three year old was up at 10:00 pm and watching wrestling, he is usually not allowed either but it worked out.) He said, and I'll quote, "Daddy, I want to get those orange pants for Halloween, except I want to be a real wrestler."
We all nearly died laughing. I guess even a three year old can spot Hogan's ability. - BFPisBuff writes:
In the latest WCW magazine (with the "new" nWo that has already disbanded on the cover), there is an article on Terry Funk. If you get a chance, check out this article, for one reason.
Find the picture of Funk standing in the ring with arms spread open as security stands in front of him. Then check out the palm of his hand....he has stuff WRITTEN on it. My guess is he actually wrote a cheat sheet on his hand for whatever interview he gave that night! I'm going to go through older Nitros and check for that show, and see if he kept looking at his hand. - BFPisBuff writes:
We all know about Hogan's ego. We all know how he thinks he is the reason why WCW garners ratings. but I don't think he really realizes why.
This week, the Luger/Hogan cage match was the highest rated segment on WCW with like a 2.6 or something. Then the overrun shot up to a 3.7! I'm sure Hogan is relishing in the fact that he was the reason for that tremendous leap.
Well, in a way, he was.. because during the overrun, Flair and Luger were kicking the living crap out of him! Seems that not as many people are interested in seeing Hogan win than there are of seeing Hogan receive a main entree of smackdown.
So WCW, you want those ratings up?? Have Hogan get his orange goblin self beat up every week, and soon you will surpass the Westminster Dog Show. Count on it.
Check your facts, Mark. Ric Flair successfully hit a top rope move against "Diamond" Dallas Page on the 5/3/99 edition of Nitro.
- Marine Corps: The strictest requirements are: Dead Hang Pull (Chin) Ups - 20, Crunches - 100 in 2 minutes, 3 mile run - 18 minutes or less. The requirements become less strict as you move up in rank.
Examples of other levels are 3 miles in 28 minutes, 3 pull ups, and 50 crunches and the easiest level being a mile and a half run in under 13 and a half minutes, 2 pull ups, and 44 crunches.
(Thanks to Chris, Mike, and Bill for this info.) - Army: To join: 13 pushups. To pass the Army PT Test at the lowest level, 17 years old: 42 pushups, 52 situps, 16:30 two mile run. To get into US Army Ranger School: 52 pushups, 62 situps, a run time around 14:00 (2 miles) and 6 pull ups.
These are the standards as of 1999, the new standards are easier. There are other harder schools like SCUBA school and Special Forces Assessment/Selection (SFAS) that have stricter standards.
(Thanks to KP, a former US Army Paratrooper for this info.) - USMA at West Point: ~45 push-ups in two minutes (20 for female cadets), ~45 sit-ups in two minutes (same for female cadets), a two-mile run in 16 minutes.
The tests are run consecutively, with a two or three minute rest between them.
(Thanks to Sven M. in Canada for this info.) - Michigan State Police: The following agility pre-employment requirements are for males only. The highest possible scores are noted.
- Pushups: As many as possible in 60 seconds. Highest score 70 and above.
- Hand strength: Both right and left hands are tested using a handgrip dynamometer and recorded in kilograms of pressure. Grip-Total Both Hands (Kilograms): 151-180.
- Obstacle Course: Total distance: 90 feet. Timed event. The course design includes running, crawling through a 2½ foot high crawl space, and climbing a 6' 6" barrier with footholds and handgrips twice. Under 10.3 seconds.
- Dragging Strength: Applicant drags a 165 lb. life-form dummy for 50 feet for time. Drag under 6.0 seconds.
- Lifting: Applicant lifts a 95 lb. bag with handholds, runs with it for 60 feet and places it on a 32 inch high platform for time. Under 4.5 seconds.
- Speed: Applicant runs between two pylons placed 88 feet apart for 15 round trips for time. ½ Mile Run under 3 minutes and 29.5 secs.
(Thanks to Curt C. for this info.)
- D.H. writes:
Here are the "Official" Power Plant requirements. These are taken straight from my 365-day desk WCW 2000 calendar. Just a piece of WCW goodness everyday.
Age: Between 18 and 28 years old
Height 5' 9" minimum
Weight: 180 lbs. minimumA daily regimen of 500 leg squats, 200 pushups, 200 leg lifts, and 200 abdominal crunches in addition to designed weight training and cardiovascular and agility programs.
Training also involves participating in simulated matches in one of the three rings located at the Power Plant. If you excel in your training, your future in the WWF should be bright.
OK, I just added that last line. Later!
- Vince at Tulane writes:
I don't have details (sorry) but a professor of mine once told me that the Royal Canadian Mounties have a handbook with different levels of fitness on it. The very top level, to show the maximum of stamina, flexibility, muscle strength...etc, was a full, non stop, thirty minute session of Russian Dancing. Just thought I'd pass that along.
In true Scott Hall fashion, we had a little survey in the Nitro report. The question was simple - what do you, the viewers and faithful DDT Digest readers, see as being good right now in WCW?
Seeing as how I don't do a weekly report, I worked it out with Bill and he agreed to run the answers in the Mid-Week report. So, without further ado, let's check the mailbox.
Martin from Australia chimes in with:
The Norman Smiley match was funny and as long as they work on the fact that he's now not afraid to wrestle and put him perhaps in the TV Title race that's a good thing...
The Wall, Demon, hardcore division and as you mentioned Prince Iaukea need to be eliminated...you do wonder why when guys like Psychosis, Lash, etc are there, why they are not in the race? Whose ass is the Prince kissing anyway?
Back to good things...Kidman/Vampiro...I am quite a Vampiro mark so anything he does I like, but the match was good...the tag title match I thought was fun enough (then I wasn't at the arena and had to actually hear that Daffney scream!)...Hogan who cares? Use Sting in something
entertaining- hey maybe strip Sid of the title and kick him out, and let Hart/DDP/Sting/Goldberg/Jarrett/Hall/Flair be in the title picture....at least they can wrestle entertaining matches.
And the best part (maybe unfortunately) of the PPV was the Cat's interview when he had that arrogant laugh and then goes "Shut up Mean Gene"...
Oh and yes I realize most things I've listed are "possible good things" and not "actual" good things...but we need positive thinkers like me out there :-)"
I'll answer this one point by point.
1) I'm sure you weren't the only one who enjoyed the show, but you're the first I've heard from. ;-)
2) Smiley's match wasn't bad, but I'm not sure that "funny" was the way it
should've been. Like I'd said, I think WCW had a great chance to push Smiley
by having him really show he could leave the "Screamin'" gimmick behind.
Even though he held his own against 3 Count, jobbing him to them in the end
wasn't the right choice. As for the TV Title, I think Norman deserves
better. He could threaten for the US Title to start with.
3) The only reason Iaukea won the strap was because he's buddies with Kevin
Sullivan...or so I've heard. Of course, I have no inside information, so I
can't say for sure what the story is with that one. It's the best
explanation I can see, though.
4) I like both Kidman and Vampiro. I like watching both of them because
they usually put on a good show. They just seemed to be missing a step at
SuperBrawl. The tag match, yes, was fun, but there wasn't a whole lot to it,
truthfully. Daffney's just...annoying. As for the idea of yours for people
to feud for the title, it's not bad in theory but it doesn't accomplish what
I think WCW's goal should be - pushing the midcarders to a higher level. If
WCW keeps using the same people over and over again, it's just going to drag
them down further.
5) I hate the Cat. Good lines or not. :-)
6) As for positive thinkers? More power to ya. We do need 'em. ;-) I'm
generally a pretty optimistic sort as well, but there's only so much a body
can stomach before the negativity sets in. As the late Jimmy Valvano said,
"Don't give up. Don't ever give up."
Next up is Matt P. from Pleasanton:
Did you see her dance on Nitro last week? I rest my case."
Yeah, but can she wrestle? ;-) Truth be told, I wish WCW would just get rid
of the dancing and the Nitro Girls. It doesn't do anything to promote what
the show should really be about, which is...oh...wrestling.
Jeremy writes:
Like I was saying earlier, I'd toss Vampiro into the mix as well. Kidman...well, it's starting to get a little old with him, to be honest. I mean, how many more jabronies are going to try and powerbomb him? The whole place knows what's coming.
Here's one from Nathan:
One thing that really pissed me off about that so-called Death Match was that
neither Flair nor Funk bladed. Word has it that WCW decided to have it be a
no-blood match, but I ask you - what's the point of that if it's supposed to
be a "Death" match? I mean, honestly.
And as much as I like La Parka for the novelty of the gimmick, if the best
you can think of is him still being there, you must think WCW's in even worse
shape than I do! ;-)
Jacob checks in:
The Lurker's up next:
Torrie Wilson is pretty good too, plus they used La Parka in a semi funny
angle."
Then there's this one from Neil:
I got two words for ya -- 'Nuff said!
Can that be topped? David K. give it his best effort:
Next up is Lucien L:
And finally, here's one from Bobby Gun:
It is pathetic."
"About SuperBrawl, I think I may one of few who actually enjoyed the show....
"Mrs. Freakin' Hancock!!!
"Billy Kidman is another good thing about WCW. Maybe the only good thing left."
"...well..........um......Ric Flair got to beat up Terry Funk in that Texas
Death Match, and I was rooting for him, unless you mean things about WCW in
general, then all I could say is La Parka's still there!"
"Mark Madden, the guy is funny as hell."
And how funny is hell? Do you know? Seriously, I did think he had a few
good lines on Nitro. Problem is, he seems to be trying to act like a heel
announcer. I think Bobby Heenan does it much better. People actually react
to Heenan, too.
"Hey, El Vampiro is cool. At least they gave him a win over Fit Finley. A guy
with his talent doesn't deserve to job every week like he has in the past.
For awhile there I thought that Gonad was a booker.
No argument there on that first point. Vamp could be one of the big stars in
WCW if they used him better. As for Torrie, she's just eye candy. I'm torn
on La Parka. As I said, I like him, but why, WCW? Why job him to the
friggin' Prince?!? If they really needed Madusa to use a mask, how about one
of the Villanos? And just when I'd managed to forget about Konnan...
"Er...Nitro is now only 2 hours long. And thankfully Master P now has to
have birthday parties on E!...."
I'll sum this one like this.
"They aren't on 7 days a week...YET."
If THAT happens...*shudder*
"Hello. I have been
a WCW fan since it was Georgia Championship Wrestling. There is NOTHING good
about WCW right now except for Sting, and there's no one to back him up,
except maybe for Ric Flair, but he's old. They made a huge error letting go
Benoit, Guerrero, Saturn and Malenko, and Jericho too. Liked the column, great
job."
I can't really add anything more to this. And thanks!
"I cannot think of ONE good thing that is involved with this show.
Finally! Someone who thinks it's even worse than I do! *grin* But remember,
just when you think it can't get any worse - it usually does.