Thanks, as always, for the time and effort expended in your weekly Thunder report. I concur with the reader's view regarding upsets. This is a time honored method of setting up or continuig feuds utilizing a third party.In this case, Booker T was the victim of outside interference from Disco, resulting in Jerry Flynn getting the upset victory over someone higher on the card. This ups the heat between Booker and Disco, and Flynn gets the distinction of a win over a higher card wrestler, even it it's via outside help. And it possibly gets a third wrestler involved in the feud, although I doubt Flynn will get that much of a push.
I do like Jerry Flynn, however; I always pull for the lower card guys, and these occasional upsets add credibility; when I saw the match was to be Booker vs Flynn, I thought there's no way in hell Booker would lose. So I was surprised by the outcome. Flynn's mini-push continues (sort of like Norman Smiley's, who now seems to be absent), as he actually gets some press as one of the featured wrestlers on the next WCWSN. Gee, with guys like Flynn and Smiley getting something of a chance these days, maybe 1999 will be the year Jumpin' Joey Maggs makes a comeback!
The bad part of the show was the Luchadores still jobbing or simply wrestling each other. Looks as if Psychosis is being set up to challenge Kidman for the Cruiser title. Do you think they would actually give him the belt? And, I get ticked when I tune in to Thunder or WCWSN and see constant replays of skits and matches from Nitro. I would much rather see a couple more matches, even lower card matches, than have to fast forward through replays and music videos. Bret Hart's star seems to have dimished, as he's gone rapidly from U.S. Champ to wrestling Disco on Thunder. But then, at WCW, it seems the inmates do run the asylum.
Nice job on the reports, please keep up the good work.Thunder is getting to be too much of the Nitro highlight show. How many time will they show the Kimberly out of the limo, DDP interview highlights, Big Roid rants, etc. Everywhere I look says DDP got a six to eight week vacation, so start a new new angle already.
Best crowd sign I have ever seen: Last night, when The Cat came out and started his stupid monologue, a pan shot up the runway showed someone with a big sign that said "Ernest Miller is not very good." or something to that same effect. Completely simple, and absolutely hilarious. I wonder if alot of people caught that one and also thought it was as funny as I did.
My latest conspiracy theory: The Nash vs. Rey Nitro match could have been a job like the one the WWF did to Hart (Clark) in his final match with HBK where the ref gave the match up. In Rey's match, the Ref was counting before Nash was even on his back. Maybe Nash's surprised look was actually surprise. Also, Hart (Clark) completely pounded Disco last nite in a way that nWo doesn't usually get pounded. Could it be that higher ups at WCW are getting sick of Nash and the unpopular booking being done lately and are trying to crack the nWo clique? (I could have way too much time on my hands)
I thought you might find this interesting. The article at this location ran in the Friday Lantern at Ohio State for no apparent reason, since there has been no wrestling at the Schottenstein Center since Nitro in January. I think it was just someone hopping on the Anti-wrestling bandwagon.Also, on WNCI this morning, a couple of the personalities were talking about wrestling. They often do, and usually treat it with some respect, and they even have wrestlers on the show sometimes when they are in town. Well anyway, the woman on the show was talking about how wrestling is just a fad for kids, and then compared it to the Power Rangers. I was so pissed that I couldn't get back to sleep after hitting my snooze button.
As an indy wrestler struggling to make it to the small time, I thought both of these comments were b.s., but I thought they were pretty lame. Yes, wrestling seems to be getting more and more popular, but so is ignorant people bashing it.
Just a couple of thoughts:You'd have to watch univision, the spanish network, to see the Konnan video. BET wouldn't play that crap! :) Also, since Time Warner owns WCW *and* a record company, it makes sense that the album o crap is under the time warner umbrella. Why not tell what the name of the song is, the artist, and the name of the album? If you're going to advertise, do it right!!!!! Who's going to walk in to a record store and ask for "the song that konnan lip synchs to on wcw"? (well, who's going to ask for it anyway?)
One other thought:
Despite popular opinion, there is a way to enjoy a piper match. Just make "three stooges" noises everytime he headbutts, does the whirly-fist thing, or gives the two fingered eye poke, a la Moe.
I'm not a big fan of The Cat. But he has doe one good thing for pro wrestling. He has correctly pointed out that Stevie Ray looks a lot like Yogi Bear. I knew he looked like a Hanna Barberra cartoon, but I could never think of which. Now I think Konnan and Rey should change their names to K-Dawgy Daddy and Augy Doggie and we could start a whole new stable.
I just wanted to make a comment about your notes from your most recent Thunder update......Not to be technical, but in answer to your Bret Hart/Disco question, Bret Hart was never in the nWo. Not in the Wolfpack, and not in the Black-and-White. Bret Hart has even stated (I think in one of his Calgary Sun articles some time ago) that he had never officially joined up with either, although he was "romanced" by both factions.
My best guess as to why he faced Disco that night, is to possibly set up Hart to turn face again, possibly to feud with that balding, egotistical, genetically challenged "Champion of the World" Hogan. But since the Thunder was taped, and not live, it remains to be seen wether or not it will eventually turn into a major angle or not. My only question at this point, concerning another Hart turn is: "Does anyone really care?"
But I must admit I got a big kick out of the Canadian National Anthem according to Disco....
Thanks for taking time to read my e-mail, and keep up the great work at DDT Digest. You rule, man!
The Good: Kidman and Chavo were in their element. Also, even though the main event was average at best, it's good to see Mark Bagwell come back from a serious injury to work again. But, the best thing of all -- no commercial interruptions during the matches! Woo hoo!
The Bad: Other than Kidman-Chavo, nothing else really stood out. Also, it used to be that you could get a solid 8-9 matches on a typical Thunder. Now, they are turning this into a Nitro, Jr. of sorts with a sizable amount of the program eaten away by promos, clips from Nitro, and interviews.
The Ugly: Seeing Prince Iaukea's career take a nose-dive from winning the WCW World TV Title a while back. Not that I care about the guy, but when his push ended, it ended in a big way.
Lyrics by Aldo Di Pasqua
He sits there on his ass
And he has no workrate
He cannot grapple out of a bag
He's washed up and gets booed out of arenas galore
When he flexes and his muscles sag
Go away, go away, get the hell away
Hogan, why don't you do the job
Oy vey, oy vey, you're ruining wrestling today
Hogan, why don't you do the job
Backlund, Sammartino they both paved the way
I guess he forgot conveniently
Hey, dumbass you make millions of dollars today
Won't you eat the one, two, three?
Go away, go away, get the hell away
Hogan, why don't you do the job
Oy vey, oy vey, you're ruining wrestling today
Hogan, why don't you do the job
Don't want a bit of glory, yeah you want it all
Yeah, if I see you around I'll kick you in the balls
I know of a wrestler
Yeah, he's such a dick
He won't put people over no more
He's washed up and gets booed out of arenas galore
When he flexes and his muscles sag
Go away, go away, get the hell away
Hogan, why don't you do the job
Oy vey, oy vey, you're ruining wrestling today
Hogan, why don't you do the job
All of the younger guys, please pave their way
Hogan, why don't you do the job
Or retire from the place where the big boys play
Hogan, why don't you do the job
Copyright Aldo Di Pasqua -- 1999
I hope you found that somewhat entertaining. If you did like it, then maybe it will give me the leverage to further my "music career." :)
However, if this offended you, I'm sorry. But keep in mind, it's only a song parody!