You are here /wrestling
/guests
/T
Guest Columns

Mr. T

Main

BLAH

IN THE CHEAP SEATS

[RIP Charles Schulz 1922-2000 & Tom Landry, 1924-2000]
 
Mood Swings In Quotes: I've been majorly depressed in my last two columns, so let's change gears here, and take a look at something positive I've been thinking about.
 
Plug-O-Rama in Quotes: On a related note, if you liked my last piece, Respect, please stop by and give Martin's musings a look, as the two articles are so perfectly parallel, we couldn't have done better if we planned it. Good work again! While I'm plugging, whatever happened to the Expansion column, Mikey? For the rest of the hardworking [Slash] gang: Heck, anyone with a "/Opinion" around here is worth at least an appreciative email: help us out!
 
It's pretty damn obvious that the WWF is handing WCW it's ass but on Monday, a big but often overlooked part of the reason why snuck into [Slash] here this week. See, CRZ went to RAW live this week at San Jose, and pointed out something that the viewers at home don't often get to see: what happens after the cameras stop rolling at RAW (or Smackdown). Here, credit this one to Al Issacs/ScoopsWrestling and Scooper Trooper Mark Barbeau:
 
"'Just got in from driving 45 minutes south of San Francisco to see 'Raw is War' at he San Jose Arena. I had not attended a WWF live event since 'the Hulkster' reigned supreme in the '80's . . . .I must say it was the most incredible piece of surreal theater i have seen in recent memory...there were too many brilliant moments to mention . . .the eclectic mix of people (young, old, black,white, latino, etc) a true melting pot . . .the pavlovian call and response of the fans . . .the 'ho' who couldn't stand up on her 5' heels . . .the guy in my section who booed the entrance of each referee to the delight of the crowd . . .sure I could nitpick about some of the stereotypes and gender roles and how unsettling I found it watching a row of kids scream 'slut' at the topof their lungs . . .but what will remain etched in
my mind is how much the WWF cares about sending the fans home happpy . . . the televised show has ended and we have not see 2 Cool and Rikishi dance. . . the People's Elbow has been conspicuous by it's absence ...and yet the headliners (Rock, Kane, Big Show, Cactus Jack, 2 Cool, and Rikishi) all remain to give the people EVERYTHING they wanted
. . .I exit behind
two elated sisters, one 7 and the other 10 and I hear the following . . .

7 year old: 'That was the best'

10 year old: ohmigod when 2 Cool and Rikishi danced with Cactus Jack'

7 year old: 'And the Rock was soooo great (concerned) but you know what?'

10 year old: 'What?'

7 year old: 'The show was over, no one saw that on tv, nobody knows about it'

10 year old: (pauses thoughtfully) 'Nobody but us'

7 year old: (grinning ear to ear) 'yeah'

WWF Wrestling: Priceless!'

I feel very lucky to live close to a popular wrestling venue [Reunion Arena, Dallas, TX] so I have experienced this as well at SmackDown! I attended the HHH Gauntlet Smackdown where HHH had to win 3 of 5 to get into the 6Pac Challenge at the next PPV and here's an excerpt of the spoilers I sent to [Slash]:

"The only way the Rock will sing the "Smackdown Hotel" is if Dallas Stars Brett Hull and Mike Montross will join them in the ring! They do, and the Rock & Mankind interviewing made for a hilarious segment, 20 minutes AFTER the show. My favorite part: Rock is fixing to do his "Lalala ..What the Rock" line, and he catches somebody handing Mankind a mic:

Rock: WAIT A MINUTE! Did you just hand Mick Foley a mic?

Rock: Did you just hand Mick Foley a mic? Hah, the bad part is the sumbitch don't work! (laughter, Rock takes it from Mankind)

Rock: Well, guess I could take it ....shine it up real good ....

(Mankind takes the mic, and...)

Mankind: Rock, it does work...I didn't want you to embarrass me in front of Dallas!

Rock: Mick, I was talking about sticking it up HIS candyass (pointing at the guy that handed the mic to Mick!)"

Here's A Quote For You: "I've watched a lot of wrestling, but nothing will EVER compare to seeing the Dallas Stars [STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS!] star players singing Smackdown Hotel with the Rock and Mankind in the middle of the ring live." -Mr. T

I will always remember how Mick and Rock stayed 25 minutes after an already very memorable SmackDown! to entertain us, and give us that extra-special moment that will live on for ages. And the best part - no cameras rolling. It's that extra something from Titan to say, "Thank you for driving 26 miles to Reunion Arena and buying a ticket, rather than staying home and watching us on TV."

Contrast this with WCW: I've been to three "house shows" and one live Nitro here in Dallas. In all four cases, the heels ending up ruling the ring at the end, and what we saw live was what you got on TV: the one no one wanted to see, the heel ruling the day, after a show that at three hours long, seemed like six hours after all the breaks, and "action" [45 minutes of skits rolling on the big screen? I believe this was the infamous "Nitro's first hour doesn't exist" Nitro]. In the boom of the nWo, they won nearly ALL their matches at the house shows. I don't think you need to ask my opinions of these shows.

It's a very simple philosophy: send that crowd home happy. WWF may not be the classiest organization on TV, but you get your money's worth and then some from every ticket you buy. Good job, WWF.

Good grief, WCW! [There's your Peanuts Reference to send the readers home happy!]

Mr. T
[slash] wrestling

Email the author

BLAH

Main

Design copyright (C) 1999, 2000 Christopher Robin Zimmerman & KZiM Communications
Guest column text copyright (C) 2000 by the individual author and used with permission