From: ag725@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Rick Scaia) Subject: [INFO] The News From Dayton -- 10/07/96 Date: 1996/10/08 Message-ID: <53c6vb$o6p@freenet-news.carleton.ca> Sender: ag725@freenet2.carleton.ca (Rick Scaia) Organization: The National Capital FreeNet Reply-To: ag725@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Rick Scaia) Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling Another week, another News From Dayton... apologies to any who stopped by at the NFD Web Site (http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~ag725/ HomePage.news.html) expecting news updates. Busy has been the watchword lately around here. I will try to make sure any huge stories get covered, but will gladly defer to sources such as MiCasa and the Bagpipe Report during this busy time. As always, we start with a recap of the weekly Alex Marvez column from the Sunday Dayton Daily News: * Headline story covers WCW's inability to make their live crowds at TV tapings go home happy. Poor match quality, and a lack of visable, in-arena angles have contributed to a problem in which WCW TV taping crowds go home unhappy, and WCW draws very poorly the next time they come to that arena. Most recently, the live Nitro crowd last week in Cleveland became nearly riotous according to Marvez when terrible matches intersected with the total absence of the NWO (who were heavily chanted for by the Cleveland crowd). WCW is suppossedly aware of the problem and will attempt to correct it by adding a large video screen inside the arena to keep the live crowd abreast of what happens outside the arena. * Next, Marvez becomes one of the first "legitimate" sources I know of to publically break the possibility of Randy Savage departing WCW to return to the WWF. Alex says that if Savage is not allowed to break his role as whipping boy for the NWO and is not given the WCW Title at Havoc (and allowed to hold it, as opposed to the proposed plan of stripping the title holder on November 1), he will likely leave WCW for greener pastures when his WCW contract expires in November. * Eric Bischoff was legitimately pissed at Nasty Boy Jerry Sags for his Jim Carrey "talking butt" impersonation. While Alex doesn't say that this was what drove Bischoff to leave the broadcast position, he does say that Bischoff DID blame a full ratings point drop in the quarter hour ratings on Sags' action. I will not comment on that particular logic on Bischoff's part, but will instead quote Marvez: "Not to condone Sags' action, but people probably stopped watching Nitro because the show was so boring." * Alex Marvez remains accessible to fans, despite working long weeks covering the Cincinnati Bengals for the Dayton Daily News. You can e-mail Alex at "Alex1Marv@aol.com" or stop by the "Bodyslams" folder inside the AOL GrandStand Wrestling Area. Some of the week's other highlights: * WWF LiveWire (Sat. at 10am on USA Network) continues to improve and become a show that deserves close attention. This week, "Vic Venom" (who is a fictional pen name used by WWF Magazine editor Vince Russo, although I don't know if that was Russo portraying the character on TV) made an appearance to appeal to "smart" and "heel" fans. He got on Dok Hendrix, accusing him of selling out his past as Freebird Michael PS Hayes. Hendrix responded by saying that right now, he is Dok Hendrix, WWF announcer and TV personality, and that Venom would NOT want to run into Michael Hayes. Vince McMahon, the guest for the whole hour, did not break any new ground (for those of us who have followed his AOL chats, anyway). However, the highlight of the program was when "Bruce from Connecticut" called; it took me about 2 seconds to realize "Bruce" was really Extreme Icon Paul E. Dangerously. Paul E. took about 30 seconds to hype Extreme Championship Wrestling, and to accuse Vince of trying to steal the hardcore style. This angle continues its slow, realistic build to what could be an immensely interesting pay-off. * ECW has a new heavyweight champion. The Sandman pinned Stevie Richards in the main event at the ECW Arena on Saturday to win Raven's World Title. Raven was to be involved in the match himself, but no-showed for personal reasons. Also no-showing were the Rock 'n' Roll Express, who were slated to be Stevie and Meanie's "surprise from the past" for the Gangstas. Two WWF-bound ECW'ers did ignominious jobs on the show: Terry Gordy dropped a match to the returning Bam Bam Bigelow, and Doug Furnas lost to Louie Spiccoli. Subscribe to the Wrestling Lariat if you want a superb write of of this (and all future) ECW Arena shows. * In other title change news: just as fast as they lost the titles, Harlem Heat regained the WCW tag straps from the Public Enemy. I don't know why they did the original switch to TPE if the titles were gonna go back on the Heat anyway. Now it will be Harlem Heat who job to Hall and Nash at Havoc. Anyone want to start taking bets on how long it'll take "Six" to beat Rey, Jr. for the Cruiserweight Title so that the NWO will have ALL the gold? * Adding to the NWO having all the gold scenario is the fact that we can expect the Giant to be given the US Title very soon, as it is unlikely Ric Flair will defend that title as planned at Havoc due to a shoulder injury. Time will tell. * The Jim Ross story continues to fascinate, as his comments on SuperStars (USA Network, Sun. 11am) set up a subcontext of his recent actions. He claimed to have been moved into the "Vice President of Wrestling Administration" position by J.J. Dillon, when Dillon left the company. Making sure JR got that spot was JJ's last act. This, along with the news that JR's got some kind of long term contract, could be taken as an indication that JR is not done taking actions in this angle. He promised to reveal more of his plot and his motivations on RAW tonight. * The Bagpipe Report proposed the following scenario given the recent word that the WWF is looking to do a live late night show on FOX: The show would be live on Saturday nights, and would be more "extreme." Marathon RAW tapings would be a thing of the past as RAW for two nights later (and possibly and episode of SuperStars?) would be taped previous to the live hour. This would add to the freshness of the WWF's weekly programming. However, I see some holes in this theory... first, this would mean that the traditionally hot live post-PPV RAW would now be taped, meaning events from the PPV might be predicatable based on tapings results. Secondly, Titan would have to be worried about "exposing" events that will transpire on the live FOX hour by taping a program to air two days later before that program goes on. Unlike RAW tapings, where "filler" for following shows can be taped before the live broadcast, Titan will not have the option of keeping an audience awake and alive till 2a.m. to tape the additional footage. We shall see if/how this plays out. -- Rick Scaia | I'm on the Web now! RSPW Posse Minister of OFFENSE | http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~ag725/ ag725@freenet.carleton.ca | Prepare to be Disappointed!!! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------