From: ag725@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Rick Scaia) Subject: [INFO] The News From Dayton -- 12/2/96 Date: 1996/12/02 Message-ID: <57viiv$cti@freenet-news.carleton.ca> Organization: The National Capital FreeNet x-given-Sender: ag725@freenet2.carleton.ca (Rick Scaia) Reply-To: ag725@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Rick Scaia) Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling After a long weekend, I'm back with a slightly tardy edition of the NFD; I hope no one is great inconvenienced. As always, I feel the need to remind folks that the NFD consists of a weekly recap of the Alex Marvez pro wrestling column from the Sunday Dayton Daily News, along with other info I have culled from my vast and innumerable resources. And as much as you might enjoy the text-only version of the NFD available on RSPW, I strongly encourage everyone to stop by the NFD Website, which includes updates on breaking stories throughout the week, as well as tons of cool exclusive material! The URL is http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~ag725/HomePage.news.html And now, onto Mr. Marvez: * The week, the column is basically a WCW primer for Dayton-area fans interested in attending tonight's live Monday Night from Dayton's Hara Arena. He beings by reviewing the Roddy Piper situation as being the top "hot issue" in WCW right now, but adds that a Piper appearance tonight in Dayton would be highly unlikely because of the limited number of appearances Piper is contractually obligated to make. On the other hand, Sting (another "hot issue") likely will make a rafter dwelling appearance with his "Crow" motif. The Giant winning WW3 last week was a surprise, but expect that storyline, with the Giant earning a shot at his friend and fellow NWO'er Hulk Hogan, to be shoved aside for several weeks as the Hogan/Piper angle unfolds. * A quick blurb about UFC: this Saturday's Ultimate Fighting Championship PPV has lost two of its scheduled competitors. Mark Colemen -- a former Ohio State wrestling stand-out and two time UFC winner -- has pulled out due to illness. Viktor Belfort-Gracie has withdrawn as well. UFC vets Paul Varlens (who you may remember lost a "shootfight" in ECW to Taz) and Kimo will now fill out the field. These changes in the line-up make Ken Shamrock the favorite to win the tourney, says Alex. * Despite covering the Cincinnati Bengals for the Dayton Daily News and currently being computerless, Alex really tries to remain accessible to the fans. You can e-mail him at "Alex1Marv@aol.com" or participate in his "Bodyslams" folders on AOL's Grandstand Wrestling Area. But until football season ends and Alex gets his PC fixed, don't expect a timely response. Other information: * The WWF Raw in Canada Saga continues.... as I began reporting last week, our Canadian brothers and sisters get a substantially hacked up version of Raw each week. Ontario station CKVR does not allow any of the WWF's "live" feed (which includes live commentary each and every week) to be seen in it's 9pm Monday airing, so Titan prepares a bastardized version with poorly dubbed commentary and no crowd noise. CKVR also edits for content occassionaly. It is TSN -- a national station -- that is more well known for editing WWF programming. Despite airing the "live" commentary and what-not, TSN makes nonsensical edits to the program; last week, they completely removed the end of the Bret Hart/Owen Hart match and replaced it with a Dok Hendrix promo. TSN airs RAW around midnight eastern time; but because this is still 9pm in western Canada, TSN feels the need to closely adhere to a set of CAB guidelines regarding TV violence. [CAB guidelines are meant to apply only to programming before 10pm.] This week, further contact with TSN has resulted in more insight into their thinking regarding the editing of RAW. Just as Sylvain Langlois informed me of his contact with TSN last week, thanks go out to Michael Jenkinson for making the following efforts to talk sense to TSN this week. First, here's Michael's letter to TSN: "Add me to what I understand is the growing list of wrestling fans complaining about TSN's editing of Monday Night Raw this past week. Apparently the problem is that Steve Austin hitting someone with a chair is gratuitous violence, and this contravenes the voluntary code of broadcast ethics. (Nevermind that RAW airs at midnight eastern time, when only hardcore wresting fans are watching anyway....) Now, can someone please tell me where the line is drawn here? Two or three weeks ago on Raw, they did a "skit" of sorts that involved a gun. That aired. Wrestlers are regularly thrown into ringposts, over the top rope, or otherwise dropped on the floor. That airs. But someone getting whacked with a chair does not? This from a broadcaster that regularly schedules USA "Tuesday Night at the Fights" boxing? I don't get it. Is not two grown men beating each others brains out, wearing nothing else but gloves, in a real fight, nothing *but* gratuitous violence? Don't get me wrong. I like boxing. But it's far more violent than wrestling, mainly because it's real. Why is boxing never included in this violence code, but wrestling is? Anyway....keep airing boxing. Don't edit wrestling. And the voluntary code be damned: when was the last time the CRTC took away someone's broadcast license? Michael Jenkinson mj@oanet.com" And here is TSN's response to him: ---------------------- Dear Michael: Thank you for your letter! THe "skit" concerning the gun incident was not caught in time by our programmers. What happens is that WWF RAW is taped on Monday night and then re-broadcast 3 hours later on TSN at midnight. THerefore it is difficult to censor when it is this late in the day. However once the incident was discovered the program was pulled. It did not air at 5:30 PM/EST on that day. After warnings to the WWF concerning their content, and after an overwhelming audience response denouncing the "skit", the WWF has now taken to warning us about any violent acts which may be occurring in subsequent shows. This is how the "chair" incident was caught this time. The use of weapons in wrestling is the determing factor which makes it too violent for TSN. Other sports do not bring weapons into the arena, and therefore those who watch know what to expect. Also, TSN is a national broadcaster and even though RAW airs at midnight eastern time, it is only 9:00PM in B.C., which is our second largest television market. This is a time where many young viewers may be watching. We hope this answers your questions. ------------------------ I will refrain from commenting on TSN's grasp -- or lack thereof -- of the situation. But I would guess that they might get tired of answering the e-mail of upset wrestling fans, and might rethink their stategy, if compelling arguements could be made. Again, thanks to all my Canadian readers who offered insights into this matter! * More details about the WWF press conference of last week, from Chris Duggan's Pro Wrestling Digest. First, it seems that Mexican (and US) legend Mil Mascaras will be making an appearance at the Royal Rumble. I'm not sure in what capacity Mascasas will be appearing. Also, there will be sixty minutes of TV build up of the AAA wrestlers before the Rumble. Whether this means one 60 minute show, or 60 minutes of AAA action spread over many programs, I do not know. But it will be interesting to see how Titan endeavors to promote these Lucha stars. * Speaking of Titan working with other organizations, there was a blurb on the WWF Hotline last week about Jim Ross having "memos on his desk from some very interesting wrestling organizations." A co-promotional agreement with Mexico's AAA is now in place. The WWF also sends a lot of guys down to the USWA in Memphis. Speculation persists that there is a WWF/ECW relationship, though there is no proof of such. And now a lot of people are suggesting that Titan may start working more closely with Giant Baba's All Japan Pro Wrestling. All Japan actually did send one man to last year's Royal Rumble, and the new WWF tag team of Doug Furnas and Phil LaFon were/are All Japan stars. We'll see how this shakes out. * Full line-ups for upcoming PPV events.... for WWF's "It's Time" on December 15: Bret Hart vs. Psycho Sid (WWF Title), Marc Mero vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley (IC Title), Undertaker vs. Executioner (Armageddon Rules match), Owen/Bulldog vs. New Razor and Diesel (tag title match), Flash Funk vs. Lief Cassidy, and Rocky Maivia vs. Salvatore Sincere (Free For All). For WCW's "Starrcade" on December 22: Hulk Hogan vs. Roddy Piper, Madusa vs. Akira Hokuto (WCW Women's Title finals), Eddie Guerrero vs. Dallas Page (US Title finals), Syxx vs. Dean Malenko (Cruiserweight title), Jushin Liger vs. Rey Misterio Jr. (possibly for J-Crown if Liger wins it from Dragon), and Chris Benoit vs. Bubba Rogers. * The Randy Savage and Curt Hennig sweepstakes appear to be nearing conclusions. Vince McMahon was in Florida last week negociating with Savage. It's worth noting that the next WWF PPV is practically in Savage's back yard... but the door is not completely closed on a WCW return either. On the other hand, it looks like Hennig *has* closed the door on a return to the WWF. Expect to see him in WCW as a *wrestler* sometime in February. * Ratings for last Monday night saw Nitro win the head-to-head hour with a 2.7 to RAW's 2.1. This has got to be disappointing to Titan, as this show featured the RAW wrestling return of Bret Hart. Nitro's second hour got a 3.5, which averages to a 3.1 for WCW's program. * Finally, here's a plug: Jim the Anvil Neidhart will be making a personal appearance in New York this coming Saturday (12/7) at Melody's Grand Slam, located at 315 Avenue X. The Anvil will be there from 11am till 3pm, signing autographs ($5 charge) and taking polaroids ($7 charge). For more info and/or directions, call (212)479-7956. * Upcoming dates/locations for WWF PPVs: o In Your House -- W. Palm Beach, FL -- 12/15/97 o Royal Rumble -- San Antonio, TX -- 1/19/97 o In Your House -- Memphis, TN -- 2/16/97 o WrestleMania 13 -- Chicago, IL -- 3/23/97 o In Your House -- ??????, ?? -- 4/20/97 o In Your House -- ??????, ?? -- 5/18/97 o King of the Ring -- ??????, ?? -- mid-June '97 o In Your House -- ??????, ?? -- mid-July '97 o SummerSlam '97 -- E. Rutherford, NJ -- mid-August '97 -- 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!!! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------