Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling From: hekunze@jeeves.uwaterloo.ca (Herb Kunze) Subject: Wrestling TidBits - 07/21 Message-ID: Sender: news@watdragon.uwaterloo.ca (USENET News System) Organization: University of Waterloo Date: Thu, 21 Jul 1994 23:02:55 GMT Lines: 123 - Hulk Hogan won the unified WCW & WCW International World Title on Sunday at WCW's Bash at the Beach. I did make some calls, but it looks like it's a bit early to have a grip on the buy rate for this show. Estimates vary from poor to good, so there's no real point in talking about it. - The local newspaper ran the following blurb last week. "Hulk Hogan, a pro wrestling star admired by millions of young fans, has publicly admitted for the first time that he took steroids for 13 years. 'I used steroids to get big,' Hogan (real name Terry Bollea) said yesterday during testimony in a Long Island, N.Y., courtroom. Hogan was called by the prosecution in the steroid conspiracy case against World Wrestling Federation president Vince McMahon, his former boss. 'I would go by the office and pick up the steroids along with my paycheck and fan mail,' Hogan said. The U.S. government banned steroids in 1991 for all but therapeutic uses. They can damage the liver, kidneys, testicles, heart and bones." This week in the Vince McMahon saga began with good news for the embattled WWF president, as the judge in his case dismissed all but the conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids charge against him. Most people that have talked about the case thought that was the most weakly established charge of the lot. - With Hulk Hogan returning in a grand nature to the pro-wrestling business, WWF champion Bret Hart has coincidentally had several personal interviews appear in print over the past few weeks. Some highlights from different pieces, with absolutely no factual accuracy guaranteed: - Hart is 37 years old, one of 12 children of Stu & Helen Hart. Seven of the eight Hart boys wrestled for a living. - "I wrestled freestyle in high school. Learned all the holds. It's not vital, you know. Big stars like Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior really couldn't wrestle. But it's a useful background." - "At college, however, I studied film direction. I was broke, though. So I'd referee for Dad." - "When I heard wrestlers talking about the money they made, I changed my thinking. So I got great instruction - how to take falls, deliver blows and so on. Today, I'm proud to say that in 17 years, I've never hurt anybody." - He started as a heel. "My parents hated that but it's he best way to get established. The babyfaces just react. The rule-breakers initiate." - He said his big break was teaming with brother-in-law Jim Neidhart as the Hart Foundation in the WWF. "We were bad guys the first time, then good - well, fairly good - guys. By the time we drifted apart, I was developing a personality of my own. I realized fans liked the notion of a nice fellow with a sinister background to call upon when really needed - after I've suffered (I suffer well) a lot, say, while trying to stick to the rules. Kind of like the Michael Keaton take on Batman." - He had trouble becoming proficient at interviews. "I used to watch myself on tape and I was so bad it'd make me squirm. I'd stumble over words - I was nervous, see - and my eyes would dart around. Then an idea came to me. Dark glasses. Behind them, I'd be more confident. And nobody could see my eyes. It worked. Now, if the producer needs 45 seconds, I give him 45 seconds. And it's a good 45 seconds. What I didn't expect was that the shades would become a trademark. When I go in the ring or make an appearance, I give a few sets away to kids." - He talked about feuding with his brother Owen. "Even after a lifetime in the game, this bothers Dad a bit. And Mom wound up in hospital with tension. People take me aside and say, 'Geez, Bret, your brother?' What can I tell you? These are great bouts." - About Hulk Hogan going to WCW. "To me, it's a sad pathetic ending for a guy who was a legend, who had a legacy with the WWF. I don't care what anybody says, to me, the WCW is a step down." - About Hogan vs. Ric Flair. "There's a lot of talk about Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair, this great match. The greatest match-up of all-time kind of stuff. It might have been the greatest match-up in some people's minds 15 years ago.[...] I think you're really going to see that Ric Flair is very limited in the ring. In my opinion, his best days were over long before he ever lost to me. And Hulk Hogan, I don't know if anyone's seen him now. I'm embarrassed for him. The guy used to be a hero to me. I'm embarrassed to see what he's become. It's like flogging a dead horse, the WCW thing. There will be some interest initially, but it'll wane fast." - A little more on WWF referee Joe Marella's death. There have been mixed reports about whether Joe was wearing a seatbelt at the time. Original reports said that Joe fell asleep at the wheel and was tossed from the car when it wrapped itself around a tree. Harvey Wippleman survived the car crash with minimal damage, but will still be inactive for a bit. Apparently, no passing traffic would stop to aid Wippleman until he threw a fender on the road to force the issue. Three weeks of TV had just been taped when the accident occurred on July 4th, so the death won't be mentioned on TV until all of Joe's matches have aired. Jack Tunney says "The boys in the dressing room are still shaking. Wrestling is a business, but it's also a fraternity. I know that everyone associated with the WCW is also feeling the pain." - SMW Fan Week takes place from 08/05/94 to 08/13/94, with lots of events planned over those days. A detailed summary of events and pricing was presented a few weeks back. I have finalized my travel plans to attend the entire Fan Week run. I suppose there's good reason to expect a good highlights post some time after I return. There will most likely be no TidBits posting on 08/11/94. - WCW has a Clash of the Champions on 08/24/94. Scheduled matches include: - Steve Regal vs. Antonio Inoki in a non-title match There is talk of having a match with Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair, surely just to run an angle. - The WWF has SummerSlam on 08/29/94. The line-up includes: - Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart for the WWF Title in a cage match - Undertaker (Mark Callaway) vs. Undertaker (Brian Lee) - Tatanka vs. Lex Luger - WCW has Fall Brawl in 09/94. Tentative line-up includes: - Terry Funk & Bunkhouse Buck & Arn Anderson & Meng vs. Dusty Rhodes & Dustin Rhodes & Nasty Boys in a War Games match - Videos: I have posted something about the availability of videos. If you missed it, I'll send it to you in e-mail upon request. Basically, all of the tapes in my video collection are available. If you are interested in getting a copy of VideoMarinepiad I or VideoMarinepiad II, drop me some e-mail. Herb...