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WWE Confidential July 12, 2003
Posted by Retro Rob on Jul 14, 2003, 16:33
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WWE Confidential July 12, 2003
Before we get to Confidential, I would like to thank everyone who sent me feedback on my new column, The Booking Report, as well as Jay Bower for once again plugging my work. Anyhow, those of you who have not seen it yet should definitely check it out. I thought that maybe I would address some of my feedback in the introduction to Confidential because once I write the next edition of the column, all of the last week�s points would have been forgotten.
Hi
I've just read your "SmackDown! vs Raw" column and I think it's a great idea. It helps people to compare the shows and to detect good and bad sides of each show especially when they don't have an opportunity to watch the shows (I'm exact a such person cause live in Russia, where we have only RAWzone with 2 month of delay). So keep it up!
Kronos
Damn, Russian fans only get the second hour of Raw, TWO MONTHS after it actually happened.
I love this new column Rob. So what is it gonna take for something to be great?? Maybe 10 extra minutes on a Eddie/ Ultimo match or something like that??
Honestly that is a very good question. I guess I will know the criteria for what is great once I actually see something that qualifies.
Thanks to everyone else who sent me feedback as well.
This Week on Confidential: Gail Kim speaks, Steve Austin on VH1, and what Jimmy Hart does when he isn�t managing.
Gail Kim made her WWE debut two weeks ago when she won the Women�s Title in a battle royal. In her mind, believing that you can do anything is half the battle. She was very anxious prior to her debut, but once she went out and the crowd was there it is all OK. See how she doesn�t mention the reaction of the crowd, just that they were THERE?
As a kid growing up in Toronto she was always a big wrestling fan that was involved in numerous sports. She would never miss an episode of Raw or SmackDown. She came across a wrestling school and was nervous at first, but then she settled down. Once she learned the basics she joined The Squared Circle (www.squaredcircletraining.com), which is where they taught her the lucha style.
She was very hesitant to tell ANYONE that she was a professional wrestler. Everyone reacts differently to it. She likes lucha, but she loves to watch technical wrestlers like Chris Benoit. Down the road she would like to take on Rey Mysterio. She appreciates being one of the few Asian women in wrestling. Posing for the Diva photo shoots is also very new for her. Although many people doubted she would make it to the WWE, Gail Kim always knew it was a possibility.
Segment 1: .5/1
Outside the Ropes: Matt Hardy
1. When will the next Version of Mattitude be released and what will the upgrades be?
Version 1 is still running strongly, but due to the Version 1 hand sign being so popular he will call his upgrade Version 1: Stage 2.
2. What that does happen is there a marketing strategy?
There is always a marketing strategy in place, but like this show it is confidential. Matt must not watch this show very often�
3. Could Mattitude bring peace to the Middle East?
Mattitude could do anything. Everything that people said he could never do he did because of Mattitude including splitting from Jeff, his singles run, and losing weight to win the Cruiserweight Title.
4. In WWE Magazine you mentioned Mattimatics. What is the square root of Version 1?
Mattitude. He gives an explanation as to how he found this answer, but I suck at match so lets move right along.
5. What are Shannon Moore�s daily duties?
He washes Matt�s car, mows his lawn, cooks his meals. You get the picture.
6. What does it take to be an MF�er and how does one apply?
You have to believe that with Mattitude anything is possible. Josh Matthews wants a pamphlet. After looking Josh over, Matt decides that the only thing he has going for him are his cool shoes.
7. Do you plan on branching Mattitude out to other fields like movies?
Possibly. Matt is a lot more talented than the Rock, so why not?
8. Where do you get these pants?
It is an ancient Chinese design that stands for meditation and concentration.
9. How about a Matt Fact for Confidential?
Matt Hardy is the attraction in the Sports Entertainment industry. Number One is V. 1 because of Mattitude.
Figures, they interview one of the guys on the short list of wrestlers I mark for and they don�t even ask him the complete set of TEN questions.
Segment 2: 1/2
Steve Austin was asked by VH1 to host their Classic Jukebox show. What this means is that Steve was given the power to select what the channel plays for an entire hour. Those of you who remember his old compilation CD probably already know that majority of the show will feature metal and hard rock. Steve is used to performing in front of a live crowd, so he had some trouble in the studio.
When he was younger he used to want to be a rock star. That is until his brother told him to take off his headphones and listen to himself sing. From there he decided to enter the wrestling field. Even though he felt like a fish out of water, he had a good time doing this show with VH1. I�ve seen worse.
Segment 3: 1.5/3
Jimmy Hart introduces us to his friend Howard Helm. Helm�s studio has been used for numerous mainstream bands and musicians. Jimmy also used it to produce many of the songs he used in the WWF and WCW. Howard discusses how the first two measures of an entrance theme can set the tone for a wrestler. Take Shawn Michaels or the Honky Tonk Man for example. Jimmy sings a little of HTM�s old theme. They try to incorporate what is popular at the time with the wrestler�s personality. Like for the Wolfpack they used a rap song since rap was literally everywhere.
Jimmy�s highlight was working with Three Count (Helms, Moore, Karagias). The three of them were more or less told that they would be fired. At the time a different guy was booking Nitro every week. That week it was Nash, who told Jimmy he could do whatever he wanted. Hart threw together a boy band gimmick for them and they recorded a song (with the help of additional voices) and essentially that is why they kept their jobs.
Jimmy and Howard list ALL of the themes they had done over time. A few of the more popular ones were HBK, HTM�s Greatest Hits, Randy and Liz�s wedding song, the Rockers, Repo Man, Buff Bagwell, Koko B. Ware, the Rockers, Ted DiBiase, and the list goes on. Jimmy reminds us, �The more you drink, the better we sound.� Nothing groundbreaking here, but at least it was different and interesting.
Segment 4: 2.5/4
From the Vault: A-Train
Casket Match: Undertaker vs. Yokozuna ~ Survivor Series 1994
Of course such a horrible wrestler would pick an equally horrible match. This one is famous for having Chuck Norris as the guest referee/enforcer. There is actually very little PBP to do because most of the camerawork includes watching Chuck stare down King Kong Bundy and Bam Bam Bigelow. I.R.S. enters through the crowd and throws Taker in the casket. As usual Yoko doesn�t make it there in time to close the lid and Taker battles out. Jeff Jarrett runs down the aisle, but gets caught with a Superkick from Norris. Taker boots Yoko into the casket and that�s that. (7:31) *Yawn*
Segment 5: 2.5/5
In the hopes of raising money for the families that lost loved ones in Iraq, Shawn Michaels recruited Ric Flair, Triple H, Kevin Nash, Bill Goldberg, Steve Austin, and Trish Stratus to go on a tour of autograph signings. The first took place at an FYE in New York City and raised $15,000. Shawn made sure that 100% of the proceeds would go directly to the families. This is definitely a nice way for the WWE to show their support, but it doesn�t really belong on Confidential.
Next Week: Mick Foley talks about writing.
Segment 6: 2.5/6
THIS IS IT
Decent show up until the lengthy From the Vault segment. Once again, take a look at my latest column over on The Smart Marks.
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