Workrate Report for 1.16.98.
 

This was like a big chunk of Worldwide Exclusives, again. A lot of recaps, and
a paucity of anything interesting here in terms of exposition. Here, for the first time, some bullshit from the RSPWMOd thread....

What Worked

Flair in the ring with the LWO (in Nitro recap form) was kind of a cool moment,
especially with him hugging Silver King and all, Juvi Whooing, and Rey
abstaining from Flair's de facto ethnic cleansing. Notice how deftly Flair
turned the boos directed to the LWO into cheers.

Jeff Warner, a new Power Plant guy, showed some rudimentary, if Vanilla,
offense against Disco Inferno. Warner stuck to the basics here -- crisp slams
and suplexes, vaguely heelish mannerisms -- but executed them convincingly and
used smooth transitions throughout. Odd to see the so-called heel Disco work
essentially face in this match, taking a beating until he found an opening to
do his finisher. Pathetic to see the starpower-starved Gainesville crowd
chanting for Disco, especially in light of the other dreck on this show.

Installment 2 of the white-hot Chris Adams/Chip Minton feud finds the judo
jacket wearing Adams showing more interesting offense (a dragon screw, for
example) than he has in a while (although the powerbomb he executed to set up
the superkick was Nashesque in its weakness). Minton looked sharp here, and I
can't complain about this.

There was nothing seriously wrong with Riggs/Putski. Credible psychology
highlighted by Riggs working over Putski's leg for a couple of minutes with
some fairly convincing mat work (a decent half crab, a spinning toehold, et
al.). Of course, Putski's offense blew chunks and Riggs's finisher is wack, but
whatever.

What Didn't Work

Wrath squashing Horowitz was too long and pointless (as is usual with the
former Adam Bomb), but my friend Jim on AOL would rather see one move from
Wrath than the repulsive sketches of Mark Henry, so maybe this belongs in the
other column.

Chad Fortune, being a complete and utter joke in the ring, does his part to
kill Gainesville and gets David Sierra to help him. Fortune did a lot of body
slams and some crap matwork, and he and the pensioner Sierra are not afraid to
work loose. Fortune's finisher is a single leg sweep.

The Monster Meng goes all death grippy on Mike Tolbert. Yeehaw.

Apparently the NWO has decided that there will be no tag team tournament, so
tonight's main event tag match is just a tag match, or something. I watched
Hudson and Tenay explain this three times and it makes no sense to me
whatsoever.

That Tag Team Main Event was just an abomination and a disgrace to WCWSN. The
crowd was like extras from Schindler's List, sitting on their hands, checking
watches, balancing checkbooks. It was about three minutes long, with Duncum
winning the match after legdropping Kaos (who was distracted, you see, because
Rage came out to distract him). What the hell is there to say about this?
Duncum's a sack of shit that can only be carried by Chris Jericho, apparently.
Kaos will just become Lex Luger. Mike Enos brings nothing to a match except for
stiffness when he's in with Benoit or Finlay. Bobby Eaton needs to get the hell
off my TV screen. And to think that a few weeks back I found things to bitch
about when Eddy and Chris Motherfucking Jericho were wrestling. Someone shoulda
slapped the taste outta my mouth then, because I was a punk talking a punk's
talk.

'Double Tough' Tony Gancarski:
Look how great my face looks now.
 

Todd Gerth Jan 18 1999, 3:00 am show options
Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling.moderated
From: Todd Gerth <tge...@ix.netcom.com> - Find messages by this author
Date: 1999/01/18
Subject: Re: WCWSN Workrate Report for 1.16.98.
Reply to Author | Forward | Print | Individual Message | Show original | Report Abuse

Gancarski wrote:
> Installment 2 of the white-hot Chris Adams/Chip Minton feud finds the judo
> jacket wearing Adams showing more interesting offense (a dragon screw, for
> example) than he has in a while (although the powerbomb he executed to set up
> the superkick was Nashesque in its weakness). Minton looked sharp here, and I
> can't complain about this.

I'm going to go with Scott Hudson and say that Adams was actually trying a
piledriver. I've seen Adams use a piledriver many times before, but I dont recall
him using a powerbomb. My guess is that as he picked up Minton, he accidentally
overdid it or Minton overrotated (possibly not realizing it was supposed to be a
piledriver) and so Adams had to go for the powerbomb. Adams looked a bit confused
after the move, so I'll use that as further evidence.

The thing is, no matter what the reason for the shabby powerbomb, it was still a
notch better than Nash's. I dont know why anyone would even want to do a powerbomb
now that Eddie Guerrero's laid up. No one can give or receive a powerbomb like
that man.

Adams is going for a low-rent pseudo-shootfighting gimmick? Hey, I can dig it.

todd
--
"Pulse rate? Normal!" -- Rob & Fonzie's Halftime Status Report
 

Gancarski Jan 19 1999, 3:00 am show options
Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling.moderated
From: gancar...@aol.com8675309 (Gancarski) - Find messages by this author
Date: 1999/01/19
Subject: Re: WCWSN Workrate Report for 1.16.98.
Reply to Author | Forward | Print | Individual Message | Show original | Report Abuse

- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
Todd Gerth writes:
>Gancarski wrote:

>> Installment 2 of the white-hot Chris Adams/Chip Minton feud finds the judo
>> jacket wearing Adams showing more interesting offense (a dragon screw, for
>> example) than he has in a while (although the powerbomb he executed to set
>up
>> the superkick was Nashesque in its weakness). Minton looked sharp here, and
>I
>> can't complain about this.

>I'm going to go with Scott Hudson and say that Adams was actually trying a
>piledriver. I've seen Adams use a piledriver many times before, but I dont
>recall
>him using a powerbomb. My guess is that as he picked up Minton, he
>accidentally
>overdid it or Minton overrotated (possibly not realizing it was supposed to
>be a
>piledriver) and so Adams had to go for the powerbomb. Adams looked a bit
>confused
>after the move, so I'll use that as further evidence.

Good point. And that's another cool thing about this match: Adama\s' ability to
adapt.

>The thing is, no matter what the reason for the shabby powerbomb, it was
>still a
>notch better than Nash's. I dont know why anyone would even want to do a
>powerbomb
>now that Eddie Guerrero's laid up. No one can give or receive a powerbomb
>like
>that man.

This Canadian guy -- Benoit? -- is pretty good. WCW has him in opening matches,
so I guess they're trying to build him slow though.

>Adams is going for a low-rent pseudo-shootfighting gimmick? Hey, I can dig
>it.

Beats the hell out of what he did when he started in WCW.

'Double Tough' Tony Gancarski:
Look how great my face looks now.
 

Todd Gerth Jan 21 1999, 3:00 am show options
Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling.moderated
From: Todd Gerth <tge...@ix.netcom.com> - Find messages by this author
Date: 1999/01/21
Subject: Re: WCWSN Workrate Report for 1.16.98.
Reply to Author | Forward | Print | Individual Message | Show original | Report Abuse

Gancarski wrote:
> Todd Gerth writes:

> I dont know why anyone would even want to do a
> >powerbomb now that Eddie Guerrero's laid up. No one can give or receive a
> powerbomb like that man.

> This Canadian guy -- Benoit? -- is pretty good. WCW has him in opening matches,
> so I guess they're trying to build him slow though.

Benoit? You mean that quiet little guy who always beats up his opponents without
using any wrestling moves? I think I've heard of him.

Mr. Choppy-choppy-kick-kick hasnt done much for me lately. (how many killfiles will
I enter for that blasphemy?) Seriously, when was the last time he used a
powerbomb?

todd

{A SPECIAL BEHIND-THE-SCENES GLIMPSE OF AN RSPWM POST IN THE MAKING: Earlier
drafts of this post did not use the line "Mr Choppy etc", and instead called Benoit
"The Canadian Cuisinart" (because all he does is chop). However, studio execs
decided that the "Choppy" line would invoke the underutilization of Kaientai in the
WWF, and would bring another level of subtext to the proceedings.}
--
"Pulse rate? Normal!" -- Rob & Fonzie's Halftime Status Report
 

Gancarski Jan 21 1999, 3:00 am show options
Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling.moderated
From: gancar...@aol.comatose (Gancarski) - Find messages by this author
Date: 1999/01/21
Subject: Re: WCWSN Workrate Report for 1.16.98.
Reply to Author | Forward | Print | Individual Message | Show original | Report Abuse

- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
Todd Gerth writes:
>Gancarski wrote:

>> Todd Gerth writes:

>> I dont know why anyone would even want to do a
>> >powerbomb now that Eddie Guerrero's laid up. No one can give or receive a
>> powerbomb like that man.

>> This Canadian guy -- Benoit? -- is pretty good. WCW has him in opening
>matches,
>> so I guess they're trying to build him slow though.

>Benoit? You mean that quiet little guy who always beats up his opponents
>without
>using any wrestling moves? I think I've heard of him.

He's pretty good. But the problem is that he's not willing to learn from people
above him on the card. If he got Kevin Nash to take him under his wing, who
knows what would happen? He might have the TV title now.

>Mr. Choppy-choppy-kick-kick hasnt done much for me lately. (how many
>killfiles will
>I enter for that blasphemy?) Seriously, when was the last time he used a
>powerbomb?

Right before the ban on them.

>todd

>{A SPECIAL BEHIND-THE-SCENES GLIMPSE OF AN RSPWM POST IN THE MAKING: Earlier
>drafts of this post did not use the line "Mr Choppy etc", and instead called
>Benoit
>"The Canadian Cuisinart" (because all he does is chop). However, studio
>execs
>decided that the "Choppy" line would invoke the underutilization of Kaientai
>in the
>WWF, and would bring another level of subtext to the proceedings.}

Indeed. Who's this Kaientai guy? Is he any good?

'Double Tough' Tony Gancarski:
You can still rock in Amerika.
 

Todd Gerth Jan 24 1999, 3:00 am show options
Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling.moderated
From: Todd Gerth <tge...@ix.netcom.com> - Find messages by this author
Date: 1999/01/24
Subject: Re: WCWSN Workrate Report for 1.16.98.
Reply to Author | Forward | Print | Individual Message | Show original | Report Abuse

Gancarski wrote:
> Todd Gerth writes:

> >{A SPECIAL BEHIND-THE-SCENES GLIMPSE OF AN RSPWM POST IN THE MAKING: Earlier
> >drafts of this post did not use the line "Mr Choppy etc", and instead called
> >Benoit "The Canadian Cuisinart" (because all he does is chop). However, studio
> >execs decided that the "Choppy" line would invoke the underutilization of
> Kaientai
> >in the WWF, and would bring another level of subtext to the proceedings.}

> Indeed. Who's this Kaientai guy? Is he any good?

Kaientai, who also used the names Mr. Kaientai, Professor Kaientai, and for a
brief, rather unfortunate period, "Chopstick Charlie", wrestled for the WWWWF (the
precursor to today's WWF, begun by Langdon McMahon, the great granduncle of Vince)
in the 1930s. He invented the Japanese heel gimmick, though he was actually a
Vietnamese immigrant (real name: Dinh Van Tien). He had been attracted to American
pro wrestling while on a world tour with a Saigon theater company, where he worked
as a props manager and stunt man.

Mr. Kaientai is generally considered to be well ahead of his time, as he devised
such techniques as throwing salt in his opponent's eyes and using a Japanese flag
as a foreign object (in fact, some records indicate that the term "foreign object"
originated with Kaientai's use of various Japanese paraphenalia). However,
promoters never gave him a chance to be a star. To be fair, he never got over with
the fans, as Americans had little reason to hate the Japanese in the years prior to
the second World War.

Probably his main contribution to the sport was his maneuver "The Imperial Whip".
It wasn't embraced immediately, as fans found it to be too implausible to accept.
However, it would come to innovate the sport after it was resurrected in the early
50s by Missouri State Champion Paddy O'Houlihan, who renamed it the Irish Whip.

That's about all the information available on the man. Sadly, he passed away in
1996 just nine days before he was scheduled to film an RF Shoot Video. We'll miss
you, big K!

todd
--
"Pulse rate? Normal!" -- Rob & Fonzie's Halftime Status Report
 

Gancarski Jan 24 1999, 3:00 am show options
Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling.moderated
From: gancar...@aol.commonMan (Gancarski) - Find messages by this author
Date: 1999/01/24
Subject: Re: WCWSN Workrate Report for 1.16.98.
Reply to Author | Forward | Print | Individual Message | Show original | Report Abuse

- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
Todd Gerth writes:
>Gancarski wrote:

>> Todd Gerth writes:

>> >{A SPECIAL BEHIND-THE-SCENES GLIMPSE OF AN RSPWM POST IN THE MAKING:
>Earlier
>> >drafts of this post did not use the line "Mr Choppy etc", and instead
>called
>> >Benoit "The Canadian Cuisinart" (because all he does is chop). However,
>studio
>> >execs decided that the "Choppy" line would invoke the underutilization of
>> Kaientai
>> >in the WWF, and would bring another level of subtext to the proceedings.}

>> Indeed. Who's this Kaientai guy? Is he any good?

>Kaientai, who also used the names Mr. Kaientai, Professor Kaientai, and for a
>brief, rather unfortunate period, "Chopstick >Charlie"

Oooh! Alliteration!

>, wrestled for the WWWWF
>(the
>precursor to today's WWF, begun by Langdon McMahon, the great granduncle of
>Vince)
>in the 1930s. He invented the Japanese heel gimmick, though he was actually
>a
>Vietnamese immigrant (real name: Dinh Van Tien). He had been attracted to
>American
>pro wrestling while on a world tour with a Saigon theater company, where he
>worked
>as a props manager and stunt man.

Wow! He sounds like a real man of the world.

>Mr. Kaientai is generally considered to be well ahead of his time, as he
>devised
>such techniques as throwing salt in his opponent's eyes and using a Japanese
>flag
>as a foreign object (in fact, some records indicate that the term "foreign
>object"
>originated with Kaientai's use of various Japanese paraphenalia). However,
>promoters never gave him a chance to be a star. To be fair, he never got
>over with
>the fans, as Americans had little reason to hate the Japanese in the years
>prior to
>the second World War.

Well, wait. I think I heard of this. NWO Brian Adams was giving a commencement
address at Yale, I believe in 1997. He talked about some evil Jap gimmick that
existed in the old days that played on Japan's occupation of China (which was
one of the principal "reasons" we had to initiate our diplomatic strongarming
that provoked a Japanese attack on WW2). At the time, I thought he might've
been referring to something involving Mr Fuji and WWF's Chyna, and I was
horrified that anything might happen to besmirch her good name 4 LIFE!!!!

>Probably his main contribution to the sport was his maneuver "The Imperial
>Whip".
>It wasn't embraced immediately, as fans found it to be too implausible to
>accept.
>However, it would come to innovate the sport after it was resurrected in the
>early
>50s by Missouri State Champion Paddy O'Houlihan, who renamed it the Irish
>Whip.

WOW!

>That's about all the information available on the man. Sadly, he passed away
>in
>1996 just nine days before he was scheduled to film an RF Shoot Video. We'll
>miss
>you, big K!

Did he ever wrestle Ric Flair? Didn't Ric Flair wrestle during WW2?

'Double Tough' Tony Gancarski:
who believes that Rob Van Dam is to wrestling what
Pete Burns is to singing, brother.
 

Todd Gerth Jan 25 1999, 3:00 am show options
Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling.moderated
From: Todd Gerth <tge...@ix.netcom.com> - Find messages by this author
Date: 1999/01/25
Subject: Re: WCWSN Workrate Report for 1.16.98.
Reply to Author | Forward | Print | Individual Message | Show original | Report Abuse

- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
Gancarski wrote:
> Todd Gerth writes:

> >Gancarski wrote:

> >> Todd Gerth writes:

> >Mr. Kaientai is generally considered to be well ahead of his time, as he
> >devised such techniques as throwing salt in his opponent's eyes and using a
> Japanese
> >flag as a foreign object (in fact, some records indicate that the term "foreign

> >object" originated with Kaientai's use of various Japanese paraphenalia).
> However,
> >promoters never gave him a chance to be a star. To be fair, he never got
> >over with the fans, as Americans had little reason to hate the Japanese in the
> years
> >prior to the second World War.

> Well, wait. I think I heard of this. NWO Brian Adams was giving a commencement
> address at Yale, I believe in 1997. He talked about some evil Jap gimmick that
> existed in the old days that played on Japan's occupation of China (which was
> one of the principal "reasons" we had to initiate our diplomatic strongarming
> that provoked a Japanese attack on WW2).

Ah, a common misconception. NWO's Brian Adams was actually Crushing around the
WWF in 1997. The speech was given by Canadian rock-n-roller Bryan Adams, who is a
strong advocate of the National Organization for Women. This confusion has led to
the sighting of several amusing signs at wrestling events, including "NWO Brian
Adams is relatively unconcerned with the plight of women in western society", "The
American Brian Adams neither rocks nor rolls", and "Brian Adams: 'Sucks like a
Knife'"

> >That's about all the information available on the man. Sadly, he passed away
> >in 1996 just nine days before he was scheduled to film an RF Shoot Video.
> We'll
> >miss you, big K!

> Did he ever wrestle Ric Flair? Didn't Ric Flair wrestle during WW2?

Flair didn't wrestle during WW II, as he was drafted (which cut short the filming
of his third film vehicle "Beach Party with RIC!"). He served in the Coast Guard,
valiantly defending the Bering Strait.

However, Flair did headline the 1939 "World War 2" PPV event, winning the two-ring
battle royal by eliminating "Suburban Boy" Wayne Mundaine. Mr. Kaientai faced
masked Latino superstar Mr. Fiesta, Jr. on the undercard. Due to a stipulation of
losing the match, Kaientai was forced to drop the "Mr." (he replaced it with
"Professor" shortly thereafter). I can't find a record of Flair ever facing
Kaientai the ring, which is probably due to that famous locker room brawl in
Istanbul (Kaientai sided with Adagio Guerreri, needless to say).

Incidentally, the radio descrambler boxes used to pick up the PPV (actually
pay-per-listen) transmissions in those days are quite a collector's item in
today's market. I just saw one on Antiques Roadshow going for $2,500. Closet
graps fan Chris Jussel marked OUT when he saw it.

yours

todd
--
Hey, I figured out who Pete Burns is. Very clever referencing the lead singer of
"Dead Or Alive" in a post where you name drop the original leader of the DOA.
With a name like "GANK", I guess you have to learn to be subtle.
 

Gancarski Jan 26 1999, 3:00 am show options
Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling.moderated
From: gancar...@aol.commonMan (Gancarski) - Find messages by this author
Date: 1999/01/26
Subject: Re: WCWSN Workrate Report for 1.16.98.
Reply to Author | Forward | Print | Individual Message | Show original | Report Abuse

- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
Todd Gerth writes:
>Gancarski wrote:

>> Todd Gerth writes:

>> >Gancarski wrote:

>> >> Todd Gerth writes:

>> >Mr. Kaientai is generally considered to be well ahead of his time, as he
>> >devised such techniques as throwing salt in his opponent's eyes and using
>a
>> Japanese
>> >flag as a foreign object (in fact, some records indicate that the term
>"foreign

>> >object" originated with Kaientai's use of various Japanese paraphenalia).
>> However,
>> >promoters never gave him a chance to be a star. To be fair, he never got
>> >over with the fans, as Americans had little reason to hate the Japanese in
>the
>> years
>> >prior to the second World War.

>> Well, wait. I think I heard of this. NWO Brian Adams was giving a
>commencement
>> address at Yale, I believe in 1997. He talked about some evil Jap gimmick
>that
>> existed in the old days that played on Japan's occupation of China (which
>was
>> one of the principal "reasons" we had to initiate our diplomatic
>strongarming
>> that provoked a Japanese attack on WW2).

>Ah, a common misconception. NWO's Brian Adams was actually Crushing around
>the
>WWF in 1997. The speech was given by Canadian rock-n-roller Bryan Adams, who
>is a
>strong advocate of the National Organization for Women. This confusion has
>led to
>the sighting of several amusing signs at wrestling events, including "NWO
>Brian
>Adams is relatively unconcerned with the plight of women in western society",
>"The
>American Brian Adams neither rocks nor rolls", and "Brian Adams: 'Sucks like
>a
>Knife'"

Wow. I'm flabbergasted.

Is that a 500 dollar shirt you're wearing?

>> >That's about all the information available on the man. Sadly, he passed
>away
>> >in 1996 just nine days before he was scheduled to film an RF Shoot Video.
>> We'll
>> >miss you, big K!

>> Did he ever wrestle Ric Flair? Didn't Ric Flair wrestle during WW2?

>Flair didn't wrestle during WW II, as he was drafted (which cut short the
>filming
>of his third film vehicle "Beach Party with RIC!"). He served in the Coast
>Guard,
>valiantly defending the Bering Strait.

I think I -- WHOA! -- saw the -- BY JOVE! -- newsreel.

>However, Flair did headline the 1939 "World War 2" PPV event, winning the
>two-ring
>battle royal by eliminating "Suburban Boy" Wayne Mundaine. Mr. Kaientai
>faced
>masked Latino superstar Mr. Fiesta, Jr. on the undercard. Due to a
>stipulation of
>losing the match, Kaientai was forced to drop the "Mr." (he replaced it with
>"Professor" shortly thereafter). I can't find a record of Flair ever facing
>Kaientai the ring, which is probably due to that famous locker room brawl in
>Istanbul (Kaientai sided with Adagio >Guerreri, needless to say).

Ouch. I read Dutch Mantel's first person account of that. Brutal. Everyone had
on a crimson mask on that occasion, Katie Bar The Door.

>Incidentally, the radio descrambler boxes used to pick up the PPV (actually
>pay-per-listen) transmissions in those days are quite a collector's item in
>today's market. I just saw one on Antiques Roadshow going for $2,500.
>Closet
>graps fan Chris Jussel marked OUT when he saw it.

I'd pay $2550 for one, easily.

>yours

>todd
>--
>Hey, I figured out who Pete Burns is. Very clever referencing the lead
>singer of
>"Dead Or Alive" in a post where you name drop the original leader of the DOA.
>With a name like "GANK", I guess you have >to learn to be subtle.

It's all coincidence.

I have a really funny Pete Burns story. He was really excited about his
post-DOA group International Crisis getting a record deal (early 90s is
timeframe here). So he got drunk and decided to start dancing on the roofs of
cars. Eventually he happened onto the roof of a convertible. He managed to
break his leg and get arrested as a result.

'Double Tough' Tony Gancarski:
You make me feel mighty real.

======================================= MODERATOR'S COMMENT:

This is so barely on topic that the only reason I can think to approve it
is because it contains the type of elitist humour that really pisses off
certain people when they see that an article of this nature was approved
by one of the Moderators. That said, I really have trouble confusing Pete
Burns and Naked Eyes' Peter Byrne - which is weird, because they look
NOTHING alike. - CRZ