Foley Is Pod - One Night Stand 2006 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Today on Foley is Pod - we’ll be discussing your heel turn in 2006 leading to One Night Stand and the relaunch of ECW!

We’re coming off of your epic match with Edge at WrestleMania which we will cover in the future, and you’re also writing a book called The Hardcore Diaries. Why were you looking to write this book?

What was the original idea for the book?

Did you have the support of the WWE to write this?

Was everyone part of the creative process aware you were writing a book?

From Foley’s book The Hardcore Diaries:

Pitching ideas in April 2006 in Stamford:

“I was summoned into the booking meeting and immediately seated next to Vince, who, I surmised, wanted to be the first to sample the nuggets of wisdom that were sure to spew from my mouth. Seated around the table were Dusty Rhodes, Greg Gagne, a longtime fixture in his father’s former AWA promotion, who was fairly new to the creative team; Michael Hayes; Ed Koskey, the assistant writer on Raw; Stephanie McMahon; Dave Lagana, the head writer on SmackDown! ; and Brian Gewirtz, Raw head writer.”

This is quite the array of talent and people - does any of that worry you or were you just full of confidence on what you were there for?

The basis of this is the relaunch of ECW is that right?

Why is Paul Heyman not part of this meeting do you think?

Did you think there was any chance of the ECW relaunch being successful?

Was the plan always for you to be a part of the ECW pay-per-view - wrestling on it and creatively?

You wrote in your book that the difference this year between One Night Stand last year and this year is that there needs to be compelling rivalries that fans want to spend money on - not nostalgia. You only did commentary in 2005 - but the feeling in that building that night - what are your memories of it?

How did you come up with the pitch that were about to discuss?

From your book:

“Number one, we need to firmly believe that Terry Funk can get over as a main-event attraction in a very short time.” I turn to Dusty, who knows Terry as well as anyone in the business. “I think the Dream can vouch for me when I say that even at age sixty, Terry does a real convincing job of making fans think he’s out of his mind.”

“That’s because he is out of his mind,” the Dream says with a laugh.

Vince isn’t laughing, but he is smiling, which is a good sign. His relationship with Terry has been a contentious one.”

Did you think leaning into Dusty would help you pull this off?

“Number two, we need to firmly believe that Edge and I can form one of the most unique short-term tag teams in recent history.”

The idea - after you & Edge have this amazing feud - for you two to just turn into a tag team - is a tough one isn’t it?

“And number three, for this angle to work, Vince, you really need to get physically involved.”

Uh-oh, I said something wrong. I sense a general uneasiness around the table. Vince breaks the tension, saying, “Actually, I was going to get physically involved with DX.”

At the time, Vince is about to enter into a feud with DX that will dominate the summer months. Too much Vince can be quite the bad thing can’t it?

That doesn’t stop you though does it?

“Vince, I want to become the first ever voluntary member of the Vince McMahon ‘Kiss My Ass Club.’”

The secret weapon seemed to work. Vince’s attention was all mine. I quickly laid out a four-week plan that would see the formation of the Edge/Foley team, leading to our two-week mockery / bludgeoning of ECW “legends” who were not exactly legends, leading to a Foley/Vince verbal confrontation. You see, once Vince caught on to the idea that Edge and I were deliberately trying to sink the ECW Pay-Per-View, he would become irate….”

(In the pitch, this would lead to Raw on May 22 from Las Vegas, where Mick would offer to join the “club”)

The thought process behind this is the more Vince is involved - the more Vince is less likely to say no right?

Who were the legends you were thinking of bludgeoning?

Did you talk to any of this with Paul Heyman, Terry Funk, Edge, anyone like that? Or was it important to sell it on Vince before going to the rest?

“The creative team seemed to love it. As I thought, it was an idea that was pretty much selling itself, but it didn’t hurt that I was pitching the thing pretty damn well. I continued to pitch, describing how the inaugural voluntary membership ceremony could be pushed back to the final segment. In the interim, Vince could be making phone calls, procuring a live symphony, hiring showgirls. After all, it would be Vegas. Then on to the glorious ceremony, where after being regaled with live music and a Vegas production number, I would attempt to plant that kiss…but would see my valiant attempt interrupted by that no-good Terry Funk, who would attempt to take me out of this fateful decision by appealing to my pride, my manhood, my legacy—whatever it might take to get my lips out of the general proximity of Vince’s ass.”

Before we continue - this is all good stuff. Do you think you could’ve ever been a member of the creative team?

“Then, just as Terry is really reaching me, just as he’s about to talk me out of this tasteless moment of oral anguish—BAM!—there’s Edge, laying out the Funker, snapping me back into reality, making me realize the treacherous act that Funk was about to perpetuate.

Then we’d lay the boots into Terry, much to Vince’s delight. “Then, Vince, you’d get on the mike, you’d say, “Dammit, someone’s going to kiss my ass tonight. Get Funk over here.’ “And Vince, you’d get this huge smile of satisfaction on your face as human lips meet human ass.” Vince looks like he’s in heaven. This is going even better than I expected.”

Do you think at this point - you got Vince?

“But in a split second, that smile would turn into a look of abject horror as you realize that…Terry Funk is tearing a chunk out of your ass!” The table erupts. A couple of the writers nearly fall out of their chairs.

My summation is just a formality as everyone agrees that this idea is foolproof. Vince can come back madder than ever. He can take out his frustration on DX. He can join forces with me and Edge in our attempt to derail the ECW Pay-Per-View. Sure, it might hurt his pocketbook, but something far more valuable has already been hurt—his ass. His pride, too. His ass and his pride. And his pride in his ass. That’s been hurt as well.”

How quickly do you feel the need to pivot to include DX in this pitch - and is that just your ability to think on your feet to make all the players involved?

Any worries or concern about including DX considering they were really just a sophomoric gimmick at this point?

“From there it’s a short step to Funk and Tommy Dreamer facing me and Edge at ECW’s One Night Stand. Brian Gewirtz has one small concern.

“Las Vegas is the night that DX is supposed to get to Vince.”

“I think if we moved it up a week to the fifteenth, it would be even better. We’re in Lubbock, Texas, right outside of Terry’s hometown.” A rush of enthusiasm goes around the table. I think everyone sees the potential of Terry Funk taking a bite out of Vince McMahon’s ass in his West Texas stronghold, where the Funk name is almost synonymous with wrestling.”

You have to think at this point you’re good right?

When you leave the meeting how excited are you?

Were you deadset on your ideas, builds, etc or were you open to changes?

Not long after this you return to TV with Edge & Lita hosting the Cutting Edge segment and you’re their special guest. From the Torch:

“Foley called their match one of the greatest hardcore matches in wrestling history. Foley said Edge might have won, but Edge left a piece of himself in the ring after their battle. Foley claimed Edge never wanted to revisit that type of match again, whereas he wanted to go through that hell again. He challenged Edge to a match. Edge said no to this week, but yes to next week and gave Foley the opportunity to pick the type of match. Foley said he would bring out all kinds of razor and barbed wire…”

The plan seems to be full steam go - did you hear of any changes in what your plan/idea was?

Was everyone on board and jazzed to get going?

What were everyone’s thoughts - Edge, Terry & Tommy - on the story?

Did you discuss any of this at any point with Paul? What were his feelings?

This Raw also had the memorable Joey Styles shoot promo where he quits the WWE to begin his transformation into ECW. Do you think the WWE ever utilized Joey correctly?

Well the next week…in Anaheim…you & Vince have a meeting during the day where the Kiss My Ass Club segment is canceled. How disappointed are you that what was such an important part of your story isn’t going to be accomplished?

Do you think it was short sighted to not do it?

You wrote this:

“Apparently, Terry Funk taking a chunk out of Vince’s ass would intrude on Shawn and Triple H’s sole dominion over Vince’s ass, or any other body part. Sure, I understood the importance of some Vince physicality in completing Triple H’s babyface turn, but unless I’m mistaken, both of those guys have had a little bit of TV time dedicated to them over the last decade or so.

Terry Funk would have a few short minutes to be made into a main-event attraction, and as I’ve mentioned before, to truly maximize that short time, he really needed to take a chunk out of Vince’s ass. No chunk out of Vince’s ass meant no instant star-making, which meant no marketable match, which meant watered-down Pay-Per-View, which meant reduced buy rates, which meant crappy payoff, which meant, Why the hell am I even here?”

How frustrating is all this?

You don’t take it out on Vince but you take it out on Brian Gewirtz.

“Brian Gewirtz caught my initial verbal onslaught. “Goddammit, Brian,” I said.

“If I’d known you guys were going to water this thing down, I wouldn’t have volunteered.

You were at the meeting. You know the ‘Kiss My Ass Club’ was the centerpiece of the whole damn thing. Otherwise, it’s just another angle, and I didn’t volunteer to turn heel and sacrifice seven years of goodwill with the fans to turn heel for a second-rate show.”

That’s the biggest part of all this isn’t it Mick? The fact you’re about to turn heel in your retirement after you decided to stay with the company instead of going to TNA…that’s gotta burn your ass doesn’t it?

From your book:

“I tried to plead my case for Vince’s involvement in our angle. He understood my concerns, but didn’t agree with them, stating the need for him to not spread himself too thin by getting physically involved in two angles.

I went for broke. “Vince, you know this whole thing hinged on your willingness to get physically involved. Without you, and without the ‘Kiss My Ass Club,’ there’s no angle. I don’t want to go out there and give tough-guy promos. I’m not that guy anymore. I wanted to create something great. I don’t want to come back and give up all the credibility I’ve earned with the fans, just to get involved in something half-assed. Hell, maybe you guys should just do this show without me.”

…”Vince, let’s make a deal”

“I’ll agree to do the ECW show, if you will do my angle with Melina.”

The Melina angle - how important was it to you to do this story if that’s what you needed to pivot to?

Walk me through how that pitch goes - and what you think Vince liked the most about it?

Finally when we get to the ring in Anaheim…from the Torch:

“One of the biggest and most beloved stars in WWE over the past ten years turned heel on Monday, and it’s possible the majority of TV viewers didn’t fully realize it.

On Raw on Monday, Mick Foley was scheduled to face Edge in a rematch of what Foley had declared a week earlier was the greatest hardcore match in history. There were promises of blood and gore and weapons being used. Jim Ross warned viewers things could get graphic.

Before the match, Foley announced that since Edge said it could be “any kind of match he wanted,” Foley was adding Tommy Dreamer into the mix, making it a three–way match. It seemed apparent from the lack of a reaction Dreamer received that the vast majority of the fans who made up the sold out crowd in Anaheim didn’t know who he was.

In the past few years, Dreamer has since moved on to become one of the most powerful second–tier players in WWE’s office staff. As a main assistant to head of talent relations John Laurenaitis, Dreamer interacts with wrestlers on official business.

He also is the person put in charge of the business end of the new ECW revival. He also has the power to book himself in a top position in the revived angle, something he promptly did by being the target of a surprise Foley attack.”

Alright let’s stop right there. Was it Dreamer who “booked himself into this match?”

Tommy’s role at this time in WWE was an important one - but he’s completely necessary to be part of the ECW revival is he not?

Tommy’s reaction though for this spot - it’s tough because he hasn’t ever been presented as a big deal on WWE TV - and the last time he was a “top guy” was 6 years ago on ECW and it’s not like ECW was ever presented in a gigantic way in California either. Was this a miss but something expected?

“Just as the match was about to begin, with the presumed action being Foley and Dreamer teaming up together to give Edge the beating of his life, Foley hit Dreamer from behind with a barbed wire baseball bat. Edge and Foley then worked together to beat down Dreamer. Announcers Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler acted confused, stopping short of outright declaring Foley a heel for his actions.”

The commentary doesn’t seem to go all the way with describing you as a heel - why do you think that was? Was that something you wanted to let the story play out?

But I mean - you two just beat the shit out of Dreamer - how were you not a heel?

Was this the reaction you were looking for?

This is something that Vince has always been hesitant to do - bring past history from outside the company into the company. Is it different now that he owns all the history at this point?

Wade Keller would write this:

“Foley’s turn should have been a monumental moment in WWE history. Will fans turn on Foley because he attacked someone who is largely unknown? Does it matter how fans in Anaheim react when the target audience for the ECW PPV isn’t the same as the families who go to live Raw events in California? WWE management isn’t concerned about either situation, rationalizing that while the location wasn’t ideal, the time was right to run the angle.

My vote would have been for Mick Foley to save his heel turn for a big–money WWE feud against a top babyface, such as John Cena, Triple H, or Batista. I think simply having Foley wrestle on the ECW PPV for the first time would have been enough of a draw, especially if it was a match such as Foley & Terry Funk vs. JBL & Edge.”

Looking back, hindsight, all that fun stuff - but what do you think Wade’s commentary here?

Was your heel turn not the monumental moment in WWE history like it should’ve been as talked about here?

“Lawler asked if too many chair shots to the head affected Foley’s line of thinking….”

If this is where commentary was going - maybe they should’ve been quiet right?

How do you go about pivoting the story? Do you sit with Gerwitz and discuss what’s next now that Vince’s physical involvement is going to be non-existent?

The next week you have your promo battle with Terry Funk over you attacking Dreamer the week before. But Terry isn’t at his best sadly…from the Torch

“In fact, at the very start of the interview, Funk said he knew why Foley attacked Tommy Dreamer last week. He was supposed to say he didn’t know and wanted Foley to explain himself. He changed his phrasing in mid–stride, and it wasn’t a major issue. There were a few other times where Funk seemed to want to improvise and Foley wanted to stay on script (because nobody thinks through the psychology of his big interviews in more meticulous detail than Foley does).

In the end, I was a bit thrown off because one second Foley was playing to the crowd for cheers, defending the honor of the good name of WWE, while a second later badmouthing the town or state to draw boos from the fans.”

Making the WWE the babyface along with you & Edge seems sort of backwards considering you guys are the heels trying to get two guys not on TV over as major babyfaces - was there just a lot of factors you’re trying to accomplish and get over?

How tough was it having Terry work with a script? What did Terry think of having a script?

“Then, just when it seemed Funk and Foley might hug and make up (well, we knew that wouldn’t last), Foley brought up a situation from the past. If this was supposed to be Foley’s heel turn, he sure made a case for Funk being the heel.

He described the situation in 2003 when he was being honored by WWE, and Funk was invited, but didn’t come because he wasn’t offered enough money. In the real world, it was reasonable of Funk to demand fair pay for his time, but the way Foley phrased it, it was like his dad no–showing his wedding or graduation. Funk didn’t defend himself. So Foley looked sympathetic in that instance, and Funk seemed disloyal and too concerned with money. When Funk tried to talk, Foley told him, “This is my WWE ring, these are my WWE fans.” The crowd could sense Foley was supposed to be the heel, but he seemed to have a right to be upset with Funk, and he was talking with pride about WWE.”

Without Vince you’re trying to make the best of this - but is this a fair criticism of the creative? Was it too much of a reach?

“Then Foley turned the crowd against him by overreacting to Funk’s snub by saying he plans to show up at his funeral so he can spit on his grave. He called Funk a “greedy, selfish, miserable son of a bitch!” Funk’s response? “I'm gonna John Wayne your ass. I’m gonna beat the hell out of you.” In this case, the sympathy lies with Funk, since he was reacting to Foley saying he’d spit on his grave. But Funk also looked bad by being the first to take a physical cheap shot, slapping Foley several times. Foley even resisted hitting back, out of respect for his elder and perhaps knowledge that at Funk’s age, he’d destroy him if he went all out.

So then Funk took it to a new level—because Foley wouldn’t fight back—by calling his wife a whore and his kids bastards. How is Funk sympathetic in this case? Sure, Foley said he’d spit on his grave, but he was at this point simply refusing to fight back. For Funk to bring his wife and kids into it seemed like something a heel would do. Funk then said, “WWE sucks,” and that set Foley off. Then Foley became the clear heel, attacking Funk. Funk fought back, and only a low–blow from behind by Lita took Funk down. Edge and Foley double–teamed Funk from there, establishing they were heels.”

I know where you’re going with it - being the long time fan I am - but the WWE universe…there’s no way they know this call back from a previous ECW story do they?

Do you think having someone like Joey Styles being able to explain this compared to Jim Ross - obviously the all-time greatest - would’ve been better?

Getting Lita involved with the low blow is a great part of this heat and story - how important was utilizing her?

Are you happy when this is all over?

Was Vince?

This is now to set up the tag match at the Hammerstein Ballroom - but the story is being overshadowed by Rob Van Dam cashing in his Money in the Bank shot for John Cena’s WWE Title in front of the hostile ECW crowd - do you think the ECW brand was being relaunched correctly?

The next week you do another promo in Las Vegas that was supposed to be the original Kiss My Ass Club segment. It opens the show with you coming out and eventually introducing Edge and Lita.

From the Torch

Foley said that he doesn’t care what Tommy Dreamer and Terry Funk say about hardcore, he believes Edge is the best hardcore wrestler. Foley presented Edge with the old Hardcore Title belt. Edge said he couldn’t accept it. Edge acted moved by the gesture. Foley chanted “You’re hardcore, you’re hardcore.” Fans chanted, “You suck, you suck.” Edge agreed that everything he has accomplished, he deserves, but he said he can’t accept the belt. He said Foley forgot to mention that he has the hottest girl in Vegas coming to bed with him tonight. He added that Foley is the hardcore legend because he toiled in the ECW bingo hall for years, and had to bite his tongue as a so-called legend like Ric Flair characterized him as a “glorified stuntman.” He said while he did beat his ass at WrestleMania, he can’t accept the belt. “You, Mick Foley, you deserve to be the Hardcore Champion.” Foley said it is ironic that the man who called him a glorified stuntman earned his WrestleMania check by “not getting killed in a ladder match.” After that little dig at Flair, he said he and Edge have a problem because he thinks he deserves the Hardcore Championship. He said there’s only one way to resolve the issue. The crowd began cheering. “That’s the Mick Foley I know,” said Ross. Foley suggested they beat the hell out of each other one more time. He asked the crowd if they want to see it. Edge said he had a better idea. He whispered something to Lilian. She announced they are the new co-holders of the WWE Hardcore Championship. Edge, Foley, and Lita held the belt up together.”

Mick - this really is a great promo between the two of you. But the Flair mentions - you’re already setting up the Melina storyline aren’t you? Were you ready to move on to that story at this point after everything that happened with Vince and DX?

Do you still have the old Hardcore title?

The gimmick of both of you being announced as the hardcore champions - it’s perfect isn’t it?

Well then Heyman interrupts…and as the Torch would describe you as two of the best promos in the last 20 years - it’s time for Paul to get involved. Was this your idea or Paul’s?

“Heyman said he finds it ironic that he sees live prostitution on Monday Night Raw. Heyman started a “ho, ho, ho” chant. Heyman said he wasn’t talking about Lita, he was talking about Foley. “Cards on the table, Mick Foley, you’re a prostitute,” Heyman said. “Here you are, a legend, a man who gave his blood, his sweat, his tear, his sacrifice, to entertain each and every one of these people, here you are a man who took time away from his family to entertain these people, and you prostitute yourself away from them for Edge and Lita? You prostitute their love and their admiration (the fans) for them (Edge, Lita).”

Foley said when he looks in the mirror, he sees the co-holder of the WWE Hardcore Championship. He said he sees a WWE superstar, a real-life action figure, an author of best selling books (including a new one due out this spring). He said he finds it strange to hear Heyman telling him about being a former shell because he isn’t Smackdown G.M.”

Do you & Paul sit down and go over all this - or is this mostly all from the hip?

Did the WWE want it scripted?

““You don’t own your own company; you’ve got nothing Paul, no power. Go back to the hole where you came from,” said Foley.

Heyman said Foley is right that he’s powerless and is a cog in a wheel. “No, Mick, I do have the power to make a challenge. See, I’m involved in this little concept called ECW One Night Stand. Live on pay-per-view Sunday night, June 11.” He said the date a few more times, then proposed that Foley & Edge face “any two hardcore ECW scumbags that I can drag out of a Bingo Hall to take you two through an extreme experience that the two of you could never deny.” Foley said Heyman is chock full of great suggestions, but he had a suggestion for him - to get out of their WWE building. He then said, “No freaking way, Paul.”

It’s the first time Paul’s involved in a WWE angle in a long time and he’s dressed like he used to be in ECW. Was this the kick this angle needed?

“Heyman began laughing. Foley asked him why. Heyman said he just came to the realization that Lita is the only one in the ring with any nuts. Edge grabbed the mic and said he won’t take it anymore. Edge said, “You’re on at One Night Stand.” Edge told Mick, “Let’s show this dumbass what hardcore is all about!” They pursued Heyman up the rampway. Heyman then said if they continued, they’d meet their opponents at One Night Stand. Dreamer and Funk walked out and bashed Foley and Edge with a trash can lid and a cookie sheet. Dreamer beat up Dreamer while Funk whipped Foley into the ringside steps. Foley flipped over them and somersaulted to the mat on the other side. Dreamer went after Edge with his kendo stick. Foley bailed out into the crowd. As Dreamer and Funk celebrated in the ring, Ross said he couldn’t believe Foley and Edge ran from a fight. They showed Heyman laughing.”

You’re a total heel here and it shows…and the crowd is into it! Are you happy with how this all came off?

Well…very quickly your happiness changes…

From the Hardcore Diaries:

“A fire was officially lit today. A fire under my ass, that is. Today, during a midafternoon phone call with head Raw writer Brian Gewirtz, I was informed that the Tag Team match at One Night Stand was being turned into an eight-man match. Why? Apparently because Terry Funk had some trouble getting down to the ring on Monday night, including a near fall on the ramp, leading to speculation that he might not be physically up to a big main event. So, instead of taking a chance that one of the greatest performers of all time would be able to defy Father Time and Mother Nature for a night, a decision was reached to sabotage all the hard work, emotion, and planning that had gone into making the angle, in exchange for four more bodies.”

Mick - do you know what the 8 man plan was and who else was going to be involved?

You have to be hot as you describe in your book:

“Brian, at this point, the angle doesn’t even resemble what I suggested. Tell Vince his idea sucks.” “It’s just that—” Brian said. “It’s just what?” “Well, Vince is concerned that Terry—” “That Terry what? Won’t be able to work a good match? Why, because he nearly tripped?” “Well, kind of.” It was time for me to go into full Funker defense mode. It wasn’t enough that we’d proved the naysayers wrong in Lubbock, with one of the most compelling promos of the year. Now, I was going to have to make a case for the greatest wrestler I’d ever seen. Sure, he’s sixty and broken down. So is Vince McMahon.

“Look, I know Terry’s knees are bad,” I conceded. “They’ve been bad for twenty years. They were bad when we used to tear down the house in Japan, eleven years ago. His back is bad, too. It was bad in ’89 when he was working with Flair, and had a cracked sacrum. He’d have to get out of his seat after takeoff and get on his knees, leaning over his seat, for the entire flight. And then he’d go out and tear down the house, every night.”

So you have to resell the idea of Terry Funk don’t you? How disappointing is that for you?

“Back to One Night Stand. No eight-man, but Vince does want a change. He wants Lita on our team, and Tommy Dreamer’s wife Beulah on theirs, to make it a mixed-gender six-person match. I think it will work. Even if I concede this point to Vince, I consider the battle a victory.

But Brian has one more point for me to ponder. “Vince says it looks like the match is going to be the shits.”

“Okay, if it looks like it’s going to be the shits, what? What does he want me to do?” It took Brian a second to figure out what I meant. Once he did, he was quick to correct me.

“No, Vince says, it looks like it IS going to be the shits.”

Pretty straightforward. No real room for interpretations. Vince’s cards were on the table.

“Well, tell Vince I disagree,” I said. “And I intend to prove it.”

Do you share any of these conversations with these guys? It made you motivated - but not everyone is you…I mean do you think it would help motivate everyone or would it demoralize them?

Did any of this creep into your mind that it might be the shits?

The next Raw you & Heyman have another debate. Was the heat being transferred to Heyman because there was worry about Terry & Tommy on the mic?

From the Torch:

“Foley told Heyman that he wasn't mad when he left him, because in the end, almost everyone left him, but was mad that he saw through the ECW facade and became one of the biggest stars in history on the real big stage, and that he had the guts to leave his ECW comfort zone and risk it all. He said Heyman was right that he's a prostitute, and that if you are looking for people in the profession who will take stands for what's right, you're looking in the wrong profession. He said he traded in a lowlife pimp like him to work for a billionaire pimp like Vince. He said he left the porn addicted pot smoking wrestlers who were Foley ripoffs. Heyman called him a Terry Funk ripoff. Foley said that Terry Funk was the greatest wrestler he ever saw and that Tommy Dreamer had as much heart as any wrestler he'd seen, but unlike him, they never had the guts to leave the ECW comfort zone. Heyman noted ECW was coming back full-time (to zero pop, which wasn't good), and that he gets one draft choice from Raw and one from Smackdown. Foley said he already knows the pick from Raw is RVD. Then he said the pick from Smackdown would be some hardcore guy and Heyman said ECW was going in a new direction, that it wouldn't be just barbed wire. tables and piledriving women, although they would continue to do that, but this was the new direction. Kurt Angle came out and attacked and beat down Foley.”

Look - it’s great - but Angle coming out and attacking and beating you down - did this help anyone?

Do you think this was a WWE type punishment?

Angle to ECW - what did you think of the idea and story behind it?

Would Angle had been successful in the old ECW if the crucifixion angle didn’t get run that night do you think?

Here’s what you wrote:

I said, “Vince, why would you tell Kurt to take me down without telling me, knowing that my knee is hanging on by a thread?” Vince, however, didn’t know my knee was hanging on by a thread. He also didn’t know anything about telling Kurt to take me down continually. Signals, it seemed, had been crossed. Vince had apparently, after the fact, told Kurt that he should have taken me down continually, to show his wrestling superiority. According to Vince, Kurt was never told ahead of time to do so without my knowledge. Is anyone out there skeptical besides me? I’m taking Vince at his word, but nonetheless, I’m going to be a little bit more cautious from this point forward, with Kurt, with Flair, with Vince. It’s bad enough that my ideas have been screwed with.”

Did you ever get this clarified? Do you know what happened here? Did you feel like you were being taken advantage of?

You wrote this:

“From a business standpoint,

One Night Stand could be the worst decision I have ever made. By throwing away my most valuable commodity—the trust of the fans—I have probably cost myself the huge payoff that a well-promoted dream match could mean. My One Night Stand payoff will probably be less than a tenth of that possible payoff, making me quite possibly the world’s most naive whore.”

How down are you at this point if this is what you’re writing?

On the go-home Raw again it’s you & Angle in a verbal sparring match - this time in Kurt’s hometown of Pittsburgh.

From the Torch

“Angle said nothing was going to stop their Olympic hero from coming back to Pittsburgh, Pa. Mick Foley interrupted. He accused Angle of getting a blatant cheap pop. “Come on, that’s my deal, Kurt,” he said. He said ECW is nothing but a bunch of cheap, second–rate Mick Foley ripoffs. Angle stopped him there. “You want me to give you a nice cheap Mick Foley ripoff, like selling out to anyone who is willing to give the biggest amount of cash right in front of your face? How about losing every bit of my wrestling ability and becoming a bona fide stunt man? Everything Ric Flair said about you, it’s true.” Angle asked if he had a point coming out there. Foley said he did. He said he heard Heyman announce on Smackdown that he had an open challenge. “Since it was coming out of Heyman’s mouth, I naturally assumed it was a lie,” he said. Angle said, “It’s true, it’s damn true.” He said he knows he has a tag match with Dreamer & Funk, but “now that Mrs. Foley’s baby boy is now Mrs. Foley’s giant hairy prostitute, after you lose that tag match this Sunday, won’t you accept my open challenge and get yourself an extra paycheck so I can whip your ass and break your ankle in two.”

Mick - where was this going? Were you really going to work with Angle?

Eventually you introduce Edge as the man who has more wins over Angle than anyone else, including the man who shaved Kurt bald, and Edge says Kurt’s career is over now that he’s drafted by ECW. Is this a way to really promote this new brand being launched?

From the Torch

“Angle told Edge that growing up in Pittsburgh, he was told he couldn’t do anything, but he always proves them wrong. Angle said the ECW of ten years ago won’t be like the new ECW because he’ll single–handedly change it. He asked Edge if there was anyone in ECW capable of this. He then took Edge down for an anklelock, but Foley attacked him from behind. Edge joined in. Angle fended off Foley and then put on an anklelock briefly before Edge slithered out of the ring. Randy Orton ran into the ring and gave Angle an RKO from behind. “What in the hell is Randy Orton doing here?” said Ross”

I mean there’s no Dreamer, no Funk, did that show everyone’s faith in this program was done? Was yours?

After Raw the WWE vs. ECW Head to Head special takes place to really drive home the ECW pay-per-view and it opens with you telling a bunch of WWE wrestlers backstage that they can’t allow ECW to take over in their own backyard. Did you ever see yourself being a Rah Rah WWE guy over ECW? Do you think it made you lame?

Later that night from the Torch

(4) Edge (w/Mick Foley and Lita) beat Tommy Dreamer (w/Terry Funk) in 7:00. Before the match, Edge said Foley is hardcore. Edge surprised Foley with a Cactus Jack promo on ECW TV in 1995. It was a reference to Foley’s past where he rejected ECW and Hardcore. Dreamer brought a barbed wire baseball bat to the ring and caused Edge to back out of the ring. The announcers continued to argue amongst themselves. Ross said everyone was having a personal anxiety attack. Tazz told Ross to go write a book about his BBQ sauce. Dreamer dropkicked a chair into Edge in the corner, but Lita hit Dreamer with a cane. Dreamer ignored the sneak attack then slammed Edge through a table. Dreamer grabbed the cane from Lita and set up for a powerbomb. However, Edge speared Dreamer. Lita and Edge landed on Dreamer with Lita’s crotch ending up in Dreamer’s face. The referee counted the pin. Funk and Foley brawled on the outside after the match. Funk punched Foley’s eye with hard left hand jabs, which drew blood. (*3/4)

How did you all put this together and were you happy with how this turned out? Do you wish this had been on Raw? But after the commercial break it’s your turn to cut a promo, and your eye is swollen and you’re seated in the ring with a blue spotlight shining down.

Your promo:

“Where the hell do any of you get off telling me I sold out? Where do you get off, where do you find the nerve, to call me a whore? You think I hate ECW? I loved that place. I loved that place. But ECW simply didn’t love me back. She was like the girl I can’t let go of, but the one who makes me sick upon seeing her. She wanted too much blood, too much of my heart, too much of my life!”

You would continue about how you left and found fame & fortune in the WWE and that the difference between yourself & Dreamer is that you were a whore and Tommy wasn’t. You made Vince laugh by pulling a sock out of your pants the a world of opportunity opened for yourself. You also build up Terry Funk as the greatest wrestler you ever saw, you blew him up in Japan, set him on fire in Philadelphia, and here he is still wrestling. This is one of your all-time promos in my mind - but again - why wasn’t this on Raw?

Are you happy about the promo and how it closed out?

Where is your head out going into the Hammerstein?

Let’s get to the show!

From the Torch

Mick Foley came to the ring. The crowd wasn’t sure how to react to him. He said, “Okay, I admit. I sold out... I sold out Madison Square Garden.” He set up for a huge compliment on Paul Heyman, then pulled the rug out from under the fans by complementing Stephanie McMahon as the visionary behind the ECW Alliance angle in 2001. Edge came out with Lita. He said everyone in the building was going to go home and pleasure themselves looking at pictures of Lita. “I think you’re all pathetic!” he screamed. Lita called Tommy Dreamer the “Innovator of Silence”. She said Tommy Dreamer wasn’t getting any hanging around with “that skank.” Immediately, Beulah McGillicuty walked out with Tommy Dreamer and Terry Funk. She challenged Lita to make it a three–on–three match. “We all know how much you like threesomes,” she said. They were pulled apart after a slap.

This is such a great way to set up the change and the turn and as always you’re great at manipulating the crowd. Were you worried about the reaction or did you know you could change it?

Who helped you put the match together?

Was Terry ready for it?

From the Torch

“(5) Edge & Mick Foley & Lita beat Tommy Dreamer  &  Terry  Funk  &  Beulah  in  18:00. Edge was the victim of the ECW audience’s wrath throughout the match. They brawled to the outside early on. Foley and Edge slid a barbed wire board into the ring. They lifted it and dropped it onto Dreamer, who went into convulsions. Dreamer tried to roll away, but the barbed wire stuck to his hair briefly. Edge and Foley lifted it again, but Funk tripped them and it landed on their heads.”

How was Edge in putting this together? It’s not much different from the WrestleMania match but it still is - any worry on his end?

“Dreamer miraculously recovered then traded off with Funk delivering punches to Foley. They threw him into the barbed wire board. Foley grabbed a piece of barbed wire and made his comeback driving the wire into Funk’s forehead and eyes. “My eye! My eye!” Funk screamed. The camera zoomed in on Funk’s blood–soaked head and his eyeball was covered in blood. Funk was helped to the back. The crowd chanted, “We want Sandman!”

Did you know Terry couldn’t do 18 minutes or did you just want the image of him coming out later on?

“To fill time while Funk was in the back, Lita legdropped a barbed wire baseball bat across Dreamer’s crotch. Foley pulled out Mr. Socko then put the Mandible Claw on Beulah. That set off Dreamer, but Edge cut him off. Foley put the Claw on Dreamer, then Edge hit him with the spear. Edge grabbed Beulah and positioned himself behind her. Lita trash–talked her.”

The women I think are overlooked in this match - they really added something didn’t they?

“Eventually, Funk came back covered in bandages with a barbed wire bat raised in the air. Beulah set it on fire. Funk swung and hit Foley’s gut then back. Funk knocked Foley off the apron onto the barbed wire table on the floor. Foley was sprayed with a fire extinguisher. Edge knocked Funk off the ring apron onto Foley.”

This fire spot - a lot different in New York than Mania right?

It worked out great did it not?

“In the ring, Beulah attacked Lita, prompting Styles’s “Cat Fight!” Dreamer yanked Lita off Beulah then gave her the Death Valley Driver. Edge choked Dreamer from behind with barbed wire. Edge speared Beulah with Dreamer out cold on the mat. He mounted Beulah and pinned her with her legs behind her head.

Edge celebrated as Funk was cut free from the barbed wire with wire cutters. Dreamer carried Beulah out of the ring. During the match, Funk was on his game and Edge was the star. It was a train wreck aesthetically, but the crowd ate it up and it delivered what everyone should have expected. It felt excessive and dated at times, but also nostalgic. (**1/2)”

Well Mick - it did what it was supposed to do - get Edge over as a bigger heel, got Terry one last decent payday I’m sure, and reintroduced Tommy Dreamer. Was it dated like Wade Keller said?

Were you happy with it?

Was this whole thing a disappointment to you?

Do you regret it?

We can’t mention this show without Rob Van Dam & John Cena in the main event. Did it feel like old school ECW watching the crowd reject Cena and anoint RVD?