83 Weeks - Great American Bash 2000 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Let’s get into our topic…the Great American Bash 2000. We’re following up on Slamboree from last month which we covered. We are now 45 days into the Russo/Bischoff regime…how were you guys doing together?

Coming out of Slamboree Nitro is booked at the TWA Dome. From the Observer

“Nitro on 5/8 drew 6,545 fans, which was 3,388 paying $132,995. Considering the size and cost of running a show at the TWA Dome, this was the biggest money losing event for WCW so far this year.

This is the same building that just 17 months ago, WCW, in a blizzard with zero walk-up, drew 29,000 paid.”

17 months ago - 29,000 paid in a blizzard, all pre-sale. It is quite amazing to see how far the company had fallen by this point is it not?

It’s not just the attendance that’s down…the ratings for the show are down as well. Raw from Long Island does a 6.23 with a 9.4 share versus Nitro drawing a 2.28 and a 4.3 share. Head to head Raw drew a 5.86 versus a 2.72 for Nitro, which equates to 10 million people but Raw doubled Nitro, and that’s coming off a pay-per-view Eric. It’s hard not to feel like this is a losing battle right?

From the Observer

“There were ten million pro wrestling fans watching on Monday starting at 9 p.m. That means, basically, that 66% of the wrestling fans who were already home on Monday night didn't even bother to turn on their television sets to watch Nitro at 8 p.m and waited until 9 p.m to turn on Raw.”

Is that a sign of audience erosion and indicative of WCW’s product or WWF’s product, or a combo of both?

Nitro opens with Kanyon in a hospital room after his tremendous bump the night before with Page visiting. You and the New Blood attack Page and Kimberly pours the contents of Kanyon’s bedpan on Dallas. This is all Russo isn’t it?

From the Observer

“They cut to live where the New Blood with Arquette came out. Bischoff, clearly feeling the heat of the criticism of Arquette and the ratings, attempted to portray it as if they had this angle planned long in advance by showing back footage. Unfortunately, because they didn't, none of this made sense. If the idea was to get the belt back from Page by using Arquette, why would Page win the belt due to Arquette in the first place? If Abbott laid down in a fake fight to Arquette to fool Page, why did he lay down for Page's finisher unless Page was also in cahoots with the entire plan.”

How hard is it trying to make sense of everything?

Next out is Ric Flair and he calls out his son David. David comes out with Daffney and Vince Russo - acting as David’s surrogate father. Ric has his old NWA title belt and eventually pulls out his cell phone and tells David that he’d get him a job with Vince McMahon and that he could be on Raw next Monday and the crowd cheers. This…is not a great look and makes the company look bush league doesn’t it?

Of course Ric & David hug and David jumps him and grabs Ric’s belts and leaves. Later on Flair would get in his limo to leave and tell Luger he was quitting wrestling. Just couldn’t let the angle breathe could you?

From the Observer

“Awesome beat DDP in a stretcher match in 6:30. Bischoff & Kimberly we’re on commentary. They had real problems working together and the match was filled with missed spots. Awesome clocked DDP with two chair shots and Page juiced. After a power bomb through the table, Bischoff grabbed Page's hand and made him sign his divorce papers that he'd ripped up earlier in the match. Scott Hudson, who works in the criminal justice branch of the Georgia government in real life, informed everyone that he didn't think that would hold up in court since there would be videotaped proof of the nature of him signing the papers. Can you imagine actual common sense right in the middle of a wrestling show?”

This is quite the angle…it’s amazing to me that Awesome didn’t get over more in WCW. Was anyone capable of getting over at this point in WCW?

From the Observer

In what was supposed to be a tag match with Kronik against Harlem Heat, it became a 4-way with Mamalukes (who had Disco Inferno as their manager still) and Harris Twins added, but ended up in a total mess. The teams who were supposed to be partners all fought each other with no attempt at an explanation. Finally Mamalukes and Harris Twins were eliminated. Stevie Ray then turned on Big T and hit him with a slapjack for no apparent reason, other than Stevie must have been pissed after all these years having to put up with such a lousy tag partner and Kronik double choke slammed T for the pin at 4:23.

Why did nothing make sense at this point in time?

“Steiner came out to challenge Abbott. Abbott did a ring entrance to mock Goldberg, which would draw a lot more heat if it hadn't been done so many times by so many others already. Crowd did pop for the Goldberg music. Steiner and Abbott's brawl was tremendous, and maybe the most exciting thing on either show, which is amazing since Abbott was involved. Steiner was killing Abbott when Rick Steiner ran in, and of course, turned on Scott. The announcers were stunned that a brother would turn on a brother, except that every brother combo in WCW turns on each other every third week and these two feuded for years while almost never actually wrestling each other, which is a great gig.”

You’re preparing for Goldberg’s return and have to rebuild Tank Abbott…but here he is going 50/50 with Scott Steiner until Rick turns and helps Tank. Not exactly the way to go about this was it?

“Liz beat Daffney via DQ in 39 seconds when Madusa interfered. Mona then made a save. Liz hit Madusa with a chair. This was tons better than it had any right to be and it was because of Liz. The stips were that if Liz won, she'd get to go back with Luger and be freed of her contract. Madden then explained that since Liz lost, she was stuck with Russo, which would have made more sense if the ref hadn't called for the bell when Madusa interfered making Liz the winner.”

I mean what the hell is going on here Eric? Did anyone want to see Liz wrestle?

“Hogan & Nash went to a no contest with Kidman & Konnan & Misterio Jr. & Awesome in 2:28. Awesome joined the group because those old guys would never sell for guys that size all by themselves. Actually, they didn't sell at all even 4-on-2. Finally Hogan brawled with all four, not selling for any of them until finally they wore him out with a baseball bat and put him in the trunk of a car. Nash was distracted by a missile dropkick by Juventud Guerrera but he power bombed him. I'm not sure how this makes the five guys into big stars. They tried to kidnap Hogan, but the Goldberg monster truck blocked them and Hogan, with his magical powers, since I guess he saw the Houdini biography special, escaped the trunk.”

What is there to say at this point Eric?

Jarrett defends his title on the night pinning Sting which is really one of the few bright spots in WCW. But I want to point this out from Meltzer’s recap:

“Sting put on the scorpion and then the worst thing happened. The crowd, sensing a world title change, got really excited. Well, actually, in unison, they turned their heads to backstage waiting for the run-in. The first time I ever saw this happen was in 1988 watching Jim Crockett Promotions and I think it was when Sting had

the scorpion on Ric Flair in world title matches when it was first noticeable. The reason I

bring that up is because the cities the fans did that in drew smaller crowds every month until by November, the entire company was out of business. The only difference is these guys don't have to make money. Actually the fans were looking in the wrong direction since Vampiro came from under the ring and pulled Sting under.”

It’s not far off on this comparison is it?

Sting comes up all bloody and Jarrett pins him and the New Blood comes out and beats down Sting until Hogan & Nash come out for the save and then the Goldberg monster truck runs over Rick Steiner & Tank Abbott’s car. Yup.

The next Thunder has segments of Vince Russo taking David Flair, Crowbar & Daffney around New York. What did you think of these? Russo loved putting himself on camera didn’t he?

“Vampiro did an interview with Tenay. They built to a spot where Vampiro acted like he was going to bite the head off Sting's crow but Sting made the save and beat the hell out of Vampiro. After being beaten up, Vampiro started laughing. Vampiro was making references to "Steve Borden" not wanting to work, he'd rather stay home, his gimmick is just another acting gig. When Sting pounded on him, he called Vampiro "Ian." Strange and Sting came off totally heelish and Vampiro totally face-ish, which is probably the idea.”

This helped no one didn’t it?

Speaking of helping no one…again Liz is booked in a match although this time it’s against Rhonda Singh…better known as Bertha Faye. The match ends when Luger racks Singh and leads to Chuck Palumbo hitting both Luger & Liz with a bat. HE HIT LIZ WITH A BAT.

“Horace wrestled Kidman in a match where if Horace lost he'd have to retire.

Bischoff was at ringside constantly changing the rules of the match to No DQ then falls county anywhere (ala McMahon to Mick Foley in 1998). Horace actually got the pin with a death valley driver but Bischoff then said it was a Texas death match and Kidman had a 10-count to get to his feet.

Bischoff turned it also into a handicap match with Konnan, Juventud Guerrera and Rey Misterio Jr. involved. Of course even four-on-one, Horace was killing them until Bischoff hit Horace with a chair and they all piled on for the pin in 2:21 of the second match. There was no ten count afterwards to signify a death match, but why quibble over details.

Hogan, who was banned from ringside during the match, came in and beat up all four guys with some of the slowest mistimed, most embarrassing offense on record. Bischoff hit Hogan with a chair, which he no sold.

Nash came out and the four guys all ran for him. Russo then came out to confront Nash, and basically tried to take 100% of the credit for the creation of the Diesel character that made Nash a star.

The blood fell from the ceiling, most of which fell several feet to the side of Nash and much of which fell on front row spectators. At least a little fell on Nash. Hogan & Nash then ran to the back and destroyed Russo & Bischoff's limo.”

There’s so much bad creative here Eric. Why did you go along with it?

The next week Nitro is booked around the WCW Title changing hands but Raw doubles Nitro again head-to-head. Was it the opposite seeing these numbers as it was in 1997 when you were in the middle of the 83 week streak?

“In a very strange match, Sting beat Vampiro in a house of pain cage match in 5:25. The object was to handcuff the opponent to the cage. Sting sold more than usual but seemed to easily handcuff him, then gave him a few (as in two or three) bodyblocks and simply left, seven minutes early. The lights went out and Vampiro disappeared.”

I feel like this has to be a rib…

“The MIAs, which is a remake of the Oddities/Sable deal in WWF, saw Tylene Buck now called Major Guns, Chavo Guerrero Jr. is Lt. Loco and Van Hammer as Major Strash. As stupid as this sounds, they wanted him to be Private Stash as an inside joke, but he cried about it because private was the lowest rank and he didn't want to be seen as the lowest ranking Oddity.”

Do you remember having that conversation with Van Hammer?

What did you think of the Misfits in Action?

“Terry Funk beat the entire Filthy Animals except Kidman in a handicap bout for the hardcore title. Miller attacked Funk as well. The MIAs bounced around the Animals until Disco saved to become a Filthy Animal. Booker T then bounced around the Animals, who should be nicknamed the pinballs, and Funk pinned Juvi in 3:00.

Major Gunns then gave Funk mouth-to-mouth. Smiley and Ralphus got a job at the popcorn stand until Ralphus was picking his butt and putting his hand in the popcorn.”

This aired on live TV Eric. What were you guys thinking?

“Crowbar & Daffney won the cruiserweight title from Candido & Tammy in 5:18.

This ended with Miss Hancock dancing. Sytch gave Daffney the worst stunner in history to zero pop, and it's hard not to get a pop doing that move. She got up to celebrate and got schoolgirled. It wasn't made clear if Crowbar or Daffney is now the champ. I think both of them. Flair came out to destroy Crowbar. In the middle of this great Flair angle, Sting went to the parking lot and his car was in flames. What a waste of money doing an angle that nobody cared about.”

That’s all in a 10 minute segment. All of it…

“Russo & David were at the Flair home in Charlotte and this was priceless stuff about how Reid is the favored one, saying that David had to sleep in the garage and swim in a shark-infested creek. Russo was jumping up and down in Flair's bed. Russo stole one of Ric's robes and confronted his wife and two youngest children. It was tremendous stuff. Ric then confronted David and Daffney, who came out with some of Ric's old title belts. He challenged David to a match.

Flair was tremendous. Jarrett laid out Ric with a guitar shot and put him in the figure four.”

So Ric goes from quitting to doing all this…hard to follow along sometimes wasn’t it?

Do you think Russo wanted to be you working against Flair?

“Nash beat Awesome in a bad match in 5:21. Nash nearly killed Awesome with the greatest power bomb in the sport. Just before Awesome faced sure paralysis, DDP made the save and helped Nash do the move before he dropped the guy on his head. Awesome took a bump off the apron onto a heavily gimmicked table setting. The match ended with Awesome never put in the ambulance. I think it ended because it was a mercy killing. Bischoff challenged Page and asked him to bring back-up. Miller & Bischoff were doubling on Page until Sid made the save. Sid was wearing a shirt since due to shoulder problems, he hasn't been able to train well enough where he'd take his shirt off I guess. Of course, Sid turned on DDP. They've got to bring Page's mom on next week so she can turn on him.”

My goodness Eric. Thank god Hogan saved but this is all just bad isn’t it?

Eventually this leads to Horace turning on his uncle Hulk as well. How many turns are necessary for one two hour pro wrestling show?

“Finally, Flair pinned Jarrett with an inside cradle in 6:16 in a good match. Flair, at 51, with one arm (he needs shoulder surgery and that may happen in mid-June) in street clothes (they wanted him in trunks since he was winning the world title, but it was one of those communication breakdowns and since they never told him, he didn't bring any trunks), still has the only good match and great interview on the show and the two highest segments while half the young guys who can't draw ratings, have good matches, or even dress well, think he is the one who is killing the ratings?”

Good thing Flair quit the week before. Listen it’s a good match, it’s a great moment…but even Jarrett has said it didn’t make sense. Did it make sense to you?

The next day Thunder is taped and Shane Douglas is the new leader of the New Blood. This leads to everyone fighting…why did you think Shane was right for this role?

Hogan makes a match with Kidman for the Great American Bash, and if he wins, he gets a title shot at the World Champion at Bash at the Beach. We all know where that’s heading…

“Hogan vs. Hogan started with Kidman yelling at Horace about Wilson, who he came out with. Horace beat up Kidman and went to the ring with Wilson. Horace went to kiss Wilson when Kidman came out again. Hulk then throws Kidman over the top rope through a table and pins Horace. Hogan then kisses Wilson to a big pop. Of course she liked it and walked out on both Kidman and Horace.” Hulk didn’t complain about this did he?

This recap from the Observer is literally how this all unfolded.

“Scott Steiner came out wearing a ton of make-up for a black eye and cut up mouth. Scott vs. Awesome in an ambulance match is real quick. Recliner and the Goldberg music is played, but it's Abbott who comes out. Abbott & Rick attack Scott, who holds his own until Awesome joins in. They're about to put Scott on the stretcher when the Goldberg truck made the save. Rick & Tank go after the truck while Scott throws both on the hood of the truck and it backs out of the arena. Scott won the match.”

This truck is god damn rolling over the promotion Eric!

“Vampiro burned a Sting mask. During the commercial, they soaked the ropes with gasoline. Sting came out, then Vampiro came out and called him Steve and said they would have an inferno match on the PPV. Sting said that's nuts and he isn't going to do it. At this point the ropes were supposed to catch on fire but they didn't. The fans started laughing and booing. They re-taped it later in the show and it did work, but by that time the arena was almost empty.”

Why did none of these things ever work for WCW? What were the issues?

From the Observer

“Bischoff in front of most of the wrestlers this past week was really putting over how over

Nash is as a single and Kronik are after just a few weeks of television. He said Nash is more over as a single now than at any time since he's been with the company. The real test of being over is generating either box office, buy rates of moving television ratings. Since at this point they still have no box office or buy rates to speak of and what they have it's pretty clear isn't drawn because any performer is over, the only place to look is the TV ratings. The decibel level of a pop can be done because a worker with no box office appeal is really experienced at working the crowd, being put in the right position on a run-in that built heat, has a cool entrance gimmick, music or they simply blow up enough explosives when they come out that it makes a big noise, or because fans like a familiar spot in the match.”

What say you Eric?

It is written in the Observer that WCW is looking to run as many shows as possible in markets they haven’t run before or have run sparingly or that WWF don’t go to. Is that a Zane Bresloff initiative?

From the Observer

“Flair was going to give up the title on the 5/22 Nitro all along.

The original plan was for Ric to lose the retirement match to David and have rotator cuff surgery a few days later. The rotator cuff injury is nowhere near as serious as a similar injury he suffered several years back that kept him out of the ring for more than six months.

The original plan was for Flair to lose the retirement match and then come back, probably for the September PPV. However, Flair likes the angle with Russo, and with it being the only hot angle in the company, both he and Russo may change plans.

The plan on 5/15 as of the late afternoon was for Jarrett to beat Flair, but Russo changed his mind before the show (the announcers didn't know it as they were calling the match although most backstage were aware of it before the show started), feeling people wouldn't expect Flair to win. Jarrett was said to be unhappy about it but was promised he'd get the belt back on 5/22. Flair put Jarrett over big in his 5/16 interview basically intimating that at his age for him to win the title again, that he got lucky and that Jarrett was a great champion.”

Why is the mentality to work the boys and not have everyone on the same page to get over the story you’re trying to achieve?

Nitro on May 22nd in Grand Rapids is one of the worst wrestling shows I’ve ever seen. It features Ernest Miller defeating Booker T, you fire Booker, Daffney beat Crowbar to win the Cruiserweight Title, Kidman beats Horace Hogan with Torrie Wilson as the ref, Terry Funk announces he’s going to be a grandfather and that Brad Siegel signed him to a one year extension…the New Blood attack Funk and Terry’s daughter Brandi tries to save him and gets thrown down by Shane Douglas.

Why mention Brad Siegel if you & Russo are the ones in charge?

Awesome beat Wall in a tables match after he came out wearing a halo mocking Kanyon who was portrayed as being paralyzed. Right after…and this is from the Observer…

“Then they went to a cutaway with Russo holding a casket with a bench of NB members as pall bearers, including Douglas without a hair out of place, and Awesome, in his regular clothes. Nobody has given me any kind of an explanation for this incompetency. They did the funeral.

Russo gave the title to Jarrett. They pretended Flair had a brain aneurysm. Nash came out of the casket and beat up Jarrett and David Flair like they were flies and left with the belt.”

I mean…the quality control here is not great but the whole segment is just not good is it?

Pamela Paulshock debuted as an interviewer. Where did she come from and what did you think of her?

“They lowered the asylum, a takeoff on a UFC cage or more likely, since no doubt Russo has no clue about UFC as one can tell by his method of booking UFC guys, it was a takeoff on the Lions Den cage in WWF. Scott challenged Rick and Tank. Rick came out. They threw each other around in the small confines of the cage. Scott threw a terrible suplex. Tank came out with bolt cutters but they didn't work. He then KO'd Mickey Jay and raised the cage and Tank and Rick double-teamed Scott. Fans hated this. You could tell they were getting the dreaded groan heat, and this wasn't the last time they'd get this reaction. Nash was to do

a run-in, but he can't because of his knees, so he did a walk-in and cleaned house with mistimed belt shots in 3:14.

Nash then challenged Jarrett for a title match in the main event. The original plan was for Abbott to use the bolt cutters and interfere. At the production meeting before the show, somebody brought up how it would kill the new cage gimmick before the PPV if they showed after insisting nobody could get in or escape until a submission, that Abbott could cut open the cage. I guess Russo agreed, so he had Abbott come out and show that the bolt cutters didn't work. Of course, he missed the point by having Abbott raise the cage and still interfere and there be no submission.”

I mean my goodness Eric. Nothing is going right is it?

Terry Taylor and Reid Fliehr came out. Reid called out David. Daffney beat up Taylor. Reid gave David a low blow and took him down, but David was able to get the advantage and put Reid in the figure four.

The original plan was for David to give Reid a terrible beating, but standards and practices nixed it feeling it would display child abuse.”

I mean…that makes sense right?

“Vampiro defeated Hulk Hogan in 4:40. Hogan beat Vampiro to death, giving him nothing. Madden at this point was told to (believe me, he doesn't say things this stupid on his own) get over about how WCW doesn't do schmozz finishes and cheap DQ's. Well, there were no DQ's except I guess in the asylum match, but except for Wall vs. Awesome up to that point there had been nothing but schmozz finishes. I knew this match was doomed the minute he said that because WCW likes nothing more than to make their announcers look like fools. Another terrible match. Hogan legdropped Vampiro, to make sure everyone knew he could win without even selling. Kidman came out and hit Hogan with a blow torch and Vampiro pinned Hogan in 4:40.

Yes, Hogan put over Vampiro but somehow Vampiro looked like even less of a main eventer in the process. That's why Hogan always will be one step ahead of everyone, because the boys are even swerved to thinking he's helping others' careers.”

What do you say to Meltzer’s criticism and Madden’s comments?

“Jarrett vs. Nash for the vacant title was next. Yes, Arquette draws record low ratings but they keep the belt on him to swerve the fans, and the result is one of the lowest buy rates ever. Flair pops the highest rating in months, so they can't wait to take the belt off him. I guess if they don't have a title change every Monday, Nitro will have been a bad show.

Russo beat up Billy Silverman with the belt and took over as ref, and wouldn't count to three as Nash took the entire match. Nash got right up after a chair shot. Nash kicked out of a belt shot. Steiner came out and the NB overpowered him and handcuffed him to the ropes in the old crucifixion pose. Nash set up a power bomb in the aisle on Russo when the blood came from the ceiling.

It wasn't the most embarrassing segment on the show, but it was up there. Nash waited forever because the stuff was late falling. Then it fell, and missed him again. He at least tried by moving into the path of the red stuff and did get some of it on him when he moved. Somehow that stunned Nash, but not Russo. Jarrett hit him with the guitar and pinned him to win the title in about 5:00”

I mean holy shit Eric. One of the worst shows in the history of Nitro and it’s all a miss is it not?

“Mark Madden was forced by TBS legal to do the apology to Bruno Sammartino on Nitro. Madden had talked about various deceased former world champions turning over in their grave regarding Arquette winning the title like Pat O'Connor and Buddy Rogers, and mentioned Sammartino, who he's had a long-time feud with actually based originally from an interview he did for this publication about nine years ago with comments that David Sammartino made about his own (David's) usage of steroids and one of his brothers. Bruno was mad, actually furious at the time, about David mentioning the brother who was a collegiate javelin thrower but never did pro wrestling, insisting he had never used steroids. Sammartino threatened a lawsuit against WCW for implying he was dead, so Madden was forced to apologize, but did so as insincerely as possible on the air.”

Do you remember this story and the issues that came along with it?

From the Observer

“The situation regarding morale seems the same, with the younger wrestlers generally being more enthusiastic because they believe they are getting a push, but some skepticism is sneaking in with the feeling the older wrestlers still won't put anyone over, and from business veterans who are old enough to remember the days of local TV when matches consisted of squash matches (often more competitive than today's non-squash matches involving some of the top guys) and every guy getting squashed worked on TV with every top guy in a territory. In those days, the guys getting squashed didn't often graduate to superstardom based on getting over based on a rub of working with the top guys on TV.”

What was the locker room like back at this point? Tense?

From the OBserver

“There have been several high level negotiations this past week involving WCW and ECW, most notably with SFX. SFX, which owns many arenas, has of late purchased concert tour rights for many leading concerts including Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. The deal they've done in those situations is book the tours themselves, because they own several major arenas, and can cut rental deals for other major arenas far better than anyone else can. They guarantee the performers in the case of the latter two, $250,000 per show. They've jacked up the ticket prices to $100 or more average per seat (something everyone readily admits would be death when it comes to promotion of live pro wrestling at this point in time) and sold tons of corporate sponsorships and commercials on the live screens during the show to help defray the costs.

At one point earlier this year, SFX made a strong approach to buying WCW, which was immediately nixed by Turner. Exactly what is going on with these negotiations has been kept secretive, but there is talk the current negotiations with WCW do not include buying the company, but simply buying the promotional rights to the house shows and the negotiations are in the beginning form.”

Do you remember or are aware of these negotiations? Do you think they could’ve helped the company?

What about SFX offering to buy WCW earlier in either 1999 or 2000? Were you privy to any of those conversations?

“It is believed that TNT and TBS are wanting to maintain the television rights to the company, but none of the headaches and the losses that come with running it. At least two other groups have expressed interest in buying either WCW and/or ECW, and there is always Fox Network, which has talked of doing wrestling, including negotiations in the past with Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff and Randy Savage, but at this point doesn't appear to want to own the company but rather have a company provide product for a weekday afternoon show.”

The irony of this statement considering what would happen 7 months later isn’t lost on me but did you ever have negotiations with Fox?

“On the 5/31 Thunder show, there is an interview with Bischoff and Tony Schiavone where Bischoff claims the big deal that will change the landscape of the wrestling industry was finalized earlier in the day. He said that the deal would be announced at the Great American Bash on 6/9 and brought up strongly that there is nothing Vince McMahon could do about it. WCW, recognizing that even putting Hogan and Flair's careers on the line, they are doing so poorly on PPV, that they are building this announcement up as the prime draw on the show.”

When you cut this big promo - was the plan Goldberg turning heel as we’ll see? Or was it something else?

You’ve been critical of Tony Khan making these announcements but here you are front & center on Thunder hyping an announcement for a pay-per-view - what’s the difference?

“WCW has sent feelers to ECW about working together, something Bischoff discussed with Paul Heyman during the Mike Awesome legal battle of turning it into an angle, something a stagnant ECW may be more likely to consider although Heyman said he has no interest in being a part of a WCW angle.”

Were you engaged with ECW regarding working together? Were you aware of the agreement between ECW & the WWF and that the WWF was helping fund ECW?

“Exactly what will happen with WCW at that point becomes a question. The company is losing money at a far greater rate than it did last year, when it still had strong buy rates and strong attendance until the summer when the free-fall took hold, and where it ended up losing in excess of $15 million. There have been internal loss estimates starting at $36 million and growing from there based on different scenarios, with $55 to $60 million being a more likely figure and $80 million being a worst case scenario.”

Are you involved in the conversations regarding the money losing? Who’s having them? Is that something anyone is bringing to your attention?

Was there ever a conversation of - now is the time to cut costs? Let’s get it done type of thing?

“Tammy Sytch was taken off Nitro after an incident backstage before the show. There have been numerous reports of her being fired, which definitely wasn't the case as of press time. Before the show, two of the other women working in the company found syringes in a rest room adjacent to the womens locker room along with a vial of nubain, a pain killing drug that has in recent years become popular with some wrestlers and was a major problem in the ECW dressing room several months back, in the bathroom and apparently it was linked it to her. She was described as being in very bad shape backstage before the show and it was said that before the show she was in the same said bathroom for an eternity. She was supposed to do a catfight spot with Miss Hancock on the show to set up a mixed tag feud with Chris & Tammy vs. David & Miss Hancock but after Bischoff and Janie Engle were alerted, she was pulled from the show and it is believed she was ordered to take a drug test the next day”

What can you tell us about Tammy’s situation that night? It’s been long rumored it was Kimberly who alerted someone to it…what say you?

With Booker T fired - he would return as GI Bro. This is Russo’s attempt at rebranding him right?

“Russo, David Flair, Daffney and a woman playing the role of Reid Fliehr's sixth grade teacher Miss Snodgrass. She said that Reid was teaching the other kids to make fart noises with their armpits and sticking mirrors on classmates shoes so he could look up the girls skirts. That had to be Ric Flair's son. David challenged Reid to a match at the Bash.”

I mean…what are we doing here?

“Finally Nash won the world title in the three-way with Jarrett and Scott Steiner. Steiner brawled with his brother and Abbott when they tried to kidnap one of the women. After a red bump, security surrounded the ring keeping any refs from getting to the ring to count.

Finish saw Scott running through all the security guards two-by-two allowing Mickey Jay to take over as ref with Jay hitting the ring to count three as Nash power bombed Jarrett.”

This is just too much hot potato with the title wasn’t it?

Nitro in Salt Lake City features Vince Russo & David Flair holding Reid & Beth hostage to his father. But what takes place earlier is almost even sillier. Kevin Nash hands the WCW Title back to Ric Flair saying Flair never lost it. That’s right - the 4th title change of the WCW Title in 3 weeks. Jarrett comes out and challenges Flair to a title match and Ric’s response is “I want the night off.” Why should anyone care about anything?

Of course once Ric finds out that his wife & son are being held hostage - he accepts and later on Jarrett wins the title back from Flair.

The show would also feature Goldberg’s return, comes out to a big pop and spears & jack hammers Rick Steiner while Abbott powders. Goldberg challenged Abbott to a match on June 5th in Atlanta at the Phillips Arena. The decision to make Goldberg’s return match on TV over pay-per-view, ratings were what was necessary to make you look good, correct?

From the Observer

“Vampiro tried to burn Funk with pyro. He slammed Funk through some tables as they worked their way backstage to the production truck. Vampiro fell off the stairs through a table.

Vampiro supposedly doused Funk with gasoline and wanted to set him on fire, but Sting made the save. Vampiro got a blow torch to set the entire parking lot on fire but security stopped him.”

This fire gimmick is something for Vampiro wasn’t it?

From the Observer

Lex Luger and Elizabeth were sent home after refusing to do the planned angles for them at the 5/30 Thunder tapings. Luger was supposed to do a run-in, attacking Palumbo, which would cause the DQ in Kronik's tag title loss to Palumbo & Stasiak where the title could change hands via DQ. In the case of Elizabeth, there is a good deal of sympathy in her direction because they wanted her to be a wrestler and do a wrestling match with

Kimberly at the PPV (evidently being switched to Kimberly vs. Miss Hancock) and she was never trained to be a wrestler. There is a lot less sympathy for Luger who didn't like the way he was being booked with the program with Palumbo, who clearly isn't ready, but then again, Luger was once in Palumbo's shoes as being pushed long before he was ready and all the veterans of that era put him over strong because everyone thought he had potential to be the next Hogan, which he never turned out to be.

Is this the old Lex Luger rearing his head at this point? Or can you not blame him for his not liking the creative?

From the Observer

“The ratings on 6/5 had to be a huge disappointment for WCW, as it was the best hyped Nitro since the first Russo/Bischoff show on 4/10, complete with Bill Goldberg's first match back and almost a PPV-like line-up of matches. During the day, people within the company were talking about the show doing a 4.0 rating.

As it turned out, Raw delivered a 5.95 rating (5.40 first hour; 6.44 second hour) and a 9.3 share. Nitro drew a 2.86 rating (3.09 first hour; 2.67 second hour) and a 4.4 share. The head-to-head was 5.49 to 2.67, so a down Raw still more than doubled Nitro.

The total head-to-head wrestling audience was down to 9.4 million despite WCW hyping Nitro so strongly on Thunder as well as spending more money than usual on advertising the show.

The return to the ring of the much hyped Goldberg vs. Abbott match only drew a 2.90 rating, although it held the WWF's lengthy open conference with the McMahon family to a 4.70 rating, the lowest rated Raw quarter in a long time.”

How big a disappointment is this for you?

“The basic gist of the show is they put all the faces over, which theoretically shouldn't be done the week before a PPV, except for Bischoff & Russo. Bischoff actually brought up that Luger and Elizabeth weren't there while Russo challenged John Rocker. Russo challenged Goldberg. Goldberg came out and mowed through the security guys while Russo and Bischoff ran.

A second group of security ran out and then all ran away.”

John Rocker - only Vince Russo gave a shit about him didn’t he?

Did anyone want to see Goldberg as a heel? Or did you think he needed it?

We have covered this show in the past so check out the archives - but you win the WCW Hardcore Title from Terry Funk. Yup.

From the Observer regarding the main event…

“Russo beat Ric Flair in the cage match in 9:30. Ric Flair is the greatest wrestler who ever lived and this match was living proof as this 51- year-old man actually carried Russo and David to what, after some terrible stuff early, to a good match.

They pulled Russo's shirt off which wasn't a pretty sight and Flair chopped him raw. David came in from under the ring and Ric chopped him up as well. Russo got a ladder and climbed out of a trick ceiling and Flair climbed up with him.

They fought on top of the cage. People actually expected Russo to take a Foley bump off. They ended up back in. Flair put him in the figure four for what seemed like an eternity. Russo, being the toughest man with 11 inch arms that ever lived, withstood the move longer than just about every babyface in the history of Jim Crockett Promotions without even passing out from pain, before the "blood" dropped from the sky.

For some reason that I can't figure out, the blood immobilizes everyone except the heels, which it doesn't effect. It appeared the blood was supposed to drop much sooner, thereby not making the figure four spot so ludicrous, and that David was supposed to pull Russo out of the path of the blood, so only Ric would have to sell it. Neither happened. David put the figure four on Ric and Russo covered him for the pin.”

Like what are we doing here?

“If that wasn't silly enough, Nash beat Disco, Candido, Johnny the Bull, Vito and Misterio Jr. all in about five seconds. These guys were pinned so quickly that they took one move and laid there and Nash didn't even cover them some of the time.

Finally Awesome, Palumbo, Konnan, Douglas, Vampiro and a few others all attacked Nash. The idea was to get heat on Nash for Goldberg to make the save, but Nash didn't bother selling for six guys and Goldberg's run in seemed almost unnecessary as the two of them cleaned house as the show went off the air.

Bischoff ended the show saying that Goldberg would be suspended for interfering.”

What a goddamn mess Eric. It has almost become an internet meme at this point. How was anyone happy with the product on TV?

On the go-home Thunder..

“The Mamalukes, who are now the hardcore champion (I know Mamalukes is plural and champion in singular, but this is WCW) because Bischoff gave them the belt (I guess so he doesn't have to do a job)”

I mean come on Eric you could’ve put someone over for the title right?

“Finally Abbott was looking around for somebody to pound and they showed a 12-year-old kid in the audience, and alerted us it was John-Michael Schiavone, Tony's son. Tony hopped the rail and the kid threw a drink in Abbott's face. Nash came out to save Schaivone's life and they went all of 13 seconds before Rick interfered for the DQ and Scott made the save. So much for not doing DQ finishes for run-ins.”

Those damn Schiavone’s Eric.

Let’s get to the show now Eric…it draws 75,000 buys which is an improvement of 23,000 buys from Slamboree a month before. But Great American Bash from a year ago, featuring Kevin Nash defending the WCW Title against Randy Savage, Ric Flair taking on Roddy Piper and the No Limit Soldiers taking on the West Texas Rednecks drew 160,000 buys. Look it’s up from last month, down from last year, but what do you attribute the uptick to? Hogan? Goldberg?

From the Observer

The big surprise at the 6/11 Great American Bash turned out to be the heel turn of Bill Goldberg, which might have been effective had it not been so overly built up as something that would change the landscape of sports entertainment forever, that it was considered a huge letdown.

Was it a letdown? Did you learn from this regarding the hyping of things?

“To show just how far the company has fallen, in Baltimore, which outside of the Carolinas, is probably Flair's strongest city and a city Hogan has history going back to his first WWF matches with Andre at the Arena some 20 years ago, putting both of their careers on the line along with promising the biggest surprise in history resulted in 7,031 fans attending, of which only 4,677 were paid for a gate of $154,445.

That number, as if you need any more numerical proof by this point, is almost staggering when you think about the nature of the advertised stipulations and how badly the consumer's confidence in WCW living up to any stipulations is. Could you imagine the Mexican or Japanese equivalent, a show where Santo and Perro both put up their careers as well as a similar promise only drawing 4,677 paid to Arena Mexico (and that's with Perro doing his own brand of damage to a retirement stipulation after a retirement tour that seemingly has lasted longer than a lot of careers) or a match where Inoki and Choshu both put up their careers and the promise of a similar level announcement only drawing 4,677 paid to the Tokyo Dome? Putting all that in perspective speaks volumes.”

I love Meltzer for bringing up the Tokyo Dome - but that number is a disappointment right?

“1. Lt. Loco retained the cruiserweight title over Disco Inferno, who was frequently called the Hip Hop Inferno during the match, in 4:57. All the FA's and MIA's (except for G.I. Bro) came out during this match.

Disco wrestled wearing a Kobe Bryant jersey. Both the MIA's and FA's interfered so frequently the match had no structure. The old man playing Captain Rection's dad came out and started hitting on Tigress. He came out five minutes early, and since the finish was based on his timing, the match was cut way short. Konnan shoved the guy down. He sold it like he was dead. Juventud Guerrera tried a reverse DDT on Loco, but somehow that got screwed up and the move looked closer to a reverse bulldog. Guerrera then missed a people's elbow, but Disco hit the last dance (stunner) and then Cpl. Cajun (Lash Leroux) gave Disco a russian leg sweep for Loco's pin. The finish was a mess. The match was a backdrop for the post-match. After the FA's left the MIA's laying, Pops was still lying there dead for Major Gunns to deliver the mouth-to-mouth. She reluctantly did, he awoke from the dead, and in one of the few wrestling moves of the show, reversed her and got on top before he was pulled off. *”

I mean…wow. What is there to say Eric?

“2. Kronik beat the Mamalukes in 9:20.

Vito wrestled the match early wearing the hardcore belt which was the storyline for the match. Johnny was worked over most of the way. Match had no heat. When Vito made the hot tag, Adams sure looked like he hated selling. Adams pulled the hardcore title belt off Vito and it was thrown to ringside. Adams used a form of a brainbuster on Vito for a near fall. Johnny ended up being in the ring while Vito left the ring to retrieve his belt, and then stayed outside the ring for the rest of the match. Johnny slipped off the top rope the first time he went to do a reverse splash. The second time he did the move, but Adams & Clark were so far gone it was one of the worst misses you'll ever see. Adams & Clark then used the high times, a double chokeslam, on Johnny for the pin in a match to determine the No. 1 contenders for Sean Stasiak & Chuck Palumbo's tag team titles. Vito acted as if he didn't care since he still had his hardcore belt. *”

Kronik was getting over but matches like this did not help did it? What did you think of Vito & Johnny the Bull though?

“3. Mike Awesome beat Diamond Dallas Page in 9:41 of an ambulance match.

Talk about an overdone gimmick. They brought Kanyon to the ringside area wearing his halo, which gave away the finish. Both guys KO'd the first ref right away. They worked hard but there were more mistimed spots than usual. Kimberly came out and hit Page with a pipe. Miss Hancock came out and dragged Kimberly away. Page delivered a diamond cutter off the ropes to lay out Awesome. At this point Bischoff appeared on the stage and appeared to be ready to hit Kanyon with a chair. Page went to the ramp to save Kanyon, who got up out of his wheelchair and gave Page a diamond cutter off the ramp to a gimmicked part of the floor and Page was put in the ambulance, making it three PPV shows in a row where Page's best friend or wife has turned on him. **¼”

I mean Page is the new Sting isn’t he?

“4. G.I. Bro pinned Sean Stasiak in 13:58 in a boot camp match.

No heat early. They did the ten count finish rule and teased a lot of near ten counts. Crowd was chanting boring early, but the finish with the double-teaming did get Bro over. Bro hit the uranage and a missile dropkick when Palumbo interfered. He ax kicked Palumbo but Stasiak hit him with a low blow with what was called a Lex flexer. After being double-teamed for a while, Bro came back with a double clothesline and side kicks on both before hitting both men with the flexer and knocking Stasiak out for the win. *½”

Booker T should’ve just been Booker T shouldn’t he?

“5. Shane Douglas beat Wall in 8:12 of a tables match.

Douglas asked for a best of five tables match. The announcers explained it was really the best of nine, even though as it turned out, it really was the best of five. As you can imagine, the announcers weren't going into business for themselves, it's just that whomever clarified what the five tables rule meant wasn't a math whiz. The wrestling was pretty bad early. Finally Wall choke slammed Douglas through one table, and back suplexed him through a second one. So it was match point on Douglas. They brawled to a set up ladder, with three tables stacked up next to the ladder for a stunt. It only looked like two tables because they had a cloth over the bottom table since there was so much padding underneath that they didn't want people to see it. Both men climbed the ladder. Douglas hit Wall with a foreign object and Wall fell backwards through the three tables to lose. *¼”

Did it really need to be best of 5, and how bad does the company look for it to be unknown what the stipulation is by the announcers?

“6. Scott Steiner won the asylum match over Rick Steiner and Tank Abbott in 3:46.

This was awful. It was switched to a handicap match on the spot. Scott was throwing Abbott around when Rick came in. The cage then lowered. They doubled on Scott until Abbott pulled out a chain. Rick got in the way and took the chain to protect his brother. Scott then got the chain, used it for the second straight foreign object finish, and used the recliner for the submission. Don't worry, later in the show during the last match run-in, Rick and Abbott were together and Rick was still a heel. DUD”

WHY DOES NOTHING MAKE SENSE ERIC? HOW DID YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?

Well the next match probably answers it…

“7. Hulk Hogan pinned Billy Kidman to earn a title shot at the next PPV in 11:39.

Hogan came out doing his Hollywood persona and did probably his most lame interview since those horrible strap match promos. It was typical Hogan- Kidman, with Hogan taking the entire match, and then beating him in the end. Torrie Wilson came out. Hogan and Wilson collided and Wilson took a bump doing the injured ankle spot. The Brass Knux that Wilson was apparently going to give Hogan, ended in Kidman's hands and he KO'd Hogan. But wait, Hogan kicked out. Wilson gave Kidman a low blow. He wasn't wearing a cup this time. Hogan then hit Kidman with Knux for the pin. Even though the match was lousy, Hogan was the first guy on the card to get a really big crowd reaction. *¼”

Hulk was just a step above Kidman and this did no favors for either of them but at least Hulk gets the title shot for Bash at the Beach. What could happen there?

“8. Ric Flair beat David Flair in 10:16 with Ric's career at stake.

Ric came out with his entire family, wife Beth, Reid, along with both daughters, Megan and Ashley. It was looking sad when Ric went to do his flip into the corner and couldn't even get the full flip. But aside from that, Ric showed his unbelievable abilities since this was far and away David's best match ever. Russo hit Ric with a baseball bat and handcuffed him. David used the figure four with Russo helping David with leverage. Reid Fliehr hopped the rail but Russo pie-faced him down. Reid then gave Russo a low blow, got the handcuff key from him which ref Charles Robinson finally got and unlocked Ric. Ashley then jumped Russo and locked him up with the handcuffs. Ric made a big comeback, chopping the hell out of David and Russo, and finished David off with David taking the Flair slam off the top, a kneedrop and the figure four. After the match, Russo challenged Ric to a match with Ric's career at stake on Nitro. **½”

First time Charlotte is over the rail I think and she’s got a big spot here…but Ric man…he’s the greatest of all time isn’t he?

Give credit to David Flair too…I mean he still pulled Miss Hancock…

“9. Vampiro beat Sting in an Inferno match in 7:23.

Sting opened the match saying that the torch would be at the top of the giant screen and they played up that Vampiro was afraid of heights. The match started in the ring with Vampiro pouring liquid all over Sting, which they pretended was gasoline. They ended up climbing the ladder to the top. Sting took one stunt man bump about ten feet into padding. He

then got right up, negating the very idea of doing the bump, and climbed back up the ladder. Match had no heat at all. They finally got to the top of the screen, and did some thunder and lightning sound effects and finally the lights went out, allowing them to switch to a stunt double. Apparently some could see the stunt double put on the Sting mask and some fans in the building were able to see the switch. The stunt man was then set on fire, and jumped off the top, which looked to be every bit of 30 feet into a heavily padded stage. They then doused him like crazy with the fire extinguisher. It wasn't so much because he was on fire, but because in the landing, his wig came off and if the smoke cleared people would be able to see it wasn't Sting. The announcers then tried to sell it like it was the Owen Hart death, and anyone who thinks that wasn't the catalyst for this idea is fooling themselves. For that reason, among many, this was horrible on so many levels I don't even want to get started on it. -**”

This is just bad Eric. I don’t know if there’s anything else to say about it…

“10. Jeff Jarrett retained the WCW title beating Kevin Nash in 17:22.

As if it hasn't been beaten to death enough, they teased the Survivor Series 1997 finish with Konnan as the bell ringer, Rey Misterio Jr. as the timekeeper, Disco Inferno as the belt keeper, Juventud Guerrera as the ring announcer and Ernest Miller as the second referee. In other words, they were all there to take bumps to get the match over because these two guys can't work a main event match on their own. Actually Jarrett was good. Nash was immobile. Fans were already chanting for Goldberg, who was teased throughout the show with Bischoff saying they wouldn't let him in and Goldberg monster truck sightings. Very little heat but Jarrett did a good job of working on the leg and the announcers, who had on this night a horrible product to call, did a very good job in this match. Finally Jarrett got the figure four. Madden's analysis here was really good pointing out that Nash had three reconstructive surgeries on the knee and that he's lucky to be walking. After a rope break, Nash started a comeback and despite Jarrett doing a good job working over the knee and Madden and Schiavone doing an even better job of selling it, he got up and didn't sell it the rest of the match. Guerrera hit Nash with a chair and Cat ran in to count but Nash kicked out again. Nash gave Disco a side slam and did the high kick on Konnan and Guerrera, but Jarrett got him with the stroke, but Nash kicked out again. Jarrett came off the top with a guitar, but Nash caught him before the blow and choke slammed him. Cat went to make the count but after two, Cat had that mysterious heel ref something in the eye injury. Nash then power bombed Cat and delivered this high kick that missed Jarrett by about a foot and power bombed him. Charles Robinson ran in to count but Rick Steiner stopped him. Didn't Rick just

turn, oh forget it? Abbott was in but Scott Steiner brawled with Abbott while everyone

pounded on Nash and Misterio Jr. gave him the bronco buster. Goldberg ran in for the save, but of course, waited forever. Nash pointed at Jarrett, which guaranteed he was the one getting speared, and Jarrett scored the pin. Goldberg, Russo and Bischoff all hugged as the show went off the air. *¼”

This…was just never going to work was it…

Final analysis of the show by Meltzer…

“The show itself was a series of matches with a numbing level of run-ins, an undercard with little crowd reactions, three stunt man spots--which guaranteed none would stand out although one using a real life stunt double would have under most circumstances, repeated finishes and predictable swerves including the third straight PPV main event with the same finish, and the third straight Diamond Dallas Page main event with the same finish, and four matches in a row in the mid-card using a similar foreign object finish.

There seemed to be little that the crowd live liked except for the reactions to Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair and the "Goldberg" chants, and, unfortunately, the former is not the answer and the latter (Goldberg) by itself wouldn't have been either, but it really is a moot point right now. The Goldberg turn on Kevin Nash, costing Nash the WCW title in the main event, got a lot of heat live as it pertained to people chanting "Goldberg sux" and throwing a lot of things for ten minutes after the show went off the air after he hugged Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo. That was the same scene when Hogan turned in 1996, which led to the biggest period for business in company history. The turn, which was way too soon in Goldberg's career and comeback, was something Russo wanted to do from the start simply because Goldberg had never played heel yet. It also allowed Hogan and Nash to be solidified in the top two face positions, something needed since Hogan is still the most powerful man in the company and the need is felt by everyone to keep him happy, and an unhappy Nash, since he's good at rallying the disharmony of the other wrestlers, is always seem as a high priority.”

Was that a plan and focus?

“There are people in the company that have actually been convinced that Scott Steiner has more drawing power potential as a babyface than Goldberg, even though the difference in their respective television ratings are like night and day over the past two years, although at this point, probably every aspect of booking is over-analyzed because the problems from long term perception of the company, particularly by teenagers that see it as old man's wrestling, are just as damaging as the lack of continuity in the booking.”

Were you one of those people who thought there was more to Scott Steiner than Goldberg at this point?

What say you Eric…is this one of the worst months you can remember in WCW history that you were a part of?