Message-ID:  

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/wrestling/8396283.htm

Fri, Apr. 09, 2004 

Walking Tall; Walking Small

BY JIM VARSALLONE
jvarsallone{at}herald.com

WWE chairman Vince McMahon allowed The Rock to own the rights to the
name The Rock. Stone Cold Steve Austin wants the same, but that is a
stalling point in contract negotiations. WWE is reluctant to do that.

Let me put this into some perspective. Before and during his movie
career, The Rock's done everything asked of him by WWE without any
problems. Sure fans want to see The Rock in a WWE ring, but he
currently rides the wave of a successful movie career.

Can you blame him. Good for him. He is exposed to worldwide publicity
in the entertainment field. He still carries the WWE banner (albeit on
a smaller degree), and his success can also help open the door for
other wrestlers who desire to land movie roles -- i.e., Kevin Nash
(The Punisher).

Now, Stone Cold also left the company. Was it for good reason? Did he
venture into another career and elevate the status of pro wrestlers?

Well, Austin walked out on the company twice (maybe three, four times)
because of creative differences and also battled issues outside WWE
concerning spousal abuse which were highlighted during many TV news
shows nationwide. He let down fans and just gave pro wrestling a bad
name.

Sure, if you're Stone Cold, what do you care what other people think.
When he doesn't get his way, he walks, leaving script writers to
re-write Raw -- like they did again Monday, April 5. What message does
that send to the workers?

The man needs help.

Now if all that is true and most of it has been documented, and you
were in charge of a company, what would you do?

Well, it's business, and like him or not, yeah, I would reward The
Rock, too. One thing about McMahon, he is loyal to those who are loyal
to him. Just ask Gerald Briscoe, Pat Patterson, Arnold Skoaland,
Blackjack Lanza and Tony Garea to name a few.

• According to the Wrestling Online Newsletter, Ric Flair attended the
Bush-Cheney Luncheon Monday, April 5 at the Charlotte Convention
Center.

''I want to thank Ric Flair, professional wrestler. He's with us
today. Big Ric, I'm proud you're here. Thank you for coming,'' said
President Bush during his speech.

In the past, Flair toyed with the idea of running for politics in
North Carolina.

• Diamond Dallas Page wants to return to wrestling. After a neck
injury, DDP left WWE on good terms to support his wife Kimberly in her
drive to become an actress.

• WWE released Diva Terri and Sean O'Haire.

• Toronto, Manchester, England and Tampa, FL are in the running to
host WWE SummerSlam. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays baseball team plays home
games indoors at Tropicana Field in a 43,772-seat stadium.

It's baseball season so they will have to schedule when the Devil Rays
are on the road or select another venue in the area, if they decide
Tampa is the place. Tropicana Field is the largest indoor facility in
the area.

The Devil Rays play at Tropicana Field on Sunday, Aug. 22. They are on
the road Aug. 15 and 29. Many WWE stars live in the Orlando/Tampa
area.

• Hulk Hogan will be on Hollywood Squares April 12-16. Check local
listings.

• The Punisher movie, based on the Marvel comics character, features
Kevin Nash as the villain The Russian. Nash who performed his own
stunts was accidentally stabbed -- by actor Thomas Janes who portrays
The Punisher -- in a fight scene.

The film which opens Friday, April 16 also features John Travolta, Roy
Scheider and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos.

• Memphis Wrestling results: Rocky Johnson and Derrick King defeated
Bill Dundee and Koonta. Brian Christopher with the Sexy Assassin and
Dundee beat Tracy Smothers. Shock and Doug Gilbert with Jimmy Hart
defeated Johnny Dodston and Allan Steel. Jerry Lawler and Mable won by
DQ over the Sexy Assassins. Commentator Lance Russell, Jerry Calhoun
and Kevin White also appeared.

There is a show Friday, April 23 with the Fabulous Ones, Hart, Lawler
and more at the Memphis Midsouth Coliseum. Watch Memphis Wrestling 11
a.m. Saturdays on UPN 30 in Memphis and 9 p.m. Saturdays on UPN in
Mississippi.

• Wrestling Reunion is 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Saturday, June 5 at the Holiday
Inn in Carteret, NJ. Meet Polish Power Ivan Putski, The Killer Bees
Jumping Jim Brunzell and B. Brian Blair, Luscious Johnny Valiant, Stan
The Man Hansen, Ivan Koloff, Ken Patera, Nikita Koloff and more.

Valiant will perform his stand-up comedy act following the convention
for an additional fee. For table and vendor information e-mail Tom or
Adam at wrestlereunion{at}aol.com.

• Dan The Beast Severn is conducting a 3-day wrestling camp June 4-6
in Coldwater, MI.

• WWE Raw returns to South Florida on June 21 at the American Airlines
Arena in Miami. WWE SmackDown will be taped Tuesday, June 22 at the
T.D. Waterhouse Centre in Orlando.

• The WWE Hall Of Fame ceremony with Bobby The Brain Heenan, Jesse
Ventura, Tito Santana, Jimmy Hart, Ernie Ladd, Mick Foley, Ric Flair,
Harley Race, Blackjack Lanza, Mean Gene Okerlund, Superstar Billy
Graham, Shawn Michaels, Greg The Hammer Valentine, Sgt. Slaughter,
Triple H, Magnificent Muraco, Jim Ross, Kane, Pete Rose and more will
be released on DVD in a few months.

Just to hear the comedy stylings of Heenan and some of the rips on
Rose are worth it. The event was Saturday, March 13 -- the night
before WrestleMania XX -- at the New York Hilton.

• Raven's Caribbean cruise and wrestling seminar is Nov. 20-27
boarding in Miami. Stop in the U.S. Virgin Islands of St. Thomas and
San Marten and San Juan, Puerto Rico. There are two full days of
exclusive Raven events.

Deposit is $350 per guest due at the time of request. For more
information on the cruise, e-mail cruiseinfo{at}swaintours.com. To
register, you must be age 21 or older or accompanied in the cabin by
someone in your party age 25 or older.

• The Mid Atlantic Legends Convention is Nov. 26-28 at the University
Place Hilton in Charlotte, NC.

Meet Magnum TA, Tully Blanchard, Ole and Arn Anderson, Jack and Jerry
Briscoe, Precious, Ivan and Nikita Koloff, Jimmy Valiant, Jimmy and
Ron Garvin, JJ Dillon, Dusty Rhodes, Rock 'N' Roll Express Ricky
Morton and Robert Gibson, Baby Doll, Ricky The Dragon Steamboat,
Harley Race, Greg The Hammer Valentine, Ric Flair and Rowdy Roddy
Piper.

• Ohio Valley Wrestling airs on WB-17 at 11 p.m. (EST) Saturdays in
the Lexington, KY area. Check your local cable operator. Run by Jim
Cornette, OVW is the feeder group to WWE.


--- Internet Rex 2.29