Message-ID: 

Flair did do the Flair Flip, in fact he did one of the best ones I have ever
seen him do in years, since he went over the turnbuckle and out of the ring.





"Hack-Man"  wrote in message
news:6ah6809hj99nr91e3bc2ulvocqg1n81lcg{at}4ax.com...
> Here's my review of the latest outing from WWE, based on "how much
> money was this match worth?"  At the end, I add it all up and see if
> the PPV as a whole was worth the sum of its matches.
>
> I wasn't sure if Torch HQ would be open due to family circumstances
> and I didn't feel like driving that far anyway what with the
> tornadoes and severe weather, so I went to the local sports bar to
> catch Backlash.  I was sold on the event due to the main event, but
> was also looking forward to seeing how insane Foley would get and
> see if Benjamin would step up for his match with Flair.  I figured
> the Coach match and the Kane match would be good bathroom breaks.
>
> The sports bar never shows Sunday Night Heat, so I don't know what
> matches were shown there (or if they set up for any matches beyond
> the seven advertised for the PPV).
>
> There seemed to be a lot of Hardy Boys fans in the Edmonton Crowd,
> as well as a bunch of signs that made no sense to me.
>
> The PPV is in Canada, so I expected a bunch of morons yelling
> "twoooooo" (well, more morons than normal) as well as
"you screwed
> Bret" chants for Hebner.
>
> Nancy Benoit still looks bangable.  She's gotta be in her 40s by now
> and has pumped out a few kids since Kevin Sullivan used to pimp her
> out for $500 a pop, so she's held up surprisingly well.
>
> Jerry Lawler was back to wearing his kingly attire (with no shirt
> underneath) so it looks like the suit and tie he wore at
> WrestleMania was a one-time thing.
>
> 1.  Shelton Benjamin over Ric Flair in 9:30
>
> Holy crap.  When was the last time Flair was the curtain jerker at a
> PPV?  Has he *ever* been a curtain jerker at a PPV?  I guess I
> should just be glad he was wearing something under his robe, eh?
>
> Flair did his "go to the top turnbuckle" spot twice, but since he's
> a heel, it didn't pan out.  No Flair Flip (what with the bad neck
> and all) but we were robbed by getting no Flair Flop as well.  We
> did get the "beg on knees followed by poke to the eyes".  Sigh.  I'm
> probably the last person to jump off the bandwagon, but I have to
> admit that Flair matches are getting too formulistic.  The end of
> the match seemed to come out of nowhere (which made it
> anti-climactic.  Damn.  I had made a mental note a week ago to send
> JR an email so he'd mention during this match that both Ric Flair
> and Benjamin had attended the University of Minnesota.  Oh well.  I
> think JR mentioned it for Benji at least.
>
> MATCH RATING: $0.50
>
> Todd Grisham interviewed Randy Orton backstage.  The bar had the
> volume lower than usual, so I only caught maybe half of it.  I'm
> assuming Foley will bleed like crazy and Orton will bump like a
> madman but won't blade.
>
> RATING: $0.05
>
>
> 2.  Jonathan Coachman over Tajiri in 6:24
>
> Ugh.  Comedy matches should never go this long.  Coach isn't a
> wrestler, so Tajiri should have been able to effectively put him
> away in under a minute.  If they're going to have it go longer than
> that, they need to do spots where Tajiri has Coach beat, but pulls
> him up repeatedly after a two count to inflict more damage.  I was
> trying to decide what color mist Tajiri would spray in Jon's eyes.
> I figured black was right out since that would cause blindness (and
> would be hard to see.  Glenn was guessing green (I think) so I
> predicted red.  There was no mist and the match ended when Garrison
> Cade did a run-in (which I somehow missed).  As they showed the
> replay I see that I also missed the Tarantula.  WTF?  Coach doesn't
> need to get over.  Why bury Tajiri?  For that matter, why was Tajiri
> moved to Raw (and why is Hurricane on Raw) when the cruiserweight
> division is on Smackdown?
>
> MATCH RATING: $0.20
>
> A video recap aired of the Trish-Chris Jericho-Christian storyline.
>
> RATING: $0.05
>
>
> 3.  Jericho over Christian & Trish Stratus in 11:12
>
> I would have marked if the crowd would have started a USA chant.
> Trish was actually holding on to the tag rope during the match.
> Jericho won after an enzuigiri for three anti-climactic finishes in
> a row.  In fact, that makes three rub-par-for-Raw matches in a row.
>
> MATCH RATING: $0.50
>
> Backstage, Eugene was reading the Divas magazine and just happened
> to wander into the women's dressing room.  For some reason Gail Kim
> and Molly were there (despite the fact that neither of them was
> booked for the PPV).  Gail could have a decent run as a scream queen
> if she ever decides to give up accidentally injuring people in
> sloppy wrestling matches.  The payoff came with Regal came in and
> was distracted by Gail Kim's new breasts.
>
> RATING: $0.15
>
>
> 4.  Victoria over Lita in 7:22 to retain the title
>
> Fit deserves some more praise.  This match was better than any of
> the three that came before it (including a match between Ric Flair
> and an All-American amateur wrestler).  A couple years ago I would
> have cringed if a women's match went over five minutes (other than a
> T&A match).  This match never dragged, and Victoria even pulled out
> a nice surfboard halfway through.
>
> At this point we've had four of the seven matches and were only a
> third of the way through the PPV.  Since I assumed the Edge/Kane
> match would be kept short, I expected a nice long hardcore match and
> some decent time given to the main event.
>
>
> 5. Randy Orton over Cactus Jack in 23:04
>
> I guess I can't really blame either guy for using the plastic barbed
> wire on the baseball bat.  Mick doesn't need any more punishment at
> this stage of his career and Randy probably wants to keep his good
> looks to keep scoring with ring rats.  It was nice to see Mick back
> in his old Cactus trunks and boots after so many years in those
> horrid sweat pants (and the last couple weeks in jeans).  I think JR
> said at one point that Mick was at his lightest weight in 15 years
> (or was it his lightest weight since 1991, I forget).  We tried to
> decide if that was the least he's weighed since he worked for Joe
> Pedicino in GWF or not.  There were a lot of nice hardcore spots,
> but they spaced them out enough to not make it overkill.  The high
> points were Foley pulling out Socko (but the crowd wanted barbie
> more than socko), Foley legdropping barbie on Orton's crotch,  Orton
> spreading thumbtacks on the mat (and then getting dropped on them
> himself (one of the few hardcore bumps I'd take myself)), Foley
> pouring "gasoline" on barbie and preparing to light it (only to be
> told by Bisch that if he lit the bat he would be DQed and the fire
> marshall would shut down the PPV).  Somewhere in here Orton bladed.
> Foley went looking under the ring where there just happened to be a
> piece of plywood with coils of barbed wire attached to it.  Of
> course just as with the thumbtacks, the person who introduces the
> item is the one who takes the punishment, as Foley went back-first
> onto the board.  This is probably the point where his arms got cut a
> up a bit.  Orton walked up the ramp.  At this point I expected
> Evolution to help out, since they were only barred from
> ringside--Orton wasn't barred from having the help out away from
> ringside.  Luckily, they kept this match free of interference.  At
> the top of the ramp Foley threw Orton off the stage on to a
> crudely-made wood platform with coils of wire and rubber hoses on
> it.  They must drag these from PPV to PPV just in case Shane McMahon
> needs a place to land.  After EMTs checked on Orton, Foley shoved to
> refs to the ground and jumped onto Orton before blading himself on
> the forehead.  Back in the ring, one of the funnier moments was the
> ref counting a near-pinfall and getting thumbtacks stuck on his hand
> for his trouble.  Randy eventually won after an RKO on barbie.  The
> match went about the right length, and never seemed to drag.  Good
> work by both men.  Evolution came to the ring to help Orton to the
> back.  Fire would have been nice, as would a nice triple-table spot.
> ;-)
>
> MATCH RATING: $6.10
>
> Backstage Hunter walked up to Orton and told him that is what
> Evolution is all about. Hunter said tonight he went from being a
> Legend Killer to a Legend himself. Orton forced a smile as Flair and
> Batista continued to hold him up. Grisham approached Hunter and
> asked him about the title match.
>
> RATING: $0.15
>
>
> 6.  Hurricane & Rosey over La Resistance in 5:03
>
> Good thing I wasn't at Torch HQ or I would have missed this exciting
> match due to the power outage.  *Cough*.  Well this match wasn't
> advertised and I can see why.  I'm guessing HHH wanted two snoozer
> matches to let the crowd cool down from the hardcore match before
> his main event.  Too bad that will make the main event shorter than
> it probably should be.  Well, anyway, the match ended when Eugene
> made his second PPV appearance of the night and used La Resistance's
> Quebec flags as a cape for the second time in six days.  Yawn.  I
> just hope that doesn'r mean he will soon think he's a superhero.
>
> MATCH RATING: $0.10
>
>
> 7.  Edge over Kane in 6:23
>
> This went about three times as long as it should have.  We all knew
> Edge couldn't job on his first PPV match since 2002, so they
> shouldn't have dragged out the ending so long.  At least they teased
> Kane's possibility of winning by having his ringpost pyro "not work"
> at the beginning of the match (which usually means they are saving
> the pyro for his post-match celebration).
>
> MATCH RATING: $0.05
>
>
> 8.  Benoit over HHH and HBK in 30:07
>
> Good intensity throughout the match, although we had to suffer
> through the contrived means by why one wrestler was always "knocked
> out" for several minutes while the other two guys went at it in the
> ring.  And since HHH had already tapped out to Benoit (and also
> since HBK won the eight-man match on Raw) it was pretty obvious that
> Benoit would be pinning HBK tonight.  The excitement was the journey
> on how they would get to that finish.
>
> About halfway through I noted that there hadn't been a ref bump all
> night.  I then wondered out loud why Hebner wasn't reffing the main
> event.  My question was answered a minute later when the ref was
> knocked out (and stayed out for the next 22 minutes) and Hebner
> eventually waddled to the ring to a chorus of boos.  Before Hebner
> came to the ring (but while the original ref was knocked out) Benoit
> had HHH in a sharpshooter and HBK in the crossface.  Surprisingly
> (but nice for a change) neither guy "tapped out while the ref was
> gone".  HBK seemed to be confused at whether the "you
screwed Bret"
> chants were directed at him or at Hebner.  Sounds like the start of
> a subtle heel turn that might be cemented tomorrow at Raw in
> Calgary.  As Benoit and HHH were scrambling on the outside, I
> noticed the Spanish Announcers prepping the table and removing their
> headsets.  As HBK started climbing the turnbuckle, I called that
> he'd miss both guys and go through the table by himself.  Luckily
> Edge(?) had removed the monitors in the previous match.  The crowd
> was popping for all the high spots and near falls, so HHH inserted a
> camel clutch rest hold to cause a valley to set up for the next peak
> (and so they could show a bunch of replays of HBK diving to the
> SAT).  Michaels loaded up his boot to superkick HHH, but since
> Benoit was climbing back onto the apron, it was obvious that he'd be
> the target instead.  HHH grabbed his sledgehammer from under the
> ring and used it on his opponent.  The ref was looking right at him
> but didn't DQ him.  It would have been nice if HHH had been DQed, so
> they could finish the match with just HBK and Benoit.  HHH set up
> the bottom half of the ringsteps to pedigree Benoit on, but Benoit
> catapulted HHH into the ringpost from it instead.  Nice spot.
> Benoit then returned to the ring and locked Michaels in the
> Sharpshooter.  The crowd cheered like it could be the end. Michaels
> fought frantically to get to the bottom rope, selling the pain and
> urgency brilliantly.  He finally touched the bottom rope, only to
> have Benoit drag him back to the middle.  Michaels again struggled,
> but couldn't get anywhere.  A bleeding Hunter slowly crawled in to
> the ring, but Michaels tapped out before Hunter could make the save.
>
> MATCH RATING: $6.95
>
> I see both Keller and I rated the Benoit win a bit higher than the
> Foley/Orton match, though Glenn liked the Foley/Orton match a bit
> better than the main event.  I think everyone can agree that the PPV
> would have blown goats without the inclusion of these two matches.
>
> - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = -
>
> TOTAL MATCH RATINGS: $14.40
>
> TOTAL SKIT RATING: $0.40
>
> TOTAL PPV RATING: $14.70
>
> WWE price of the PPV: $??.95.  By that measure, I didn't quite get
> my money's worth.
>
> I spent about $4 in gas and $15.00 on food and four tall beers, so
> by that token I almost got my money's worth.  It would have been
> nice if someone other than HHH, HBK, Benoit, Orton, and Foley had
> put any kind of real effort into this PPV.
>
> This makes it the worst of the three PPVs I've seen so far this
> year, but I can't complain because it had two really good matches.
>
> Thanks to both CRZ and pwTorch for the match results, so I didn't
> have to scribble down notes instead of enjoying the PPV.
>
> - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = -
>
> For comparison, here's what I thought of the PPVs I saw in the last
> couple of years:
>
> WWF Wrestlemania 1998         1998/03/   unrated
> WCW Spring Stampede 1998      1998/04/19 $24.10
> WWF IYH: Unforgiven 1998      1998/04/26 $ 9.95
> WCW Slamboree 1998            1998/05/17 $27.95
> WCW Great American Bash 1998  1998/06/14 $28.05
> WWF King of the Ring 1998     1998/06/28 $22.50
> WCW Bash at the Beach 1998    1998/07/12 $17.35
> ECW Heatwave 1998             1998/08/02 $24.90
> WCW Road Wild 1998            1998/08/08 $29.80
> WWF IYH: Fully Loaded 1998    1998/07/26 $ 6.95
> WWF SummerSlam 1998           1998/08/30 $10.20
> WCW Fall Brawl 1998           1998/09/13 $23.60
> WWF Judgement Day 1998        1998/10/18 $25.10
> WCW Halloween Havoc 1998      1998/10/25 $49.50
> ECW November to Remember 1998 1998/11/01 $25.75
> WWF Survivor Series 1998      1998/11/15 $21.40
> WWF IYH: Rock Bottom 1999     1998/12/13 $ 8.40
> ECW Guilty as Charged 1999    1999/01/10 $26.10
> WCW Souled Out 1999           1999/01/17 $29.10
> WWF Royal Rumble 1999         1999/01/24 $23.00
> WWF St Val Day Massacre 1999  1999/02/14 $20.90
> WCW SuperBrawl 1999           1999/02/21 $21.35
> WCW Uncensored 1999           1999/03/14 $32.00
> ECW Living Dangerously 1999   1999/03/21 $25.90
> WCW Spring Stampede 1999      1999/04/11 $38.00
> WCW Slamboree 1999            1999/05/09 $21.10
> ECW Hardcore Heaven 1999      1999/05/09 $15.30
> WWF King of the Ring 1999     1999/06/27 $13.40
> WCW Bash at the Beach 1999    1999/07/11 $20.70
> WWF Fully Loaded 1999         1999/07/25 $10.80
> WCW Road Wild 1999            1999/08/14 $13.90
> WWF SummerSlam 1999           1999/08/22 $19.05
> WCW Fall Brawl 1999           1999/09/12 $12.85
> ECW Ararchy Rulz 1999         1999/09/19 $32.25
> WWF No Mercy 1999             1999/10/17 $13.00
> WCW Halloween Havoc 1999      1999/10/24 $ 3.35
> ECW November to Remember 1999 1999/11/07 $28.45
> WWF Survivor Series 1999      1999/11/14 $10.95
> WCW Meyhem 1999               1999/11/21 $17.75
> WWF Armageddon 1999           1999/12/12 $22.05
> WCW Starrcade 1999            1999/12/19 $23.65
> ECW Guilty as Charged         2000/01/09 $25.70
> WCW Souled Out                2000/01/16 $13.20
> WWF Royal Rumble              2000/01/23 $20.00
> WWF No Way Out                2000/02/27 $16.95
> ECW Living Dangerously        2000/03/12 $21.80
> WCW Uncensored                2000/03/19 $21.65
> WWF WrestleMania              2000/04/02 $22.05
> WCW Spring Stampede           2000/04/16 $23.70
> WWF Backlash                  2000/04/30 $25.65
> WCW Slamboree                 2000/05/07 $23.55
> ECW Hardcore Heaven           2000/05/14 $23.05
> WWF Judgment Day              2000/05/21 $11.25
> WCW Great American Bash       2000/06/11 $16.55
> WWF King of the Ring          2000/06/25 $ 1.40
> WCW Bash at the Beach         2000/07/09 missed
> ECW Heat Wave                 2000/07/16 $15.50
> WWF Fully Loaded              2000/07/23 $24.40
> WCW New Blood Rising          2000/08/13 $31.00
> WWF SummerSlam                2000/08/27 $24.90
> WCW                           2000/09/17 missed
> WWF Unforgiven                2000/09/24 $16.65
> ECW Anarchy Rulz              2000/10/01 $21.30
> ECW                           2000/11/   missed
> WWF Survivor Series           2000/11/   missed
> ECW Massacre on 34th Street   2000/12/03 $ 9.65
> WWF                           2000/12/   missed
> ECW Guilty As Charged         2001/01/07 $15.70
> WWF                           2001/01/   missed
> WCW Superbrawl Revenge        2001/02/18 $37.60
> WCW Greed                     2001/03/   missed
> WWF WrestleMania              2001/04/01 $29.50
> WWF                           2001/05/   missed
> WWF King of the Ring          2001/06/24 $16.55
> WWF Invasion                  2001/07/22 $15.25
> WWF SummerSlam                2001/08/   missed
> WWF                           2001/09/   missed
> WWF                           2001/10/   missed
> WWF Survivor Series           2001/11/18 $11.25
> WWF Royal Rumble              2002/01/20 $14.15
> WWF No Way Out                2002/02/17 $ 3.40
> WWF WrestleMania              2002/03/17 $25.30/$36.40
> WWF King of the Ring          2002/06/23 $ 6.55/$10.15
> NWA TNA                       2002/08/14 $11.60/$12.20
> WWF SummerSlam                2002/08/25 $21.10/$21.10
> WWF Unforgiven                2002/09/22 $17.50/$21.15
> WWF No Mercy                  2002/10/20 $16.85/$20.00
> WWF Survivor Series           2002/11/17 $ 7.50/$ 9.20
> WWF Royal Rumble              2003/01/19 $19.55/$19.55
> WWF WrestleMania XIX          2003/03/30 $22.55/$23.45
> WWE SummerSlam                2003/08/24 $16.25/$16.55
> NWA TNA                       2003/09/10 $12.50/$14.00
> WWE Survivor Series           2003/11/16 $ 8.10/$ 8.60
> WWE No Way Out                2004/02/15 $21.85/$22.95
> WWE WrestleMania 20           2004/03/14 $36.90/$43.05
> WWE Backlash                  2004/04/18 $14.40/$14.70
>
>          SPAMguard: add a dash between "Hack" and
"Man" to send me email
> -- 
>                     RSPW's most long-lasting poster
>       Voted "Most On-Topic Poster" in the 2002 RSPW Poster Awards
> rspw{at}HackMan.com    Video/C/Unix geek      http://Hack-Man.com/Wrestling
>


--- Internet Rex 2.29