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http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/columnists/cmonk/stories

Go easy on E: It's got 1 leg to stand on (2/6)
 
12:11 AM CST on Friday, February 6, 2004

Here's how to tell The Shakedown is in the Caribbean and operating on
a completely different schedule and mind-set: The Shakedown is about
to defend the E and not have even one Triple H joke.

While The Shakedown was enjoying the Caribbean World Series this week
from Santo Domingo in The Shakedown's second country, the Dominican
Republic, the E decided to part ways with the one-legged Zach Gowen.
Talent guy Jim Ross said that Gowen would likely be back in the E
sooner than later, especially since he's only 20.

Before all the e-mail comes, calling E owner Vince McMahon
uncompassionate and someone who only uses people and discards them,
let's take a look at both sides of this relationship.

A year ago, Gowen was working the indy scene in Michigan, wowing
anyone who saw him work. And what a sight he is to watch. The guy only
has one leg, but he can move around the ring, and the way he flies
around is very impressive. Some local writers started taking note of
Gowen, which led to other people writing about him, which led to Ross
and McMahon not only finding out who he was, but also setting up a
meeting.

Gowen was signed from the low indy ranks and vaulted straight into the
E spotlight. He had been in the business less than a year, and he was
already getting a shot many in this business never get.

The shot turned out to be a prime storyline spot with Hulk Hogan and
McMahon among others. Gowen immediately went to the top of Smackdown.
The whirlwind had taken him from high school gyms to the WWE spotlight
in a matter of weeks.

Was McMahon using Gowen and exploiting Gowen's handicap? Absolutely.
Was McMahon doing nothing but seeing if the E couldn't make a few buck
off the circus act? Sure, that's how it was designed. And both parties
knew that going in.

Gowen got his 15 minutes, and the E got their show. Fair shake on both
sides.

ON THE TEXAS TRAIL 

Mark Henry had surgery on his ailing shoulder Thursday under the knife
of Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. ... The Undertaker DVD set is
out. Yes, that does signal a pending return. Also, watch for the old
Deadman look. Isn't that the ring presence the Houston native has been
sporting for about the last five years anyway? ... The Rock was making
the rounds during Super Bowl week in Houston. Good for The Rock. Had
he not been making the rounds, it would have meant he'd fallen off the
celebrity radar screen. Obviously he hasn't. Not until his next movie
comes out, that is.

IN BOX 

Q: Hey Shakedown, when the E travels overseas, does the company
charter a plane or is it all commercial travel like what it would
normally be to a regular RAW?

Paul, Jacksonville, Fla. 

A: Paul, when the E does a show like they will do this weekend in
Japan, the crew will take a chartered plane, because all on the
foreign show are leaving from the same place and will be returning to
the same place, RAW or Smackdown. During a normal week, workers fly in
from all over the country. The only way to get everyone in the same
place is to make use of commercial flights.

When scheduling an overseas trip, the E tries to be on the coast
closest to the destination country and then have a show on the same
coast on the return. It cuts down on time in the air and travel time
in general, which is the crew's main gripe about having to work across
the ponds.

PINPOINTS 

Jack Tunney died this week from a heart attack at age 68. Tunney was
the E's on-air president back in the '80s when folks had no idea that
the skinny announcer named Vince McMahon was actually running the
show. Tunney helped take the E into Canada and was one of the reasons
the industry was able to expand not only nationwide, but also on an
international scale. ... Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher
recently showed up on NWA:TNA's pay-per-view. That was not a good
thing, according to the Bears, who told him to cool the Jesse The Body
routine. ... The E's Feb. 7 event in Japan has already set a record
with a $1.6 million gate advance, making it the highest-grossing
non-televised show ever. ... April's Backlash pay-per-view will be in
Edmonton. ... The E has signed several new female workers, both with
in-ring and eye candy work in mind. Ivory, who is pretty darn good at
both, is the head trainer for the E's fine new citizens. ...
Christopher Nowinski may be putting that Harvard degree to work soon.
Nowinski has been slow to recover from concussions, and at this point,
they are career threatening. Both sides say he should be able to
return at some point, but Troy Aikman and Steve Young were both
supposed to be able to return at some point as well. ... Jesse Ventura
has pulled a Nowinski and gone Harvard. The wrestler-turned-governor
is one of six fellows who will lead study groups at Harvard's
Institute of Politics. ... Macho Man Randy Savage will be the main
attraction for NWA:TNA's 3-hour pay-per-view April 4.


--- Internet Rex 2.29