Speaking of injured, it looks as though the Compaq from Hell is acting up again. Yeah, just as I recently praised it for holding up, despite being very obsolete in this day and age. If you remember back, I was having an annoying problem with Windows, where I'd get an "Illegal Operation" message, and if I'd click OK or CLOSE, I'd lose my taskbar. Well, that problem has returned. This time, I'm fed up. So rather re-install everything, again, and put up with this annoyance ever again, I'll probably buy one with the big paycheck I'm getting next week from work. Plus, I really want a CD burner, and that's not possible with the current P.O.S. (Piece of Shit).
And I told everyone that I wouldn't give up on this computer until I was really forced to. Well, now, it looks to be the time. And that's just great, too, for it will only delay a lot of my planned work *that* much more. Argh!
As for the Hardy Boyz video.... did it renew my faith in WWF videos? Well, I wouldn't say that. Best of RAW 3 showed me that any future video will only deal with and overhype the Rock, Steve Austin, Triple H, and the Undertaker, while downplaying the great work of others. Unless it specializes in one wrestler or wrestlers, like the Hardy Boyz one did, I doubt I'll give in. I'd probably buy an updated Triple H video, but probably avoiding the rest. Too bad the WWF can't dip into that WCW video library to make some really good videos, like one on Steve Austin or eventually, Ric Flair.
But the Hardyz video was damn good, and probably the best WWF video since the TLC video. I recommend it to anyone. Speaking of multimedia reviews, I'm about halfway through Dave Meltzer's "Tributes" book. With work taking over my life, I'm lucky to have read that much. I'll probably have a review on that to start 2002.
But before we hit the new year, I'm planning on having TWO columns to finish out the new year, if I have the time. Firstly, I'll have the special Tito Awards for you on Monday or New Years Eve. Amazingly enough, I have that day off from work, so that should be guaranteed. Secondly, I hope to whip up a special Weekend column, which you'll have to anticipate if I can write it.
Anyway, let's get caught up. Time to review Smackdown, so on to the PDC!
Holy Perry Saturn sighting on Smackdown!
I spoke too soon. Vince McMahon came out for his usual ego-trip, but his interview was totally interrupted by the crowd, who was saying "what" all night long. Now that's sports entertainment for ya. Ric Flair would then come down, and rip a worked promo on Vince about how McMahon has always disrespected Flair, dating back to 1992 after Wrestlemania 8. I thought Flair was a little off for the attendance of Wrestlemania 8, although I'm too lazy to look the official figure up. Pretty good historical promo by Flair.
After Flair cut the promo, he said that he just happened to look through the contracts the other day and came across Vince's. I guess as the owner of the company, Vince signed himself? Well, I suppose to be a sanctioned WWF wrestler to wrestle in events, he had to get a "wrestling contract" for legal purposes, so I'll allow this explanation. Flair announced that he was booking Vince for a match at Royal Rumble. His opponent would be the Nature Boy himself, which makes Royal Rumble interesting in itself. I bet this Flair vs. Vince match could turn out to be a possible blueprint for Hogan vs. Vince at Wrestlemania, if it draws a big buyrate.
Next match was Christian vs. Rikishi. Man, these European title matches sure are short! Bad match, and a bad ending, with Christian winning via countout. Can't Christian, an actual title holder within the WWF, get a cheap pin on Rikishi? If Lance Storm can, why can't Christian? Rikishi lost because of Test, which is, ladies and gentlemen, the worst feud in wrestling. Test sucks, and Rikishi is in bad need of my Time Machine to get his fat-ass back to 2000. Oh, and after the match, Rikishi got his "heat" back from Christian by attacking him and giving the European Champion a stupid stinkface.
Odd promo by Chris Jericho, who did a taped scene outside of Smackdown. I guess he got a few extra days off for his rock band, I suppose?
Lance Storm/Kurt Angle vs. Rock/Rob Van Dam was the next match. These are 4 performers that I don't mind seeing, on any circumstance these days, especially if they are wrestling each other. Solid tag match from the 4, with some good tag team psychology. I guess Lance Storm was paying the Rock back for his count-out job with the abrupt ending via the People's Elbow. By the way, who is the Rock officially feuding with now? Same with Rob Van Dam.
Trish Stratus vs. Mighty Molly was the next bout, and a typical women's wrestling match, at that. I like how Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler kept putting over Trish as an excellent women's wrestler. Yeah, let her use my Time Machine and see the Fabulous Moolah or Mae Young in their primes. Trish won off of a VERY slow flipping sunset flip pin. Cole and Lawler were just shocked at seeing that finish. After the match, former ECW toughwoman Jazz came down and attacked both Molly and Trish. Could someone please tell me how she got her job back after Survivor Series? Hopefully, Vince McMahon will announce that he hired her to chase after Trish Stratus, who he now hates. That would make sense.
Next, it was the Undertaker vs. Tajiri. The Undertaker only looks as good as much as he sells and for how good his opponent is. The Undertaker actually sold a decent amount of Tajiri's offense, and with that, Tajiri sold everything the Undertaker hit him with. This was the best Undertaker match since Wrestlemania 17, where Triple H bumped around for the 'Taker. And hell, I like the addition of the Dragon Sleeper to the Undertaker. It's at least something they could push since the Undertaker now lacks the strength to slam his opponents anymore.
After the match, the Undertaker didn't let go of the Dragon Sleeper, and the Big Show decided to run down and make the save. Afterward, the Big Show cut a promo, probably his best ever (although that says nothing) to set up Undertaker vs. Big Show at next week's LIVE Smackdown. Hey, look at it this way: at least it's not at the Royal Rumble.
Oh man, Stephanie totally misses the ego-trips on television. Slowly, she's putting herself back on television to hog the spotlight, once again. No faith in the wrestlers, I swear.
Edge vs. Kane was next. Odd match up and no real build up to why this match was signed, in the first place. Lawler or Cole hinted that it was Vince McMahon's doing, but why? Kind of a short match, but it had an interesting ending. Kane's mask was about to fall off, and that distraction helped Edge get the spear and the win. Could this mean that the WWF might eventually de-mask Kane since he's apparently becoming stale in his current role? Looks like it, or they may just hint it to provide some interest in Kane again. Maybe they could give Kane a prosthetic face, like the one given to Tom Cruise in the movie Vanilla Sky. By the way, that's a flick to check out if you want a movie to mess with your head.
Our Main Event was Booker T/Big Bossman against Steve Austin in a handicapped match, with Bossman being handicapped because he's wrestling in street clothes. Not really much to talk about, other than the thinking of a handicap match actually coming through: the heels won cleanly. It's about time the heels won a handicapped match, cleanly, over Steve Austin.
SMACKDOWN Phat Stats
Matches: 7
Clean Wins: 7
Screwjobs: 0
Disqualifications: 0
No Contests: 0
LAST WORD: Are the Phat Stats right? You could question the count-out from the Christian vs. Rikishi match, but it looks to be a clean win night. That's better, because I hate lame DQ finishes, which RAW featured. Pretty good show, all around, with a lot better wrasslin' than RAW as well as Sports Entertainment. We'll go
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@That's all for today, kiddies. Sorry for the delay on the Friday edition of the PDC, but at least I got it up sometime within the 24 hour period. That's good for something, I suppose. I really hope I can produce a Weekend column, because I have something good in store. Until the next PDC, just chill.....
Take Care, and Thanks for Reading.