Today's column will not only hype No Way Out, but introduce yet another feature to the PDC to possibly change the Sunday column's format. With the Hype, I only have to cover a few past Pay Per Views, thank God. :)
On to the PDC.
In 1999, a unique controversy hit WCW. Information leaked that their valet Chastity was in a Porno movie. Time Warner, who always pushes for a "family type product", went completely crazy over her past. They went so insane, that they waited for the right opportunity to take her off television. Before that, media like TV Guide jumped all over WCW for hiring an ex-porn star, so the pressure was really on. Was this right of WCW?
I'd argue HELL NO. The thing I don't understand is how nobody has jumped on the strippers of wrestling. All of the Godfather's Hos, Georgeous George, Ryan Shamrock (Symphony), and other valets all used to shake their asses for any male willing to shove dollars in their bottoms. Why aren't they under fire too? Why doesn't media sources like TV Guide criticize the wrestling federations for having strippers?
The point is that Chastity starred in ONE film. It's called "Live Bait", and it was the only one she has ever starred in. JUST ONE FILM. It's not like she was touring, around the nation, as a stripper like the other ladies. She just did one film for some quick money, and she never returned to the porn business. The sad thing is that WCW NEVER questioned her past when they acquired her in late 1998. They just needed a valet for Raven, so they went to ECW and raided her. She never had to give an interview or fill out an application of past occupations. That's WCW's fault for not bothering to check her past, and she shouldn't have been shoved out the door.
The sad thing was how it was discovered. Some one watched her porn, and was a WCW fan. They put two and two together, and the word came out. It was something the internet poked around about, and then WCW got wind about it. Then, sources like TV Guide began to criticize Time Warner for having an ex-porn star on their payroll. Chastity was a pretty good valet for the Sandman, too, which WCW didn't care for. They saw her as a porn star, and not someone who did that in the past. Once Sandman hurt himself and was on the shelf for a few months around the summer of 1999, WCW told Chastity that her contract would not be renewed in December of 1999 and that she could sit the remainder of it.
It's just ridiculous. It gets even worse when you had a guy posing as a Porn Star in the WWF (Val Venis), but nobody dared to criticize McMahon for it. Even worse, after it was admitted that Ryan Shamrock was a stripper, WCW still picked her up off WWF waivers to make her Symphony in the WCW storylines.
But the real question asked should be 'what is worse?' Being a stripper for several years, or starring in ONE porno? Chastity was given an unfair deal about her past, and in essence, it screwed her career as a valet for life. The real fact of the matter is that she did that in the PAST, and not the present. WCW had guys like Scott Hall and Juventud getting busted substance abuse, which was in the PRESENT. Chastity, as a manager, did nothing to harm nobody or nothing to give her a bad name during her stay at WCW. She just had a PAST where she did ONE porn film, while others did a lot worse.
The first year of No Way Out was in 1998, but it was called, back then, NO WAY OUT OF TEXAS, since it was about the 8 man match at the end. It was a NO DQ match, and it was supposed to be a great hype for Wrestlemania 14. Well, Shawn Michaels screwed up his back a month before this event, so the whole idea Austin and HBK getting it on before Wrestlemania was finished. The WWF put in Savio Vega to be the replacement for team DX, oddly enough. But the 8 man mach was a classic brawl! The team of Austin/Owen Hart/Terry Funk/Cactus Jack just pounded on Triple H/Savio Vega/Road Dogg/Billy Gunn in a thriller of a match! This is also the show where Kane accidentally hit Vader a little too hard with a wrench. The card also featured an odd bought between Shamrock's team and the Nation of Domination. Shamrock's team had the no selling Ahmed Johnson and the DOA on it. Yes, the Harris Brothers. :(
D'oh! In 1999, Vince McMahon renamed the show to St. Valentine's Day Massacre. The Mick Foley vs. the Rock Last Man Standing match is yet another good bout between the two, but by then, I was totally sick of seeing those two going at it. This is also the card where Vince McMahon took on Stone Cold Steve Austin in the cage, which is a ridiculous match. The Big Show, or using his real name Paul Wight then, debuted and threw Austin through the cage, believe it or not.
For 2000's show, we're back to the official name, NO WAY OUT. It was named this again because Vince and company wanted to make official names for the Pay Per Views. This sounded better than St. Valentine's Massacre, so there. This card had a great opening bout with Chris Jericho vs. Kurt Angle, with a great screwjob finish on Angle's part. A year later, he's World Champ heading into the show. Wow. The Dudley Boyz won their first tag team gold here, but I wonder about their chances of winning had Billy Gunn not been injured. This card had a bunch of good tag matches, and it also had the return of Shane McMahon, as he screwed the Rock out of his title shot at Wrestlemania. Great one there! The ending was the Hell in the Cell match between Foley and Triple H, which is pretty good. This is a great card overall.
Rumored Match: Dean Malenko vs. Matt Hardy
Again, if the first match doesn't happen, this one MIGHT happen. I don't know though, because I'd hope the WWF would hype this one for Wrestlemania. If it happens, I see Dean-O jobbing to Lita's boyfriend. Yes, it's not Matt Hardy, it's Lita's boyfriend. Of course, nobody would mind that title. :)
Tito's Pick: Lita's Boyfriend
Ok, those are just rumored matches. I don't think the WWF even knows who is in what match, since their whole focus was hyping the GREATEST MATCH EVER of Triple H vs. Steve Austin. You know, the WCW product dried up, too, when they tried to focus on the main event guys. Just remember that if the empire falls.
Steven Richards vs. Jerry Lawler
This one is soooooo obvious. The old "let's get a popular piece of ass to be forced to join an evil heel stable" trick. Yes, it worked SOOOO well for Major Gunnz. I'd laugh if the Kat would eventually join the RTC. Lawler is losing, just to keep the dry RTC alive!
Tito's Pick: Dancin' Steven Richards
Hardcore Title: Raven vs. Big Show
I see Raven running away from this match. Big Show is going to pound the living fuck into Raven, but with the aid of Tori..... I mean the masked Ninja who might turn up as someone else, Raven will run away..
Tito's Pick: No Contest
IC Title Clusterfuck: Chris Benoit vs. Chris Jericho vs. X-Pac vs. Eddie Guerrero
Question for this is: Who do you boo? Jericho is the lone face here, which is odd for a four way. I see the title changing, thus setting up yet another Benoit vs. Jericho fight at Wrestlemania.
Tito's Pick: Chris Benoit
Stephanie McMahon vs. Trish Stratus
Let's take a bet on how many minutes this one will last of actual fighting? I see Vince McMahon getting involved here, and possibly costing his own daughter the match!
Tito's Pick: Trish "the dish" Stratus
Tag Titles: Kane/Undertaker vs. Dudley Boyz vs. Edge/Christian
It's about time for the Undertaker/Kane to start putting over talent. I'm fucking sick and tired of seeing those two no selling tall slugs running through the best young talent the WWF has to offer. Undertaker is near retirement, so why not give back the business again, like you did for the Rock and Austin? Put over these young teams please!! Kane, no matter what the WWF tries, still resembles the Kane of 1998. You can't do anything more for him. Edge/Christian or the Dudley Boyz would benefit greatly on a win tonight. If they don't win, then it's obvious that we'll see Undertaker/Kane vs. Haku/Rikishi for the World Titles. That's a match that NOBODY wants to see. Dudleys and Edge/Christian can produce a blockbuster Tag Title match at Wrestlemania, just like they did last year with the Hardys. I'll choose the logical decision for the PDC, in hopes that the WWF does the same.
Tito's Pick: Dudley Boys to retain
World Title, but not the Main Event: Rock vs. Kurt Angle
Shane McMahon is RUMORED to be returning tonight, and with the event last year, I see the same thing happening. Rock is getting screwed!!! Plus, I predict that the World Title will change hands on RAW or something to spike the ratings. Something strange is going to happen. I shouldn't bet against the Rock, but I don't mind taking chances.
Tito's Pick: Kurt Angle
GREAT MATCH EVER IN THE HISTORY OF WRESTLING: Triple H vs. Steve Austin
Remember, Jim Ross says this match will be the best ever, so WATCH OUT! Austin is winning this, and I hope it's clean since Triple H hasn't cleanly lost in ages on Pay Per View events. But remember, if it sucks, just look at Jim Ross for hyping it badly.
Tito's Pick: Steve Austin
NEWS ORGY: Mad Muffin column discussing Eminem, and lots of News that Doesn't Mean Squat! So CLICK HERE to Join the Orgy!!!
Wrestle Palooza Audio Show: No Way Out hype show today!
LoP T-Shirts: NEW STUFF IN STOCK! Mouse Pads, Sweat Shirts, Coffee Mugs, more T-Shirts, Baby Doll shirts, and more! Also, you can now order via Credit Card!
@That's it for today. I'll be back tomorrow with some MONDAY NIGHT HYPE, if that's your cup of tea. So until then, why don't you Refuse to Job?
Phat Pharm: NEW "Refusing to Job" to Read, so Click Here!!!!
Take Care, and Thanks for Reading.
Birmingham Thunderbolts: 6
Orlando Rage: 30
ESPN Recap
Ok, I didn't quite catch the NBC broadcast of the XFL games this week. ESPN sportscaster Rich Eisen came to Ohio University last night for a speech on his career and other various sports topics. I figured that the XFL wasn't that much of a loss if I missed it this week, so I decided to go to the Eisen speech.
It was a good one too. Mr. Eisen is as funny as he is on Sportscenter, in person. Now I could go on and on about what he said, but this is the XFL Gazette, and it discusses XFL stuff. He took questions from the audience, and someone asked him about his thoughts on the XFL.
Eisen sort of laughed, and said that the play, overall, was terrible. He gave us a good explanation on his thoughts, too. He said that the XFL pushes for an image, rather than the sport of the game. Eisen said the games were just terrible, since the XFL would rather care for the cheerleaders and wrestling like show.
That's a pretty good stance against the XFL. The XFL style of football is obviously not catching on, thus far, so the pushing for the hot cheerleaders and the push for the attitude in football is the wrong way of approaching a new football league. I don't know... I don't have a problem with the XFL, since it's something to watch instead of the NBA on Sundays. I don't quite like the streetball style the NBA has totally adapted to, and I long for the days of the fast break in the 1980s.
Just looking at the results, the Rage continue to win, and Chicago continues to lose. Both games were blowouts, really, so expect even lower ratings this week. Not good at all.
Memphis Maniax (1-2) vs. Los Angeles Xtreme (2-1) at 7:00 pm EST on UPN
Hmmm... I'll go with the Outlaws in the first one, and the Xtreme in the second game.