Good morning and welcome to Wednesday. I’m Flea and keeping with a tradition started here by Eric, this looks to be a “one hour specialâ€Â. If that. All random topics, cutting to the chase and then turning things over to the Award Winners GRUT and Hashish.
Don’t forget – send some thoughts and best wishes to GetWellHyatte@aol.com
THE FIRST THING ON THE LIST
RAW’s rating was 3.5. on hours of 3.3. and 3.6. Once again this proves that viewers are NOT tuning out DURING the show, but in fact are just having a hard time tuning in to begin with. As predicted, “bait and switch†is being used to describe what is going on with Austin once again, I’ll explain.
To tease the audience with the possibility of Austin returning and having segments to promote his return is NOT bait and switch. It’s called suspense.
Bait and Switch is advertising HHH for a PPV (up to and including the ads FOR THE REPLAY after H didn’t show). Actually, that’s more sloppy than it is “bait and switch†but the point is he was ADVERTISED. Austin’s return is an ANGLE. They are not saying AUSTIN WILL BE HERE TONIGHT. It’s “WILL AUSTIN BE HERE TONIGHTâ€Â. So shut the f*ck up.
Meltzer says that Vince wanted to fight Bischoff at WM until Hogan decided to return. This also is supposed to explain WWE’s total lack of “concept of time†being applied to the “30 day angleâ€Â. Makes sense to me. Of course, I’m blowing through this and not really putting much thought into was DA Meltz is cooking at the moment.
NWA TNA PPV tonight looks like this
Four Corners Elimination Match: Jerry Lynn vs. David Flair vs. Ron Killings vs. Mike Sanders
X-Title Match: Amazing Red vs. Sonny Siaki
World Tag-Team Championship: XXX (Low-Ki & Elix Skipper) vs. The New Church (Slash & Lee)
Also, Konnan has a sit down with Tenay and most likely Tony Sciavone and Russo will be up to no good. Also(2), That one legged wrestler Tenacious Z will be making his PPV debut! Don’t miss it! I’m sure there’s some kind of joke about a “one legged man in an ass kicking contest†but at the moment I can’t remember the punch line. Maybe GRUT can help, in his NWA TNA review tomorrow!
I had planned to talk about Phil Spector, but I’m just not in the mood. It’s no secret that the guy was 100% looney tunes, and some of the stories you hear about him will blow your mind. I’ll chime in next week – just let me say that Spector is one of my idols – another one that has had the Fickle Finger of Fate pointed at him with no regards for “genius†or “eccentricityâ€Â.
But in lighter news, a stupid kid who thought doing drugs to impress his friends DIED. As in, he overdosed on about a dozen different forms of drugs, on webcam, being Mr. Hot Shot for a bunch of losers who think pharmaceutical drugs and your intake of them makes you a somebody. Let me clue you kids in on something
Recreational use of pharmaceutical drugs is for amateurs. In cases like Eric’s where he needs the meds to be able to function without slashing someone’s throats is acceptable – but to have to scam and then get f*cked up on shit like that is just moronic. And even more funny is the parents had no idea. Know why? Because it’s A-OK to take your kid to the doctor and have meds prescribed – hell, that beats having to actually take responsibility for child raising. Ah f*ck this I don’t give a rat shit what any of you punks want to do. Die as far as I’m concerned. Just don’t tell me how “cool†you are because you can combine Lithium and Demoral. That ain’t even like partying.
Here is the original story
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/story/56497p-52905c.html
And if you want to see a transcript of the web cam show, go here. This link is courtesy of W.
As the wise man Dave Mustaine once said – Wake Up Dead, Motherf*cker.
There is a column up over at TOA detailing the continuing saga of ECW here’s some details
I took a better look at the proposed asset purchase agreement between the ECW bankruptcy trustee and WWE. Annodeus also participated as they claimed a security interest over the whole ECW estate to secure money advanced to ECW over time.
The motion to approve the proposed sale and set it into motion is set for today, and likely will be approved. The ECW estate will be put up for sale at a public sale, to be advertised in Variety Magazine for three weeks prior to the sale. I believe whatever tangible assets exist can be examined by a potential buyer up to 14 days prior to the sale date.
The agreement assumes WWE will buy ECW, so the terms “WWE”, “Buyer” or “you” are all pretty much mutually exclusive.
Here is what is included in the proposed sale:
-ECW’s intellectual property. That includes the name, likenesses, still photos, rights to video library (but not the physical video library). Also includes any character names ECW owned. For instance, if ECW owned the tag team name “Public Enemy”, that would become property of WWE and they could put John Cena and Redd Dogg in that gimmick if they wanted to.
-Future claims ECW has to royalties from Pioneer videos, PPV receipts and anything else ECW may have had out there. Any other claims ECW may have had (except for those specifically excluded below) also are part of the purchase.
-The claim against American Cable Productions is part of the sale. ACP claims they are secured and appear to base that on having physical possession of the tapes. The proposed sale agreement says that WWE is going to “buy” ACP’s secured claim in the amount of $243,000. Therefore, the purchaser probably steps into the shoes of the Trustee as far as dealing with ACP goes.
Assets not included in sale:
-$2 million in cash, goes to Annodeus from Trustee. $1.7 million is for secured claim. $300,000 is to release ECW from any further license obligations to Annodeus/Acclaim. Therefore, if the buyer wanted to put out a new ECW videogame, they wouldn’t have to do it exclusively through Acclaim per the agreement.
-$510,000 to the estate, presumably for distribution to Creditors. This number could go up if WWE (or buyer) must bid more than $1.28 million to buy ECW at the public sale.
-Trustee will keep the cause of action against Joey Styles for allegedly diverting funds (presumably to himself) due ECW from www.ecwwrestling.com
-Trustee keeps ECW’s cause of action against InDemand (which is mostly, if not all settled)
-Annodeus claims are excluded, but they are resolved by the proposed sale agreement
-And tangible assets rejected by buyer revert to Estate (tangible assets are real things, like a ring or 500 folding tables ECW never got around to breaking)
Liabilities assumed by Buyer of ECW:
-$31,808.05 claim of Advanced Transportation Services. I once thought this was an administrative expense the Trustee incurred to secure ECW’s tangible assets. I’m not so sure anymore. Anyway, you are responsible for the claim, but you have the right to contest it in the Bankruptcy Court if you feel you are legally entitled to.
-Trustee’s attorney fees in the litigation with InDemand over unpaid PPV receivables (up to $50,000)
-The minimum purchase price ($1.28 million)
-Any transfer/sales taxes the result from the ECW sale.
Other tidbits:
-The WWE unsecured claim for money loaned to ECW (a shade over $600,000.00), is allowed. Therefore, WWE will take part in any distribution to unsecured creditors from the Estate proceeds (at least $510,000, more if ECW goes for over $1.28 million)
-American Cable’s video library claim becomes a general unsecured claim and WWE will receive ACP’s share in a general distribution to unsecured creditors. Remember, the ACP claim is one of the assets purchased by the ECW sale.
-WWE paid $50,000 to the Trustee back in 2001 basically to shut her up for using the ECW name and trademarks in the Invasion angle without asking her first. The Trustee keeps this money and WWE gets no credit for it against the sale price.
What WWE will probably pay for ECW:
$1.28 million – minimum purchase price, could be more if others bid for ECW, I think higher bids must be in increments of $25,000.00
$31,808.05 – Advanced Transportation claim, assuming it is valid
$50,000.00 – Trustee’s attorney fees for InDemand litigation
Undetermined amount for sales taxes
Minimum cash payout by WWE for ECW = $1,361,808.05 – Does not include transfer taxes, WWE’s own legal fees related to sale or costs to deal with ACP, re: the video library or $50K paid to Trustee in 2001 for use of ECW marks in Invasion angle
WWE has the possibility of recovering some (but not much) money from the estate if a general distribution to unsecured creditors is made.
Go check out TOA for more
AND ON THAT NOTE
I’m calling it a wrap for today. If you want more, either wait until next week or go back and read yesterday. Don’t forget to say hello at GetWellHyatte@aol.com
Oh and as far as the contest? It’s still going on, I’ll give an update next Tuesday! Many people got last week’s correct, but at the moment I don’t feel like posting emails. Update next week. And don’t forget to play!
PAGE SIX
Here is a story I caught in the NY POST. This was done by the famous boxing columnist Jimmy Cannon. The Post runs classic columns in their Sunday Edition, which would explain the dated references, if you were wondering. It’s a good read Cannon would definitely be a high ranking member of the IWC – if only for the negativity. Enjoy.
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PITY THE WRESTLERS . . . AND THEIR FANS
THE wrestling buff may be the dumbest of the species and I must doubt my country is an enlightened nation as long as a citizen of this beautiful land purchases a ticket to this boring pantomime. It is the most incompetent pantomime ever performed for money and kids in the first grade would not tolerate it as entertainment if it were acted by other children.
Such nonsense, which must be considered naive for kindergarten standards, again has incited the people, who are liberty to walk our streets, to slug one another in partisan frenzies. It occurred this time at St. Nick’s Arena and before that it happened in the Garden, and what kind of personalities must they be, kicking and punching one another in angry faith because of the silly furies of stupid acrobats.
The sketches never change. There is nothing original about any of it. It is repetitious and graceless. The comedy of the wrestlers is depressing. Their rages are parodies of the old burlesque comedians who used to throw their hats on the stage and jump on them.
It is an insult to the human family even to suspect that anyone would give a night of a lifetime to watching this. It is a calamity that promoters print tickets and sell them to spectators who attend these muscle concerts without being intimidated. If there lives one man who would commit violence on another because he is incensed by what one wrestler does to another, then we should investigate our educational system. We’re in a jam.
It is always the same. The fat guy is put in with the handsome one. The obese one is the wrestler and he usually trains by not shaving. It also identifies him as a scoundrel if he needs a haircut. He is a genuine louse if he is fat and grows a beard. The leading men, who are comparable to the juvenile in a tab, frequently pretend they are effeminate and torment their dyed coiffures into rippling henna ridges.
Gorgeous George, a fat hussy, flounced into the ring in the sequin-twinkling robes the strip teasers wear during the first chorus. He minced around, giving the hips the old flip-flop of the soubrette about to drop the handkerchief for the comedian, replying to the taunts of the audience with flirts of his glaring head.
Gorgeous George, doing the nance bit with a female impersonator’s coyness, was a hell of a draw for a while. You should see the way the old dowagers carried on. He generally made an appointment at the beauty shop as soon as he hit town and the photographers came down and took his picture, sitting there, saucy and gay, while a broad in a nurse’s smock worked on his locks which were the color of the rail in a good saloon. The queens are passé now but they still do the heavy breathing and it’s good man against bad man.
It was the contention of Jake Pfefer, a cynical maestro of the racket, that the clients of his sideshow were degenerates. He had a savage contempt for them. He lived off what he believed was their depravity but thought they should all be bugged.
“People who come to wrestling,” said Pfefer, “are sideshow freaks. They are freaks who want to be disgusted.”
It was Pfefer who brought the monstrosities to wrestling. Some just shaved their heads clean, grew long mustaches and used shoe polish on their eyebrows and claimed to be Turks or Serbians. Men of many origins fascinated Pfefer but he believed that a man born in the Middle East had a mysterious and slightly vile appeal.
There was one among the numerous angels who, deformed by a terrible disease, would become exhausted if the match was allowed to go past five minutes. He was nearly a basket case, and sickness had turned his bones soft and then expanded them, so that he was lopsided and his skeleton was trying to break out of the anguished flesh. People came to watch him and what an awful thing it was.
Another was The Blimp who was 750 pounds of practically intestines and they had to push him up the ring stairs; his opponents had to be careful with him or he, too, would have died. He sucked for breath like a fish in the bottom of a boat and his sketch ended when he gently lowered himself and sat on his straight man like a wall to wall Buddha. I tell you I had to cover that but there were people there who shook this freak’s hand as he came down the aisle and told him how wonderful he was.
Any man who makes a living as a wrestler must be pitied because most of them began by believing they were athletes and no one can enjoy the degradation of it. Some, grotesque in their obesity, are eyesores with their clothes on. When they get into tights, they act as if they were a new strain of pigs that had been taught to stand up on their hind legs.
It is tiresome and it isn’t sport but that isn’t a story any more. Wrestling had been exposed by every cub who comes into the sports department and no sports editor takes it seriously. God help the wrestlers. They are in a sickening business. But what about the people who still pay to see them? They’re really spooks, they’re strictly Halloween.
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I’m Flea, this is the Mid Week News and
