Hello everyone and welcome to another edition of Off The Record with me Euan Conway. It looks as though Bush is set for the White House again. I will not comment on that but what I will do is bring you all a brand new column. Last week’s column on Kane drew some good responses the best one of which is printed later on in this column. Indeed some of today’s column is based on a comment I made in last week’s column. Also featured are my thoughts on the recent resignation of Pat Paterson and more promotion of my local Indy company’s next show.
First off some of you might remember in my last column that was published on the 25th of October that I said that I was probably at my “lowest ebb” with Raw at the moment and how true it was. I was so disinterested in the programme, it wasn’t funny. I mean the storylines were crap, Triple H was being splattered over every broadcast and just generally no progress was being made. However something was to happen last week that was to make me look back on that comment with regret. When reading this bear in mind that Raw is screened on Thursday here in the UK.
Quite recently I have been rather busy. I have been looking for a decent job something that I didn’t imagine would as difficult having just finished my university degree. Add to that most of the other time I was out at friend’s houses or just simply had something else on. The only real day that I have to spend a lot of time in the house is Sunday when I usually do most of my column work. Last Thursday the 28th of October I was browsing through the Internet wrestling forums at about 11.30pm as I customarily do before I got to sleep when it suddenly dawned on me. I had forgotten completely about Raw which is screened from 9pm till 11pm something that I cannot remember doing in ages if at all. Before anyone thinks that I am sad that I have never missed an episode of Raw or Smackdown before I have, but I have done it while remembering that they were on. This time I just did not even remember. I didn’t even think there was something on that I should be watching. I had been that pissed off with Raw that I had not remembered. So I thought to myself Ok then I will catch the repeat on Friday at 12 midnight. I watched about half an hour of this and then turned it off so bored because all the first half an hour contained was 2 promos. I decided to promise myself though that I would catch the highlights programme Afterburn and how pleased I was that I decided to do this. Last week’s Raw was a fantastic show except the first 30 minutes or so. The Evolution uprising story was superb and made a pleasant change from seeing HHH and the rest of Evolution standing over an opponent at the end of Raw having triple teamed them. It was about time HHH got a good kicking in my view. It was also a fantastic way to build up teams for the Raw Survivor Series match. Sure if you read my columns on a regular basis you will know my view on the classic Survivor Series matches but at least it was a start. The WWE are finally listening to the fans. I was also pleased to see new talent in the shape of Maven apparently being pushed to main event level. It has now been confirmed that he is in the Raw main event for Survivor Series something that is welcoming news for me. This man has been waiting for a push for ages. It appears as though the Raw writing team are finally getting their act together and they need to. I for one was so disappointed that I missed and then turned off Raw last week.
While watching Smackdown I was to find even more evidence that the WWE are finally listening to the fans not only in one way but actually in two ways. I was so pleased to here another classic Survivor Series match announced and especially one involving some of Smackdown’s top stars. This is what Survivor Series is all about and the thought of having Kurt Angle, Eddie Guerrero and The Big Show all in the one is excellent. Add to that the fact that my man Booker T is receiving a Title shot and Smackdown has really struck a chord with me as far as this PPV goes. The rest of the Survivor Series card is also shaping up well as the WWE have announced the majority of the card two week’s before the PPV. The IWC have been crying out for this to happen for years and I am glad the WWE have listened at last. The WWE have already got one fan looking forward to Survivor Series and I think that I could even be tempted in to ordering it as us fans in the UK now have to do for most PPV’s. I am pleased more than ever to say that I have really enjoyed the WWE product over the last 10 days so long may this continue.
One other subject that I would like to touch quickly on in this week’s column. That is the recent resignation of Pat Paterson from the WWE after over 40 years service as a wrestler, trainer and road agent amongst other things. I know I am I bit late with this but I have been focusing on other stories in my column writing and haven’t quite got round to this. For those of you who do not know what happened Pat Paterson was hired by Vince to carry out the task of finding out why the WWE and Raw in particular was not doing good business recently. Paterson was one of Vince’s most trusted friends within the company so he was not about to say no to his boss. The conclusion that Pat Paterson came to was that the company was failing because of the over exposure of HHH something that I personally agree with. He told Vince this personally himself but of course with Hunter now being a McMahon Vince didn’t take to kindly to it and swatted away Paterson’s findings as if he were swatting away a fly. This led to Pat handing in his resignation. I don’t know about you lot out there but I quite frankly think that the treatment of Paterson was disgusting by Vince. If I was treated this way by a person who I considered one of my best friends I would be deeply upset. This man who was the first ever IC Champ in 1979 deserves respect for all his years of service to the company. All I can say is if this is McMahon’s way of showing respect I wouldn’t like to see him in a bad mood. If he does not realise that his company is heading in the wrong direction when one of his closest friends tells him then there is something wrong. Does it take Heyman to tell him? It appears so. Last week’s TV was a small step in the right direction but Vince will have to start listening to people such as Paterson over guys like HHH and The Undertaker in order for it to continue.
Random Thoughts and Comments
Why is Gene Snistky suddenly main eventing. I know Flair is old but it makes much more sense to see him in the match than this jobber.
It looks as though nether Tag Team Titles will be on the line at Survivor Series. The only downside on the PPV so far.
Who the hell is that new guy with Carlito.
I am really not into this Simon Dean character. The WWE have a lot of convincing to do.
Why does Spike never defend his Title?
Where is Paul London recently?
Booker T is so much better as a face
I know I said it above but I will say it again. Booker T is getting a Title shot at last. Now Can You Dig That Sucka.
Reader Feedback
Just one reader feedback this week coming from reader Chris Speirs.
Hi, my name is Chris Spiers and I have to say that I enjoyed your Off The Record – Taboo Tuesday Thoughts and Kane’s Year report.
I too am a huge Kane fan and agree with everything you said about him.
I also thought that after Kane was unmasked, 2004 would be the year of the Big Red Machine.
To be fair, after being unmased it looked promising for him and we even seen the return of his Tombstone Piledriver, which I would really like to see him do more often, as it is a powerful move and adds to his arsenal.
But as 2004 began Kane started to lose, even jobbing to the likes of Spike, Tajiri, Edge and Matt Hardy.
Has his monster gimmick been killed off i have to ask.
Not only has Kane lost to these mid-carders, which would we have ever seen while he was masked, but he also tapped to Chris Benoit.
Not saying that Chris Benoit isn’t a superb technical wrestler, but by making Kane submit, something that masked Kane has only done once in his seven-year career has, for me, destroyed his monster gimmick.
I feel that the WWE had a great chance to give Kane a much deserved push, but instead have pushed Chris Benoit and kept the now VERY boring HBK/HHH feud with Randy Orton now put in the mix as the main focus of Raw.
I sometimes think that Kane should have kept the mask.
Although I know that it has always been Glen Jacobs, I feel he was a better wrestler, entertainer and more of a monster than he ever is now when he wore the mask.
Have you noticed a classic Kane match now will envolve a Sidewalk Slam, Big Boot, Clothesline Off The Top and a Choke Slam?
His method has changed and lack of moves are disapointing.
When was the last time you seen him even do a Press Slam?
What happened to his unique Power Bomb and why doesn’t the wwe allow him to use his Tombstone Piledriver more often?
Kane while masked was one of the best big guys in the WWE
His style and method, along with the Undertaker, where unique.
A 6’10/7′ over 300lbs man jumping over the ropes doing a Plancha or using his strength Body Slamming the Big Show, a man almost 500lbs, was worth watching.
Kane can carry a main event, but instead WWE use him as a jobber allowing the likes of HHH as a constant main eventer which has got VERY boring.
How very wrong could i be about this year being the year of the Big Red Machine.
WWE has use a newbie such as Gene Snistky destroy Kane and this year has focused on pushing Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit and now even Bradshaw.
Kane has only has the title for a pathetic one night, which as a man that really deserves the title, pisses me off.
As I have said, Kane can carry a main event, but still the WWE would rather further the careers of Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit and Bradshaw, leaving Kane once again in the shadows…
Response: Hey thanks for the feedback and it is good to know that there are more huge fans of the Big Red Machine out there. I too think it is terrible that he is being made to job to mid carders that he should be defeating easily if we were going by his gimmick. Anyway I think his gimmick has totally been destroyed and jobbing to Snistky was the last straw in my book. I want to see Kane’s unique moves such as the powerbomb, tombstone and him flying over the top rope. Indeed the powerbomb still features as a special in the Smackdown games. What about the dropkick as well. I have no problem with the WWE furthering the careers of those guys you mentioned but it is about time they seriously looked at Kane and got it right this time.
Keep the feedback coming, and remember that I respond to every fan email I receive either in my column or personally.
To end today’s column I would just like to continue to promote my local promotion’s next show coming up this weekend for the benefit of my British readers. More matches have been announced since last week.
Scottish Wrestling Alliance presents DISSENT in Bellshill, Glasgow, Scotland.
For information on how to obtain tickets for this show go to www.swa.t2u.com.
Matches announced for the show.
NWAUK Scottish Heavyweight Title & 3CW Heavyweight Title
CONSCIENCE(CHAMPION) V ERIC CANYON
a request has been made by the challenger that this match follows ALL the original NWA championship rules
.best 2 out of 3 falls
.20 minute time limit
and the title can change hands on a count out or dq
T DIVISION TITLE (for up and coming wrestlers)
JONNY MILLA V WILLIAM GRANGE ESQ
ADAM SHAME-HATRED- CHRIS CHARISMA V JONNY MOSS- ASSASIN AND THE PIG MAN ANDY HOGG
Flight v Falcon
CJ Hunter v White Tiger
And a special Canadian challenge by 2 of the company’s foreign imports.
Some impressive talent on show here in what should prove to be an exciting indy event.
Well that is all for another edition of Off The Record. Send feedback on anysubject to euanconway@hotmail.com.
Euan Conway
