Yes, the HCA road trip to the ECW show at the Elk's Lodge in beautiful Queens NYC was a rousing success. If you missed it, well you probably missed the event of a lifetime and you probably missed absolute confirmation of what you knew all along - the Rock is an ASSHOLE. Please, don't get angry with this reporter, he is not meanspirited, he is objectively reporting what 1000 New Yorkers unanomously decided.
At the start of the ECW Elk's Lodge show, where it was a cool 120 degrees, the owner of ECW, Paul E. Dangerously (Hammond) came out to whip up the crowd for the first ever live to tape TNN taping. During his monologue a fan interupted Paul E. by yelling out "Monday Nitro Sucks!". This fan's name was Rockin' Ron Jeremy.
Paul E. immediately lashed out at the RoK, "Shut the fuck up and don't interupt me when I'm talking. Just 'cuz we're goin' national on TNN don't think for a god damn second I don't have the balls to go up there right now and kick your ass in a heart beat."
The Crown went beserk. Somehow, they all knew it was Rockin' Ron Jeremy who was getting put in his place. The reason might have been the fact that both the Kaptain (who was right behing Ron) and Tommy Dreamer (to Ron's left) were pointing him out to Paul E. and the crowd so no one could possibly miss him. And just think, we call ourselves friends?
The crown of 1,000 spontaneously erupted into a chant of "ASSHOLE, ASSHOLE, ASSHOLE..." all pointing at our chubby friend. This went on for aproximately 2 minutes. Of course Ron took it like a man. He stood erect, looked into the crowd, while soaking it all in and waving a "keep it coming" gesture with his hands. Ron's mother would have been proud if she was there to see it.
Can 1,000 out of 1,000 New Yorkers be wrong? It's definitive, the Rock's an asshole as proven by recent research and a impromptu poll of 1,000 New Yorkers. Yes, now we can say, studies prove Rock's an asshole.
For those of you who missed the show, some important things unfolded.
The Dudleys gave a farewell performance and lost the belts to the team of Tommy Dreamer (bad back and all) and the surprise partner of the returning Raven. You gotta respect Raven for not cowering down to Bishoff and having the balls to stand up to him and say WCW Blows!!! When Bishoff asked the WCW wrestlers if there's anybody's who unhappy or complaing step right up and I'll release you right now, and Raven did! Fuck Bishoff, Turner's gonna fire his ass soon anyways? Also, it was decided to scrap the Toledo Ohio tapings for Tnn and make the NYC Elk's Lodge tapings the First two TNN shows!!!!
Look for us Friday nites at 8:00 on Tnn.
reported by....the Kaptain
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ECW at the Elk's Lodge 8/27/99 (Quick version) By Chris Woodward
Paul Heyman came out to announce that tomorrow's TNN show would be an "introduction to ECW" and that the following week would be the first regular show, and both that and the following week's episode would be taped that night in Queens. Fans screamed about Raven, and Paul said he'd be here in 90 days. This is the point where the Rock got his comeupence!!!!
Taz defended the ECW World Heavyweight Title by defeating Yoshihiro Tajiri (with Steve Corino & Jack Victory) with the Tazmission.
Danny Doring (with Angelica & Roadkill) defeated C.W. Anderson with a double arm DDT.
Super Crazy defeated Rhino (with Steve Corino) by reversing a powerbomb attempt into a huracanrana for the pin. Post-match, Rhino went to shake his hand, then clotheslined him and powerbombed him.
The Dudleys came out and gave an emotional speech to the crowd about leaving ECW. They then challenged Spike Dudley and Balls Mahoney to one last title match. Balls and Spike hit the ring, and the match was on. Balls was powerbombed through a thumbtack covered table, and Spike was given 3D, and the Dudleys became the eight time ECW World Tag Team Champions. They raised the hands of Balls and Spike, and left the ring to a rousing ovation.
Nova and Chris Chetti defeated Little Guido & Big Sal E. Graziano and Tony DeVito & Simon Diamond in a three way dance. It had started as Nova vs. Guido, but after a series of run-ins, it became a three way. Highlight of the match, each man (except Sal) did a plancha to the floor, and referee Pee Wee Moore dove off the top rope onto the pile on the floor! Post-match, Doring, Roadkill and Angelica hit the ring and laid out Nova and Chetti. Jazz hit the ring and attacked Angelica, and soon the locker room emptied into one big brawl. New Jack hit the ring with the staple gun and can of weapons and cleaned house (including stapling Doring in the rear three times!) New Jack then challenged any "hardcore" wrestlers in WWF or WCW to come and take him on.
Joey Styles taped the opening for the TNN show, with Joel Gertner coming out to be his co-host. They interviewed Jerry Lynn, who challenged Rob Van Dam. Bill Alfonso came out and said he didn't deserve a shot at the Television title. Lynn went after Fonzie, and RVD hit the ring. They had a pull apart brawl, and Paul Heyman told Lynn he could have his title match tonight.
Uganda defeated Vito "The Skull" LaGrasso with a top rope splash. They shook hands after the match.
A young female in the balcony "entertained" the fans between matches. She was 16/17, had a real nice tan and very firm tits.
Rob Van Dam and Jerry Lynn went to a no contest when Justin Credible and Lance Storm hit the ring and laid out both men (Credible hitting "That's Incredible" on RVD, Storm giving Lynn a cradle piledriver). After the heels left, Lynn and RVD received a huge ovation for another outstanding match.
The Dudleys appeared on the stage, and came to the ring, saying they weren't ready to leave just yet. They thanked the fans, and gave another speech. After the fans gave them an ovation, the Dudleys turned on them, saying they couldn't wait to leave ECW, but before they did, they wanted to destroy the company. They called out Tommy Dreamer, hurling insults at him, and making vulgar comments about Francine and Beulah. Paul Heyman and Francine held him back, but finally Dreamer hit the ring and took the Dudleys on, two-on-one. Francine brought out a ladder, and Dreamer managed to stay on offense in the beginning, but the Dudleys eventually overwhelmed him. As D-Von lifted Dreamer for 3D, he reversed it into a DDT. At the same time, Raven hit the ring (to an absolutely monster pop) and DDT'd Bubba. Both men made covers, and a three count was made. Raven took the belts, and stood over Dreamer in a crucifix. He tossed Dreamer his belt, but Tommy wouldn't take it. He went to go after Raven, but he went into the crowd and left. Dreamer refused to take the title, and told Francine to give it to the Dudleys. They took it, then strapped it around Dreamer's waist and raised his hands.
The Dudleys made a final speech, and New Jack and Paul E. also made comments, as the whole locker room came to the ring to bid them farewell. It was a classy and fitting end to a memorable night.
ECW TNN Taping Results from Queens, New York - August 26, 1999
Report courtesy of ECWnews.com
-Paul E came out and addressed the crowd. He said if the crowd would stay standing and hot all night, they would use two hours from the show for TNN Someone in the crowd yelled out "What about Raven?" . Paul responded by saying we would see Raven in 90 days.
-ECW World Heavyweight Title Match
Taz versus Yoshihiro Tajiri It was said to be a good match with Taz winning in the end with the
Tazmission to retain the world heavyweight title. It wasn't a squash, but a competitive match.
-Danny Doring over CW Anderson Danny came out with Angelica and they had new matching outfits on. Roadkill came out too. Doring won with The Pedigree. Doring also says that Angelica is now to be called Miss Congeniality.
-Super Crazy over Rhino After the match, Steve Corino came out and began getting in Rhino's face.
They settled their differences, and then Corino and Rhino began putting the boots to Super Crazy.
-ECW World Tag Team Title
The Dudley Boyz over Balls Mahoney and Spike Dudley The Dudleys Are NEW Tag Team Champs Once Again. After the match all four hugged in an emotional moment.
-Nova and Chris Chetti over The FBI over Simon Daimond and Tony DeVito.
The match started as Nova versus Guido. Soon Sal Graziano interfered and Diamond entered. This brought Chetti and DeVito down. So it turned into a 3-way dance with three different teams. Doring and Roadkill even came down to interfere. Somewhere in this strange, confusing match, Chetti and Nova got the win. Then New Jack hit the ring and destroyed everyone with a trash can full of weapons.
-Joey Styles and Joel Gertner opened the show with an interview with Jerry Lynn. Lynn called out RVD, but Bill Alfonso came out instead. Jerry attacked Bill Alfonso which brought out RVD. Jerry Lynn demanded a match ith RVD. RVD accepted and the match is on for tonight in Queens!!! RVD versus Jerry Lynn for the TV Title!!!
-ECW TV Title Matcyh
Rob Van Dam versus Jerry Lynn went to a no contest
During the match Storm and Credible came to the ring and beat both up. RVD retained the belt.
The Dudley Boyz then came back out to the ring. They said they were taking the belts to the WWF on Monday and give them to Vince. They then ran down Tommy Dreamer which brought him out along with Francine. The Dudleys ran down ECW and made fun of Beulah and Francine. Tommy ran into
the ring and the handicap match began between The Dudley Boyz and Tommy. Soon the Duds dominated Dreamer and the locker room began to come out to
save him. Just then RAVEN came out and ddted one of The Dudley Boyz and pinned them! THAT MAKES TOMMY DREAMER AND RAVEN THE NEW TAG TEAM
CHAMPIONS!
Notes:
-Angelica had a brief brawl with Jazz during that crazy three way match.
-Raven would not hug Dreamer in the main event after winning the titles, but instead left the ring right away.
-Lance Wright was on hand for the event.
-Sabu will continue to be a mystery in the TNN scene and was not used for the tapings.
...You Can Never Go Home Again.
Don't tell that to Raven.
Not only did he go home, he was welcomed with open arms and tag team gold!!!
Last night in Queens Raven made his way back to ECW, less than a week after asking for his release from WCW. Few expected him to be free and clear this early, but he was and made his presence felt at ECW's TNN television tapings.
***Spoiler***
According to fans in attendance, Tommy Dreamer was getting a beating from tag champs, The Dudley Boys (who won the belts earlier in the evening). Everyone assumed that this was merely to set up Dreamer's extended absence for back surgery. When suddenly out comes Raven, who delivers the evenflo DDT and 1...2...3...Tommy Dreamer and Raven are your new ECW tag champs.
Something vaguely cool about a guy returning from ECW to dethrone a team leaving for the WWF.
***END SPOILER***
DDP commented on the entire deal, and especially Raven, in his latest newsletter:
'Nobody knows what it’s like to be held down more in this business than me. There is nothing I hate personally more than a negative attitude. Since we are talking about Raven here…if you don’t buy that I was held down in my career back then, just ask Raven, because he talked me through a lot of it. Do I think Scott “Raven” Levy is a top talent? You’re damned right I do. I have always respected Scott, but when Eric Bischoff said at the meeting, “Raven, if you don’t like it here and want out of your contract, the lawyer is right down the hall. Get up and leave” and Scott did it in front of everybody, I respected even more…and everyone was in there, but nobody else left. I can comment that Kiddman may have had second thoughts later, which surprised me, by the way, but I think when he realized Eric would release them, or anyone, but would never let them go to New York until their contract was up…you know, the same deal Rena Mero got when she left. You can leave but you can’t work for the other guys. From what I understand, nobody’s leaving except for Raven if he wants to.'
"Maybe we can share in something great, but won't you look at where we've
grown"
Far Behind, Candlebox
Extreme Championship Wrestling goes national tonight on the Nashville Network. Much as it was changed with the advent of Pay-Per-View, the
promotion will never ever be the same again. I cannot express how excited I am as finally the roster gets to show everyone the work ethic that ECW has
always shown to the fans that have followed them through the years.
At the same time, however, I am saddened. There are so many that gave their all to the dream of Extreme
Championship Wrestling and won't be there to reap their deserved rewards. I guess one way of viewing them would be to call
them the casualties of hardcore, although the reasons for each of their absence is not to be blamed on no one person or company. That's just how
life goes sometimes.
It is only fitting that as the current roster of Extreme Championship Wrestling celebrates a job well done, that a thank you goes out to those who
won't be there to join in the happiness and partying that goes along with it.
There's Eddie Gilbert, Brian Pillman, Rick Rude and Louie Spicolli who are sadly no longer with us. Gilbert set the wheels into motion for ECW; legend
has it discovered the ECW Arena. Pillman provided classic moments and a venue for Shane Douglas to revitalize his post-WWF career for a short fiery
period in 1996. Rude allowed ECW to use his name as a star for the larger companies as they grew to a Pay-Per-View promotion.
Spicolli showed glimpses of greatness in ECW in 1996 and 1997, and although his tenure there didn't
work out, for the first time in America, he showed that he could have been a player if he could have worked through his personal demons. To these four
men, ECW fans should say thank you.
There's the Pitbulls, Gary Wolfe and Anthony Durante. Gary Wolfe broke his neck performing for the ECW fans and walked around for three days without
realizing it, never knowing he could have died at any moment. Durante once ripped his elbow wide open on a ringpost performing a move against the
Eliminators. The skin stayed there the rest of the evening, shrinking on the ringpost. Durante finished the match, went to the hospital, had stitches
internally and on his skin, and returned to the ring the next weekend. The Pitbulls, with a buildup of injuries and personal problems on their
shoulders, disappeared from ECW in 1998. They had been there since 1994. Every ECW fan should thank Anthony Durante and Gary Wolfe for their tenure;
they basically killed themselves for you fans. They helped build the promotion to what it is.
There's JT Smith, who was South Philadelphia's own Rocky Balboa. Smith was the blue collar every man for those
denizens of the ECW Arena. He was knocked out of the Eagle's Nest balcony, he went flying off a scaffold from a
standing position. He later became the Italian Stallion of ECW, ignoring the fact that JT was in fact African-American. He provided some hysterical
moments as the comedy leader of the Full-Blooded Italians team, but even then, he would do what he needed to help the promotion. He once had to sit
out from wrestling because D-Von Dudley hit him so hard with a chair that his ears were ringing a week later. JT Smith, save for a few appearances, left
ECW for good in 1996. He had been there since day one. He now lives in Virginia and is blessed by two children. Every ECW fan
should say thank you to James T. Smith for all his work in building ECW.
There's Terry Funk, who's given so much to ECW that I don't even need to list these things. You all know of which I speak. Every ECW fan should say thank
you to Terry Funk. He gave of himself for you and ECW so there could be an ECW.
There are so many performers who came and went in that building. From Dean Malenko to Chris Benoit to Psicosis to the Sandman to the Public Enemy to
Mikey Whipwreck to Beulah to Woman to Stevie Richards and beyond, every one of these men and women did their part to help build ECW into what it is
today. They deserved the success and money they made after leaving the promotion, yet every ECW fan should say thank you to them because they were
part of the reason those fans began following the promotion to begin with.
Then, there is the "Forgotten Innovator." As ECW's history is rewritten, he will likely be overlooked. Paul Heyman himself claimed on MSNBC that he
"took over ECW in 1993" when in fact he was working for this person at that time. Some have been critical of him over the years, making disparaging
remarks about his reasons for being in the business. I say that every fan has an opinion on what they want to see as a wrestling product, and how many
of them put their money where their mouth is?
Tod Gordon did that.
Tod took a ragtag group of misfit Indy workers like the Rockin' Rebel, Mr. Sandman, Tony Stetson, Johnny Hot Body, and others and gave them a chance to
perform for a television promotion and be part of something special. Some made it to other promotions, on a national level. Others have left the
business. All of them were given the chance by Tod Gordon.
Tod listened to his fans. When he realized that the Internet allowed him a venue to attract new fans and make more money for his fledgling promotion, he
leaped at the chance. When someone booked couldn't make the show, he let his
fans watch half the show for free and offered full refunds. When the Philadelphia regulars voiced concerns about the same seats they had sat it
from day one, being lost to fans from outside areas coming in as the promotion grew, Gordon created "Club ECW" in response. Tod created a synergy
between his employees and his audience that dissipated after he left wrestling. For those who were there, they know how special that synergy was.
Tod Gordon gave Paul Heyman his chance to show the world that the "insane genius" he held inside could become a force in the wrestling business. After
Eddie Gilbert exited from ECW, Gordon put his faith and his checkbook in Paul
Heyman's hands. Sabu, Taz, Tommy Dreamer, Raven and so many more sprang forth from their partnership, as Heyman created an "Island of Misfits" that
never fit in anywhere before and helped forge the ECW mentality. While many fans to this day sing the praises of Heyman, and rightfully so given his
accomplishments, without Tod Gordon, there would have not been a Paul Heyman as booker to praise today.
Finally, there are the fans of ECW themselves. Every last one of them. Those same fans who you see every week sitting in the ECW Arena. Those fans
who helped make it possible for you to voice your opinion so ECW can be a
national entity. Those fans who spent their money on house shows. Those fans who ordered merchandise and encountered problems, yet still supported the
promotion. Those who went home and told others on the Internet about the show they had seen. Every last one of you should thank yourself and each
other. ECW could not have done it without you, something they should remind themselves of every day.
No one reading this should take this as a knock at today's ECW. I will never dispute that the performers today earned what they deserve. From Tommy
Dreamer to Justin Credible to Super Crazy to Spike Dudley, they deserve the chance to weave their magic on a national scale. I am happy to see it happen.
Those who work behind the scenes did more than their part as well. Ron & Charlie who produce the television are renowned for doing all night
production sessions to put the show together. Joey Styles would get up hours early in the morning to do the voiceovers for the show before heading off to
his regular job. Anyone looking at Heyman can see what running ECW has done to him. Gabe Sapolsky is still shoving fans out of his way as he tries to
film the "FanCams." Debbie Beaumont does her best to make everyone's life a little less insane. Every one of these people, and many, many more did and
do their part and should be applauded. They deserve it and the thanks of ECW fans and I am happy to see them as part of this new venture for the
promotion.
At the same time, no ECW fan or employee should forget those who helped paved the way. There are too many to list by name here, but to forget even one of
these fine people, would be an insult to ECW itself.
