Here we are again, that one day of the year where that game called Gridiron or American Football as it’s sometimes known, is having it’s biggest day (I refuse to mention the particular name of said event, as I’m going to do the whole show without mentioning it. But, if you don’t know what it is, watch ESPN, they’ll be talking about it for the next week), and at BWF, we choose to celebrate by bringing you our own half-time show. Who would you rather see, us or Madonna? I thought so..
Welcome once again to Getting Down With The Classics, it is I, your once regular turned freelance writer for BWF, here with another classic from wrestling past. On this episode, we go back to 1999, the 31st of January to be exact, for a special edition of Sunday Night Heat. You see, this episode of HeAT took place during the NFL Superbowl, and during half time of the Superbowl, there would be a match for the WWF Championship between the newly crowned champion The Rock, and the former champion, Mankind. Stay tuned for this very special.. Halftime HeAT!
What is going on Wrestling fans? This time around Im going with a match that is both unique and special in the history of pro wrestling for 2 reasons. For starters its a WWF title match taking place in Calgary, but its in an official Stampede Wrestling ring featuring one of Stampedes most popular wrestlers of all time. Thats pretty unique. Also, its the celebration of Stu Harts 80 Birthday, and as a consequence, wrestlers from around the world came to the event to both preform and also wish the legend a Happy 80th. This time around we will be enjoying Razor( Scott Hall) VS Owen Hart, for the intercontinental WWF championship. And this joint Stampede/WWF match is called of course by the legendary Ed Whalen, the voice of Stampede Wrestling for many decades. Worth noting at the beginning of the video Owen has a quick segment talking about his father, which is a very nice touch. Owen was playing the role of a heel at the time in the WWF. However, when in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, its pretty hard to have the crowd hate any former Stampede Wrestler as Vince McMahon would soon learn and capatialze on in the future with his Hart Foundation story-line. Also worth noting while watching the video is the top ring rope coming off and being quickly turned into a weapon. You will then notice a quick exit from the ring to draw the attention away from the rope being put back on. Finally worth noting is the “run in” by one of my least favorite wrestlers of all time. Here is a hint as to who he is ” I made a porn Movie with a Man/Woman and lived to tell about it”. Also, if these videos are getting your old school classic wrestling interests up, feel free to download our Stampede podcast .G and myself discuss all things Stampede wrestling including our run ins with the likes of Davey Boy Smith, Bad News Brown, Chris Benoit and Bret Hart when we were just kids! http://wonderpodonline.com/?p=2533 See you all next time !
I write this, just minutes after watching Shawn Michaels’ last match in a wrestling ring. With a defeat to the Undertaker at WrestleMania XXVI, Shawn Michaels’ career ended after 25 years.
Shawn Michaels was THE guy for me. Not Hulk Hogan. Not Ric Flair. Not even Steve Austin. But Shawn Michaels. He was that one guy growing up, that I knew would be my favourite, and that every time I heard ‘Sexy Boy’, I knew something fun and exciting was about to happen. Whether he was with Diesel, or D-Generation X. I was always entertained, and amazed, by HBK.
My…worship, of Shawn Michaels didnt just resort to the television. There were two video games in particular. WWF Steel Cage Challenge for the SEGA Master System, and WWF Royal Rumble for the Genesis. I don’t know how many times Shawn Michaels won the WWF Championship on these games, and it didn’t matter who else was on them, I was always the one character.
Everyone has that one person in the world that they idolize, that they worship. Whether it’s a family member, or a sportsman, or maybe someone in your favored profession? For me, besides family. There is only one idol. Shawn Michaels in my eyes, was someone who could do no wrong, even when he was the baddest. There was nothing he couldn’t do, in and out of the ring. He was brash, cocky, always so confident in his own ability, that he didnt even think of how good the other person was. In DX, he was cool. With Triple H, D-Generation X single-handedly fueled my love for the wrestling business. Partly for their attitude and behaviour towards everyone, but mostly, because Shawn Michaels was involved.
To this day, I still get giddy inside, whenever I see Shawn Michaels, or hear that ‘Sexy Boy’ theme. To watch his last match in 1998, before taking four years off. To that speech in 1997 about losing his smile. With all the returns and great moments that Shawn Michaels has had, nothing… nothing, has given me the same feeling that the end of WrestleMania XXVI gave me. I found it hard to move, hard to type, hard to do anything. It was like Pittsburgh fans watching Mario Lemieux’s last game, or Chicago Bulls fans watching Michael Jordan sink that final shot. You hoped it would never end, and when it did, you just didn’t know how to react. That’s how I felt about Shawn Michaels.
In my opinion, he will always be the greatest performer, and the greatest superstar in the history of wrestling. There will be no-one, who comes close to Shawn Michaels. There will be no-one, who comes close to winning me over, and making me a fan for life. The business may not be the same as it was, but I will always the great matches, and memories, that Shawn Michaels gave me. Thank You Shawn. You made this little wrestling fan who he is today.
Fresh off my coverage of the 22nd SummerSlam, I’ve saved this time to recap the event.
The PPV as a whole was between average and good. I enjoyed what I saw of the first match between Mysterio and Ziggler, and all bar the ending of the TLC match for the World Heavyweight Championship, but other than that, I personally wasnt excited, even with the 16th return of D-Generation X.
I made up for the average 2009 version, by watching the 1998 edition of SummerSlam. Watching Jeff Jarrett get his hair cut by X-Pac and one-night only DX member, Howard Finkel, to Mankind defending the Tag Team titles unsuccessfully by himself against the New Age Outlaws to the Ladder match between Triple H and the Rock, and Stone Cold defeating the Undertaker for the WWF Championship.
Speaking of the WWE, I have decided to boycott all WWE programming until furhter notice, due to the sheer rubbish that it brings up every week. I will determine a return time in the future, but until then, I will not watch RAW, ECW or SmackDown!
Moving to the other side of the tracks so to speak, and this week on TNA’s iMPACT broadcast, history will be made. TNA President, Dixie Carter, will make her first appearance on the broadcast, and will make an announcement involving Bobby Lashley. Looks like another interesting iMPACT on the way (even though I already know what happens, thanks to the creator of these here parts).
Moving into the sporting world now, and former New York Giants Wide receiver Plaxico Burress was sentenced to two years prison for shooting himself pretty much. There goes him signing for the Eagles this year.
Brett Favre flunked in his first pre-season game wearing the Purple of the Minnesota Vikings. He went 1-4 with just 4 yards, in 2 sets of plays. First, the now fourth-string QB, John David Booty, gives his #4 to Favre, then Favre has 4 pass attempts, and gets 4 yards. I sense a pattern. The weird thing about all this? Brett Favre’s favourite number is 7.
For those who haven’t heard of Caster Semenya, well arent you in for a surprise. Semanya, won the Women’s 800m race at the IAAF Athletics Championships recently. However, she could be stripped of the Gold medal, as officals aren’t sure if 18 year old is infact, a female. Here’s a picture of her. I’ll let the BWF readers decide for themselves. Here’s more information on the story. If you still aren’t unsure, if you unjumble the letters of her full name ‘Caster Semenya’ you get ‘Yes, A secret man’. I think we just found JT’s latest girl.
RIP Sen. Ted Kennedy. He passed away Tuesday after a long battle with Brain cancer.
I’m looking to picking up the new Rise and Fall of WCW dvd. I hear good things.
That’s all for the War for another week. It looks like I’m recapping ECW again this week, as well as SmackDown! from last week. Unless of course, someone else picks up the slack. If they don’t, then they’ll be there by the end of the week.
Stay tuned to BWF throughout the week for your wrestling fix.
