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Submitted by The Valleyboy on Saturday, July 27, 2002 at 11:40 AM EST
Sometimes I have to shake my head in wonder at some people’s inability to let some matters drop. Petty squabbling and trivial arguments seem to be the norm on the Internet these days. I’m all for debates and heated discussion, but when it comes to the Internet, is seems to break down into childish flaming and name-calling more times than not. I have often said that opinions are like assholes – everyone has one and some are more full of crap than others. There has never been a better example of that statement than to visit a message board or chat room. I have lost count of how many times someone has vehemently defended their position on a subject that is utterly meaningless. I swear some days when I log onto the Internet, it looks like a family reunion with all of the backbiting. You might notice something a little different about the main section of my column this week. After a few weeks of hearing about the PTC and the WWE in their litigation dispute, I decided to finally throw in my two cents about the PTC. This isn’t an expose of any sort, but merely a rambling of my own personal opinions towards that organization and its founder, L. Brent Bozell III. I’m not out to change anything with this commentary, but merely throw in my two cents on the subject. Enough chit-chat, let’s get to the column… An O’ Valley Factor Special: PTC Waivers Attention From WWE… … In Favor Of A New Target. It would seem that after L. Brent Bozell III and his “charitable” organization were soundly exposed for endorsing half-truths and false accusations towards the WWE and professional wrestling, he has found himself a new campaign from which to spew his propaganda. “The Shield”, a cop drama on FX, has become the latest show to be vilified by Bozell and his ilk. While he has not accused the show of being responsible for the crime-rate of America, how long will it be before he turns his campaign against this show up to the next level? Let’s remember that he was not above pointing the finger of blame to professional wrestling (namely WWE) for being the cause of death among children in “wrestling related” deaths. It would appear that the PTC is no longer satisfied with targeting just network television, but has decided to head into the basic cable industry as well. They may find themselves biting off more than they can chew, however, since basic cable has long been the bastion for people looking for alternatives to the watered down products which can be seen on network television. One of the lingering issues in wait is the WWE cable show, “Raw”, which has been the cornerstone of Vince MacMahon’s conglomerate for 10 years or better. Bozell was more than happy to target “Smackdown!” as the worst show on network television. His campaign against that show ultimately lead to his recent public retraction to Vince MacMahon and the public. Now that cable television is becoming more of a focus for the PTC, can they resist the temptation to bring up the WWE yet again in their pursuit for better television? Vince MacMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment have been quite possibly the easiest targets for Bozell, since the mainstream media has never taken an active impartiality towards the image of WWE. The PTC is not shy at all to claim victory over having “Howard Stern” removed from network television, but they are a little less than forth coming in accepting defeat from the WWE. This is clearly seen in the campaign section of their website where “Howard Stern” is highlighted, but no word of their retraction towards the WWE (that’s at the very bottom of the main page). Their smear campaign failed to have the show removed and the PTC lost out of the WWE in litigation that forced Bozell, himself, to write a letter of retraction. While he did apologize to Vince & Linda MacMahon personally, in his letter, he never apologized directly to the advertisers that he had dooped into ceasing support of “Smackdown”. In my opinion, that was a considerable faux pas because a settlement alone of a few million dollars doesn’t make up for the long-term effects that his lying did towards the WWE. Perhaps Bozell has learned a valuable lesson from all of this though. Perhaps he will learn that he should not be so hasty in taking the word of “reliable sources” without following up with his own investigation. Or perhaps he will simply learn to be a little shrewder in his underhanded tactics of lambasting television shows which he deems “inappropriate”. Bozell might like to consider himself the underdog in his quest for “bringing responsibility to the entertainment industry”. I wouldn’t doubt that he would love the PTC be the David to television’s Goliath. His intentions do not justify his actions though. In his quest to clean up television, he has compromised his own integrity and made his own organization appear to be nothing more than a censorship group. The PTC, and even Bozell himself, may have had good intentions in 1995 when the organization was founded, but Mr. Bozell has lost his way and lined his pockets along the way too. For all intents and purposes, the PTC is no longer useful to the television industry. What little they had to give in the beginning is no longer relevant, thanks to the underhanded nature of the organization. I am not a fan of “The Shield” simply because it is a cop drama and I have seen enough of those shows to last me a lifetime. I do not believe, though, that the show deserves to be criminalized by the PTC. It is on late at night on a cable network and is in no way targeted towards family viewing. Wasn’t the PTC supposed to be after family television shows that crossed the line? Or have they expanded their criteria to ANY show that doesn’t meet their personal tastes? I suggest that Mr. Bozell and his “nonprofit” organization tread lightly into the world of cable television. It is unfamiliar territory for you and you might just get bitten in the ass again if you’re not careful. Natural Selection – It’s Only Natural (Asset or Liability) I thought that I would take a quick look at one of the wrestling superstars that has been appearing with NWA-TNA lately and was once involved with WWE for a short while. I am referring to Sabu. Sabu is one of ECW’s alumnus’s and one of the most recognizable wrestlers in North America, if not the world. Sabu’s career has earned him a reputation as one of the most brutal performers in the history of the sport. His dare-devil antics have also become stuff of urban legend. Throughout his days in the ring (and out of it for that matter), he has been able to blend aerial, hardcore, martial-arts, and technical wrestling into a style that is all his own. Many maneuvers that he made famous have been adopted by other wrestling superstars. If Sabu were to never lace up his boots again, he will have undoubtably left his mark on the business. His ability is not the only thing that is becoming legendary, but his reputation of wrestling nomad is as well. Sabu may be one of the most recognizable performers today, but he is also hard to keep tabs on as well. Not even ECW was able to keep him tied down in the long term. For all intents and purposes, Sabu is a journeyman. He just doesn’t seem to have the want or ability to stick to one promotion for very long. Another drawback is his physical condition. While his ring style may be some of the most entertaining stuff out there, it has also taken a toll on his body. It didn’t take Sabu long to accumulate a list of injuries and battle scars that rival, and may even surpass, Mick Foley and other self-sacrificing wrestlers. It is questionable as to just how long Sabu has left in himself before he will have to call it a career. As fun as he is to watch, and as much of an urban legend that he is, Sabu just isn’t the material that the WWE needs right now. If Sabu didn’t dessert them on his own, he would more than likely end up with an injury list that would keep him on the shelf for a good portion of his contract. I would have to say that if the WWE were to ever sign him that he would turn out to be a definite liability. The Memory Glands Award – “Sports-Entertainment” Segment of the Week This past week was full of some really good segments on both Raw and Smackdown. When I sat down to write this section, I had a little trouble narrowing it down to just one though to give the Memmy to though. Then I thought back to the D-X reunion on Raw and decided that it had to be that. After the nWo gimmick was put out of it’s misery once again, I was very hesitant that the WWE would try to resurrect the Degeneration-X gimmick. Needless to say that when HHH told HBK that he had an idea, I was a little nervous that I would have to endure another rehashed program from the nineties. My reservations were quickly dissuaded though as Triple H would put Micheals into the mat with a very “over the top” Pedigree. The entire buildup of the show had the crowd aching for D-X to return (minus me). Then when their music hit, the place erupted. The crowd would stay buzzed as both men would trade their gimmick catch phrases and poses. Then finally it happened. Hunter laid out Shawn in the middle of the ring. While the arena crowd became mixed with boos and cheers, I had a big smile on my face. D-X was dead, HHH was heel, Micheals was teasing a return to the ring, and all was well in the world. Kudos to both men for making the summer just a little bit more interesting. Minimal Subliminals – Quick Rants & Smartass Comments - I tried picturing the Hulkster doing a Swanton bomb… All I could envision was a lame duck falling off the roof of a barn. - The Euro belt is no more yet again. How long before it’s retrieved from the trash can this time? - HHH & Brock Lesnar trade rosters. Who’s being protected more? - Who was in Eric’s limo on Smackdown? My money says that it wasn’t a writer. - Stephanie MacMahon as a face? That’s a bigger stretch than Mark Henry’s tights. - HHH destroyed HBK during the D-X reunion. If only Chyna could have been a part of that too. - Memo to Tazz: Thinking of retiring from active wrestling? I thought you did that a long time ago. Forgotten Clashes – A Walk Down Memory Lane by Mike The Freak This week, I have opened the floor to one of my long-time readers and fellow columnists, Mike The Freak, so that he may share one of his memories of an under-appreciated match from time past… “Does anybody remember the day of 6/4/97? To many, it was just another day in the Monday Night Wars, but it marked a day that would start the "breaking of the ratings" for WCW. Vince didn't do anything, none of his wrestlers did anything, but the WCW bookers made one huge mistake. They let Lex Luger beat Hulk Hogan on Nitro. Why was it a mistake? Because Hulk Hogan won it the next Saturday with help from the nWo. After the mega crowd reaction of when Luger won the title, it was all for nothing. Had Luger not won that match, it would have kept the crowd much more into watching Hogan defend it. Hogan had a little under a year (6 days under a year) reign and he won it back because of the nWo. At this moment in history, the nWo had outlasted its stay.” If there were anyone out there who would like to make a contribution to this section next week, just send me an email and let me know. It’ll be pretty much first come, first serve, so get those Forgotten Clashes in quick. Last ReCall So that is my column for the week. I can’t explain really why I chose to rant about the PTC this week. They just popped into my mind and I figured that this was the best way to flush them out. I could have written pages upon pages about them, but I thought it best just to keep it concise and not ramble on too much. I’d like to thank Mikeofreak for sending in his contribution to me this week as it was greatly appreciated. I’d encourage everyone to check out his column, PPV Grader, which is located in the Columns Forum for the LoP Forums. That’s it for me this week. I love feedback, so if you have something to share, please drop me a line. Until next time, I’ll leave you with some words of wisdom, as always, to help you through your week… “Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist ought to have his head examined.” – Samuel Goldwyn Valleyboy: E-Mail: valleyboy_ca@hotmail.com AIM: Valleyboy Canada *NEW GALLERY* Must See New and Rare Photos of NATALYA NEIDHART!
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