Take up thy wrestling boots and walk - Monday night war, Controversy cleared
    Submitted by Pt2 on Saturday, July 17, 2004 at 11:57 AM EST



    Welcome once again to the column that all the stars know as Crazy Jim’s beatnik bonanza, but the rest of us mere mortals know as, Take up thy wrestling boots and walk. To the stars I’m Uncle Albert JimQuan, but to the rest of us, I’m Pt2. Apologies to everyone for my absence over the past couple of weeks. I’ve been having some serious computer problems which has resulted in a major wrench been thrown in the Take up works. Have no fear, that now Take Up thy wrestling boots and walk will be back, and better than ever. Without any further ado, here’s the eighty third.

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    As a starter, allow me to clear up some controversy: In the previous “You be the booker” event, Tinaali was judged to have defeated Billy Arcenaux and Sean Cramer. However, an oversight by an official (read: me) means that Tina won when she should have been penalised; that penalty would have meant Billy Arcenaux would have become champion.

    So, as a consequence of that, Tinaali will defend her title in a special rematch, head to head with Billy, coming in the next few weeks. Keep your eyes peeled, it’s sure to be a better fight than Mike Tyson vs. Danny Williams.

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    A lot of people are talking about the over-use of Eugene right now. I say give it time - it’s not like we can’t see where the Eugene angle is going, I think you’ll enjoy the pay off if you don’t give in to the hysteria and just relax. It’ll probably all be worth it in the end.

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    Major props to Matt Hardy on his latest column. Many wrestlers take shots at internet writers in there column, when referring to negativity. Matt didn’t do that. Matt told it as it was. I’ve been both in the ring and on the web when it comes to wrestling, and I’m deeply aware of the amount of negativity there is on the net, almost as a default setting. I know that if I had put in some of the performances that get criticised on the net, I’d be proud of myself. Matt doesn’t just take blind shots at net fans. He makes valid points on the negativity of the IWC - something I’m not too fond of myself. Good job Matt, enjoyed the read.

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    Monday Night War



    This was the greatest period in wrestling history, because for the first time companies had to war week in, week out, to keep their viewers. The two biggest companies in wrestling history fought to and fro over every single one of our souls for years.

    So naturally, when the DVD detailing the whole story came out, I had to buy it.

    The DVD is actually a pretty good film. I honestly expected the WWE to put a blatant spin on it and tell the story from their own perspective, and simply rubbish the competition into the dirt: So credit where it’s due first of all, they don’t do that.

    It’s a great DVD to pick up if you missed the war the first time around. It shows how the Monday night war came about, giving major league props to Eric Bischoff for being ambitious enough to challenge a company as established as the WWF. It shows how Bischoff turned a failing company around, as WCW had been since Turner took over, and turned it into THE wrestling company in America.

    I’ll tell you one of my favourite things about the film - it doesn’t just point out when WCW did well, it also tells the story from a pretty fair perspective, admitting when the WWF got things wrong. Vince McMahon calls the “Billionaire Ted” skits stupid on this film. Now I thought they were kinda funny in a dull kinda way, but to hear Vince McMahon say he got something wrong is worth the price of the film alone. On top of that, Mick Foley says, in relation to the Montreal screwjob, on a WWE product, that “Vince screwed Bret”. Again, worth the price of it alone.

    This movie does tell the story of the monday night war well. The only problems with it really is the slight pro WWE standpoint, but that is to be expected as the winners always write history how they want to. The only other problem really is that there are some things they don’t go into deep enough. While they cover the nWo angle in depth, the change of the WWF in 1997, the defection of Lex Luger and the signing of Hulk Hogan, there are some parts of the story not covered in anything like enough detail. I would really have wanted to see more on Savage defection, how WCW used Bret Hart, and how WCW stayed ahead when the WWF shows were fantastic in 1997.

    But when the problem with a film is that there isn’t enough of it, you know thats usually a sign that it’s a good thing. With all the archive footage of the nWo and D-x days, this is worth a buy - either to see what you missed, or merely for nostalgia. See the moment when Scott Hall first turned up on nitro. See how Lex Luger shocked the world by turning up on the inaugral Nitro. See Goldberg win the title in the Georgia Dome. See X-pac turn up for the first time, and the new look Degeneration X. The first time Austin stunned McMahon? It’s there. Kevin Nash debut on Nitro? It’s there. Hogan’s heel turn? You guessed it. Practically every major moment of the war is on this disc. It’s makes Bischoff look like the great heel he was (and he was better in WCW than he is now - I do believe that is saying a lot) and it shows the desperation of Dubya see dubya in their dying days.

    But the thing that really pushes it over the edge for me is the extra’s.

    There are some added matches on the disc. Goldberg beating Hogan for the WCW title is probably the biggest. The best is Owen Hart and the British Bulldog defending the tag titles against Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin. Also featured is an early signs of D-X, where the Legion of Doom take on Shawn Michaels and Triple H.

    But the best extra’s on this disc aren’t the matches, they are the angles and promo’s compiled from over the years. On this disc, you have the nWo invading the WCW production truck, and having the first wrestling gang war outside the trucks. You have the Return of Ric Flair to Nitro. Remember Vince McMahon getting called out by Bischoff? No, you only started watching wrestling in 1999. Well, you can see it on this disc.

    But by far, the real gem on this disc, is a promo cut by Jim Cornette on RAW. It’s a shoot on the state of the wrestling industry in 1997. Jim shoots on everyone and everything calling themselves an “Icon” in pro wrestling. It’s just after WCW’s “age in a cage” match between Piper and Hogan, so that takes up most of his focus, but he shoots on anyone with an ego, anyone not showing the correct amount of professionalism and maturity in their business decisions. Criticising both WCW and WWF talent, and commending the Undertaker and Steve Austin from his own company and Ric Flair from the opposition, Cornette finishes with the quite personal line - “Hulk Hogan, you may be a household word, but so is garbage, and it stinks when it gets old too”.

    Truly one of the great RAW moments.

    All in all, I’d grade this show a B. It’s not perfect, and could tell a lot more, but it’s certainly worth the money and I would recommend it to anyone.

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    Pt2’s pick of the week

    I’d like to recommend a column to everyone out there. Over at www.lopforums.com , in the columns forum, is a column called “All about the game: B&W” by Yourayatollah. It’s one of the best columns I’ve read all year. Check it out.

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    And with that, I’m spent. Hopefully all the problems with my computer are sorted out and I can get back to a regular rhythm again. Unfortunately anyone who sent mail to my Takeupthywrestlingboots@hotmail.com address, that mail has been lost through no fault of my own. So I’ve decided to abandon that address. If you have mailed me over the past week at that address, or have any opinions on this column, please feel free to send them to me at this address

    I’ll be back soon, with the decider in YBTB. Until next time, take care.

    Pt2.




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