From : CTT2 Rice, Ronald, W Sent : July 28, 2005 To : [email protected] Subject : love the site OWW, I am in the Navy and am currently on deployment. I have been a wrestling fan since I was 5. I am now 23. I dont get to watch wrestling much because the armed forces network doesnt play it when I am awake. But, with this site I dont need to sometimes. I just wanted to let you guys know that I appreciate this site and search it everyday for something new to read. Thanks from me ,and all the other wrestling fans that I work with, for putting your time into this. Regards, Petty Officer Ronald W. Rice United States Navy

Jericho's leaving and how he should come back -- by jimmy huseman ([email protected]) Chris Jericho's departure from WWE is a big loss for them. I am a diehard Jericho fan, and this really in my book is the absolute worst thing that could have happened. They took a main eventer in y2j Chris Jericho and made him leave under these circumstances. Jericho has things that he can claim that no one else can. He was the first WWE undisputed champion, he is the only eight time intercontintal champion, in the history of the WWE. I hope that Jericho comes back to WWE. Jericho would not fit in with TNA. Rhyno was a mid carder on raw, Raven in his time with WWE/F was low on the card. I think that TNA will not use Jericho to his potetial. I am not saying that WWE did. But Jericho would be a better fit to stay with WWE. Jericho leaving will and is going to hurt WWE. I am sure that he is disqusted with Vince like all of us are. He was being used to amp up John Cena once again. Who could forget when Jericho lost to Cena in 2002 when Cena was a nobody. That win from Jericho really started Cena's carrer. Now Jericho needs a boost in his carrer. A new found confidence. The only way we will see the y2j we are used know him is if they bring him back and put the WWE title on him. Have Angle win the title, at No Mercy, him and Cena have a great fued, while Jericho comes back with a vengence, fueds with Bischoff and wins the title as a face.

Why Have They Bolted the Stable Door? -- by Kyle Pakeman Why are there no stables in the WWE anymore? DX, The Hart Foundation, TNA's Team Canada, these things were good ideas that resulted in a combination of feuds between different wrestlers, instead of the random feuding we have at the moment (Matt Hardy and Edge excepted of course!) It is also a good way to bring new talent into the big time, as we have seen recently with both Randy Orton and Batista coming out of Triple H's shadows. So why aren't there any at the moment? Sure JBL's cabinet pretty much sucked (sucks if Orlando Jordan is still in it?) but there is a real problem with all the feuds in the WWE at the moment; they all rely on gimmicky storylines that have nothing to do with wrestling (eg. Eddie vs Rey, John Cena vs. Chris Jericho etc.) The nearest thing we have at the moment to a stable is the Mexicools, but they have been given crappy gimmicks too and lack the mix of old and new that makes a successful stable. All the WWE superstars seem totally disjointed from one another, skipping from one 'one on one' feud to the next, seemingly without wrestling rhyme or reason. I know the whole bodyguard thing is a bit lame these days (Tyson Tomko anyone?), but there are other ways of creating them. One stable with a bit of potential could be MNM, a tag team, a couple of managers, maybe get them associated with one or two more and see where that goes. Stables would also give the tag team division a boost (which everyone seems to agree it needs) as it would give the few tag teams there are someone to actually wrestle. Are MNM or The Legion of Doom (as Michael Cole blasphemously described them last week) going to wrestle anyone but each other for the next few months?

Signs of Brett's Return? -- by Chris [[email protected]] Last monday night before summerslam we were all tricked by Shawn Michaels!! How freaking disgusting!! I thought for sure he was coming back. But, he still may make a return to surprise everyone. After all the terrible things that shawn said and the challenges that were issued from michaels may bring him back. I thought he might a return at summerslam by interfering in the michaels vs. hogan match but , no such luck. After him being a no show , i think it's time to finally say goodbye HITMAN!!! Thanks for the memories and good luck with the rest of your retirement. He is , was and forever will be the my favorite wrestler of all time. He showed pure skill unlike any other superstar today. Plus you have to admire the man, he said he was done and after the terrible incident with Owen (god bless him), who would want to come back to a company that was partly responsible for your brothers death? I'm afraid guy's that he done and i can't blame him. But, J.R. isn't getting any younger maybe when he goes Brett might take his place as a commentator. That would even satisfy my hunger just to see him and hear his voice again and his thoughts on wrestling. Anyhow, i'm rambling! Keep the dreams alive wrestling fans and maybe they might come true! I know i will keep dreaming as well!!

Tag Teams Of Yester-year -- by Mike Morrison [[email protected]] What happened to the tag teams of yesteryear? Tag teams that would go out with a crazy gimmick, tell a story, and then be done with it. I am not speaking of some of today's stars such as MNM, Hurricane & Rosey, Hardy Boys, etc...I am speaking of the tag team tandems of The Wild Samoans, Strike Force, the "Old" Steiner Brothers, Hart Foundation, etc... I remember when it was any team vs. any team and fans would love that. Back before tables, 450's, and major innovation. We're talking classic matches that people forget. I am talking about when two midcarders hit it big time by starting a tag team. Strike Force vs. Demolition in WWF was a GREAT rivalry. Just seeing the two teams tear into each other was great, they could go out and carry a 20-30 min match no problem, and the fans would never get bored. When the crowd would explode with so much heat, just because someone would choke there opponent with a tag rope. I guess this legendary tradition died down because of the internet, spoilers, and smarks...but I don't mind going back and watching the WWWF and NWA tapes to see some great heel vs. face tag rivalries. The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart) are in my opinion one of the greatest tag teams of all time. Why? Because they were innovative...No, because they knew how to carry a match and keep it interesting throughout. It's a shame WWF/E never paired Bret and Owen as a tag team, that could have been colossal. I guess the point I am trying to make is, with today's flashy moves, and gimmick matches, great tag teams have been long forgot. Instead we see pretty boys wearing their street clothes in the ring, and having a 15 minute match tops...Is Tag Team wrestling still fixable, or forever lost in the past?

Why Even Take The Time? -- by Anthony Ferguson ([email protected]) Do you ever wonder why you always see some recognizable faces like Kazarian, Paul London, CM Punk, or The Mexicools (just to name a few) in WWE programming? I do because all of the aforementioned superstars are very talented and was hired because of their talent. But why even take the time to hire them if you are just going to take the talent away from them? The WWE has recently cut back on the more "high risk" wrestling style which most of those wrestlers are known for. It's as if they expect all of those superstars to drop everything they are known for (which are high risk) and go to a more slow and basic style of wrestling. Most of those superstars talent are their ability to do those off the hook high flying tactics. I for one couldn't see the likes of Paul London or Kazarian not going out there every night and putting on a wrestling clinic with high flying, death defying, breathe taking maneuvers like the Shooting Star or the 450 Splash. I think that most of the Indy wrestlers are better off where they are if they want to prove themselves as the true future of professional wrestling. I mean at least where they are they can be recognized for their true in ring ability and not their ability on the mic or their ability to act.

Gimmicks That Won't Make It -- by Kevin Roberts In wake of recent WWE draft. There are some unfortunate superstars who remain on WWE roster who probably will never be over with their new gimmicks, if they even have one. Why would you want to move a superstar, or separate a tag team, that is at least a little over and reduce them basically nothing or give them some stupid gimmick that gets no pops from the fans what-so-ever ? Then, the WWE releases some very good wrestlers because creative "has nothing for them", and they keep several others who they apparently have nothing for. I hate to see anybody get released, because when I watch WWE, I find something that I DO like about each and every superstar. However, with the recent release of some the superstars that I liked more than others, I have to wonder about some they kept around. Here are a few moves I just don't understand: 1. La Resistance - Why break up a very good tag team, when the tag team division was already dealt a blow when The Dudley Boyz were released (WHAT?) ? Now Rob Conway has this stupid ' village people ' gimmick with the WORST theme music in wrestling history. At least Sylvain still has his La Resistance thing going on. 2. The Bashams - see above (in reference to tag teams). I thought the little ' bait and switch ' thing was pretty cool. Now what ? 3. Kerwin White - I hate this guy almost as much as Conway. Why would you NOT want to be part of the greatest wrestling family of all time. I liked Chavo better when he was dancing around with that little stick horse ('Pepe') in WCW. Even he was better than Kerwin White. I wish Eddie, Hector, Mando and Chavo Sr. would show up at Summerslam and beat the hell out 'Kerwin White'. Beat him back into the "if you're not cheating, you're not trying" Chavo Guerrrrrrrrrero.

SummerSlam: The Best PPV of '05? -- by Tanner R. Hardly, but it may just be the WWE PPV of 2005. I mean let's face it, 2005 hasn't exactly been the best year for the WWE. Even WrestleMania was a bit of a letdown, but SummerSlam might be the first REALLY good PPV since One Night Stand. Let's look at the card. Arguably the biggest match in recent history, Shawn Michaels vs. Hulk Hogan will more than likely headline the event. John Cena vs. Chris Jericho is actually starting to look like one of the better matches of the PPV, as the WWE has been building Jericho's heel character very well. We will also most likely see JBL and Batista, and Randy Orton and The Undertaker. If you didn't like the first JBL and Batista, don't expect a great match, because let's face it, they lack in the wrestling department. However, Orton and 'Taker is probably going to be the sleeper hit of the night. Their match at WrestleMania was a good one, and I expect an even better match at SummerSlam (with Orton picking up the victory)

Let's move on to the mid card. Matt Hardy and Edge will definitely be an exiting match, as it will be Hardy's first WWE match in a year. Edge really has the odds stacked against him, and he'll probably be punished by jobbing to Hardy. We shall probably see Kurt Angle and Eugene, but this will probably be lackluster, as Eugene has gotten sloppy in the ring. Mysterio and Guerrero will no doubt be a great one, but the storyline is sooo stupid. I've seen better storylines on Ren and Stimpy. Masters and Big Show will probably be another sloppy mess of a match, and Masters' time is finally up. I expect to see Animal and Heidenreich lose to MNM and Animal will depart. All in all, you have about a four-star card. SummerSlam will be an excellent PPV and everybody who reads this column should buy it on August 21, 2005. This is my first column, so leave your feed back, say your prayers, and eat your vitamins, and I'll see you next time.

Great American Letdown -- by Kevin E. This is my first ever column, and I would like to inform everyone that I am not giving a recap of the Great American Bash. I am just explaining why I believe the Pay-Per-View was a failure before it even went of the air. Last year, The Great American Bash returned, and I was very disappointed. The three title matches were the best on the card. Billy Gunn vs. Kenzo Suzuki was the worst match I have ever seen. 3 other matches were not even announced before the PPV, and the Concrete Crypt match was just plain boring. I was surprised it drew as many buys as it did. On paper, GAB 2005 was a great card. The main event featured World Champion Batista vs. JBL. This match actually helped Triple H. It proved that Triple H could carry Batista to a good match, and that Batista still didn't have enough wrestling skill. The DQ finish was obviously a re-write due to the Undertaker/Hassan match. The U.S Title match had no build up. Absolutely none. Benoit didn't touch Jordan at all before GAB. Road Warrior Animal made a shocking return, but put on a few pounds and didn't look to be wrestling fit. And he and Heidenreich won the tag titles?

Undertaker vs. Muhammad Hassan originally had Hassan winning the match after a Randy Orton run in. However, due to his "terrorist attack" on the Undertaker the day of 7/7, UPN ordered Hassan to be removed from the network. The whole storyline had to be rewritten. Undertaker won the match and ended the Hassan character by delivering a Last Ride to Hassan on the ramp way. Now, it looks like we will see some combination of JBL/Batista/Undertaker at SummerSlam. I will make a bet that Undertaker gets screwed out of the title shot and we see JBL/Batista II. What did has the Great American Bash proved the past two years? You need build up to matches to have good matches. Every match that has little to no build up either sucks or is extremely boring. If you don't believe me, look at some of the worst PPV matches of the past year.

The Reasons Why TNA Will Save Professional Wrestling -- by Joe Mefford 1. Innovation: WWE has decided that they are the top dog so they dont need to do anything new or exciting to keep fans watching, thus begins thier long road of pro wreslting paril. Every single time you watch TNA something you have never seen before happens, and 9 times out of 10 thats a good thing. (let us not speak of the Dusty Rhodes era) TNA goes above and beyond the call of duty to make innovations in moves and matches, sure storylines arent innovated, but neither are WWE's anymore so if TNA has the better product in the ring, then what does that matter? 2. Talent: Every single week, TNA's wrestlers put such a tremendous amount of effort into thier matches that you can see the passion they have for the sport in every movement they make! Anytime you watch an AJ Styles or Alex Shelley match, you just walk away feeling the same passion that the wrestlers themselves have. And they can outwrestle almost anyone on WWE's roster (Kurt Angle and William Regal aside). All WWE's "talent" can do is kick, punch, kick punch, ref bump, finish. Any shlub can wrestle that kind of match, hence the reason that you have "superstars" like Gene Snitsky in main events and great WRESTLERS like Nunzio jobbing on Velocity! 3. Finally, TNA has one thing that WWE hasnt had in quite some time, MOMENTUM. TNA has signed great wrestler after great wrestler, and all the boys are happy backstage, because of open contracts and the freedom work plenty of indy dates if they so choose. Plus they keep getting national retail deals for things like DVD's, toys, and clothing. Thus the reason they are able to hire big time producers for thier TV shows now, and speaking of shows...I've got two words for ya SPIKE TV! And with the excellent six man booking staff behind them, TNA has enough thrust to keep the great momentum that they have, going and going! What does WWE have? Oh thats right, JILLIAN "Moleface" HALL! Oh and dont forget the "Divas" man they can sure hook people in with that stuff, or not! If WWE continues crap like that and trying to make angles for "smart" fans like with Hardy and WWE continues to botch it up every week, they will lose fans. Thats where TNA steps in, they already have a hardcore fanbase, and with national exposure the casual fans will have no choice but to notice.

Why Can't Titleholders Wrestle? -- by Bob Bamber [[email protected]] What do the following have in common? Big Show , Kane , Hardcore Holly , Undertaker. They've all been underestimated in recent months and years. I could add to that list. Benoit, Booker T, Kurt Angle. The first four especially because if in wrestling wasn't scripted those for would most likely come out on or very near the top. Hardcore Holly probably isn't the greatest example but he is extremely tough. Hence the name. But the other three have owned the WWE Title for collectively (In recent years) for about three months. Kane managed 24 hours, Big Show owned it for about six weeks and Undertaker was Undisputed Champ for a bit. You might ask why I'm so bothered. But who do we have as Champions? Batista cant wrestle, John Cena's a rap singer, Orlando Jordan can't wrestle, and Carlito doesn't even have a finisher. Who was the last WWE / World Heavyweight champ who could wrestle? Probably Chris Benoit from Wrestlemania XX. Sure Shelton Benjamin held the Intercontinental Title for quite a while. But he lost it to Carlito. One person who hasn't wrestled since Vengeance is Triple H. He's got about 3 moves. The Pedigree the drop down thing on his knee and probably an Irish whip. JBL. Again. Kane (Or Glen, sorry it's just a great name for the 'Bogeyman') held the title for 24 hours. We could argue forever that he's lost some of the intimidation since he was de-masked. But he could really hold a title. Or at least a shot. Big Show. 7 feet tall. 500 Pounds. He's the last man you want to wrestle. But at the moment he seems to be tag teaming in other people's feuds. He's a great wrestler. Huge and intimidating. Technically he should have the title every week for all eternity. But he always seems to get screwed. In the elimination match. All the other three (JBL, Angle and Booker T) went after him and he was the first eliminated. It doesn't look like he will have a chance in the recent future as he is feuding with the Masterlock Chris Masters. The Undertaker has had a bit more success. He held a lot of titles with brother Kane and was the Undisputed Champion at one point. But he is a very good wrestler. In his match against JBL (The one before the one this week (Randy Orton's debut on SmackDown!) he used the Tombstone and the Last Ride on JBL. JBL kicked out. And Taker lost to a Clothesline from Hell. And a little help from Randy Orton. It's lost its realism because of the fact that all the title holders can't wrestle. We all live in hope for the future. Thanks for Reading.