Every Tuesday and Friday we give you the scoop on what's happening in and out of the wrestling ring. Somedays it's even funny!

Proud member of the L.W.O

Chairshots
2-5-02

Raw Thoughts
In years to come the 2/4/02 edition of Raw will be a distant memory. It will not go down as the greatest Raw of all time or even one of the top 100 Raws of all time. However, two key things happened that could have a huge impact on the wrestling industry and its storylines.

For the first time, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Hulk Hogan were mentioned by name and their faces were shown on the Titan-Tron as being the members of the NWO that are returning to the WWF. Not a big deal to us internet fans, but to the casual fans at home it confirms that the WWF isn't planning on bringing in some NWO knockoffs. These are the real deal and it should generate casual fans' curiosity. That's the first step to winning back those casual fans that the WWF started to lose two years ago.

Second, in the midst of their marital problems, Stephanie McMahon announced that she is pregnant. Almost immediately after, the live crowd began chanting "bulls***", which is exactly what I was thinking.

Pregnancy and wrestling don't mix. Wrestling fans usually aren't very receptive to the pregnancy (because it proves that we are really just watching glorified soap operas), but also the writers inevitably take the storyline somewhere we don't want to go. Terri claimed that she was pregnant with Val Venis's baby but then faked a miscarriage when he started to suspect her lie. Miss Hancock (Stacy Keibler) also claimed she was pregnant with David Flair's baby, but in the end it turned out to be Buff Bagwell's. I'm not actually sure how that one ended because WCW was dying then and just grasping at straws. 500 year old Mae Young had sex with 500 pound Mark Henry in order to conceive their child, but in the end she wasn't pregnant. She just had a large (white) rubber hand up her vagina (Vince Russo booking at its finest).

I think it's safe to say that the "Little Game" (Game Boy?) will never see the light of day. It's just the next step in Steph's turn on HHH.

There were a few other interesting things that happened on Raw. Goldust revealed that he's been stalking Rob Van Dam all this time. That came out of left field for me since Goldust claimed that it was someone from his past and he and RVD have no past together. Maybe the WWF will invent one. Rock vs. Undertaker and Triple H vs. Kurt Angle were both matches that were made for No Way Out. Logical booking, but stuff we've seen before. I'd expect Edge vs. Regal to be added to the card for the third straight pay-per-view.

I guess that, if anything, last night's Raw proved that there is nothing new in wrestling. At least we already saw the return of the Gobbledy Gooker two years ago.

NWO on Smackdown?
Kevin Nash and Hulk Hogan and Scott Hall are all in Los Angeles today, the site of the WWF Smackdown taping. All three men are staying at the same hotel as the rest of the WWF crew and Scott Hall in particular has been very open about interacting with fans. Hogan and Nash have apparently been keeping a lower profile. Current WWF plans are to have the trio debut at No Way Out (Sarah, can I watch at your house?) but I guess anything can happen between now and then. Maybe they are just hanging out in the locker room to get an idea of whose career they will squash.

Ratings
Last week's Smackdown scored a 3.9 broadcast rating which is down from last week's 4.2. Raw rating is not available yet.

Ross Report
The following items are highlights of Friday's Ross Report.

Undertaker continues to work through his lower back injury.

Steve Blackman is currently having his neck examined by Dr. Joel Youngblood in San Antonio, Texas. Rhyno and Chris Benoit are both scheduled to visit Youngblood today also.

Perry Saturn has been working through shoulder and lower back pain. (Perry Saturn has been working?)

Taka Michinoku is expected to receive a doctor's release in mid-February.

Tiger Ali Singh will be out until Mid-March. (Does anyone care?)

Steve Austin is taping Fox's "Mad TV" this week in Los Angeles. He's also been suffering from the flu.

Lita is going to the MTV Asia Awards in Singapore.

Ross put over Chris Jericho by writing: "Chris Jericho just keeps getting better and better, and is damn sure no transitional champion. This young man can get it done." (He's so screwed when the NWO arrive.)

Big Show is taping a Stacker 2 weight loss commercial, which Ross says, "should evoke plenty of ribbing." (Should J.R. be making fat jokes?) X-Pac is scheduled to work Heartland Wrestling Association matches beginning Feb. 11, but will return to regular WWF shows "in a few weeks." (He will clearly be the fourth member of the NWO, but his name in the NWO was Syxx. Oh, the continuity headache.)

The WWF will be holding a tryout camp in Cincinnati, Ohio. on Feb. 16-23 "for about a dozen men and women."

Ross put over the WWF tribute video. "I'll bet Eric Bischoff never thought he would appear on a Federation tribute video." Ross also posed an interesting question: "Does anyone else feel there is a market for classic tapes from the Federation and WCW? We have some mat gold in our 'vaults' in Stamford." (Duh.)

Chyna in WWA
Chyna (I refuse to call her Joanie Laurer from now on) commented on the rumors of her joining WWA. "The CEO of the WWA has been quoted in at least one recent interview as saying that I am signing with the WWA for a return to professional wrestling. This is completely false. I have no plans or interest in joining the WWA. I have not had any discussions with that organization at all. While I wish that organization the best of luck in its endeavors, I will not be a part of them. I thought it best to put this issue to rest immediately. I am very excited about where my career is headed right now." She's very excited about where her career is heading? Last week I quoted her as saying, "It's difficult to get people (casting agents) to see me." Maybe she's happy her career is in the toilet. Don't get me wrong though; I'd still nail her.

Chyna in Lace
Speaking of nailing her..Chyna will be one of the models for the Lane Bryant lingerie show this today. The show will feature other has-been celebrity models of generous proportion, including Anna Nicole Smith. KISS will perform live at the event, which will be held in New York City.

Quickies

The 3/4 Raw will have a very thin roster for the evening. Several wrestlers will be on tour in Asia and will miss the live show from Austin, Texas. Those on tour include Chris Jericho, Ric Flair, The Rock, Edge, Test, The Dudley Boyz, Tajiri, Funaki, Haku, The Big Show, DDP, Kane, Billy & Chucky, The Hardy Boyz, Lita, Mighty Molly, The Hurricane, Stacy Keibler, and Kidman. Guess that will be a big show for Steve Austin (it's his home town), Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Triple H and the NWO.

Bradshaw (John Layfield) of the A.P.A. has an upcoming book on financial planning and investment that he's co-authoring with Cody Monk. Bradshaw has a long reputation of being a financial wiz and has been a guest on some investment shows. It is the first book of the WWF's new publishing contract. Release date should be "soon," according to Bradshaw. Rumored title is "An Acolyte's Guide to Retirement."

Canadian viewers will have to stay up late for the next two weeks to catch Raw. The show will shown starting at midnight due to Olympic coverage on TSN. RAW gets pre-empted again on 3/4 for hockey. Poor Canucks.

Bill Goldberg and Chris Jericho were both a part of the Celebrity Challenge associated with the NHL All-Star Weekend. Goldberg was the guest coach for one team and Jericho played on the other team. The two displayed no animosity towards each other despite the rumors that Goldberg killed a Jericho mini-push back when both were in WCW. Actually, they co-operated on a little angle during the third period of the game. Jericho, playing a cocky heel at all times during the affair, got into a war of words with referees, leading up to Goldberg coming off his bench to hoist Jericho off the ice and into the penalty box. Jericho should have bit Goldberg in the ear.

Before I go today, I'd like all you readers out there to email me a list of your top three favorite tag teams of all time. Call it research for Friday's Book It. Click on my name below to send me an email. Thanks. Until Friday...

Michael Goodson