Falls Count Anywhere

04-29-03

I am awash in a sea of ennui.

Welcome to Falls Count Anywhere. My name is Chris, and I hope my Dad is reading this.

RAW
Not great, but better than most offerings over the last few months. When are they going to get things back on track?

Jericho is getting his own interview segment…good for him. Using the fight between Goldberg and Jericho as a way to build heat for the segment was a good touch. Christian coming out was a nice way to keep up his rub.

The show is feeling more and more like WCW, though, as there was certainly a Nitro vibe running through the opening. I love the Highlight Reel logo in the corner.

The Morley vs. Hurricane match was good for what it was. I really liked the mocking spots that the two traded early. It reminded me of Michinoku Pro undercard stuff from the mid-90s. I like Morley, and Hurricane is one of my favorites.

Please stop these two minute challenges. I still think that Theodore R. Long's commentary is one of the best things about Raw. I also liked the Red, Black, and Green balloon drop to celebrate Jazz's win.

Flair and HHH take on RVD and Kane in a match that I can't figure out. I didn't really care much about the match, though I did appreciate the quality of the work. HHH is getting back in form, and I think that Flair is helping him get back on track. I am guessing it's just the fact that it felt like 1994 ECW shows when Shane Douglas would team with Mr. Hughes instead of defending his belt on big ECW Arena shows and I would always fast forward to the next match. Nash comes out with a sledgehammer to distract HHH and allow the RVD to hit his frogsplash for the win. Nash HHH is comin' down the pipe. You can think of other things that go down pipes to get my opinion of this feud.

I should point out that the Boston crowd is only so-so.

Steiner got busted within the first minute of the Test/Steiner against Nowinski/Rico match. Almost as bad as when Flair started bleeding during an interview. The match wasn't good, and the crowd realized it. Hey, the Frogs come down and take on Steiner. I am awash in a sea of ennui.

Booker T beat Christian in a decent little match. Goldberg's new program is lame, but it was an awesome spear to Rosie on the outside.

Hey, Trish and Bischoff had a match that sucked and went nowhere. Who would have thought? Trish was at .8 Victorias on the HOTHOTHOT meter this week. Jazz was at -3.

What?

And Austin is back. It's a good role for him, so he can still be involved, give stunners, and talk trash without risking injury. He's the one that's gonna have to pull RAW out from the doldrums, and he could probably do it. How long before they convince to put it all on the line and take on Goldberg?

All in all, a better than average show. I don't like most of the backstage stuff they seem set on doing, but the in-ring has been OK. The HHH vs. Nash feud that seems to be boiling is going to kill whatever heat is left in HHH, unless they book it very smart.

News
Rey didn't get a concussion, but did hurt his wrist. He'll be out for a few weeks, though that had been the plan even before the match took place.

There was some sort of Womyn's group protesting the treatment of said sex at RAW last night.

Ray Mendoza, father of the Villanos and the figurehead Commissioner of Mexican wrestling passed away last week. He was one of the true Lucha greats, and one of the top stars who never wore a mask.

FlashBack!
When I found that lot in Hollywood, I knew that I would need to get some of the material I found out to the masses. Examples of 1960s wrestling journalism are fairly rare; in fact, it's easier to find things from the 30s than the 60s. Wrestling fan publications of the same time frame are even more scarce.

Here, I am reprinting a classic story from The Mummy Monthly, DEC-JAN 1964/65, Vol. 1/No. 2., complete with all the errors, emphasis points, and stuff I think is wrong, but can't prove.

Freddy Blassie Meets the Mummy
By Jeff Walton

This is not the mummy.

7,500 people filled the Olympic Auditorium on the night of January 8, 1964 to the see the MUMMY meet WWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP, Freddy Blassie. The crowd was restless as the Mummy entered the ring first. Then came the fearless Freddy as the boos grew louder. Hate filled the MUMMYS eyes as he looked over the champ. Blassie started for the Mummy before the bell only to be caught by the ref. This was to be a one fall to a finish wrestling match. Blassie held the upper hand in the match for the first five minutes. Then Blassie bit the Mummy in his thigh. The Mummy went wild threw Blassie into the ropes. Then the Mummy bit Blassies forehead. Blassie was stunned. He got to his feet only to be caught in the Mummy's vice like grip. The Mummy then took his fingers and dug them into the champs sides. Blassie let out a scream. Then the Mummy bit Fred in the side. The fans wanted blood and they didn't care WHOSE. The Mummy was all set to finish Blassie in his "DEATH RATTLE" when the champ hit the masked man low. The Mummy went Down. Blassie crawled in for the pin only to be met with a foot in the face. The Mummy then body slammed Fred and Fred did the same to the Mummy. Then both men start running across the ring in a razzle dazzle move. The Mummy stopped to catch Blassie, but was to slow and both men bumped heads and were out cold. The fans yelled for the men to get up, but both were real tired. Then the Mummy stood up and fell on the champ. But it was too late the bell had sounded. The Mummy wanted five more minutes, while Blassie took his belt and slipped through the ropes. The refs decision was a DRAW.

The fan publications were the 1960s answer to the fan sites of today. Most had little connection with the stars themselves, except to have maybe gotten a hand slap as he entered the ring. Fan clubs were set up for almost every wrestler back in those days, so everyone would have a little newsletter.

There were dozens of groups for better known wrestlers (like Blassie, Dick the Bruiser, or Buddy Rogers) and they would sometimes hold conventions. This is exactly like today, when websites will be set up to praise an individual, gain a following, and occasionally get together.

The article shows one very important thing: how far wrestling reporting has come. The story of the match is told completely without entering into the arena of kayfabe, the wrestling version of Omerta. The author may have no idea that it is all a work, or at least is willing to push those feelings far enough down that they can write about matches as if they were real.

Everyone today is so busy trying to show the depths of their understanding of the reality of wrestling that articles like this never see the light of day.

Still, I think I'd rather read old editions of Chairshots than this guy.

Thanks for reading another Falls Count Anywhere. More next time, with a special look at Texas.

Chris Garcia