ktc

Dueling Chair Shots
by Kurt La Mont
column date 05/08/2000

In case you don't do so already, be sure to check out Lance Storm's weekly column at StormWrestling.com. This week he discussed whether wrestlers should be tested for drugs. In a nutshell he basically said that wrestlers who take drugs aren't hurting anybody, they're just making them bigger, stronger, faster, etc...

Now I don't disagree with the argument that he made. If someone wants to take a drug that makes them bigger, stronger, and/or faster that's their prerogative. Most people know the consequences of drugs in this day and age.

However, what I think Lance failed to comment on in his column are the effects that drugs (recreational more so than 'performance enhancing' drugs) can have in the ring, not only on the person taking them, but also on the person they are working with. If a drug effects the ability of a wrestler, he is putting himself and his opponent at risk. Wrestling is a relatively high-risk occupation to start with. Adding in a variable such as drugs only heightens that risk. And this is where I think the "if wrestlers should be tested all entertainers should be tested" theory fails since most other entertainers don't have to put their trust into someone else's hands.

I don't think I'd want to take a 'high risk' move from someone I know doesn't have a clear head. The margin for error is small in a lot of cases to begin with. I don't necessarily think that drug testing of wrestlers should be mandatory, but if I'm a wrestler I would want to know that the wrestler I'm working with has a clear head.

Hardcore Heaven '00 Preview

Bad News: HH less than one week away from the show and there are only 3 announced matches. Good News: This is one more match than we usually know at this time.

ECW World Heavyweight Championship

Justin Credible v. Tommy Dreamer v. Lance Storm

I don’t expect to see a title change here. Justin Credible is the future of ECW and it looks like the future is now. While Dreamer is the sympathic face I expect him to be eliminated first. I have two reasons for this. The first is that Storm and Credible have a better storyline than Dreamer and Credible. JC turned his back on Storm, his former tag team partner and on top of that Storm trained JC up in Calgary, .......Alberta, Canada so he should also feel that he is the superior wrestler. The second reason is that JC and Storm can have a much better match than Dreamer and either one of the others. I’d be shocked if Storm picked up the win here unless it was done for shock value with Storm potentially leaving. But that’s been done before recently with the Dudley Boys so I don’t see it here. Look for JC to enter and leave HH with the belt with the assistance of Francine.

ECW TV Title

Rhino v. Sandman

I see the same thing happening in this match as I see in the World Title Match. A heel winning to bring up his credibility with a newly won belt. This will be the third straight PPV that I’m picking Rhino over the Sandman. With a little bit of luck we might actually see the match this time around. I see Rhino winning after the Sandman sacrifices himself while trying to save his wife for Rhino.

Jerry Lynn v. Rob Van Dam

I can’t see this match enough. I’ll probably even watch a few of their matches from last year as an appetizer before HH. As always between these two there is the potential for a classic match. However, I don’t see the wrestling matching up to the matches last year. With both coming off of injuries lately I’d be surprised if they have a long match (20+ minutes). I also expect this to be more of an angle driven match. I believe that Lynn will make a full heel turn and defeat Van Dam with help from The Network and Scotty Anton. There’s a reason Joey says Anton is Van Dam’s best friend 57 times a show. Because he’s turning on Van Dam as well. I sensed this at Cyberslam. After Lynn shoved Anton down and flipped Van Dam off Van Dam turned to Anton in disbelief that he would be flipped off and didn’t care what happened to Anton. It was small, it was subtle, it wasn’t on TV but I think the Anton turn was in the works then. While I would have liked to see a clean, legitimate win (at least in wrestling terms) by Lynn over Van Dam for the TV title I guess I’ll settle for this.

Other Matches?

The rumor going around is that Jedo and Gado (or is it Jado and Gedo? or some other combination? Only Lance Storm knows for sure) will wrestle Crazy and Tajiri on the show. Hopefully that occurs as it would be, in the words of Cyrus, tremendous.

I think a Tanaka v. Raven matchup could be tremendous as well.

There’s also the obligatory let’s get everyone in ECW on the PPV match where 15 wrestlers work there way into one mass of mini matches. Would it be that difficult to have a legitimate story going with the undercard guys? I realize TNN is only an hour show and most people don’t turn into see the DA against Doring & Roadkill but at least have something going for the undercard guys on Hardcore TV that can build and culminate at a PPV. This is one of Paul E’s bigger flaws, his ability to elevate the undercard wrestlers. Sure you have a few guys who have broken through (Corino and Rhino) but nearly everyone else stays at the same level they came in at. Think about it, have Chetti and Nova (2 exceptional talents) really been elevated over the last 2 years? Not by Paul E, they’ve only really made their way up the ladder in ECW because of the number of people that have left. It’s not their fault, they’ve just not been given the oppurtunity to take the ball and run with it.

So in light of the lack of announced matches I will announce some matches myself that would be interesting using the Vince Russo booking method. Anyone that has heat with someone else will be put in a match together, preferably a gimmick match.

#1 - The Kat v. Mystery Internet Columnist in a ‘Dance Off’ match

#2 - G. Ward v. Taz in a ‘Welcome Back’ match (this could be the showstealer in my mind)

#3 - ‘The Franchise’ Frank Romeo v. Judge Jeff Jones in a ‘Table Setup Match’ - I look for a no contest when The Original Cyber Gangster, New Jack Misnik comes down and clears house

#4 - and the Main Event........Sandman v. New Jack in a Last Man Standing match. I guess the Sandman will have to work double duty on Sunday.

Wow, with my ability to book ECW I’ll be able to land a job with XPW. XPWnews.com already contacted me about doing a column. I have all the qualifications they’re looking for: I do a ECW column. I’m holding out for the big bucks though.

That’s it for this week. Check back a week from now to see my Harcore Heaven review.