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Torch Today
TORCH TODAY RECAP 1/7: Every News Item for Wednesday in one handy guide Jan 7, 2009 - 11:55:13 PM
WWE News: TIME Magazine reports on Congressional investigation into pro wrestling
A TIME blogger reported on Sen. Henry Waxman's recent recommendation for further investigation into pro wrestling's handling of potential steroid and drug abuse.
Showing that the priority of the general public seems to be finding out the "secrets" behind the tricks of pro wrestling, the article focuses on WWE admitting in Congressional testimony that performances are scripted, writers are employed, and Hulk Hogan is viewed as a terrible wrestler by Stephanie McMahon.
"But the steroid stuff is not really the most interesting part," Michael Scherer said. "In his effort to rid the nation of steroid abuse, Waxman has incidentally created a great historical treasure trove, one of the most comprehensive pictures ever produced of the fascinating, exhilarating, often-nasty and always-elusive professional wrestling business."
Caldwell's Analysis: Scherer includes the soon-to-be-legendary answer from Stephanie McMahon about Hulk Hogan was, is, and always will be a "terrible wrestler," then trying to back-track to say he was limited to three moves - the "terrible" part - but he knew how to make it work.
But, to the larger point, WWE can pull back the curtain as far as the eye can see and the general public will still be fascinated. There's an inherent disbelief even when WWE and the wrestling business tries to show off what's inside. Maybe they're hiding something still, or maybe there's more illusions behind the apparent items of substance. It's fascinating to see how the mainstream media continues to focus on the tricks, rather than the real issues of steroid and prescription drug abuse.
We're continuing to dive into these documents from Mr. Waxman's office, so continue to look out for more reports, especially on Stephanie McMahon's testimony.
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WWE News: It's back! - WWE launches Vol. 9 of "WWE the Music," including classic themes from Steve Austin and The Rock
For the discerning wrestling fan who wants Great Khali's new babyface entrance music on his or her iPod/CD player/WWE-licensed boom box, the latest installment of "WWE the music" hits retailers on January 27.
Best Buy is including a double-CD package with nine classic WWE themes, including Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H's "Blue Blood" entrance, Ultimate Warrior, and Mr. Perfect.
In addition to Khali's "Land of Five Rivers," included on the original "WWE the Music Vol. 9" CD will be Randy Orton's new theme, Kane's remix, Jack Swagger's "Get on your Knees," and Vladimir Koslov's theme. No, not his theme of silence, but "Pain."
Prior to the Jan. 27 release, WWE will be offering downloadable ringtones. And who doesn't want to hear R-Truth shout, "What's up?" several hundred times a day when the phone rings?
WWE News: Tommy Dreamer lists his 2009 New Year's resolutions, including a lofty championship goal
Tommy Dreamer says he accomplished all of his goals in 2008, which included reading through the entire Bible through a daily Bible devotional. Speaking from personal experience on the dedication required, that's an admirable accomplishment.
For 2009, though, Dreamer is looking toward a WWE ring to accomplish three goals. Although Dreamer hasn't been on ECW TV since the December 9, 2008 episode when Vladimir Koslov beat him up to prevent an "ECW rah-rah" speech, Dreamer isn't shying away from some lofty goals.
Writing in his WWE Universe blog, Dreamer says goal number one is to enter the Royal Rumble later this month. His next goal is to be in the Money in the Bank match at WrestleMania 25.
Finally, his lofty goal is to re-capture the ECW Title, which he held for about 15 minutes in April 2000 for the only ECW Title reign of his career. "Anything else would not be accepted to me," Dreamer said.
Caldwell's Analysis: If Tommy Dreamer were re-built for a program with inevitable ECW champion Jack Swagger, there is a possibility Dreamer could pick up his third goal. Of course, he would need to return to TV after a month-long absence. As for Dreamer's Biblical reading, I've started a devotional book for 2009 written by San Antonio, Tex. pastor Max Lucado titled "Grace For the Moment," which is a morning and night devo with short passages for reflection. A very real way to start and end your day.
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ROH News: Grab your popcorn - first trailer released for ROH's "Rising Above" PPV feat. Nigel vs. Danielson (w/VIDEO)
Dramatic music. Professional cameras. Intense battle between good vs. evil. European uppercuts, cattle mutilation, and top-rope dives?
It's not a traditional movie, but Ring of Honor is selling its first PPV of the year, "Rising Above," like an epic movie scene battle between ROH champion Nigel McGuinness and Bryan Danielson.
Taped in Chicago late last year, ROH's first PPV of the year debuts January 16 on PPV, including DirecTV for the first time.
On display in the movie trailer below is a much crisper and professional feel to the PPV broadcast, including high-angle camera shots of the ring, tighter close-ups of the facial expressions, and better sound.
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WWE News: WWE expanding officially-licensed products to include old-school gadgets aimed at young males
Perhaps there will finally be a camera WWE will allow inside their live events. Usually strict on "no flash photography" at shows, WWE is licensing out its brand name to Digital Blue, which is creating a line of products aimed at young males.
The product line will include "cameras, boom boxes, alarm clocks, music players, and walkie talkies," reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Digital Blue is also working with LEGO for the new product line, which is expected to launch in May. The products will range from $15-80. Sentinel's Stanley A. Miller II reports the products are aimed at "adolescent and teenage boys."
Caldwell's Analysis: Boom boxes? Walkie talkies? I didn't know boom boxes were still around. I'm interested to see how this camera operates, though. A camera coming in under $80 probably won't have too many features. Might be a wind-up box camera that my mom still uses for Christmas pictures.
Other News: New York Yankees bring in new heel pro wrestler, Mark Teixeira, says Boston columnist
Boston Red Sox fans have a new heel they can boo from the New York Yankees, who recently signed free-agent star Mark Teixeira. Boston Herald columnist Sean McAdam says it's just like pro wrestling, with Alex Rodriguez being so five years ago.
"In some ways, it’s a bit more like pro wrestling. And just like in wrestling, the story line evolves, the cast of characters change and new villains emerge," says McAdam. "Enter Mark Teixeira." Link:Boston Herald article.
Teixeira could be thought of as the fresh heel, Randy Orton, and that's not much of a stretch at all. Teixeira was born on April 11, 1980. Orton? April 1, 1980.
The WWE connection certainly doesn't stop there. Going back to 2004, it was the Yankees vs. Red Sox playoff game that WWE blamed for one of the lowest PPV buyrates in company history when the debut Taboo Tuesday PPV went up against Game 6 of the ALCS.
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ROH News: Best 10 minutes of your day - new Video Wire includes Jerry Lynn and Claudio promos (w/VIDEO)
Ring of Honor published its latest Video Wire with news, interviews, and entertaining segments capturing the week in ROH Wrestling. Having watched the last ten Video Wires consecutively, I can safely say this is the best one I've seen from the bunch.
Included this week is a great highlight package on the Bryan Danielson vs. Jerry Lynn singles match from ROH's Final Battle weekend at the end of December, and a sit-down interview with Lynn.
Lynn said during the interview that there have been plenty of times during his career when he felt like quitting wrestling, especially when "it wasn't fun anymore" wrestling for the big two companies (WWE and TNA).
Also included on the Video Wire is one of Claudio Castagnoli's best promos hyping his resurgence in 2009 after being relegated to an opening card act during Final Battle weekend.
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WWE News: First TNA, now WWE could be severely affected by Time Warner Cable
The big financial and media news for today revolves around Time Warner Cable, which grabbed headlines exactly a week ago for the potential of shutting out subscribers from Viacom-owned cable channels. That includes Spike TV, which broadcasts TNA Impact on Thursday nights.
Today, Time Warner Cable announced it will report its first annual loss in six years and write down approximately $25 billion - that's with a "b" - in assets after losing significant value with its cable TV properties.
The Rochester, N.Y. market could be a case study in how WWE's TV viewership will be affected, as Time Warner is jacking up the price of standard cable service, which affects ESPN, USA Network, and Sci-Fi Channel, to help the cable company rebound from a rough economic patch.
"Watching games on ESPN, WWE Raw wrestling bouts on USA Network, or rich-kid antics on MTV's The Hills is about to cost more as Time Warner Cable raises rates for some Rochester-area subscribers but lowers them for others," reports the Democrat & Chronicle.
Caldwell's Analysis: If the cost of simply having cable continues to rise for median-income families, WWE is certainly going to take a hit in the PPV business. And that's a best-case scenario in this economic market. WWE can only hope subscribers in key Time Warner Cable areas don't drop cable TV all together and lose out on Raw, ECW, and the soon-to-be-debuting Superstars on WGN, which will affect WWE's viewership. Time Warner, as the second-leading cable company in the U.S. and ironically the former parent company of the now-defunct WCW, certainly hasn't been doing the wrestling business any favors the past week.
WWE News: John Cena's "12 Rounds" movie poster released here; Analysis of the importance of Cena's movie
WWE Studios's next theatrical release, "12 Rounds," starring John Cena is due out the weekend before WrestleMania on March 27. If you thought the hype for Mr. Kennedy's DVD was in-your-face, you can be assured the hype for WWE World Hvt. champion John Cena's movie will be even more intense.
The movie is WWE's fourth movie overall and the first since the disastrous movie release of Steve Austin's "The Condemned." WWE's marketing of the Austin film was even criticized by chairman Vince McMahon.
Certainly, WWE won't be making the same mistakes this time around. They have two major things going for them this time around: WrestleMania 25 buzz and one of the hottest entertainment stars in the industry.
Released this week was the first movie poster for "12 Rounds" and it features John Cena's name and face prominently on the poster with plugs for the movie's director, Renny Harlin. Cena is displayed in a very similar fashion to Matt Damon from the "Bourne" trilogy of action movies Poster source:sfluxe.com.
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Other News: Why "The Wrestler" was almost scrapped; wrestlers who were used to model Mickey Rourke's character
A wrestling fan moviegoer who watches "The Wrestler" and focuses on Mickey Rourke's lead character as Randy "the Ram" Robinson could probably list 20-50 former wrestlers used to model the wrestling character.
Lex Luger has been the most prominent name used as the model - or template - for the character, and lead script writer Robert Siegel adds a few more names to the list.
"Every wrestler I talked to is kind of in the ballpark of this guy," Siegel told Alfonso Castillo for Newsday. "The guys who are still wrestling today - Tito Santana, Nikolai Volkoff, the Iron Sheik and Jimmy Snuka. Those are all guys who are out there, still on the circuit. They all - some more than others - have money problems. Their bodies are pretty beat up."
Siegel says the Robinson character was a composite of his discussions and interactions with a variety of different wrestlers to pull from the characteristics and hardships of 1980s wrestlers still around today.
"It wasn't intended to be any kind of expose of the treatment of former wrestlers, but having met these guys, their bodies are pretty beat up, and most of them don't have health insurance," Siegel said. "They love this sport. And in some cases, they love this sport more than the sport loves them back."
Siegel also fleshed out some more details on the story behind "The Wrestler" almost being scrapped since director Darren Aronofsky wanted to take a risk on Rourke in the lead role instead of settling for Nicholas Cage, almost causing the movie project to lose financing.
"Mickey was always the guy we wanted," Siegel said. "But when we first started, he was kind of a liability - to financiers, at least. ... And he (Aronofsky) decided that, even if we have no money or next to nothing, we're going to make this with Mickey because it's the right call. It's hard now to imagine anyone else playing that role."
TNA News: Profile of new TNA Knockout appearing on Thursday's Impact against Awesome Kong (w/VIDEO)
Ashley Simmons, better known as Ashley Lane or Lexi Lane, will be debuting on tomorrow night's TNA Impact in a squash match against TNA Knockouts champion Awesome Kong. To continue the Jeopardy rhyme time, she'll be wrestling under the name Madison Rayne.
We'll call her Ashley Lane, which is the name she uses for the SHIMMER women's wrestling promotion. Ashley says she's sent plenty of tapes to TNA for use on Impact, and she was pleased to brought into Orlando for a TV opportunity.
"Working with TNA was by far one of the most amazing experiences of my career and I'd go so far as to say one of the most amazing experiences of my life," Ashley told the Coshocton (Ohio) Tribune. "If the opportunity to return arises, you better believe I will jump on it, without a doubt."
Ashley says there were plenty of familiar faces in the TNA locker room considering many of them have background with SHIMMER prior to being hired by TNA. "I got to meet several of the wrestlers there. Not one time did I feel unwelcome by anyone," said Ashley.
Video Selection below: Ashley in action on the independent scene.
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WWE News: JBL comments on "The Wrestler" movie; describes drug testing performed by WWE through Wellness Policy
Former WWE champion JBL comes from a different era of pro wrestling, much like Mickey Rourke's lead character, Randy "the Ram" Robinson, tries to adapt to a different era during the comeback stage of his career.
JBL is by no means a washed-up former wrestler, especially considering he showed his dedication to the craft by dropping nearly 100 pounds in the past year, but JBL can relate to breaking into the wrestling business in a completely different time period than today's wrestling.
"A lot of people ask me about The Wrestler. I thought it was awesome and extremely well written," JBL said on his WWE Universe blog. "This was the business I broke into many years ago. However, that business has changed - and for the better."
JBL went on to describe the number of tests he's undergone through the WWE Wellness Policy to ensure he's healthy and capable of competing in the ring.
"In the last six months, I have had MRIs, concussion tests, HIV test, trauma test, drug test, and even my cholesterol tested - which was the only one I failed," JBL said. "This business in WWE is really a corporate environment these days - it has changed for the better. I am glad for my old days, I wouldn’t change a thing. But the WWE has done so much to clean up the abuse that the business as I knew it was so known for."
He then added to his thoughts on "The Wrestler," saying he "loved the movie" even though he perceived that the film included many negative stereotypes throughout the movie.
"Even with all the negative stereotypes in the movie, this was a part of what I did to get to WWE and it was fun to watch," JBL said. "A little scary to watch, but fun."
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AND NEW FOR 2009! Monthly "Vintage Audio Torch Talks." We are releasing for the first time ever audio versions of our text Torch Talk updates, the historical first series of insider interviews ever. Wade Keller's newsmaking in-depth interviews with wrestling's biggest names are now being made available exclusively to VIP members. But you must be a member each month, as these are not archived, so they are replaced with a new one each month! This debuted in January 2009 with a 68 minute interview with the late "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith. Who's next? Hulk Hogan? Eric Bischoff? The Rock? Goldberg? Jeff Hardy?
