Pain Tolerance - January 10
 
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Welcome back to the first Pain Tolerance of this week. Expect two more columns this week, Wednesday night, and Friday night. Now, let’s just jump into the column today, I’ve got lots to talk about. Firstly, I’d just like to say thanks for all the feedback from last week’s column. With the controversy of the Rock/Xwrestling saga, and the main topic being racism. I have never gotten as much feedback on one subject. Nearly everyday I logged on the email piled in. However, I think I have a few things to clear up on this subject. Last night ECW had their first pay-per-view of the new year, and the first of the new year. I was doing live play by play on the LoP news board last night, and I must say, I’ve never had to type so fast, ECW wrestlers sure as hell can work! A few nights ago, I popped in one of my old, but one of my favorite home videos, Bret Hart’s behind the scenes video of the "swerve" that sent him packing, I thought I’d add new segment to Pain Tolerance, titled Flash Back. I asked for predictions of how the Tori/Kane angle would play out, I’ll be posting a few of those, and some of them you won’t even believe. I also asked for all of you to pick a failed gimmick of the week, in ECW. I only got one response regarding that subject, I guess you all were busy emailing me about Tori/Kane and the Rock controversy. Finally, this week’s WWF Failed Gimmick of the Week.

Starting off, a lot of the emails I received agreed with my views of the Rock on this subject of controversy. However, I did have a few disagreeing readers, and then a few that didn’t believe I knew the difference between The Rock, and Duane Johnson. I believe, if you can’t understand that the Rock is not how Duance Johnson really acts, then you need to get to the doctor’s office for a cat scan, stat. Some of you stated that the Rock is a character on TV, and when he comments on the crowd, or ladies or the other wrestlers, he's "in character." Well, if I’m not mistaken, xwrestling.com, is a parody wrestling site, with posters like the name like the nick name WDB, "World's Drunkenest Bastard" shouldn’t you automatically not take this site or writer for real? WDB isn't a character? For some of you that emailed me stating that you thought I didn’t know what I'm talking about, because I'm miss informed on this whole subject. Well, I have a few questions for you’s. Are you stating that you know everything that went down? You know WDB out of character, you've read multiple posts of his, to get his character down pat? I don’t think even one of you could answer "yes" to each of those questions. Next up, a few of you stated that I am a loyal reader of xwrestling, and that my answer and opinion is biased. Well, I've only been watching wrestling, and specifically the WWF for nearly 13 years, yet have only been visiting xwrestling for a year and a half. I don’t see how I could be more loyal or lean towards xwrestling, when all they are is a sub-version of wrestling, while I have grown up watching wrestling. 

Moving on, some of you questioned whether or not the Rock’s phrases where racist or not. Well, no they really aren’t racist, however, the Rock stating poontang pie, or calling a woman a skank, may be sexist but not racist. However, now that I think about it, I do recall the Rock calling his opponents, white or black,
A piece of Monkey Crap. It may not be as blatant as calling someone of color, a monkey, but if the Rock thinks being called a monkey, how is him calling his opponent monkey crap all right? The monkey comment was made when WDB called Mark Henry a monkey, I believe.  However, that type of message has been on WWF television. Also, I remember a WWF announcer calling Farooq, a darkie? As well, I remember a certain time when The Rock, was apart of an ALL BLACK, stable called the Nation.  Yes, Owen Hart did join, and of course Owen was not black, but white. But still what did the Hart Foundation and The Nation feud over? Racist remarks. I’m going to leave it at that. Hopefully that clears up everything and puts an end to that topic, because over the past week, I’ve really grown tired of this racisim controversy.

Now, instead of just running down the card giving out opinions, and boring the hell out of most of you, I thought I’d just talk right about the card instead of match by match. Firstly, I never really appreciated the hard work ethic of the ECW wrestlers until last night. I was always amazed at their guts and abilities, but I never really appreciated the full context of an ECW show. One match that really disappointed me was the Angle/New Jack hardcore match. Does ECW really need a specific hard core designed match? Why even bother building up the match as a gangster of the street match? The shots that both men took were gutsy and even amazing, but I found that, that specific match really brought the drama and adrenaline rush of the card, down a notch. New Jack, sure he has a unique look, gets a huge pop, and amuses the fans, but honestly, I want to see some competitive wrestling or even fighting. New Jack was just prancing around the ring, picking and choosing his weapon of choice. It doesn’t take much skill to do what New Jack did last night, just some stupidity and a bit of knowledge as to how to use the weapons. Pick up sign, hit man with sign. Climb up balcony, jump off balcony. Compare that to a match like Rob Van Dam Vs. Sabu where it was totally competitive, and got the fans blood rushing. Speaking of RVD Vs. Sabu, I have spoken to a few friends who have seen ECW for a few years or so, and they all stated that Sabu Vs. RVD was boring, or repetitive. For me, it was pretty exciting since it was my first time seeing these guys work a long match. Not to mention, I had a helluva a time keeping up with the play by play for this match. These two would be on their tenth move of the match, and I was on number four, typing like a mad man to catch up. The Main Event really surprised me, not so that Spike can take bumps, but the way they worked the match. I still don’t think Spike should of been in the main event for the title, and I think the buy rate of the pay-per-view, will show. 

Time to see if all of you ECW crazed followers are true to your word. All I have heard since ECW has came on TNN, is that Paul Heyman is this best booker in the world, and that he has the best story lines. My answer? What story lines. I have not seen an INTERESTING story line come out of ECW since they came to TNN. The only story or angle that has actually even been used as far as I can see, is this Spike/Awesome one, which was way to rushed. I will admit, ECW is the best out of the top 3 for wrestling quality, but as far as story lines, WWF has ECW beat in that department, and honestly that’s why WWF is over flowing with new coming fans. 

Now, to this week’s Flashback. As I stated earlier, I was watching The Bret Hart documentary of his last few months in the WWF, and how he was forced out. When you think about it, whether your a Bret Hart fan or not, his release really opened the gates in the WWF, to explore a new brand of entertainment. McMahon knew that he could not get Bret to come accustomed to the new type of "attitude" in the WWF, so whether you think it’s a shrewd move, he got the ball rolling by trimming the fat so to speak. With Hart out of the way, Vince set out with DX on top against the up and coming Steve Austin, which lead to the huge money maker, Vince McMahon Vs. Steve Austin. Some people criticize McMahon for his business attitude, but you have to admit, it got him back to number one again. Maybe when the nation stated "By any means necessary", they were really relaying Vince’s message. 

Predictions for Tori/Kane, here are just a few. 

[email protected]
Ok the Kane and Tori angle is pretty gay but this is what i think they should do with it. They should play it out for about another 2-3 months at the most with tori telling Kane to beat the shit out of everyone ranging from hardcore holly to the Rock. After that Kane will find out what she has been doing.  I think by a Paul Bearer return in which he will take his son back.  Paul Bearer and Kane will kidnap Tori and try to put her in her place. But who will come to her aid??? None  other than X-pac.  Xpac and DX will attack Kane and who will come to his aid??? None other than the Taker.  Kane and Taker will be top Heels in the WWF. Dx and Triple H will turn Face and that i think would be a kickass angle. In the end however Kane will get just deserts on Tori by throwing her off a bridge and she will never be seen on tv 
again!
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This next one just was too hilarious not to post. I think that this reader should apply for a writer position with some soap opera show.
[email protected]
If I were to book the kane/tori thing, I’d have her pregnant which is the whole reason she hates/is afraid of men... she doesn't know who fathered her baby... she explains she didn't spend the weekend with x-pac but some other superstar and she can't remember the night(it was a drunken mistake!)... meanwhile kane is champion and is distraught, but still stands by his woman... feud with the taker cause it all points to him... when tori has the child, kane is upset cause he still doesn't know and kidnaps the child and disappears... the title is vacant... tori begs for help until the man, ric flair returns for his son... takes title, too in a tournament with a little help from tori... kane comes back and destroys flair... kane is heel champion with "his" son(he's mental now again...) feuds with flair with tori turning on flair to recreate their family... I dunno... lots of drama, but i think it would be entertaining... especially with flair in the mix...

Now, to the one and only ECW Failed Gimmick of the Week sent in by [email protected]
The only bad (and I mean, bad) gimmick in ECW the last two weeks would have to be Spike Dudley.  I just do not buy his "Giant Killer" gimmick with Mike Awesome.  Sure it worked with Bam Bam and One Man Gang. But, that was on the spur of the moment.  Having Spike 'acid drop' Awesome every week, after Awesome destroys somebody that would give Spike snot bubbles just loses the effect.  Plus, throwing in parts where Awesome made Spike's girlfriend cough up blood is stupid.  I also have to say his interview before the pay-per-view was babble some, tiresome and a change-the-channel-some quality speech.  That was about it.

Before I wrap this column up, I have one thing left to do, the WWF Failed Gimmick of the Week. The Godfather! Right off the bat, a lot of you are asking your selves, the Godfather gimmick is just, to show case some T&A. For sure. But, the WWF could do a lot better way then of showcasing it with a guy that can’t wrestle an interesting match if his life depended on it. If they aren’t going to put much emphasis on his wrestling ability, don’t put him in the main event of Heat, week after week. The past few weeks have been great, since they are building up small feuds, most recently, Gangrel and Godfather have been feuding over Luna. Great angle, but as soon as he gets in the ring to wrestle, he stinks the joint up. Get him a some actual wrestling ring wear, get him in the gym to tone up, and get him back in a wrestling school to learn some wrestling. Instead of, kick kick, whip, ho-train, pimp drop. Done. Just really makes the fans lose interest. 

Now, the column is finished, but I’m still typing? Yes. If you haven’t noticed, Pain Tolerance is hosted by Lordsofpain, and top-rope, well after tonight, Pain Tolerance will be exclusive to Lordsofpain.net, I have decided that in best interest for the column, it would be more of an asset to keep it to one site. I would like to invite all my top-rope readers to continue checking out top-rope, but to check out Pain Tolerance over at LoP. To the top-rope staff and owners, I would like to say I’m grateful for the exposure, and best of luck in the future.