Post by CandyKANE on Feb 23, 2003 12:29:08 GMT -5
Confidential Report for 2/22/2003.
Recorded at the WWE TV Studios in Stamford, CT.
Your Host: Mean Gene Okerlund.
Gene welcomes us in with his customary quick howdy before getting to work. First order of business for the night: Our ‘Cover Story’, a tribute to former WWE star Curt ‘Mr. Perfect’ Hennig, who passed away suddenly last week at the age of 44.
Gene provides a brief early career overview. After high school, Curt passed on collegiate scholarships for football, basketball and wrestling to enter the professional wrestling biz, following in the footsteps of his dad Larry ‘The Ax’ Hennig. He got his start in the AWA, where in 1986 he and Scott Hall became the promotions Tag Team Champions. On the origins of the Mr. P. moniker-in 1988, Curt had a meeting with Vince McMahon, who asked him to describe his high school athletic career. Curt simply responded, “Perfect.”
Gene describes Curt as a man liked by all who was also ‘a hell of a lot of fun to be around’.
We hear from Shawn Michaels, who remembers his first thoughts on being notified of Curt’s passing: ‘How and why?’
Raw GM Eric Bischoff describes being in numbed shock on being notified, due to Curt’s youth, healthiness and positive attitude.
Ric Flair simply describes Curt as a man at peace with himself, a happy family man satisfied with his home life and career.
WWE Agents Fit Finlay and Gerald Briscoe praise Curt as a ‘natural’ who constantly did ‘the right thing’, due to his upbringing within the business.
Edge: Curt was ‘the whole package’. More from the Nature Boy; in a business where plenty of guys have loads of charisma but no athletic ability, or vice versa, Curt had both.
Footage rolls of Curt defeating The Texas Tornado (the late Kerry Von Erich) for the Intercontinental Championship on 11/19/90. Smackdown announcer Tazz feels Curt was a great IC champ who helped to legitimize the title.
WWE Agent Bruce Prichard feels Curt’s battles with Shawn Michaels over the IC strap were some of the greatest matches of all time. Shawn mentions Curt was the one who dubbed him the ‘Heartbreak Kid’ during his stint as a color commentator. He feels the nickname helped him establish an identity as a singles wrestler after emerging from the tag team ranks.
Steve Lombardi (AKA The Brooklyn Brawler) describes Curt as an unforgettable character. More from Ric Flair: Even on his worst day, Curt could get him laughing behind the scenes.
Cruiserweight Champion Billy Kidman: Wonders if Curt EVER had a bad day.
Tazz delves into Curt’s reputation as a practical joker. Brawler remembers finding mice present in his pockets, courtesy of Mr. P. He later found out all the boys backstage had met similar treatment.
Sgt. Slaughter (like Curt a Minnesota native) remembers a quote from his friend: “You can always tell a man from Minnesota, but you can’t tell him much.”
We move on to another Minnesota native, Brock Lesnar. He starts to talk about his closeness to Curt, his rarely seen serious side and his love…Brock pauses and takes a moment to compose himself as a picture of Curt with his family fills the screen. Brock continues, remembers Curt as a person who loved to talk about his wife and kids.
Referee Earl Hebner remembers Curt ‘a fine, big-hearted person who’d probably do anything in the world he could for you’.
Bruce Prichard feels Curt will be remembered for his sense of humor, his athletic ability and his personality, but most of all for his love for his family.
Home video footage rolls of Curt with his wife and kids.
Ric Flair ends the segment, refers to Curt’s phenomenal life, simply reckons ‘he’s not upset right now’. Break.
(Commentary: Real good segment.)
Back, Gene presents a segment on Lita. We’re reminded that she’s been out of action due to (a non-WWE related) neck injury since last summer. Lita admits she underwent a serious bout with depression following surgery, feeling herself ‘useless’. She’s been pulling herself together recently, seems doing volunteer work at the Moore County Animal Center (presumably in her home state of North Carolina) has helped out quite a bit in re-establishing her self-esteem. Workers at the center put over Lita’s efforts to the hilt-one remembers her struggling to clean out floor-level cat cages due to her neck brace. Lita admits to her favorite part of the job-scooping poop. Worst part-understandably, the necessity to euthanize non-adopted animals.
Lita describes her work at the center as the only positive side of her injury. More praise from the workers follows, they look forward to seeing Lita back on TV. Break.
WWE Rewind: From the Smackdown of 3/28/2002, the Acolytes Protective Agency closes its doors for the last time.
Gene returns-OK, this appears kind of interesting! Seems an APA reunion (of sorts) has already taken place. The former Acolytes, Bradshaw and Ron Simmons (Faarooq no longer, it seems) have shot a pilot for-their own FISHING show? Working title of the show looks to be ‘Bikinis, Beer & Bass with Bradshaw and Ron Simmons’. Footage from the pilot airs, cute gal named Nikki serves as the ‘Lure Babe’. Beers are consumed, stogies burn, Nikki is ogled, angling is done as an afterthought. Bradshaw and Ron put over their love of the outdoors, controversy seems to exist as to who is the show’s central character. Bradshaw ends the segment, states he hopes the show gets picked up by a major network. Break.
(Commentary: Sure this whole ‘show’ is a work, but if not I’m claiming recap duties if it gets picked up.)
Business picks up when Gene returns, we go back to a subject discussed in depth a few weeks ago, the legendary ‘4 Horsemen’ (Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson and Tully Blanchard). Gene reminds us that each member had a specific role, Tully serving as ‘ring technician’. Gene rather ominously states that Tully’s quest for perfection in the ring didn’t carry over into his personal life-we’re informed a failed drug test in 1989 led to the end of his career.
Recorded at the WWE TV Studios in Stamford, CT.
Your Host: Mean Gene Okerlund.
Gene welcomes us in with his customary quick howdy before getting to work. First order of business for the night: Our ‘Cover Story’, a tribute to former WWE star Curt ‘Mr. Perfect’ Hennig, who passed away suddenly last week at the age of 44.
Gene provides a brief early career overview. After high school, Curt passed on collegiate scholarships for football, basketball and wrestling to enter the professional wrestling biz, following in the footsteps of his dad Larry ‘The Ax’ Hennig. He got his start in the AWA, where in 1986 he and Scott Hall became the promotions Tag Team Champions. On the origins of the Mr. P. moniker-in 1988, Curt had a meeting with Vince McMahon, who asked him to describe his high school athletic career. Curt simply responded, “Perfect.”
Gene describes Curt as a man liked by all who was also ‘a hell of a lot of fun to be around’.
We hear from Shawn Michaels, who remembers his first thoughts on being notified of Curt’s passing: ‘How and why?’
Raw GM Eric Bischoff describes being in numbed shock on being notified, due to Curt’s youth, healthiness and positive attitude.
Ric Flair simply describes Curt as a man at peace with himself, a happy family man satisfied with his home life and career.
WWE Agents Fit Finlay and Gerald Briscoe praise Curt as a ‘natural’ who constantly did ‘the right thing’, due to his upbringing within the business.
Edge: Curt was ‘the whole package’. More from the Nature Boy; in a business where plenty of guys have loads of charisma but no athletic ability, or vice versa, Curt had both.
Footage rolls of Curt defeating The Texas Tornado (the late Kerry Von Erich) for the Intercontinental Championship on 11/19/90. Smackdown announcer Tazz feels Curt was a great IC champ who helped to legitimize the title.
WWE Agent Bruce Prichard feels Curt’s battles with Shawn Michaels over the IC strap were some of the greatest matches of all time. Shawn mentions Curt was the one who dubbed him the ‘Heartbreak Kid’ during his stint as a color commentator. He feels the nickname helped him establish an identity as a singles wrestler after emerging from the tag team ranks.
Steve Lombardi (AKA The Brooklyn Brawler) describes Curt as an unforgettable character. More from Ric Flair: Even on his worst day, Curt could get him laughing behind the scenes.
Cruiserweight Champion Billy Kidman: Wonders if Curt EVER had a bad day.
Tazz delves into Curt’s reputation as a practical joker. Brawler remembers finding mice present in his pockets, courtesy of Mr. P. He later found out all the boys backstage had met similar treatment.
Sgt. Slaughter (like Curt a Minnesota native) remembers a quote from his friend: “You can always tell a man from Minnesota, but you can’t tell him much.”
We move on to another Minnesota native, Brock Lesnar. He starts to talk about his closeness to Curt, his rarely seen serious side and his love…Brock pauses and takes a moment to compose himself as a picture of Curt with his family fills the screen. Brock continues, remembers Curt as a person who loved to talk about his wife and kids.
Referee Earl Hebner remembers Curt ‘a fine, big-hearted person who’d probably do anything in the world he could for you’.
Bruce Prichard feels Curt will be remembered for his sense of humor, his athletic ability and his personality, but most of all for his love for his family.
Home video footage rolls of Curt with his wife and kids.
Ric Flair ends the segment, refers to Curt’s phenomenal life, simply reckons ‘he’s not upset right now’. Break.
(Commentary: Real good segment.)
Back, Gene presents a segment on Lita. We’re reminded that she’s been out of action due to (a non-WWE related) neck injury since last summer. Lita admits she underwent a serious bout with depression following surgery, feeling herself ‘useless’. She’s been pulling herself together recently, seems doing volunteer work at the Moore County Animal Center (presumably in her home state of North Carolina) has helped out quite a bit in re-establishing her self-esteem. Workers at the center put over Lita’s efforts to the hilt-one remembers her struggling to clean out floor-level cat cages due to her neck brace. Lita admits to her favorite part of the job-scooping poop. Worst part-understandably, the necessity to euthanize non-adopted animals.
Lita describes her work at the center as the only positive side of her injury. More praise from the workers follows, they look forward to seeing Lita back on TV. Break.
WWE Rewind: From the Smackdown of 3/28/2002, the Acolytes Protective Agency closes its doors for the last time.
Gene returns-OK, this appears kind of interesting! Seems an APA reunion (of sorts) has already taken place. The former Acolytes, Bradshaw and Ron Simmons (Faarooq no longer, it seems) have shot a pilot for-their own FISHING show? Working title of the show looks to be ‘Bikinis, Beer & Bass with Bradshaw and Ron Simmons’. Footage from the pilot airs, cute gal named Nikki serves as the ‘Lure Babe’. Beers are consumed, stogies burn, Nikki is ogled, angling is done as an afterthought. Bradshaw and Ron put over their love of the outdoors, controversy seems to exist as to who is the show’s central character. Bradshaw ends the segment, states he hopes the show gets picked up by a major network. Break.
(Commentary: Sure this whole ‘show’ is a work, but if not I’m claiming recap duties if it gets picked up.)
Business picks up when Gene returns, we go back to a subject discussed in depth a few weeks ago, the legendary ‘4 Horsemen’ (Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson and Tully Blanchard). Gene reminds us that each member had a specific role, Tully serving as ‘ring technician’. Gene rather ominously states that Tully’s quest for perfection in the ring didn’t carry over into his personal life-we’re informed a failed drug test in 1989 led to the end of his career.