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WWE Confidential Recap: Billy Graham, Montreal Screwjob, Dawn Marie & More
| | | For those who watched, were you thinking like me that there is now way Survivor SerieS '97 was Rey Mysterio's all time favorite match? The more and more I see these "Vault" segments, the more I realize these matches are not the talents' favorites.
Thanks to John Keane for this recap: | | | |
Confidential Report for 9/6/2003.
Recorded at the WWE TV Studios in Stamford, CT.
Your Host: Mean Gene Okerlund.
Gene gets in his usual quick howdy and announces tonight’s show will feature a trio of Diva pieces. We’ll check out Ivory at an elementary school, Dawn Marie possibly looking for a spot on ‘The Sopranos’ (?), and get a first look at the winner of the recent WWE Divas Search, Jaime.
First up is our ‘Cover Story’: a piece on former WWF Champion ‘Superstar’ Billy Graham. Gene provides a preview-we’re reminded Billy copped his name from the popular evangelist and was actually an active preacher when he caught the attention of Arnold Schwarzenegger (we get still pictures of Arnold checking out Billy’s biceps). Gene praises Billy as the cat that set the stage for similar ‘larger than life’ characters such as Hulk Hogan and Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura-who have both readily admitted their debt to the Superstar. We go to the night Billy made it to the top of the biz-on April 30th, 1977, he got in the ring with then-WWF Champion Bruno Sammartino.
Footage of the match rolls as we hear from the man himself-Billy describes Bruno as a great champion who was also a great guy. Billy sets the scene-at the time Bruno was peaking-problem was, he had nowhere higher to go. Billy feels the match between the 2 was one ‘made in heaven’-the flamboyant, unbeatable heel vs. the beloved babyface champion. End of the match saw Billy having his feet on the ropes (yep, unseen by the ref) while rolling up Bruno for the 1-2-3. That night saw the beginning of the Superstar’s reign as WWF Champion.
Billy flashes back to his earliest days in the biz-at a friends urging, he joined him at Stu Hart’s ‘Dungeon’ in Calgary, Alberta. His nameless friend told him wrestling was a great way to make some ‘easy money’. Billy laughs ironically as he repeats ‘easy money’.
At the Dungeon Billy became one of Stu’s favorites after bench-pressing 560+ pounds. Sadly we get no more on the Dungeon days-Billy simply states he eventually returned to Arizona to work as a bouncer. On a fateful night one of the bars patrons included ‘the infamous’ Dr. Jerry Graham. Billy told him he was a wrestler, and became a Graham ‘brother’ in short order. The ‘siblings’ quickly hit the road to L.A., where Billy’s career got its real start.
Billy gives major credit to Pat Patterson, Ray Stevens, Peter Maivia and Rocky Johnson for taking him under their wings and ‘generating’ his career.
While in California, Billy got an invite to hook up with the Minnesota-based AWA. He stresses at the time the AWA prided itself on its sound technical wrestling-but when he came in the ‘mold was broken wide open’.
WWE Agent Gerald Briscoe offers clarification-he states Billy’s ring work ‘wasn’t superior to anybody’s’, but he made up for any lack through physical presence. Jerry Lawler concurs, states Billy had the biggest biceps ever seen in a wrestling ring up to that time.
On to the subject of bodybuilding. Billy got his start in the discipline during 6th grade, using homemade weights. We flash WAY forward to footage of Billy posing during his glory days. Jerry L. observes that after the Superstar, having ‘the look’ became very important in the biz.
Howard Finkel praises Billy for his flamboyance and style of dress. Snippets of Billy’s interviews and promos air as Jerry L. and Gerald B. put over his ‘believability’ on the mic. Billy acknowledges a debt to Muhammad Ali on the subject of interview work.
Billy knows he was the man a lot of the fans loved to hate. He feels showmanship played a big role in bringing pro wrestling to national attention. He admits to owing a debt to being in the right time at the right place. Billy gets down to brass tacks when he describes himself (upon coming to prominence) as ‘tanned, tie-dyed with the bright colors, the 22 inch arms, not able to wrestle a lick’, but able to pound opponents into submission and make the fans believe in him.
Back to straight history. Billy left the AWA for a pretty simple reason-the brutal Minnesota weather. He’d already gotten the call from Vince McMahon Sr., who offered him the chance to wrestle in New York. Billy packed his bags and made an immediate impact-we again flash forward to his tainted victory over Bruno. Billy feels that his ability to entertain slowly made the vicious heel a favorite of the fans. He states his appearances at Madison Square Garden were virtual locks to be sell-out events. Billy admits to not having the highest record of sell-outs quantity wise, as he ‘wasn’t the Champion very long’. On that issue, Billy feels his title reign was far too short-after less than a year, at the height of his popularity, he dropped the strap to Bob Backlund. He admits to running into the brick wall of depression after losing the title, and feels he was never the same after. Fade out.
We get a quick preview for next week, when part 2 of he preceding segment will be airing. Looks like Billy will be talking about hitting the depths of drug addiction, a loss of religious faith and thoughts of suicide. Break.
Gene returns to discuss the various career paths chosen by young people. OK….Anyway, out in Hollywood CA, Selma Elementary School has a program called ‘Young Storytellers’, where aspiring (and presumably filthy rich) filmmakers learn how to write movie scripts, which are then performed by real actors. Recently Ivory got the chance to participate-we see her performing skits with members of the MADTV cast, among others. Looks like she had fun. Break.
WWE Rewind: From last Monday, Al Snow helps his Heat broadcast partner Jonathan Coachman pick up a win over Jerry Lawler.
Gene returns to remind us that at this month’s Unforgiven PPV, Coach will be getting in the ring with Jim Ross. And since Coach is out training for his ‘big match’, he won’t be asking the questions during tonight’s ‘Outside the Ropes’ segment. Tonight Al Snow provides the answers to questions from…Lance Storm?
(Goldust appears for a moment behind Al and Lance, walks off after barking ‘Quiet Please!’. Looks like he’s finally getting the chance to direct.)
Q: Does it get under your skin that Mick Foley still tells Al Snow jokes?
A: Bothers him a bit, feels Mick may be obsessed, possibly sexually.
Q: You also have a unique relationship with Bob Holly. In fact you had your differences on ‘Tough Enough’…
(Goldust enters, urges Lance to show some enthusiasm, then exits.)
…Do those differences stem back to the days of the J.O.B. Squad?
A: Nope, Bob’s just a bully and a hardass.
Q: During the 3 seasons of Tough Enough, what was the worst and most embarrassing audition tape you can remember?
A: Kid named Scott Chong sent in a tape of himself dancing with a bag over his privates.
(Goldust: ‘Lance, show some fah, fah, FIRE!)
Q: You’ve spent 3 years as TE head trainer. In that time you’ve referred to the contestants as ‘your kids’. Question: Who was the ‘bastard child’?
A: Josh Matthews (Whoa, was hoping for at least a mention of Chris Nowinski. Wonder if he might be gone from WWE due to post-concussion syndrome…)
Q: Who should win this ‘Fatal 4-Way’ match: Al Snow, Avatar, Shinobi or Leif Cassidy? (Note: last 3 named were all horrible gimmicks foisted on Al.)
(Goldust: ‘Who is Leif Cassidy? Let’s get on the ball here!’)
A: No winner possible.
Q: Where did Al Snow first discover ‘Head’? (Minds out of the gutter, you all know Al used to carry around a mannequin head, right?)
A: In New Britain CT (ECW days), Al got the gift of ‘Head’ from Spike Dudley and Mikey Whipwreck.
Q: You’ve been co-hosting Sunday Night Heat for a few months now. Have you learned anything from your broadcast partner?
A: (Coach) isn’t as heavy to carry around as he thought.
(Goldust: ‘Let’s speed things up!’)
Q: You once campaigned to be WWF Commissioner. Any advice for California gubernatorial candidates Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gary Coleman?
A: Midget Campaign manager=votes.
Q: You own over 200 jerseys from minor league hockey teams. In 10 seconds, name as many as you can.
(Goldust in close-up: This is NOT HOCKEY! This is WRESTLING!)
A: (Al laughing too hard to get out 1 name.)
Q: If there was one trash can lid left in the world, who would you hit with it?
A: After this interview, probably himself.
(Goldust: CUT!) Break.
Gene returns to remind us back in June WWE.com asked women around the world to send in their photos for a ‘Diva Search’. Elimination voting was conducted on the net, final 4 entrants (Jaime, Marsha, Paige and Terri) were selected and flown out to Phoenix the night before Summerslam. Collection of WWE stars voted Jaime winner after a PG version of a wet t-shirt contest.
We see her doing a photo shoot. Yeah, she’s hot. Break.
Back, Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio introduces tonight’s Classic Match. And yet again…
From the vault: Survivor Series 1997, Shawn Michaels challenges Bret Hart for the WWF Championship. Referee is Earl Hebner, announcers are J.R. and the King, Vince McMahon is at ringside.
Yep, this was the infamous ‘Montreal Screw-Job. Not going to re-hash this one again, if you want e-mail me and I’ll send you my Confidential report from 5/25/02, where the match and its surrounding story was dealt with in full detail.
As for the match itself-Bret had HBK in the Sharpshooter, Shawn reversed it, Hitman made the ropes, hold was broken. Shawn took control after Earl went down and locked on the Sharpshooter. Earl quickly got to his feet and called for the bell though Bret showed NO sign of submitting. Crowd looks on in shock as the ref who’ll forever hear ‘YOU SCREWED BRET’ chants hightails it backstage. Bret spits in Vince’s face. Garbage flies into the ring as HHH and Gerald Briscoe escort Shawn up the ramp. We get footage shot after the official end of the PPV-Bret shook hands with some of the ringside fans, then laid waste to the announcers desktop monitors. Break.
Back, Gene presents footage shot for the October issue of Raw magazine. Mag features all the Divas in a variety of settings. We see Dawn Marie strutting her stuff (magnificently) at the Satin Dolls strip club in N.J.-the same joint seen on ‘The Sopranos’ under the handle ‘Bada Bing Club’. Lots of ‘hand over boob’ topless shots-not a problem!
Gene informs us next week we’ll get footage from Stacy Keibler’s Raw mag shoot, as well as part 2 of the piece on the Superstar. End of show.
Not a bad show, Cover Story was great-nice to see Billy G. looking so healthy! ‘Outside the Ropes’ was good for a hoot, ‘Classic Match’ was good for a nice gritting of the teeth-yeah, I’m a Hitman fan and STILL say ‘Screw those who say Bret screwed Bret’. Rest was there, thanks for reading, please send any feedback to .
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