WWE announced that Gorgeous George, the man often credited with creating American pop culture and who set the standard for future WWE Superstars and influenced such greats as Muhammad Ali, James Brown and Bob Dylan, will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 27, 2010. His 96 year-old former wife, Betty Wagner will accept the honor on his behalf. The Hall of Fame ceremony will be broadcast that night on USA Network at 11 PM ET from the Dodge Theater in Phoenix, Arizona.
"Gorgeous George's was a pop-culture innovator who took risks pushing the social envelope and did things that no other performer had ever dared to do," said CEO and Chairman Vince McMahon. "He was a cultural tour-de-force who set the standard that many in the world of sports and entertainment still emulate today."
The significance of Gorgeous George's legacy led WWE Studios to option the rights to his story for a major motion picture slated to begin production in 1Q 2011.
Muhammad Ali, whose notorious boastful and arrogant style derived from George, stated, "I made up my mind after meeting Gorgeous George to make people angry at me...I saw 15,000 people comin' to see this man get beat. And his talking did it. I said this is a good idea."...More?
March 15, 2010
Gorgeous George Enters Hall of Fame
Tandy O’Donoghue Joins Former USTA Execs at WWE
WWE has hired Tandy O’Donoghue as Vice President, Operations and New Business Development, making her the third former U.S. Tennis Association executive to land with the wrestling company. She joins Michelle Wilson, the former USTA Chief Marketing Officer and current WWE EVP, Marketing, and Jared Bartie, the former USTA General Counsel & Chief Legal Officer and current WWE EVP & General Counsel.
Tara Feeling "Unappreciated"...Please Get Over It
Those of us in the "real world" understand that a former employer has no intention of discussing all the wonderful things their former employee did while with their company. They are not going to be in advertisements or given kudos in a board meeting. Your time there is over and both parties move on. I say all this because I don't understand why former Superstars or Divas with the WWE don't understand this.
On her Twitter account, Tara/Victoria expressed her displeasure with being left off WWE's "Top 25 Most Impactful Women" list. She wrote, "(It) doesn't surprise me. That's an example of my experience at WWE. Unappreciated." She then posted a link (http://twitpic.com/17xysr) to a graphic spoofing the list, ranking her at No. 26.
Please, all former WWE Superstars and Divas. Stop whining. Stop moaning. Get over it. The WWE is not going to splash you all over their website or list you in articles unless you left on very good terms and continue to have a good relationship with them. One example of this would be Trish Stratus. And why should they? Why would any company promote someone that has left the company (for whatever reason) and is working for the competition?
Tara/Victoria may have forgotten what the "real world" is like.
Rumor Mill - Backstage TNA Reaction to the 3/8 iMPACT! Rating
The backstage reaction to the low 1.0 rating that the 3/8 edition of Impact brought in was met with a certain amount of panic amongst the higher ups in the company.
Before the rating came in, everyone in management, including Dixie Carter, Eric Bischoff, Hulk Hogan, Vince Russo, Ed Ferrara and Mike Tenay were walking around as if this was 1997 all over again, and the wars were in full effect. But when the rating finally came in, everyone was dejected, and virtually stunned. Dixie tried her best to put on a game face, but she was clearly reeling from the news.
Additionally, Mick Foley was trying to sell it to the talent as a great effort that will get noticed, but the crew all knew there's very little positive that could come out of this rating.
Plus, there is enormous second guessing running through the locker room on the desperate message it sends to use Jeff Hardy. Although Jeff is very popular with all the talent, a lot of people are worried that if Jeff is convicted on even one federal felony drug charge, then TNA will have some major damage control to do. Being so far behind in ratings, no measurable increase in PPV buys yet, and house shows doing ok but not in middle sized arenas yet, there is a lot of concern that Dixie talks a great game but doesn't have what it takes to compete with Vince McMahon.
source: wrestlezone.com
March 14, 2010
WWE Magazine to Have 26 Different Covers in Honor of WMXXVI
In honor of WrestleMania XXVI, the April 2010 issue of WWE Magazine features twenty-six different collectible covers.
Among those featured on the cover are Batista, Big Show, Bret Hart, Chris Jericho, Christian, CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, Edge, Evan Bourne, Jack Swagger, John Cena, John Morrison, Kane, Kofi Kingston, MVP, Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, R-Truth, Santino Marella, Shawn Michaels, Sheamus, Ted DiBiase, The Miz, Triple H and Undertaker.
The cover bearing Shawn Michaels is apparently the only one being sent out to subscribers.
source: wrestling observer
Raw Preview: Dotted Enemy Lines; Rewound Raw
Before Mr. McMahon and Bret "Hit Man" Hart make history in the ring at WrestleMania, the two will sign the contract for their epic encounter on Raw ... with both men's longtime rival, guest host "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, presiding.
source: wwe.com
This Day in Wrestling History
Ric Flair becomes a 14-time World Heavyweight Champion defeating Hollywood Hogan
March 14, 1999
Vince McMahon receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
March 14, 2008
March 13, 2010
Shane McMahon Spotted at Media Summit in Abu Dhabi
For two and a half days, 400 delegates roamed the halls of Yas Hotel, their panel discussions punctuated by the roar of race car engines. Top bosses and their minions from some of the world’s most recognisable media and technology companies gathered to assess the state of their industries and explore business ties that could bring them closer together.
For Abu Dhabi, the inaugural summit was designed to put the emirate on the map. And many attendees said it had succeeded.
And we did run into Shane McMahon, the scion of the World Wrestling Entertainment’s chief executive Vince McMahon, as he wandered Yas Hotel’s halls, looking to meet decision-makers to help him develop several new media ventures.
What was he doing there? “You have to go where the money is,” he said...More?
source: thenational.ae
J.R. Comments on Returning to Weekly WWE TV
J.R. posted the following at JRsBarBQ.com concerning his broadcasting future:
"I don't think that WWE is interested in putting me back on weekly TV and all the travel that comes along with it at this time. Would I love to work with King again? Certainly. Is this my call? Nope. Do I think that I will ever be paired with Lawler again on a regular basis? Highly unlikely."
