June 1, 2012
Television Ratings for the "Move to 8pm and Air Live" Edition of TNA IMPACT
The May 31st edition of TNA IMPACT , live in its new 8 p.m. timeslot, did a 0.89 rating with 1,296,000 viewers. This is the lowest rating for the show all year and the lowest overall rating since May 2010. This episode marked the debut of Brooke Hogan, Hulk Hogan's daughter, and the announcement of TNA's Hall of Fame.
Maryland Band Provides Theme Music for WWE's No Way Out PPV
The official theme song for WWE’s No Way Out pay-per-view is “Unstoppable” by Charm City Devils of Baltimore, MD. You can listen to it here.
Charm City Devils
TNA vs WWE Update - Hearing Monday
WWE filed a motion with the court yesterday in Nashville asking for a conference to be held on 6/4 in regard to a number of matters regarding the lawsuit TNA brought against them last week. The court agreed and there will be a conference this Monday at 1:30 PM in Nashville.
WWE noted in their filing that while the court has allowed a Temporary Restraining Order and expedited discovery in the case, they and TNA have been unable, as of yet, to agree to the order, locations and dates for the depositions.
WWE also noted that John Laurinaitis, who is among those scheduled to be deposed, is scheduled for "previously advertised and committed television appearances" in the United States and Spain next week as well as the date of the hearing for the temporary injunction order meeting on 6/11.
WWE noted that due to the deadlines set by the court, they are concerned "they will be unable to adequately prepare" for the 6/11 hearing and will not be able to comply with the expedited Discovery Order "without considerable inconvenience and expense".
Jerry McDevitt has filed paperwork to represent WWE.
As of yesterday, Brian Wittenstein, the former WWE and TNA office worker also being sued, had yet to respond to the court or have a legal representative file paperwork that they will be representing him in his defense.
source: pwinsider.com
"Stream of Consciousness" from Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman took to his Twitter account @Heymanhustle and spent a good amount of time talking about how thankful and blessed he is for the career he has had, as well as what aspiring people in the wrestling business need to do to get themselves over today:
"I walk into the offices of #Looking4Larry and there's a bunch of #ECW pics sent to me by George Tahinos (who is a phenomenal photographer) . I guess in honor of the ECW DVD/Blu-Ray coming out next week and NO, I can't express myself in 140 characters or less and I couldn't help staring at this pic of me and Bill Alphonso from 1995 ...and I'm looking at that pic and wondering "how fuckin' long was my hair back then?" #HolyShit And then I immediately thought, "Who would follow THAT rebel leader? I look at some of these pics, and I realize how blessed I was in my career. Some guys have to wait forever for a lucky break. I managed @AustinIdolLive and Tommy Rich at the age of 21. Also The Orig Midnights, which I got to do on @ESPN. Got to debut in WCW on TBS at 23 years old. So I was @JRsBBQ color commentator at 23 years old. NO ONE IS GIVEN THAT OPPORTUNITY IN TODAY'S ENVIRONMENT! I will admit, with all modesty, I #Hustled my ass off, and GOT MYSELF the opportunity with ambition, politics, and pure assertiveness. Even "down periods" would give me the chance 2 work w/ people like Mean Mark. U know him as "The Undertaker" At 26, I managed @SteveAustinBSR, Rick Rude,Arn,Eaton, Zbyszko ... The Dangerous Alliance (didn't forget @Madusa_Rocks) I'm working with these legends, these giants of the industry, these absolute top guys in my 20s In today's system, most super talented people spend a great portion of their 20's just trying to make it onto the main roster and yes, that has to change. I got to take over the creative of #ECW a week after my 28th birthday By the time I became @JRsBBQ commentator on @WWE #Raw in 2001, I was 35 years old. STILL a "kid" but I was already a veteran with decades in the business, and yet a 35 year old today would just be getting that chance and working with @JRsBBQ on #RAW allowed me to commentate Wmania 17 and @SteveAustinBSR vs @TheRock. By the time I worked with Brock Lesnar, which has become my best known managerial role, I was 36 years old. I look at some of these pics and videos #HustleTweeters send me, and I realize what an amazingly blessed career I've had. I've had more lucky breaks, more open doors, more perfect-storm-timing-opportunities than anyone else I've known. These pics don't just remind me of "accomplishments," they remind me of what a lucky bastard I've been to be able to ...work with these magnificent people, and play these roles, under these various circumstances. I've hit the lottery so many times, it's easy to just "expect" the next opportunity, or get a sense of entitlement. But I've never felt entitled. Always blessed. Privileged. Lucky as all Hell. And yet, I know how much hard work goes into it, and how you have to SCORE with your opportunities. The next generation in this (or any other business) doesn't just need to "Step Up," they need to "Stand Up" and "Get Noticed!" Think it was easy for @CMpunk? Think it was easy for @WWEDanielBryan? They had to scratch and claw and fight for every ...inch of turf they could pry away from the previous generation, who made them fuckin' earn it!!! It's not about backstabbing. It's not about kissing ass. It's not about pulling a hot stunt and getting momentary publicity. It's about creating your own opportunity (like @SteveAustinBSR did with "Stone Cold") and working harder than every1 else looking for the big break, the next chance, the golden opportunity. This isn't a pep talk. It's the lay of the land as I see it in today's sports entertainment industry. I would have written a blog, but who knows if anyone will click on the link? And while this may be a "stream of consciousness" diatribe, it's a message to those who may be getting frustrated a message to those who may be wondering "will I ever get that chance? that break? that opportunity?" DON'T WAIT FOR IT TO COME TO YOU! RELY ON YOURSELF!!! Do you think @SteveAustinBSR relied on anyone? Did HHH? Did @TheRock? Did Hulk Hogan? Did @CMpunk? With great humility, I ask you, did I? FUCK NO. If there was no opportunity, I created my own, pushed my way in, manipulated the circumstances to beg, borrow, plead, blackmail, bribe, cajole, threaten, bullshit and/or manufacture. All I wanted was a mic in my hand and a time frame in which I had to deliver my message. I knew I would score. I've seen it in this business for ages. I saw @ShawnMichaels go from tag team wrestler to greatest all around in-ring performer ever. Think it was easy for him? I remember when Shawn and Marty were blackballed in the business, and could only work in Ala-fuckin-bama. Think it didn't take @ShawnMichaels everything "and then some" to break out of The Rockers and get a chance as "HBK"? AMBITION. ASSERTIVENESS and the ABILITY TO BACK IT UP is what it takes to create the next generation of main eventers. And it's time for the next group of superstars to stake their claim and create their own generation for others to follow. Period. Excla-fuckin-mation point. The lecture is over. Pontification has ended. Hope I've been of help 2 ANYONE who follows this acct and maybe even to someone who doesn't!
We now return you to our regularly scheduled nonsense...."
Some time after these tweets, CM Punk tweeted once again "I'm a Paul Heyman guy," while Chris Jericho responded "I agree with @Heymanhustle diatribe and I would like to add one more piece of advice. To really make it in this business...you have to be willing to take a chance. And if that pisses people off than so be it! Stop being so nice. Nice doesn't cut it."
This Day in Wrestling History
Vincent Kennedy McMahon and Titan Sports purchase his father's Capitol Wrestling Corporation.
June 1, 1982
May 31, 2012
TNA to Announce First Hall of Fame Inductee at Slammiversary
TNA President Dixie Carter announced on Thursday night's live edition of Impact Wrestling that at the upcoming Slammiversary pay-per-view event, TNA will announce the first inductee into their new Hall of Fame.
Stand Up for WWE: WWE issues a second statement about the Journal Inquirer and Darien Times columns
To provide further clarification on WWE’s recent letters to Chris Powell of the Journal Inquirer and Joshua Fisher of the Darien Times, the WWE issues the following statement:
“WWE is a global television content creator and a publicly traded company whose core business is monetizing that very television content. When our content is unfairly mischaracterized, it seriously jeopardizes our business.
Since 2008, all WWE broadcast programming has been rated TV-PG and prior to that some of our programming had a rating of TV-14. WWE’s content ratings are set not by us, but by the network TV distributors (NBCUniversal) and their standards and practices departments. According to the TV Parental Guidelines established by the television industry and adopted by the Federal Communications Commission, neither TV-PG nor TV-14 content would be considered pornography or anything close to it. In addition, the FCC would not permit our content to air on network or basic cable television if it were pornographic.
WWE refuses to be bullied and will not allow our content to be inaccurately categorized. This is not about politics or Linda McMahon’s (former CEO of WWE) candidacy. This is about protecting WWE’s business and setting the record straight that WWE has never been in the business of pornography. We must vigorously defend our company with any and all resources at our disposal.”
CT Journalist Retorts to WWE's Second Warning Statement
After WWE threatened Journal Inquirer (Conn.) editor Chris Powell with a libel suit earlier this month following a characterization of WWE's product as pornographic, Powell wrote a follow-up editorial published Thursday firing back at WWE. This was after WWE issued a "second statement" to Powell Wednesday, which read, in part: "WWE is a global television content creator and a publicly traded company whose core business is monetizing that very television content. When our content is unfairly mischaracterized, it seriously jeopardizes our business."
WWE said their programming has been rated PG since 2008 and "WWE refuses to be bullied and will not allow our content to be inaccurately categorized." Powell wrote in his follow-up editorial that he's not buying WWE defending the company, itself, rather than former CEO Linda McMahon, who he said profited from WWE's product before 2008 in order to fund her two Senate campaigns. Powell concluded, "Republicans who think otherwise, people McMahon can't buy, she tries to bully."...More?
source: pwtorch.com & journalinquirer.com
May 30, 2012
Tom Prichard Released by WWE
PWInsider.com is reporting that WWE has released Tom Prichard from his duties with developmental for Florida Championship Wrestling. Prichard had been with the company since 2007 at the start of FCW when he replaced Bill DeMott as the head trainer (DeMott had been working with Deep South Wrestling). In a strange twist, DeMott will reportedly be replacing Prichard as the head trainer of FCW shortly.
