Tossing Salt – Worldwide News
February 17, 2014
Doug Maynard

And here we are back again with yet another edition of professional wrestling’s most eclectic column, the one and only “Tossing Salt – Worldwide News!” Can you believe that I’ve been doing this, off and on, since 2002? Me neither, but I have. Seems like just yesterday. Anyhow, let’s do a few random thoughts and then we can really get this party started.

One week to go to the Elimination Chamber. Will we see an upset by one of the five challenging WWE Superstars or will young Randall Orton walk out with his title and go to Wrestlemania XXX? I say… YES! YES! YES!

It looks more and more as if we won’t be seeing CM Punk at the big show? That sucks, but it also looks more and more as if we will be seeing the man they call “Sting”. Maybe we’ll see CM Punk show up wearing face paint and disguised as Sting. That would be cool!

MVP is now the co-owner of TNA. From all reports, Impact! from this last Thursday was a solid show. And you know what? I still don’t care.

Would love to see Zack Ryder show up and cost John Cena the Elimination Chamber match on Sunday night. Cena stole Ryder’s girlfriend and Zack never got the chance to get even. What’s the old saying about “Revenge is dish best served cold”? Works for me.

Batista still sucks!

Wouldn’t you love to see the team of JTG and Curt Hawkins come out of nowhere and win the tag team titles on RAW. Just make a challenge and win the belts from the New Age Outlaws. Everyone would be going “what the… ??”

AJ Lee versus Class of 2014 Hall of Famer Lita at Wrestlemania XXX for the Divas Championship? I’d like to see that.

All together now. Place your left hand over your heart and repeat after me. “We the people!”

If Miz thinks that he’s being ignored and mistreated by the WWE Creative and management, imagine how his former protege Alex Riley must feel. This would be a good time for Miz and Alex to reunite and go after the tag team titles. They could form an alliance with Zack Ryder. Drew McIntyre, and have Christian as their leader and use the “gang warfare” gimmick to get noticed and back into the main event (or at least upper mid-card) picture.

Actually, the more I think of it, this would be a great way to introduce a manager to the WWE Universe – someone like Armando Alejandro Estrada (remember him), maybe Chavo Guerrero, Shawn Daivari (would love to see him back) or even Jinder Mahal. They could even move Christian into a managerial role and let him lead this faction. I’m not talking “Evolution” or “Horseman” level status, but more like “Right To Censor” or Jimmy Hart’s “Family” level at the mid-card and occasional main event level. It’s something that the WWE needs to think about and love him or hate him, if Vince Russo was still working with the WWE in a creative capacity, all of these lower-card stars would have matches and storylines and be part of each show, as they should be. It’s time to bring back the managers and their stables. Dutch Mantell and Paul Heyman have proven that it still works and can be a valuable and productive part of the WWE and their universe. Someone needs to take note.

Let’s move on to the questions and the rest of the column.

Question Time…

The following four questions come from the Facebook group “Jim Crockett Promotions: A Great Era In Pro Wrestling…”

Billy Morris: Did you like Roddy Piper more as a heel or babyface in his Mid Atlantic days? He was there from the Fall 1980 -January 1984. I thought he was best as a heel, and as far as interviews, his heel interviews beat his face interviews most of the time.

During the Mid-Atlantic days, Piper was the personification of everything a heel should be. He was rude, disrespectful, cocky and so full of himself that even the other heels seemed to think he was an ass-clown. When he was a face, he was more polite and it just seemed to take away from the product. Piper is the type of guy that should never have been made into a face. It just didn’t work. Piper was the “cool heel” long before anyone else used that description and at least during his run with Crockett, anything else was less than acceptable.

Jeremy Painter: Is there anyone of significance that Ric Flair never faced that you would have liked to have seen?

The names that came to mind for me immediately were Ernie Ladd and “The Exotic” Adrian Street. Both match-ups would have been extremely interesting contrasts in styles and characters. Flair versus Ladd would be the evil, sneaky heel versus the evil, sneaky heel and it would be interesting to see who the fans picked to cheer or boo. As for Adrian, look at that character. With Flair being the “man’s man” and “chick-magnet” and all of the things he claimed to be, how would he handle facing such a character as Adrian Street? Who would the fans cheer? It would be fascinating to watch and a great match, ring wise as well, just because of how good both of these men were in their primes.

Jason Cresawn: Who is your top ten heels in the Jim Crockett era?

Of the Crockett era, I’d go with Ole Anderson, Gene Anderson, Paul Jones, Ivan Koloff, Sgt. Slaughter, Baron Von Raschke, Tully Blanchard, Greg Valentine, Roddy Piper and Ernie Ladd (in no particular order).

Martin Douglas Banks: Better Booker Dusty Rhodes or Ole Anderson?

This isn’t even a real question to me. It’s Ole all the way. Dusty was a great idea man with the big events and with storylines that involved himself or his friends. I’m not denying that at all, but Ole was the man when it came to running a territory, keeping things moving smoothly and putting butts in the seats and making sure that they would come back the next week. How many men can lay claim to running two major territories (Crockett and Georgia) at the same time and had business that was thriving. Ole gets a raw deal today because of his bitterness towards the current product and especially Vince McMahon, as well as his bluntness and lack of tact, but it worked for him. He didn’t play the politics very well, so if you wanted a spot with JCP or Georgia, you had to bust your ass and work hard and it showed with the matches and the shows, and that was because of Ole. You worked hard, then you had a job and made money and he kept you around. You goofed off and phoned it in and he would show you the door, regardless of who you were. That’s good business sense and that attitude, while not winning him any popularity awards, kept Georgia thriving and JCP (during his time as the booker) doing great as well. No disrespect intended towards Dusty, but if I had a territory and wanted to find the best man I could to run it, Ole would be among the first that I’d try to call in. Dusty would be among the very last.

Joseph Bowden at the Kult of Kayfabe Facebook group:
I have a question for you all,. if you could book your own ppv with any wrestlers who would it be, 7 matches max.

Joseph didn’t put any limitations or restrictions on this event about who we could or couldn’t use, but I will. I’ll just imagine that the card is present day (2014) and that wrestlers who are currently under contract to the WWE or TNA are NOT available. That also rules out the old-timers and legends that I would generally use to stack a fantasy wrestling card. Now, let’s do this. Matt Striker and Scott Hudson would be my announce team with Lisa “Ivory” Moretti and “The Living Legend” Larry Zbyszko handling interviews.

Matt Hardy w/ Reby Sky versus AJ Styles – Ladder Match for Championship

Carlito and Chris Masters versus Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas w/ Jackie Haas

Hardcore Rumble Match: The Sandman, Sabu and Raven versus D-Von Dudley, Big Daddy V (Viscera) and Mike Knox

Triple Threat Women’s Match: Victoria versus Eve Torres versus Kharma

Rob Conway & Trevor Murdoch versus Petey Williams & Alex Shelley w/ Shawn Daivari

Street Fight: Scott Steiner versus Matt Morgan

Juventud Guerrera versus Stevie Richards w/ the bWo (Blue Meanie, Super Nova)

From J.J. over at 411mania.com: How would you repackage Zack Ryder, or at least get him any (forward) momentum?

This actually wouldn’t be hard to do. It just takes time and consistency and oh yeah, a heel turn for Zack. Start off with Zack in a match on RAW against a top or mid-card favorite. Let’s say Rey Mysterio. Good match going back and forth and then suddenly, when it looks like Zack is going to lose, he just kicks Rey low. End of match and Zack is DQ’d and just stands there glaring at the fallen Mysterio. Backstage after the match, the interviewer tries to talk to him, but he just glares and walks away.

Next week, Zack comes out on RAW and pours his heart out in a promo. He gave everything to fans and the WWE and they crapped on him. Cena and Punk talked for him and then Cena stole his woman and ignored him like a joke. Punk stood up for him and then ignored him and walked away. Everytime he tries to talk to someone in authority, they blow him off and ignore him. And he’s through with it. Let someone come out to try and talk with him and Zack either walks away or lays them out. Either would work, but let this lead to a match and (surprise) Ryder wins with some sneaky shenanigans. Next week, Ryder wrestles and wins again. Let Ryder keep winning and being an ass til this leads to match against Cena, Bryan or some other top face at a pay-per-view. Ryder wins the match and there you go. Top (or at least mid-card) level heel with some momentum.

Obviously, it wouldn’t be quite that simple, but the fans still like Zack and he’s got legitimate gripes against the way the company has treated him over the past couple of years, so build on it, cut promos talking about these gripes and just make it as real as possible with the final results being a bitter Zack Ryder and the fans would jump aboard pretty quickly. I’m sure of it.

Quotable Quotes Part 1...

My high school wrestling coach taught me right off the bat that rules aren’t to be broken, they are to be taken advantage of – Larry Zbyszko

Lotta changes are going on in the world and lotta people are changing their ways, you talk about changing, you talk about people, and you talk about something that’s owed to somebody that’s a little late in coming, and that’s what I’m talking about, a little respect, a little pride, that I lost a while back but I’m fixing to get back – Manny Fernandez

He’s got more stitches in that face than a saddle – Lord Alfred Hayes

There’s three kinds of people, those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happen when it’s all over – Austin Idol

It’s not that I hide, it’s that I’m smart. I’m like a snake baby, I move and I groove. I can get behind Mr. Saito, I can get behind Mr. Fuji, and I can be the guiding light. I can feel them, I can watch, I can look for weaknesses. I can turn Mr. Saito into a maniac killer. I say Mr. Saito heeya gahtan yaaaaaaaaah noy ya in one second baby, you know what that means ? Hahahaha – Captain Lou Albano

One On One

“One On One” is where I take a wrestler from days gone by and match them up against one of the stars of today. It’s fantasy wrestling at it’s best as I analyze and ponder who would win a match if these people, in their primes, were to face each other “One On One”. Let’s do this…

The New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg & Billy Gunn) versus Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood

Road Dog and Billy have the size advantage to be sure. Steamboat has the wrestling science edge and Jay could chop like few others. Teamwork advantage would, I think go to RIcky and Jay. Speed would go to Ricky and Jay as well. It’d be a great match to watch with lots of back and forth action and plenty of two-counts to be sure for both teams. But in the end, I think the edge and win would go to RIcky and Jay. They’re just the more fluid and better team in my eyes.

Winners: Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood

Bob Backlund versus William Regal

Talk about a clinic of wrestling science, moves and counter-moves. This would be a match that any fan of pure wrestling would love to watch again and again. Backlund was a former NCAA Champion and is one of the best in-ring workers ever. Regal started wrestling in the carnivals in England at the age of 15 and has forgotten more moves than most people ever learn. I have to admit that in this match, I would be cheering for Regal because he is and has always been one of my favorites. But my gut says that when push comes to shove, I think Bob Backlund would be the man to have his arm raised in the end.

Winner: Bob Backlund

Victoria versus Beth Phoenix

Two of the most talented and awesome women to ever step foot inside that squared circle. Both are amazingly strong and both have that rare quality that can’t be found with the majority of today’s “Divas”… They know how to wrestle. I think Beth might be a little stronger, but I think Victoria might have a slight edge in actual ability in the ring, based on the quality of opposition she faced compared to what Beth had to regularly wrestle against. It’d be one helluva match and could easily go either way, but what my gut says is that in the end, the one taking that trip to the pay window would be Victoria.

Winner: Victoria

Quotable Quotes Part II...

I may not be able to give you everything you want, but I’ll give you everything you need – Kevin Sullivan

Ya know there’s been a lot of pain and blues & agony being dished out here. Thunderbolt Patterson talking bout family, family’s an important part of this country baybay. Ya gotta understand that you can’t have babies unless you have husbands and wives, ya understand. Ya can’t have blood unless you’re kin, and Dusty Rhodes, the American Dream knows that we’re gettin ready for some real bonafide electrified funk – Dusty Rhodes

When I come after you I’m gonna be like a chicken on a junebug – Dutch Mantell

I’d rather be dead than be an also-ran, cause that means you are not a champion – Arn Anderson

Who Am I?

The answer to last week’s “Who Am I?” was none other than former WWE Superstar Rico. Correctly answering were: Jeff Hawkinson, Russell Jackson, Harold Schwan and Chad Burttram. Great job guys and thanks for answering. And now on to the new one.

I started wrestling in 1956 and had a solid, yet mostly uneventful career until 1972 when I was asked to put on a mask and travel to the Georgia territory to be the partner of a popular masked man. From then on, my career took off and I became one of the most popular wrestlers in Georgia history. I’m known for using the running knee lift as my finisher. I worked mainly in Georgia, but also did some shows in Florida and in the Mid-South where I worked a great “teacher versus student” angle with a young man named Terry Allen. Former President Jimmy Carter and his mother, Lillian Carter counted themselves as two of my biggest fans and I was even invited to Carter’s inauguration, but declined because the Secret Service would have required me to remove my mask. Who am I?

Know the answer? Let me know either via my inbox at Facebook or else with an e-mail to Doug28352@yahoo.com. The names of all who answered correctly will be posted in next weeks “Tossing Salt” column.

And I guess that’s all for today. I’ll be back on Thursday with the “Wrestling Fact Or Fiction” column. Thoughts and comments are welcome and appreciated. I’m Doug and as the great Baron Von Raschke would say, “dat is all de’ people need to know!” I’ll see you in a few days. Thanks for reading.

Ubuntu!