Good morning.  As most of the regular readers, my dozen or so fans, are aware, when I write my two weekly columns, “Tossing Salt – Worldwide News” and “Wrestling Fact Or Fiction”, I always try and answer a few wrestling (or comic) related questions.  The huge majority of my questions for these columns, I get from two of my favorite Facebook wrestling groups, “Kult of Kayfabe” and “Jim Crockett Promotions… A Great Era In Pro Wrestling”.  And lately, I’ve had more people sending me questions to use through my e-mail and Facebook page too.  (Doug28352@yahoo.com / http://www.facebook.com/saltpalace)  So with that said, I’ve acquired quite a large backlog of questions to use.  And that’s why I’m writing this column today.

 

Yeppers, my friends.  It’s time to just go through and see how many questions I can get answered, so I can start fresh on Tuesday when I do the next edition of “Tossing Salt”.  I’m pulling an Eminem and just cleaning out my closet, if you will.  Hey, it’s either this or go to Wal-Mart with my family members.  And with those choices, it’s not even close. I hate Wal-Mart. It’s the most evil place on earth.  They have some damn good egg rolls in their deli and I love the cheap DVD selection, but still… they’re evil!  I worked there for a short while.  I know!  By the way, here’s a disclaimer. All the opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.  And now you know.

 

So let’s do this already.  It’s a super-sized, deluxe edition of what I generally call…

 

 

 

Nope.  Part of what made Hulkamania and Hulk Hogan so big was the larger than life image fed to us by his character and the powers-that-be in the WWE.  They wanted us to think Hogan was larger than life and we didn’t have any way to really know any different.  Now, with the internet and the infamous IWC second-guessing everything and everyone, I think it’s nearly impossible for anyone to ever be as big as Hogan was.  The closest we have in today’s era is John Cena and he’s booed as often as he’s cheered.  The internet and the IWC have killed the mystery of pro wrestling and someone like Hulk Hogan is something that we shall never see again.

 

 

From my home-town itself, Laurinburg, NC, it would be Mike Youngblood (my ex-roommate), who has mainly worked in Puerto Rico and some WWF matches, as well as current Indy wrestling stars Ty Tyson and Dylan Kage.  But from nearby, it’s another story. Matt and Jeff Hardy are from Cameron, NC, about thirty miles up the road.  Tatanka is from Pembroke, NC, roughly twenty miles away.  And I’m sure if I thought long and hard about it, I’d think of many more since NC is a hotbed for wrestling talent.  Those are the main folks who come to mind immediately though.

 

 

Yes.  While I’m not big on watching men abuse women and vice-versa, when booked correctly and used properly, men and women can oppose each other and have some good matches.  Remember Baby Doll versus Jim Cornette? How about Madusa versus Paul Heyman?  Or Chyna versus Chris Jericho?  It’s all in the quality of the worker, the purpose of the match and the context that they’re used, but there is a place for inter-gender matches and I have no objections about them.

 

 

Absolutely, I will be watching Wrestlemania XXX.  That’s the one show each year I do not miss.  And the match that I’m most excited for right now is the John Cena versus Bray Wyatt match.  Well, that and the Battle Royal because I’ve always loved Battle Royals.  

 

 

Three stars, past or present?  Ole Anderson, Jim Cornette and Bobby Heenan.  And I could just sit back, listen and take in the knowledge and stories being told.

 

 

The combination of Ric, Arn and Paul Roma with Ole as the manager.  It was 3/4 a good team, but something didn’t quite fit.  Wonder what (who) that was?

 

 

If Vince had brought the Horsemen to the WWF as a unit, with Ric, Arn, Tully and Barry Windham, they would have done well at first, but it wouldn’t have lasted for long. Ric would have been fed to Hogan almost immediately,  Barry, Arn and Tully would have gotten a limited push as tag team wrestlers and in the mid-card, but just about the time that they’re getting over well and winning over the crowds, Vince would pull the plug since they’re not one of his creations and he wasn’t really known as a big fan of factions anyhow. They would do okay for a while, but before long, as Arn and Tully learned, I think the Horsemen would end up jumping ship and heading back down towards Atlanta.

 

Curtis Chordologist Tompkins:  The Powers of Pain, Barbarian and The Warlord – Were they Championship material or just Challengers?

 

In the ring, they were both big, strong and had a great presence.  But the problem is that neither Barbarian or Warlord were talkers. They had all the physical tools tobe champions, but without the proper manager to guide them and act as a spokesperson, the potential for success was very limited. So while I personally would have enjoyed seeing them get a title run, from a business sense and in all honesty, the most I could see them as is simply challengers.

 

 

In the real world, while I like to think I’m a bad guy and heel, I’m not.  I’m saracastic and bitchy sometimes, but I think that most of my friends and the people around me would say I’m definitely a baby-face 99% of the time.

 

 

Who would I be? I’d be using the name “Vincent Paul Phillips”, my alter-ego if you will and I’d be a power-guy with a more-or-less scientific style, but a bit on the rough side, aka The Anderson Brothers.  Considering my current age, I think I’d be starting off in Memphis and then moving on to the Carolinas and the Mid-Atlantic region with occasional trips to Florida and Georgia for extra bookings.  And the promotion I wish I could take credit for creating would be Jim Crockett Promotions, which of course, was the Mid-Atlantic region.  

 

 

A big guy with a limited amount of ability, but made the best of what he had. Was decent on the mic and a solid mid-card player all around.  

 

 

Magneto.  From his life as a gypsy to the concentration camps, the “Nazi hunter” period, the battles against the X-Men and Avengers, the trial in front of the World Court and as Headmaster of Xaiver’s school, the time as leader of Genosha, to his current status… Magneto is such a complex character with so many levels, it would be an interview that would never be able to touch on everything.  He’s a villian, yet also a man of honor and nobility as well.  

 

 

I agree that Gary Hart was a great manager. As for Kabuki, I’m not sure what to think about him.  I had the chance to see him wrestle live many times against Jimmy Valiant when I was younger and while I enjoyed the matches, I don’t recall being overly impressed. He had a great look and that thing he did with the mist was awesome, but aside from that, the actual matches were not all that.  So as much as I hate to, I have to agree with what you said.  He wasn’t a bad wrestler or bad performer, but the best part was the character and not the wrestler.  So all bark and no bite?  You’re right.

 

 

Paul Jones was a good wrestler and, despite his short stature, one of the top guys in the Mid-Atlantic and Florida regions for many, many years. And if he wants to say that he’s “#1”, who are we to disagree?

 

 

The way I see it is this.  An enhancement talent is someone who is a good wrestler / performer in their own right who is capable of having good matches with almost anyone and is used to build, aka “enhance”  new talent and make them look like stars.  A “jobber” is someone who’s used to take up space and be used in squash matches where they have little to no offense and are mainly there just to be a body in the ring. Enhancement talents are guys who have the potential to be stars in their own right, but just haven’t quite made it there yet.  Jobbers don’t win, will never win, and are just there to take up space.

 

 

The first name that popped into my head was Heath Slater.  He showed so much spark and potential when he first started in WWE, both as the “One Man Band” and in his partnership with Justin Gabriel, but now he’s just used as a loud-mouth jobber. Given the right story and push, I think Heath would be a big name and big star for the WWE. He has the talents necessary.  WWE just needs to wise up and use those skills and talents better.

 

 

I don’t believe that a referee has been inducted either.  Earl Hebner does deserve a spot for his long history in pro wrestling, but I don’t think we’ll ever see that happen. Earl and his brother burned some bridges when they were fired from the WWE and moved to TNA and while some wounds heal, others don’t.  If Hebner was inducted, that would also open up another big can of worms. What about Dick Kroll?  Or Tommy Young?  Or Bill Alfonso?  Referees are often the forgotten third man in matches and when it comes to being in the Hall of Fame, I think they’ll stay forgotten there as well.

 

 

So I’ve got the money and a television deal to start my own promotion.  It wasn’t specified in the question, but I’m assuming that people from TNA and WWE, who are under contracts, are off limits.  That’s the way I’m going to work it anyhow.  First, I’d hire my head-booker / writer.  Several names come to mind for that role, but I think I’d go with tried and true and see if Jim Cornette is available.  Cornette and I could work together then to decide to who add and use for those roles.  

 

For the announcers, I think I’d want Scott Hudson, formerly of WCW fame and Disco Inferno as my commentary team.  I’d probably try and get Lisa Moretti (Ivory) as my backstage interviewer and The Honky Tonk Man as my other interviewer and part-time commentator. 

 

For the role of “Commissioner”, I’d like to get someone with a wrestling background and plenty of credibility for the role. How about former two-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion , the “Living Legend” Larry Zbyszko?

 

For referees, I’m not really sure who’s available out there, but I think that former WCW / WWE official Nick Patrick would be my pick for head referee if available. Brian Hebner would be another that I’d try to get if possible.

 

And then we have the wrestlers.  If he’s available and willing, CM Punk would be the first pick.  And with Punk, Colt Cabana and Ace Steele would be hired as well.  AJ Styles, Crimson and Matt Morgan would be my (former) TNA picks.  I’d reach out to Carlito, Chris Masters, Trevor Murdoch, Antonio Thomas, Rob Conway, Harry Smith, Chris Steele, Michael Youngblood  and Teddy Hart as well. Those fifteen would be my base for the male roster and I’d have each of them submit the names of two or three guys who we could also use to expand the roster.  As far as the women go, Lisa Marie Varon (Victoria) and Amazing Kong (Kharma) would be my top two women.  I’d also try and get Winter (from TNA) and Beth Phoenix.  Use those four women to build the women’s division of my company around, while also using their contacts and knowledge to find more recruits and ladies to work in my company.  

 

I’d also try to use managers for those people who don’t quite have the mic skills that I want or need that little extra something.  A man I know named Jaysn Kross would be great for this role.  So would  Chris Steele if he’s not wanting to wrestle a full schedule and the great Joey Nuggs would be welcome as well.

 

These people I’ve mentioned would set up the rootwork for my promotion and allow me to also reach out to other people as needed to help build my roster as well as determine the direction of my company.  

 

And there you go. I think that’s enough for today.  I’m getting tired anyhow, so this is where I’m closing this up and putting this baby to bed. Thank you for reading and if you have any questions you’d like to have me attempt to answer, just drop me a line at Doug28352@yahoo.com or else contact me via my Facebook page.  The address is above.  I’m Doug and I am out of here.  I’ll be back on Tuesday with the RAW recap and a new edition of “Tossing Salt – Worldwide News”.  Have a great weekend.

 

Ubuntu!