The People's Slap

What you're gonna do, brother, when Jeff Townsend media runs wild on you? All right, all right, all right, this is Jeff Townsend. I'm with Bill DeMont. You are tuning in for another episode of the Bill d'mont Experience. Bill. This marks the exact day one year ago where we re launched the Build Aemon Experience. I was gonna say, this is not just another episode. This is me. This is the big one of many to come. This is where did the year go? Man? I don't know. I often ask myself that a lot in life, you know, but this was another reminder of that. It was exactly it was on the fifteenth of February last year when we relaunched it, that released that first episode. So that's awesome. Minute. Well, happy anniversary. Yeah, Happy anniversary, Bill, Happy anniversary. While we're while we're sharing anniversaries, can I share my Balantide's day story. Yeah. Now you won't be surprised by this by now. But in typical build them out fashion, you know, I did so well with the birthday, the anniversary, Christmas. You know, the world jumbled in So keep my record going. Have the flowers ready to be delivered out of the Chalcolate's ready to come with it. It never shows up? What it never shows up? And at the end of the night, I sounded like the biggest dupe is going, I'm sorry. I got your stuff back when I tell you today. When I contacted this National flower chain and demanded my money back, they said, well, we can still deliver them by today or tomorrow if you want. And I've literally lost my mind and said it was for Valate Science Day. So anyway, that was my happy anniversary to you. I'm here when I blew it on Valentine's Day. My smooth record is shot already in twenty twenty four? Was it? Was it really smooth though? Are you pretty pretty slick? Was it really a smooth smooth record? You had gone though? I feel pretty under yeah, because I was ahead of it and like my kids didn't have to remind me, and I was ahead of the guy. So I was surprising them because I had everything in hand and ready to go. And then I what did uh? How was it received though? Like? Was it an a for effort sort of thing or no? I think I got the politically correct app on the head and go that that's okay, babe, Happy, happy you know, nice, try buddy, you know, instead again like a nice kiss good morning on the way to work, I got the cheeks thing and like I have a good day. You schmuck and ruined Valentine's Day man a for effort though, I'm sure, I'm sure she would say it's not ruined. Well, to the public, she'd say it's not ruined. But yeah, deep inside she got me. Now, yeah, who is the service? So we make sure we never use it. I don't have local or is it Jane, or it's you know, it's I just ask one hundred and one eight hundred in front of it, and I said, I'll do it flowers so it's not like a local mom and pop shop thing. No, it was one eight hundred flowers there it is. I'm throwing them out there. And you know how they wanted to fix it, how many I wanted to send me a twenty dollars coupon on my next purchase. But it's only valid for three months, good for the next thirty eight, fully good to the February. Yeah, it's the damage is done. Maybe you can recreate this Valentine's Day and do it again. I think she I think Lacey's more excited for our for our one year anniversary than she is from about your one year anniversary, our one year you and I, me and you, us and them. Okay, oh she's she's more excited about that than the Yeah she's listening and accept my public apology. She did. I did catch her listening a few weeks ago. I'm not sure she's watching today that I don't know. Sure she may be boycotting because of this. Yeah, if you are listening, I'm sorry. I'll stay in the bath of vill I'm sorry as well. It had to worry about that at my house though. Man. Just take care of the kidd as. They think anything's cool. So that's it a little the little candy arts and you're king Ben Man. So we had we were off last week. You're getting we're both getting caught up on things, which is good because I'm behind as always. What do you know, why behind? But we missed out on a lot of wrestling talk man. Yeah, and here's the terrible thing. I I don't like when we miss out on wrestling cop. But it's all still the same conversation, still going on, So I feel like we can catch up really quick. It is all pretty much to the same conversation, just of news happened since then. Yeah, we got people coming in. We've got Chad saying hi, We've got Keith Ballard saying hey, love it, Joe on tick Talk. We got people on eight different platforms saying hey to you. Right, hey, everybody Happy Thursday, Happy Thursday. So let's kick it off. So let's try there's some news on all the companies. We'll go ahead and kick off with you know, And to be honest, I would say, I don't know if you agree. I think our viewership, our listeners, our audience primarily watch WWE more Yet, judging by the conversations we have, yeah, I think you're yeah. So we'll go ahead and start off with the latest discussion, and we'll do that. I'll kick it off with the video here if I can find it. I don't like it. The People's Champion and the biggest main event in the history of professional wrestling, Bound by Blood got get up here. But it is not your right. It is not your distinction to determine the main event. It is mine. I what the Royal Rumble at WrestleMania forty In the main events, I choose you Roman reigns. If a high chief his grandfather was here, they'd be ashamed of you. And when you're talking about his blood, you're talking about my blood. So now we have a problem there. You have it, build a slap herd around the world. Did you uh did you watch that live? I did? I did watch that live? Your thoughts? You know, I'm gonna come at it from a different direction because you you and I. I say this all the time when we're talking about whatever company and whatever, when we're talking about wrestling. I love the fact that there's another layer. Like we thought everybody, you know, the whole thing was everybody's upset and what what what's what's Dwayne call them, Rock calls them Cody candy asses and all these stings, and everybody wanted Cody, and yeah, Cody cry babies and the junior teacher. They they got up all this, you know, they got all the talking, they got all these things, and they continue to tell the story. Everybody was so set on being upset that Cody wasn't in it. So now they're talking about did Cody swaym did the people sway? The cup creatives of mine? Get Cody back into it? Ba da da dah. Regardless of what it is, the Rock has done what he said he was gonna do and bring more eyes to this event than ever before. In my opinion that ever before, there'll be more eyes on this event. And so I love it. I love the fact that we have no if we just sit back and enjoyed his fans, we have no idea what's going to happen. You're right about that, we don't. There's a lot of controversies surrounding this and the what do you call it, the what do you call the community? Internet Wrestling community, the IWC, the IWC, of course, I don't know if the casual fans it's a controversial, but the IWC interning community has a lot of controversies surrounding this. Like what I'm seeing a lot of is things like they're doing this to cover up the Vince McMahon publicity. Uh, they didn't have this planned all along. They pivoted, And honestly, we don't know if they had this all along, if they pivoted or not, we don't know. We won't know for sure. But if you heard this too, yeah, And but to see that's the great part about it, is just when everybody's got it figured out, here comes another swerve. Regardless of what the reason is, it's another swerve, and it keeps people talking. It makes everybody continue to play booker, continue to say what's right. Well, they're only doing it because it is. How about the fact that it was awesome? And I hope they come up with two or three more swerves before it's a swerve, you know. So I thought it was great, but I saw a lot of it. Uh, and then I saw people who were complaining, well, how does a guy on the board get to touch another town? You know? People try to bring it all different directions, you know. So you know, Rocky's on the board of TKO and then he slaps a talent that works for them and now he's gonna get physical and you know all this that and the other thing. But it's drawing huge, huge numbers across the board. Yeah, another big social media record set by that one, I think. So, I I like this setup. Obviously, now that they're with TKO, they have resources that they can utilize, and one of them is Las Vegas. Could you see this utilize for UFC right like the pre fight. Yeah, and it's kind of similar to that. A lot of journalists, wrestling journalists rather were upset because it was kind of okay, it wasn't kind of it was built as a press conference. There was really no press involved, right. I think press were just had a primary access to it. I guess you could say, yeah, because it was open to the public. Right, it was open to the public, but it seemed like the press had, you know, access to it. I just there's a lot of people upset about that. How that. I think they thought there's going to be like a lot of Q and a going on. Really it was just a promotional event for the company. But let me ask you this, do you think the same people that were mad that they did it wasn't your typical press event won't go to the next one because of this. They'll be there, Oh the big news. It's still you know, yeah, you know, it's all, but it didn't change. Everybody gets upset by change. The even the people who report on it get upset by whatever changes would. Rate certainly didn't expect any wrestling to happen. No, No, I don't know why. There's not a surprise there. But I think maybe they thought they were going to be able to ask some questions, but I think for DIVIDB, the whole point was to promote wrestle Mania and keep it on topic for that, I guess, and progress storylines through this event. Yeah, because they had a lot of loose ends to tie up because whatever happened, whether they had planned to go with Cody Rhoades all along in that match, I don't know. It doesn't really seem like it, but I guess it doesn't matter, but they had to. They kind of used this event to tie up loose ends and the drum up some publicity. I wouldn't be surprised if there's another one, pree wrestle Media. Yeah, I mean, I would not be surprised if there's another one. I mean, if you're in town there and you don't have anything else going on early in the evening, it would be pretty cool to just go in there and see. I don't how much it cost, but I don't know if it's open. Yeah, I don't know the details on that. But nevertheless, a lot of people are saying it's a cover up to cover up the bad news that they've had going around the company, and a lot of people are saying that it was their escape from late uh, convoluted bad booking? Is it is? It? Is? It? Is it truly booking if it's not finalized yet? You know, I don't don't know. Is there so is there a difference? And if someone came out and said, well, we realized we weren't booking it right, so we we we redid it the book it proper. That's what I don't understand exactly. Why is it a bad thing that they change what they were going to do if they did creative changes all the time and you finally got I don't mean finally like it's never happened, but creative is finally going away to where the WW the majority of the WW universe wants see. And you still have people going, oh, they're just doing it for this and doing it for that. Well, if you have the resources to get the focus off the negative of your company, then by all means you should be using it. A lot of people are staying they're trying to get ahead of everything too, Like the timing of the rock coming on the board and all that suspicious. But I mean, we'll never know for sure, but rock is a thirty million dollar pay day? Do you think I guess my next question for you is how big of an influence he is that he's had he has right now, whatever his position is on the board. I guess like we know what his position is, his title is, but what impact and influences that he has as far as on a compared to others, like maybe a triple eight. Sure they're just calling it Paul. Now to you realize that, Yeah, yeah, they're kind of getting rid of the and why is that Bill? We've been texting about this. What are they doing? Man? I told you this, Matt, you nailed it. You said this is this is the gonna be the norm now with the way UFC does things as well, it's just it's the sports aspect of it. Yeah, so we're seeing that, like Dwayne owns the name of the rock now, so unless Paul is given the legal rights to triple H, we may not see that much more. I just listen. I love the fact that they can take they can take the focus off of the negative. But they when we talk about this all the time, somebody's always going to bring it back to the they Oh, they're just doing it. How about the fact that the product's really good right now? How about that everything is like they're literally firing on all cylinders right now and instead of we always like that's why I say, I don't look for the for the bat or the they Oh, they're doing this because it is why they got me. I do think they underestimated probably how over Cody Roads is and and if if Cody indeed needed shuttle push, this was it. This was the rocket booster that sent him into But even if the Rock interjected himself and said I'm gonna be in the MA event WrestleMania, he still had the sense of knowing that he needed a pivot from the idea. Yeah. Yeah, I think what what I'm hoping for it. I think what they're what they're leading to is Cody Seth against Roman Rock at the Chamber, right, That's what it feels like. That's it. That was the biggest thing that I got out of that press conference was everybody feeling like Seth was just a second rate player. That's also they've been presenting him, right, Yeah, so just really over the top. I like it. I think it's I think it's gonna be good. I'm looking forward to it. I'm actually looking forward to both both both events, the Chamber and and WrestleMania. Everybody thinks they're going to get the end of the story. They're not. I'm gonna go on records saying they're not even coming close to the end of the story. Again, some stories or people talking about it's the ninth inning, right because Paul Amen how many months ago, a year ago, said I we're only in the third inning. People going into the night, didn't he No, it's not. This game's going into overtime. Sorry for all those out there people are some people did not like my seth Rawlins personation. I liked it. I just liked I'm just happy that he's gonna get into something legitimate. I guess yeah, sing his teeth into something. It's just kind of been this goofy character on TV. It's and its presentation is weird, right. You have Cody Rhodes comes out in a suit at this press conference, Dwayne the Rock Johnson comes out with a cutoff tee on you know, muscles all out. Then Seth Rowns is wearing whatever. Seth rown twears just that part of it was a little bit odd. But Seth Frown's presentation has been a little bit off for me, and I'm excited to hopefully he gets in something that he can dig his teeth into a little bit and get away from that seth freaking rowlands some and go back and just I like his promos. I like the way he's been talking. It's been a little more matter of fact. Yeah. I like the barbs going back and forth. It gives it some legitimacy for me. I think it opens the door for Damian Priest and that's that's a that's an outing. I could really like sink my teeth into is Priest and Wild. So I'm, like I said, I'm excited all the way around. I'm not looking at all. They're doing it for this or this. I'm like, entertain me, like, make me believe in it. Here's one thing I'm gonna be curious to see. And how important this is, I don't know. You tell me and your opinion. How important is this to tie it into the bloodline in a strong manner? I know, right, I think full circle it will be because the Rock's part of the bloodline, right, But they've got all these other different stories inside of the bloodline that have kind of been put on paused, like the usas solo. All that stuff's kind off the side right now. How important you think it is to continue some of the things they had developed with the bloodline storyline. I think it's gonna be hard to get back to that full, fully engaged bloodline storyline. To your point, I think they've gotten away from it a little bit. Jim's this way, Jay's this way. Solo is kind of going, you separate themselves, you know, you see the Wise Men only at certain times now with Roman, all the other key players to me, sammy' zain and and guys like that are kind of just everybody's kind of branched off again. So I think the bloodline thing is just gonna start to become the head of the table conversation and not so much the bloodline. I mean, the bloodline will be a part of it. I find it very strange and hard to bring the USOS and Solo back into it and make that a tight unit again. Yeah, it'll be a challenge for them. We'll see what to do. I just how does this bloodline thing all come to it? And eventually, you know, I don't know, it doesn't have to you right now, though, I guess, yeah, it doesn't have to. And I think the days of Oh, it doesn't matter what we did last week. People don't remember, people do remember, And I think there's they're they're working like they do and they're trying to be consistent, and but I just see it. I think initially it was one of those things that at any time you can bring them all back together for any reason. I think they're past that now. They're all becoming their own, individually individual characters. Now. The bloodline thing, I think just leads us into the head of the table, which you could always come back through now because that's been put on the back burner now because they're not facing each other. I do think that I am drawing it complete blanks on what I was going to say. What I was gonna say is I do think this is going to cause some confusion on how this all plays out with if Roman Rains loses the title, right and like what manner will that happen? Because once he loses the title to Cody, there might be like another match. I don't know how much more they can get out of it after that point. But the question is what will they do after that? How can they tie it back in to the bloodline. That's where Roman Raine story is got to progress, right that. Yeah, whether the Rock's involved with it or not, Yeah, it hads to it has to be. He's still the head of the table. He's not the head of the table because of the Universal Championship. He's right, he's the leader of the family, right, So I think I think it has to go on past this. But ultimately, though, you can't just can't deny getting Rock involved in WrestleMania. Somehow, I feel like, no, yeah, it listen, people were gonna go to WrestleMania regardless. But what did I read it right where they've just sold another ten thousand tickets for tomorrow Night's SmackDown. I don't know about. I don't know about SmackDown, not though you're gonna talk about WrestleMania tickets. I don't think so, if I if I understood the article, they sold another ten thousand additional tickets for tomorrow Night's SmackDown because Rock will be on with Roman. Gotcha wa Yeah Christmas dude. Yeah, that's true. That's a lot. Yeah, that's huge. That's that's three aew houses. I don't even know how they could what arena they could be in that they could just open up that many seats. But yeah, you can't turn around. You can't really underestimate. Also, I mean under state the Rock just got paid thirty million dollars too. I mean, if they want to utilize the Rock, they just paid him thirty million dollars. Part of this board thing, he's gonna be involved. Thirty million dollars. Your and Andy got his name, which you're right is worth It could be worth more than that, right because now all merchandises is he owns all the intellectual property. Now no one can make a cent off of his name any longer. I don't know how that works with what would be would do, but point being his the Rock name and brand is worth a lot of money back to the other championships. So it looks like McIntyre and maybe Demi a pre sneaks send the picture somehow, But it looks like mcintyre'll be involved, right. It looks that way. He's kept himself in that in that picture the whole time. Man. Yeah, Drew is just one of those constants, and I think that's the plus. Like what we've so far, what we've been talking about, there's so many constants and there's so many players, and I love this Drew that now no longer cuts promos and just talks like he looks, you know, like I always felt like he was cutting promos. Whether they're scripted or not, it still felt like a promo the past month or so. When Drew talks, this is a six foot four to two hundred and seventy pound man talk the big guy. The believability is there. I mean, he looks the party's always looked, the party looks great, he works great. I think it opens the door for Drew to be part of it, and I think that's where you're gonna see the My prediction is you're gonna see Damian Priest get involved somehow with the set thing, and then we're gonna see Damian Priest and Drew marry on to each other for a little bit. They've needed like a good heel and I feel like Drew McIntyre's done a good job with that. Yeah. Yeah, because every there's I think WW has so many fan favorites. Now, there's not a lot of distinction between you know, my two favorite words are baby facing heel. Right, there's not a lot of the thinction between the white hats and the black hats. Drew's clearly wearing the ten gallon black ten gallon one pole huge true McEntire fan. People are also kind of chatting about how he's being promoted for shows in like May, so they think that's an indicator that, you know, maybe he has a long term plan with the contract status wise. You know, I don't know, Well, I hope so, I hope he uh, I think right, that's what they're what they're in now. There the re signing process, and then you have to think about, you know, the timeout he was injured. Yeah, but he adds that onto your contract. So his contract me, let's let's use February the end of February. But if now he has to fill that time that he missed, his contract could actually be extended through May and then they could talk to him about it. So maybe that's why he's being promoted through, you know, into the summer events, because he still has to work those dates to make up for the timeout. Iought to ask Uncle Dave. He probably knows all the details. Yeah, as he holds my people told me, yeah, I know, so I need to get that guy at Mike's stand forget that for the guds on a show multiple times, so he needs a mic stand man. That's a lot of people holding mics that can't be like comfortable after an hour. I don't like it. Yeah, you kind of volume goes everywhere and we're too hard on Dave. What else he's thinking on the dough of b front man when we're on it before we moved to another company. I tell you, I watched Next last night. That was a It wasn't the best NXC show I've seen, but I did like it. I did like the bron Breaker and Baron Korwin getting the title tag team titles though, Like I dig what they're doing and I know why they're doing it. Here's here's someone else that I'm I'm kind of high on now that I'm a fan of. Is the the the young lady who's like uh riding the cotels of uh Valkyrie And I still can't get her name right, but I think she's going to be a tremendous asset. There's a lot of women in NXT and the shows tend to be, you know, woman heavy on it. You know, there are a lot of they get plenty of time. Yeah, they get plenty of time, And I'm not against that. I agree. I don't think it was. I don't think it was one of the best shows they've had in a while. But listen, the only way you're gonna get those reps is being on TV. Yeah. So while everybody else is and rightfully so, right because everybody says NXT is the third brand for WWE, yes it is, but it's still that place to grow and and learn. So I always try to look at it that way instead of being instead of being critical, Right, I critique it, but I won't be critical of it because there's still but then you see a lot of good things happening. Yeah, I mean, and you gotta you gotta really understand what it is too. Yeah, And so I thought it was a good show. I watch it, I'm engaged through most of it, and then there's some things like I go, ah, it's on the tech. The Brandy used that a like experiment to there, right, Yes, yes, that's exactly what it's for. Let's let's throw it against the wall, see with sticks, and if it does the stick, where we have enough talent and and opportunities to move forward and then get these other people, you know, caught back up. So when you got involved back then would you imagine that it is what it is today. I knew that was the vision, like this is the vision. But you you know, I go back to the and I say disrespectfully the old timers that came into the performance and what him was getting built to a legends words. I never thought it'd be alive to see it come to this, because everybody always talked about what the progression of the business would be. I never thought, regardless of the reason, I never thought I'd be around it long enough to see it come to this. And it's it's just amazing, man. And it's just hats off to Sean and Matt bloom and and you know, Ryan Smiley down there and Paul all and for sticking to and everybody else that's working down there and doing their thing, because it really is clicking, and it really you really see the talent that is spending time there, you know, and I'm not saying people don't, but you really see the people that are spending time there, because every week they're getting better and better. Trick Williams perfect example. Oh yeah, Tevioty to smack down, didn't they? It also announce Logan Paul I think got a full loaded card. Tomorrow, don't they. Yeah, they're bringing out all this the guys. How about this guy we talk about we talk about the rock. Put Logan Paul in the same conversation, Yeah, put him in the same conversation. The odyes he's bringing, but the the the just the way he's presenting himself and he's really starting to get a feel for for who he is, not Logan Paul the celebrity. I think he's really starting to get a feel for who he is as Logan all the wrestling, uh personality and things like that. So hats off for him. I always, I'll always praise him for what he's doing. Yeah, so it's a stacked show tomorrow for sure. Are you Harry? You thought about the chamber coming up before we move on to the next thing. That's the last thing we'll talk about here. Do you excited? Brother? You gonna get up five in the morning to watch it? Brother? Well, that that was the thing where we thought about this weekend, because you know, you don't watch anything live, I mean post live. So Billy, yeah, Billy was trying to figure out. He goes, Wow, what time we have to watch that live live? I'm like early in the morning, dude, so we may. We may catch the later version, but I am looking forward to it. Later version just consists of logging in anytime right and watching realize that right? Okay, wh's which which? Thanks to you and many others, now that I have to get used to this streaming idea and everything, I have to figure this out, so I'll be this. I was clicking on it just like you would if it was live, but it's just not live. But it also consists of my little sticky notes going press this button, go to this brother. Maybe Billy can help you. Yeah, but I'm looking forward to the chamber, I really am. I think it's gonna be a good build up to Mania AW full of death matches, last night, street fights and all that. But before we get into all that, I do want to show you something and get your thoughts on it. Oh, you're gonna get me work though, Like so many of you, I am very excited about tonight's big announcement. You might have heard earlier today, the TD Garden announced AW is returning to Boston on Wednesday, March thirteenth. That will be a very important night for AW and the entire pro wrestling industry because Wednesday, March thirteenth, five weeks from tonight, will be AW Big Business Live in Boston. You're not gonna want to miss this show. Tickets go on sale this Saturday. The event takes place five weeks from tonight, and if you can't join us live in Boston, you're gonna want to join us right here on TBS on March thirteenth, because Big Business is going to be one of the most important nights ever in AW and a night that the entire pro wrestling industry will remember. Thanks, guys, back to you a huge announcement. Did you see this another big announcement? Yeah? Yeah, I uh, I'm trying really hard nothing, So I go first. Is there no one that they have that could make this announcement other than Tony Khan? I think he wants to make it, Bill, I know he wants to be on camera. I know he wants to make those announcements. But are you setting yourself up to fail by having Tony Khan do it? This is big business, This is the biggest the old wrestling world's gonna be talking about it. It's gonna change the industry forever. But I haven't heard anybody talking about it. Other than speculation of if the big business as you're introducing Sasha Banks or Mercedes Monet, that's not the whole wrestling wand's not gonna be talking about them, you know, no, because the biggest thing she did was show up in New Japan and win the championship. That was So I don't know big business is the thing. That's the thing about these big announcements to a e W makes uh seven times a year. They have these big announcements, and then I wonder, I go back to j White. They announced Jay White, but j White is a six man is twelve man tag matches. That fell flat a little bit, and all these big announcements kind of fell flat a little bit. So you've got to back up what you're saying. I don't think Jay White fell flat anything he did. No, no, no, And I'm not saying because of what he did. It's just these here are these big announcements, Miro and all these you know what I mean across the bull to say, Mira, yeah, Miro big, here comes all these people. You know, so there's a great talent pool and around the world as a Mira yeah, right, So is your big announcement Mercedes. That'd be cool. But is that enough to draw me the TD Garden? And then I'm almost a big fan of going, Hey, if you can't be there, don't worry because you can watch it on TV. That's the part that stuck out for me. This is a huge announcement. You want people to have to be in that arena. So anybody in that Boston market or that whole area within three hours of driving distance. You're right, I can watch it on TV and I'm the best seat in the house and not have to be there. But and then I from what I saw, the biggest part of what people were saying is or why would you go to TD Garden when you can't fill that kind of a renan. That's why it's a big announcement. It's got to try to fill it. So do you think that do you think that breaking news is enough to fill TD Garden? I've worked in the garden many times, to the garden. Now you're gonna fill TD Garden. You're gonna you know you're out thinks No, yeah, but you can move some tickets maybe though. I think that's a thought behinder, right, Yeah, So what do you think happen? Do you think it's about Mercedes showing up Sasha Banks. I'm just I'm just going by what the scuttle but is. I don't know what the big announcement could be that's gonna have the whole wrestling world. You know what else they're saying right streaming? No, no, well, man, I don't know. But Okada, how many of your friends you're wrestling in your wrestling group know who Okata is? Well? I mean I kind of talk with people that really like wrestling. Do you do your girls like wrestling? Your daughter's like wrestling at all? A little bit? They don't know are they gonna buy see like pasure wrestling Mike, my casual wrestling fans if you're asking me, don't know who Kada is. And that's that's my point. What so, why is that big news? I think it well, it sounds like they're offen a big money. It's it's good. It's it's big news, though, I mean, I don't know if it's enough. Whatever's good for business. I'm I'm a fan of but I don't know what you're gonna do with him. But it's it's it always goes back to everything is this big news and it's gonna set the world on fire, and the track record is seventy percent of time it doesn't. I think it's also what they do after they get there, right, and you're adding more people to an over staff kindlepool to begin with. So now what are you telling these these people that have been there for three, four or five years trying to get a spot and now they got to go back down the ladder again because we're bringing in someone for one night or going to keep them there and because they garnish a lot more money or or start. I mean, don't you don't stand at chap It does sound like all things indicate those two individuals are gonna go to Won Bank that Mercedes AA. Then I think I can okay. So like for Okada, I can see the appeal, right, they've got to get him a bunch of money, But it kind of seems like they let you work a lot of other stuff too. I mean, is it the same kind of deal as will Osprey? I don't know, maybe, yeah, that's what I'm thinking. Right, A lot of these guys are doing other stuff. Even Moxley out there does some stuff, and so hats off to them for business wise, they're getting they're getting Uncle Tony to pay him big and they're you know, he can say they're part of the the deli. Oh, but I just don't know what the big pay off. I don't know. One of the best wrestlers in the world though, yeah, oh, hands down. But to the to the casual fan, is Okada not knowing or just the thought of Okada coming in gonna be the thing to draw us into the garden. I think for Tony it's the thought of Okada and how he can what kind of matches he can book him in. That's it. I think it's more for Tony. I don't think Tony thinks I could do this storyline. I do think he thinks match we could get another Okada Danielson. Well, it's to me it's like Takesha and will Osburn. Yeah that's a that's a great match anywhere anywhere in the world. But how does it stay with the the a W storyline? Because it stays in the don Kallis family. I thought that was a terrible reasoning for the man. You sure called it on the Adam Cole group. Yeah, I did anything now, no messing with the best friends. And it's it's just he's trying to fight and trying to find room for everybody and everything. You said it earlier. Everything's a street fight, everything's outside. There's nothing. Nothing makes these matches special anymore. Now people are going because they expect blood and outside interference in every freaking match, and just you know, it is what it is. So though, when you have guys that can think can give you those good, solid matches, it's it's a throwaway because, yeah, what'd you think about Sting? So we talked about that, and the last time we talked arbionn Sting titles, Nicholas and Matthews are being called the evil VPS. I uh, no, matter how I say it, right, someone's gonna say, oh, I'm not interested in it. Sting's last match. I don't know. I think that's what that was. What should be one of your big announcements. That should be Okay, we're pulling out all the stops and we're bringing in this person you wouldn't expect or you know, whatever it is, or I don't know. I just don't and I don't see what's Rick Flair gonna do ringside with the young Bucks kind of forgot about Rick Flair. See, so all the things that were built up for Stings Final match and this big and now it's it's just a storyline. It's just a a thing. So to be honest, I'm not I thought the match he gets the acteams atle match was good though. Yeah. I didn't understand Darby Allen's promo. I know a lot of people loved it because he referenced Cody, But yeah, we'll talk. I was gonna talk about that. Yeah, he kind of just throws out that those vps, those being the young Bucks, were never big fans of his and the other VP and not Kenny Omega brought. He didn't talk about the brutal assault that they did to him. They wore those white suits and they had his blood all over. Yeah, he he totally let that alone. Yeah, they didn't talk about that. And how can how am I supposed to take Darby Allen serious about complaining about how he wasn't welcome. That guy's on every show, everywhere, he's on TV every week. He's he's the industry tructible. You know. So you got a guy one hundred and forty pounds and he's complaining about the EVPs. But he's on more than they are. So I didn't understand the like, I know he's trying to be this badass, you know, confrontational guy. I just don't I just I can't make the connect. I can't connect the dots. Yeah, he's not a badass because he's confrontational. He's just a badass because because he keeps what he's willing to do to win a match. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I see what you're saying. But they don't really expose sting well because I mean, just to be honest, it's not the sting He's never been. I guess had like the world's greatest promos and I think that's kind of like the way you have to keep staying where he's not talking all the time. Yeah, and I had that mystique behind him. But so it's just really up to Darby Allen to try to carry a load on some of that. And I mean it's just not his strength either. So but it just strikes me weird. I think we talked about this a couple of weeks ago, a couple episodes ago, of how Darby spent all the time talking and this thing went, yeah, sounds good. It's just that it's just a disconnect of it's a little force fed. I feel like so, but I like to see how the match goes. I think it's uh, you did in the pay per view, right, Yeah? Sure, no, I'll let you know how it is. Yeah, I'll take everybody's word for it. There was some good matches last night, though. I like both of the street Fight themed matches kind of thrown together. Though I just wish there was just one of them a show instead of all of them. Yeah, they had this weird balance of where like, you don't see a lot of other guys, but you see a lot of Orange Cassidy, which I get. He's like a few years ago, I think he had the most T shirt sells on per rectept Teeth. But you know, you don't really get some of these guys that we talk about that I don't even know what's going on with some of them, but you do. You say names randomly and I'm like, I don't know what's going on with that person. Yeah, And now all of a sudden, you know, Matt Tabn's jumping over the thing and you go into a table and he's on acts and why how did we get there? What is it? I don't understand the Texas Death Match bill. That's why because they were in Texas. Yes, yeah, but that's it. They could have been. I don't know. I don't know. It's not like the old Texas death matches. No, everything everything in AWS and Texas death Match Now, Yeah, I've never seen so many people get choked out and get up and walk out. Wow, what show was that I watched in where they're at it and they're talking about the oxygen supply? That was it? Right? Yeah? Yeah, okay, it was last night. Okay, oxygen supply. Then you get up and walk Commentators do a great job, but they're telling a different story than what we're watching. So it's yeah, maybe they're trying to connect the pieces. I don't know. Yeah, I get it. While we're on the aw. What else you got? You talk about your your your guy that I found they sold you on. Who's that Swerve? Yeah? Yeah, big fan. I think he dope, Prince none it, don't be mad at me. I think it's time for them to split up. I think it's time for them to split up because if you're gonna if if Swerve is gonna go to that next level, mm hmm and it looks like that's the path he's on. Do you like his vas right now? At least he's a little bit of a feud having Nana dancing and everything, and you know, like, yeah, he I think it's okay with Ryan Cage and the other guys or whatever else. But I think if Swerve's gonna go to the next level, he needs to kind of break away from them. At least he's in a storyline right now. Swerve kind of yeah, but what so let me see that other he's hated, right, That's that's the storyline. You, You and I are. You and I are in a bar and I look at you, I say something, I've got too much to drink. You've had just enough to drink. We have words, We have a drag out bar and burner pull apart. Both get arrested. We'll spend the night in jail, and then we're both back at this bar next week. Are you gonna call up and say and another thing? Are we gonna just have it every time we see each other? I don't think if I had to have at it with you once, I would have another time. But I feel like good point is, yeah, have a hangman page yep, and swerve ad some really good encounters. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. At least, I don't understand why they stand during funky You don't deserve my time, You don't deserve my bit sudden they keep giving each other punch him in the mouth like they should never have a word to say to each other. It's beyond that, you know what I mean, And I feel like, there's no, it's not necessary. You like hang a man better as a heeler or a babyface? I like, I like just to demeanor. I don't. I really don't look at him as a healer of babyface. I like his intensity, but then I don't like him going backwards to follow week and starting the story over again. It's like having this big, big brawl and the first thing we do is lock up. He'll know, I'm gonna grab you by your nuts, I'm gonna punch you in the face, I'm gonna do something and get you down and beat the crap out of you, And instead we got the same thing. Oh you want to when they're a good Oh we're beyond talking at this point, right, Yeah, Yeah, so you're saying, yes, absolutely, I get it. One hundred percent, So there is a little bit. But my point was there is a bit of a storyline there at least, yes, and and they they they have me, but I'm I'm hanging on to hopefully something more to it because it gets it's coming back every week going oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, let's go have a banger, and then next week will oh yeah yeah. It's any time. He just has to be right for words like what they're gonna do with him. I think they're just kind of doing whatever they're doing until they know exactly how they're gonna get him. In that title picture Adam coupling Adam Copeland and U Christian Cage. That's starting to drag out a little bit, in't it. Yeah, I'm curious when they're going to go with that. I think they're they're trying to force feed us Daniel Artcia. Now, yes, make him relevant and hey, let me ask you something. Hold on, let me start to cut you off. So the rankings are back right, yeah, and they're important. There's no important edge. Adam Copeland is the third ranked, blah blah blah. He thinks he should have a title match. What Daniel Garcia, who is absolutely god awful, and the ranking system comes out and says, I think I should have a title match and Adam, I hope, what because he's won five in a row. Yeah, but his overall records terrible. He would need to win like fifteen more in a row. And Edge, instead of saying screw you, idiot, get out of here. I don't need you don't deserve it. This is mine. You know I'm higher in the rankings, he just says, okay, yeah, let's fight. Didn't you find that to be a little bit odd? And then Christian and Pelophanes what is it the what's the group called, I don't know whatever is called the Patriarchs, the matriarchs, whatever they're calling. Yes, yes, they come out and they go right for Edge. Yeah, but why not go for Garcia they're low hanging fruit. Instead of telling us that Garcia doesn't doesn't mean anything, and we're going after Edge. So I feel like they got away from it. And I thought they were gonna tell that good story of like Copeland making his rounds to get back there. But clearly that's the story. Yeah, clearly it is. But I just don't know. I'm trying to figure out why the rankings matter. The rankings don't. So I talk about the rankings because it's different and we're changing the world. Obviously the rankings don't matter, or Dana Garcia wouldn't be in that position. But you know, Edge just said, Okay, no problem, buddy, Yes, let's let's do it like one side. Edge just trying to tell one story about how he wants to give the young guys opportunities. But it doesn't it doesn't coincide with the story with Christian. The fact that you need to be good in the rankings, right, you have to be you have to be up there. The only thing that matters is a six star match. Is what Chad Michael. Chad Michael seven stars at Chad Michael? Yeah, you know, if you're not at seven now, Yes, seven's the bar. Seven's to the bar now. I think, Cary, let's move on to the next company. We'll do that with a clip. Bring this up because of this from the front page of Wrestling Observe dot com. I have never heard of anything like this before. The TNA wrestling roster is looking to find a path forward following Scott Demore's departure from the company. Members of the TNA roster publicly voice their support for Demore on social media after the announcement. Today, Fightful published a letter that members of the roster sent to Anthem Sports and Entertainment CEO Leonard Asper and De Moore. In the letter, the TNA wrestler expressed their belief that TNA or the Demoor is still the best possible person to protect TNA's present and future. We feel strongly. The letter said that a wrestling person in quotes needs to be intimately involved at a high level to ensure the amazing company we have all built and product we have provided to our fans continues to grow and flourish. It is our opinion that the best possible person for that role was, is, and will be Scott. They have arranged a letter writing campaign to Anthem to bring back Scott de Moore Bros. Has that ever happened in wrestling? I don't do this is forty chess. Hold on a second. I've been around a long time and I've seen a lot. Okay, I can't ever remember like the head booker of the company being ousted, and the roster all got together to do a letter writing campaign to ownership to please bring this person back got you to laugh there. I like that this God Demorsee came out of nowhere, didn't it feel like? Yeah? It sure did? Ready launch, we're gonna we're bringing it back. We're gonna pick it up a notch. We're gonna be more legitimate. And you got rid of the heart and soul behind it part of not only so there had to be there has to be more to this decision that just going Okay, you're out, we're in right, so and and I guess depending on what you read or who you listen to, it's been in the works for quite a while, which is crazy because of everything else that they're presenting. We're gonna go back. We're getting back to the TNA roots were right. And he's been a long stay player there. I mean, I know he's had a couple in and out, but like I said, heart and soul, he's been really involved. Yeah, and he's had no qualms about sticking up for the company and and and doing all the things that they did. The thing that here's the thing that I find interesting and I'll steal from Brian Alvarez. I've been around this a long time. I've seen a lot of that I've seen where talent has come together to get people removed. I've seen where talent has come together and join together and voice their opinion on whether it's creative, or whether it's the attitude, or whether it's the morale. But if you're gonna send a letter to your new boss saying it's in the best interest for this company for Scott to be back, then I suggest you probably have everything packed and clean out of your locker, because now you're challenging me by saying I'm not fit to be in this role, and you're not gonna give me one hundred percent of your efforts and everything else, and if Scott's that year, we're gonna fail anyway, and so our attitudes are gonna change in all this. Don't get me wrong, tremendous applause for feeling that way about a fellow wrestler, performer, booker, whatever he was is. But why would you openly put that letter out there and now challenge Because unless we don't know something about Scott, he's not a position to give you a job another company. And as much as people are putting their necks on the line for Scott, and I'm sure he'd put his neck on the line. For others, that's bad business. I think their concern is that what they did is bad business. And you know what I mean. Like so, there's always this argument if you got to have a wrestling guy there, you know the guys. I agree with that one hundred percent, and all lines of employment, people are always about that you got to have. You know, there's getting wrong with having some outside right players involved. You do have to have somebody that knows the product, though. You got to have a team, a good team put together. And I can't speak for the entire team there, but I know they have some talent there, and then they have a good group of leaders in the back as well. They have vetering guys would experience that can And so if you're telling me that I can't rely on a Tommy Dreamer or or anybody else in the back to lead the way now that Scott's gone, then they're no use to me either. Listening to Lance Storm talk because he goes on wrestling, it was every radio wrestling observer. They have a bunch of different shows. He didn't seem like he knew anything about it, but I had heard that Scott Demord made a play at trying to buy it, and I don't know, maybe that ruffled some feathers because I think he was concerned at the way it was going to be handled and he was wanted to buy it. So he got the Bischoff treatment. Yeah, fair enough, That's that's kind of what it comes down to you then then, yeah, he got the Bischoff treatment. Nope, because this is what we're gonna do with it. But I think Bischoff's case is a little bit different because it was already on the way down and out, and I think on this rebrand it's contradicting what they were kind of because Scott the War has also been at the front leading this whole TNA charge in a return charge. So it's kind of counterproductive of what they're saying. As far as the vision of the company goes, well it it's gonna be interesting to see how it plays out. Still got a lot of talent there, There's a there's a lot of talent there. Nothing, nothing has changed, but the morale. I just I guess it's the evolution of the locker room. But I don't think you'd ever have you'd see a bunch of grownmen go into that guy's office and express express their concerns or feelings about it and deal with it that way. But to go publicly with a letter and now rally so so pretty much the people who are make a living in TNA are now rallying the troops to be against everything TNA is gonna do, and the people that are running it, like, I see that as a big negative. Hey Tory, Hey Chad, everybody comment along. I see all your comments. Okay, so we have some people here commenting that they feel like Scott was gonna be a huge part of the rebrand of TNA. Yeah, I think we all did. So it's such a weird thing to me. I kind of thought that. I guess ben't realized there was any tension there. I mean, i'd heard there could be because he wanted to buy it, But man, it seems like we're just on completely different pages of what I thought was going on there. But why would wanting to buy it be tension? Maybe he expressed he wanted to buy it because he was didn't like the way things are being done. Because I've also heard that they recently kind of reinvested a lot of their business and combine it all together, which I guess I didn't realize Anthem what all they have and are evolved in, So I'm really not all very educated on that. It's actually been a while since I've looked at anything like that since they originally bought it. But I just don't know what their vision for TNA is, I would imagine because Anthem is very similar, I'm not sure if it's on the same scale, but very similar to the endeavor TKO thing. They're in a lot of media you know things and stuff like that. So as they're as they're looking to grow it and maybe take the blueprint from WWE going into those kind of partnerships. It goes into here comes to sports entertainment talk more than it's pro wrestling, right, So you have a pro wrestling guy running it, but we're trying to go into the new era of entertainment, you know. Does that make sense? And and maybe maybe that's a thought. I don't know. I guess I just sure hope they get a better TV deal, yeah, and I and I think they will. But I think it's a it's a strong move, but I also feel like it's a negative because you're you're you're rallying your fans and the troops against the new regime. That's that's that's a really good point that is concerning I'm surprised I just haven't been bought out by somebody. They did. And and here's here's the thing. Uh I didn't oh my gosh, please forgive me her name. She was at the World Rumble Burton greats yep, DNA. So you don't think that WWE has eyes on p n A and you don't think that they're gonna So why would I now take a guy or or a girl, or a man or a woman that's talking against their own company, and why would I bring them into partnership with my company? You kind of got to test all the waters. And while I commend the locker room staying together, I don't know if that's I don't know if that's the right thing to do to rally the troops and the public against the new regime. That's a really good point, actually, Bill, But it's still to me just they have a pretty good library. I'll say that. Yeah, I'm really did say that Scott's a good guy. I heard Eric Bischoff's take on it and how he said Tony Kaine should bring Scott the Morton and I think that'd be a great move. But the way it's a big announcement QT Marshall's back, so I don't know what it could be to be that big. I don't know. So yeah, I'm you know what I did do? I'll say I have the CW app and I watched some NWA on there. Yeah you know, No, I haven't seen it, but now they're on CW. You got to get the app on your TV. Yeah, it's pretty cool. I don't know if you'd watch the YouTube stuff ever, but they got they're on there. No, man, sure fell flat on that TV deal and ever anything else about when NXT got on there. But it's pretty cool. At least they get on the app. Hopefully that got some exposure. But I don't know how much people are on that app, you know, I don't know. So here here and you just reminded me of something I was going to send you a message earlier in the week. There's the show wow, right, Women of Wrestling. You know about that show Women of Wrestling? Yeah? Wow wow, yeah wow. Yes, they're on Feeble on a regular basis every week they have a show. Now, did they get a TV deal, and our vide doesn't have one, and NWA doesn't have one, and here they struggling to find a home where they can be seen every week on something where everybody could access it. Wow, was on TV every week. I've seen it on Pluto TV. I think it's on CW at the most odd ball hours though. No, no, it was on like the eight o'clock hour the other Really, I don't have CW. Would No, I don't have CW. I have to watch it on the app. CW is on on YouTube TV Bill. I'm wondering how that happens. I'm looking it up now though I'm trying to see what's going on with this. I'm just completely oblivious to that. Though. Maybe this seed that I was watching the other's going through the channels. I'm pretty sure it's on the CW app, so maybe we can see it. Then it's on cable because I have CW on my regular like cable subscriber or whatever the heck it's called, and it's there every week Wednesday nights. I think it is. I'm reading here. Definitely on the app. Starting of twenty twenty two, it started to being on the app, and it was on that so they have a weekly show. How can we not have products like the NWA and and r OH and how can hear this? I just read this. The New York Times reported in twenty twenty and December twenty twenty two that WOW was the highest rated wrestling television show produced outside of DOW and AW and ahead of Impact Wrestling in New Japan. Pro Wrestling Wow and this is attributed to the show being available on every cable home the United States. Yep, yep, you're right man. So how the heck did that happening? Yet we have all these hidden gems that people can't see or you've got a screen stream them or getting that or watching on YouTube. And here here's And it's not a knock on those women at all. I'm like good for them, But how can that small group of oh talent get that opportunity? And we have, you know, other talents that are struggling to find all. I need to look into this. I'm trying to remember. I think it's Tuesday night at eight o'clock. It's not that about it, man, it's appealing. I don't really know much about the CWU though that we'll watched it in years, so it's got my go to source on that it's appealing. Not. I mean, I've seen it. It's a women's wrestling show, it's not. Is it the presentation of it that you're not a fan of? Yeah, yeah, and knowing that all the talent that's out there always no one else jumping on this opportunity to out thinke that take that over and take that spot. It's the third most watched brother two years ago. Oh, unbelievable. Yeah, you don't believe it, Dia. Yeah, I would have thought. Yeah, I wouldn't think it would be. But I don't know. I'm gonna look more into this though. We'll talk more about this next week. So it is that time of the episode where we go to on this day in pro wrestling History, we have five this week love for quing things up and getting ready. Was an eventful week with some cool things. We're gonna cover Monday through Friday. See if I can find it here. On this day of pro wrestling History. The twenty second I mean, excuse me. The twelfth, February twelfth, twenty seventeen, Bray Wyatt won his first w championship in the main event of ww Elimination Chamber in Phoenix, Arizona Chamber Match also included at AJ Styles, Baron Corbyn, Dean amberus Well, John Cena in the mizz Let's check it out, AJ Styles and Brave Wyatt Springboard four fifty Todd Wyatt. But he heard himselfing's looking at the other time. AJ Styles willing to do whatever it takes, and I think AJ has heard himself. Four superstars have already been eliminated. We will crown and you w W re champion. I wonder what is going through AJ Styles and Gray White's minds to win with it. They got to be creative and somebody's gonna look back. We're a brutal, proven crown, penomenal four nights block by Wyatt, jackdaw Bye, Jack Styles, dimes w W A champion bhy The era of Wyatt is here, the time of that as a leader. Him is nund by the Eater. The worlds high. That's done it seven years ago, man, unbelievable, like yesterday is that crazy? Yeah? That was him in the ordin Feud, House of Horrors. I think all that was around that time. Crazy to think about seven years ago and you like how JBL was like the titles that's eluded him. How old was he then, like twenty eight? Yeah, I could have been there when WrestleMania in Atlanta. I forget what number was we took the bus, so twenty eleven. We you know, pimp the Buddy to bust everybody from the hotels because the hotels was far from the arena. And I was sitting there with Windham and I've known you know, him and his brother through Mike for years when they were younger and when he was still husky Harris and I was I said, man, I'm a big fan of what I'm seeing, and he and we just had this great conversation to watch him grow from Husky Harris and into you know, into Bray Wyatt and all that stuff, and then just seeing that it's like it was like it was yesterday. Awesome moment though, Yeah, and uh definitely how many more titles did he get one or two after that too? I think? Yeah, cool moment though. That's just him and Orton had like a couple of really good build ups then just really weird payoffs at WrestleMania. Yeah. Yeah, but the build but they were they were strong going into them. Oh yeah, the build up was great, and the match is kind of like Bray Wyatt. It's like a weird main event match. Got a kind of guy, you know. It's like you have all these cool components that he puts into building this and how do you pay it off in a wrestling match, normal wrestling match. Right, It's just I think that was a challenge, but cool moment there. Man and aj Styles looked great too. Yeah, it gets on. I mean, w is Lo app to know the same? I don't mean like fifteen. I can't believe he's been there, Like it's what fifteen years. Well, no, he's been twenty fifteen, fifteen, So nineteen sixteen, fifteen or sixteen. So yeah, yeah, he was pretty much of the main event picture within a couple months too. Yep, yep, talented guy. Move on to the next one. This is the thirteenth, nineteen ninety seven. Seawn Michaels forfeited the WWF Championship and cut his lost my Smile promo on an episode of Roll. It was actually like a Thursday Roll or something rare. The rumored creative plan was for Michaels to retain the WF title on this show against Sid in a Rumble rematch, which would set up the eventual rematch between Michaels and Brett harda wrestl Mania at thirteen. Hart was already booked to win the Final four elimination pay per view match three days later, which would go on to earn the right of that match. But let's watch it. This gun's obviously as a shock. Maybe it really shouldn't be. Considering what you give, what you bring to the roy and Wrestling Federation has taken its toll on you. I've never had a doctor look me in the face and say that I may never be able to wrestle again. No one in the history who's ever won this championship belt has ever had to endure the kind of schedule that you have so readily taken upon yourself. What I've always wanted for all these people is for them to have a good time than to enjoy themselves. One thing that's not going to revolve around this belt is going to be Sean Michaels. I don't have any toughness for anybody. I know that over the last several months, I've lost a lot of things, and one of them has been my smile. I have to go back and fix myself, and I have to go back and I have to find my smile. I don't care if people want to make fun of me, because I'm an emotional guy. This is all I've ever wanted to do. Whether you like me or not. I just want to tell you that last year, it was the most wonderful year of my life. If I never do get to do it again, it'll be okay because I got to live one full year. Has been the number one guy. It was a single most greatest year of my life. I'm gonna go home now that I've I've done right now, I'll be honest with you. I had cold chills during that. Yeah, that was a big It was a big night then, and it has the same effect right now. Yeah. It's just you can see how beat down and defeated he was in life, you know. Yeah, that's it. It wasn't wrestling like. And he took his time off and he came back and eventually he had quite a bit of time off, right, he came back and put together a crazy set of years. Man, insane. What do you remember You're on the other side during this, What do you remember when you seeing this? What's everybody saying, what's everybody talking about? I know we always people that people like hearing that side. For me, that's why they like to show here. Well, I think initially the the thought was it's a work like anything else. And then but you know, we had we had guys there at the time that new New Sean and you know, knew some of the boys on on that brand. So then you find out, you know, and you know the backstory of you know, life and all that other stuff that he was dealing with and trying to navigate. So it's once again it's one of those things like and I can only speak for myself, like why Kim, we have those same stories. We all live the same life where you know what I mean, and it's just different variations of it. And but w w F w W S not afraid to bring that to the forefront. But watching it was one of those things like wow, man, And it wasn't like cool, he's gone. It was like that thing that that understanding, that that that locker room brotherhood mentality of you know, I hope you get everything straightened out and this and that, but you know, you know, you hope that he's coming back. But again, it was one of those things like if you if you have no feelings, then you have no feelings. But if you have feeling that hits you hard. Because everything he talked about was everything we all did, but we watched. Yeah, to your point, we watched everything. It was like, wow, man, that really just happened. It was a lot of people saying that he did it because I didn't want to drop the belt to brit But I think just watching him there and having that year that he did, it would take a lot to walk away from that. Yeah, but it would also also it makes it listen. I can't speak from experience because I've never had a year like that, but I would say in some regards that may make it easier because you finally add that thing that you've worked so hard for and that's what he said to you. Yeah, you know. So it's it's a double edged sword. And it's just always funny. You saw the people's faces and I used to love the emotion of the fans and all that stuff, and no matter what, somebody's still gonna say ah because of this. So it's uh, that's wrestling, right. You gotta of that part of several people crying in the crowd, oh man, and it's not sorry to cut you off. Look, yeah, they asked you one more thing for a move on to the next day. What is it that Vince mc man and Shawn Michael seemed to have this weird bond. Well, I think Sean's talked about in the past. It was the father figure. Uh, then it was the big brother figure, that it was the little brother figure. Then it was the the the pain of the ass figure and all these other things. And oh, he's just a boss, and but yeah, the dynamic of clearly there was a relationship there that went deeper than just boss. And I'm not talking about anything that relates to what's going on right now, right right, you know, Yeah, that's just that's for me. It seems like very deep of a connection. You can't especially at that time being so hands on in your in your own company and what's going on. You get to know these these talent, whether you want to or not, you're gonna get to know them. So you hear about the Undertaker talking about all the time his relationship with Vincent and even mc foley. You know, when you hear Dwaye talk about it, and you hear Austin and it's not always Koombbayon, but there's that there's that bomb, there's that relationship. They add and if you were a top guy in the wwsww time, then you had that relationship with vis It seems like it was also that's coming off of a very few rough years h for the company and Shawn Michaels is there just grinding it away, trying to make it work, you know, bringing it, bringing it back up, and then he's out. Yeah, needed to get his time away though. No, that's a really memorable moment. People still talk about it to this day all the time. Yeah. The fourteenth February fourteenth, nineteen ninety nine WWF Saint Valentine's Day Massacre in Your House took place at the Pyramid and Memphis. Paul White, the Giant, the Big Show ever you want to call him, made his WWF debut by interfering in the still cage match between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Mister McMahon. Austin had to win this match to earn a shot at the WF Papionship of WrestleMania. Of course, he won the match when White threw him into the side of the cage. Breaking it open allowed Austin to drop to the floor and win the match the Big Show's debut. Let's watch Oh no no stop stop good stuff stick mad? What cast to him? He's gone on Lestlemania. God my god, can't says can't? That's time like, yes, that's time line. He's huge. Look at that. He's helped mister Mann to his faith. You knew the Boss had to have something up his sleeve. Look at this. Nickmahon wants Austin to suffer what he suffered in this match. Austin man handled holding into the cage. Often the coach get line of good dade up. Are you laughing at King? What? I'm laughing because Hay's doing that. But you see, you know Austin's expression, like his eyes changed through every aspect of that, falling from the cage, getting his hand raised like and then zooming back in on on mister McMahon stuff. He's bleeding. Yeah, King's going why what? The whole blood to that cage two was great. He literally threw him. Yeah, he literally picked him up and threw him. Yeah that cage. Yeah, what if he would have be able to hold on, if he would have hit that and just drop. He literally threw him into it. Yeah, he just grasped on to the top of the Big Hall White. That's what I was about to say. How big did he look there? My gosh, he looked like the original saber Tooth and one of the original X Men movies, you know, the first one. Yeah, I mean with the long hair and he just had that sinister look. You should have had hair like that. Bill Hall was in the shape, dude. I mean he was truly that. You know, he was a giant for a reason. But you think we're on the topic of him now, obviously this is debut. You think people really understate how great he's been. Yeah, yeah, people, I don't think. I think he's one of the most underappreciated stars forget big men. I think he's one of the top five big Men of all time. But I think he's definitely underappreciated people until you go through his catalogue of years of what he's done. Then you go holy, like he's been manned for so long and so many reincarnations of the Big Show and the Giant Paul White all he's this cried, he's been, He's cried. Yeah, he's done. It's made you laugh. He's been bald, he's been the sumo thing. He's done, he's done at all. I'm sitting there thinking about it, like, wow, ninety nine. I felt like he left us and was gone for years before we met up with him again. But it was only two years. But it was a long you know, at that time. It was when he left, that was a long two years. Because go back to what I was gonna ask you though, again, what do you remember on your side when this happened? W CW. Well, he knew he was gonna be a killer. Well, you knew when he like you never doubted Jericho when he left, because Jerco believed in Jericho and he he stayed to his vision of what he wanted to do and why he got in this business. So when Jericho left, there was a lot of doubters and he proved them all wrong. When when Gett left, When when Paul left, you knew that Vince was gonna make him just enhance the monster that he already was because and and and yeah, but he it's like he got beat right away too. Yeah. But that's the that's the thing, that's the W W E way. Yeah, I get it, you know, but and you and you weather the storm. He's so big he could weather. He was so good in his size. Yeah, of course. So it was one of those things like like, like I said, I can't speak for every but I knew the majority, like like yeah, stinking it, sticking it to us, but it's working out for you. You can't root against each other though at a first yeah, either nobody was rooting against him. Another bum me here, Let's go to the fifteenth February fifteenth, two thousand and four, Eddie Guerrero defeated Brock Lesner in an upset victory for the w w E Championship at ww No Way Out at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. This match was what Eddie Gerra's first w F champ w w F Championship, and I think it made him a triple crown and a Grand Slam champion overall. Let's watch it. Nny Cold's gonna clomb time and he's gonna fly an he's gonna nobody hot with a false flash to me in a rematch, I can play that, I thought someone by come on, got men call the plays in a robe? What er the rough out here? And Teddy Correro coming, but that will tell me a championshire. His head looks, Wait a minute, what the hell is there? That's going w oh my god, what I he it ain't come for that? Hell is he's going to him? Wait a minute, Eddy Correl wants grabbed that title? Eddie Correl, man who samas with a champions Yet there it comes home that I thought up. Come alrighty, d he's gonna talk on that the janed h flash good, ah tell it, dude, had sat me at stube man heady, oh, I'll tell you mob taz los in his voice. I wonder if if Brock appreciated that match then, as he probably does now that it's really relatively young. Yes, well this is about this is the big match built up him Goldberg, right yeah. Then they both leave. Yeah, so it was Inventially it was really good. I don't think he needed Goldberg, though I agree. I just thought she would have. I wish you just would have hit him with the belt then yeah, And then looking that was that was the first thought looking at it again, watching it now, going it's so not needed. Okay, it ties into oh yeah, probably could have figured out but that was they could have figured out another way to do that. But that was always the idea was and not because Brock needed protecting, but this you knew brock Lessener was gonna be a monster, and at that time he was a monster, but nothing to the level he is now, you know what I mean. So that's always been the direction, and that's where you go. That's where that's where WWE is better at it than anybody else. They stay the course and they make sure they protect them even if we don't necessarily think something should have to be there. He's protected enough to releast okay their circumstances, much like what Drew McIntyre guy rid of him at the Royal Rumble. Right, it was because Sheldon came underneath and there was a nutshot and all these little things that protect you that go into it. But I wonder if Brock appreciated then as much as he does now because and then and Brock and that he had good chemistry too. Eddie Euro could wrestle anybody, Hero could make any He could make my starfish looked like a million bucks. The crazy part is no one was talking about how Goldberg got involved. Yeah, like like people that are actually wrestling fans are just so happy because of the moment. It didn't matter that and Eddie Grero that was this gimmick to you, right, So it didn't really mad how he won. If that would have been the if that would have been the move that led to the finish, I think people would have talked about it. But the fact was it was. What didn't show is he did he did pen him after that and he kicked out I believe, yes, So we got that part of it in, but then it was still any that beat it. Yeah, what a moment though, Freddie Grere after. Yeah, you known Eddie quite a long time before this, so I'm sure this is cool for you to watch long time. Oh, it's always always always jazzed for Eddie. I was always and I'm always jazzed for Chabo. I got to know all the brothers, Hector and and all of the great family. They just it's just their way. It's just a Guerra way. You love him and you hate him, and you're mad at them, and you want to kiss him and you want to punch him in the mouth, but at the end of the day, their ride or die, guys, And anytime Eddie succeeded, we all succeeded if you were if you were part of Eddie's family and part of his his circle, when he succeeded, you succeeded. So it was always awesome. Another thing that always sticks out to me when I watched that these kind of matches. Eddie. He's not a very big guy, but dang, he sure doesn't come across as a small guy even in there at Brockles and or super xcent Eddie when it's physique is it was always great and and he was not a monster of a man, but he's just put together well. And he married himself like not a cruiserweight. He carried himself like a heavyweight. Yeah, awesome moment though, and profressed the history though Eddie Garrel one of the best. It's emotional moment for him too. You can see where he finally cling to the top of the mountain. You know, I think that's lost a lot of people, Jeff. I think people don't realize that. We hear all the time old Kay, it's choreographed, it's fake, it's a work. Whether it's all these things. But when you see when when any man or woman becomes champion, what the look you see on their face is that's as real as it gets because call it entertainment, call it controlled chaos, call it whatever you want. To get to that point, it's your hard work and any war that on his sleeve, much like everybody else does. But it's like any profession though, when you reach that ultimate level that you've like if you want it to be, you know whatever. I don't know politics even like you get that ultimate high level of election. That's what this is for Eddie Guerrero. It's ultimate career goal for and if you if you have a love for this business. I honestly get choked up every time I see someone I don't have to know you. When rear Ripley became champion, I got choked up and I've never met her. So imagine the imagine the feeling of the guys and girls that you do know, and you go, this is the best thing ever. Yeah. So, as much as we talk about it different lights, the end of the day, it's all real and it's all emotion and Eddie Ward on a sleeve like nobody else. Last one of the day. Here this ties into the Shawn Michaels thing. This is on the sixteenth and nineteen Oops left on the screen here. I don't know why it's stuck on my screen. Ninety seven, we had Brett Heart win his fourth DO World title and a featured match of In Your House the Final Four from Chattanooga, Tennessee. The main event featured the last four entering competitors from the previous months wear rubble match, which Stone Cold Wine after he came back into the ring intriment thrown out. You probably remember that the original prize of this match was for the time to be in the future title match, but since Shawn Michaels had forfeit of the title, that this actually became for the title. So Michael's leaving we talked about earlier, had a big effect on the creative and this is how it all played out afterwards. That's over. That's over. Undertaker's gonna do it, the Undertaker. That's one move alight he men captain leave him alone out the big finish. Undertakers over the too too, and they do it. Austen is a staff who was a brow Hart. Oh, that's one. Want to get off and out of this thing. I didn't wonder Taker not talking down the cat. The cat part. That's a new world rough they fund right one more time. So watching that back, I would instant listen. You never questioned Austin taker or Brett Hart, but watching that back, I would have loved this scene. Just clothesline, take her over and then Brett not celebrate right away, let them celebrate for him and then bring him up and then celebrate. That makes sense. That's the little things I watched. Now. So what ty see, if you can refresh my memory, is this leads into Brett Sean. Well, Shawn's out after this, right, But so was this already previous Brett Seawan starting to beat or to beat come later on. Well, the word on the street was that's that's what the plan was going to be at WrestleMania. But then he left obviously because he did, Because he didn't, that's what they were saying. That's what people were saying. This was the answer to it. Correct, God, gotcha. But what they did do was continue to build off this Austin storyline. Yeah, so Austin was obviously getting really hot at this point in time, right, I mean it was full force going at it with this Brett Hart thing. So I mean that's it gave us that because what happened was there was that submission match. This is what gave us that submission match at WrestleMania Austin bretton Park, which was a huge five star match. Dave Moltzerman. Yeah, back then when hitting five stars was impossible. So it all worked out in the end. But I believe the original creative was for Michaels and Brett Hart to go at it, but it ended up being I'm sorry, go ahead, no go ahead. But but that was the leading into So that was ninety seven and that goes to show you how hot Austin was getting take Er was getting Brett was because this is the time when they're starting to take back over, right, this, this is when they're starting to come back out of it. Yeah, this is what WWE did better than anybody else. They had multiple superstars, they had multiple attractions, they had multiple king pits. So no matter what happened, you thought, Okay, Sean Michael's gone, Okay, there's the wall. No, by the way, here's the other three guys that can carry the ball. Kind of an improv to a moment, and the match was very weird because they had this moment and as I was editing it, I was reminded of it where right before and I couldn't get it in there, but Brett Hart rolled Undertaker up and they started counting to pinned. Then within one minute he eliminates Undertaker of the rope. I was editing that again. I was so confused. Man. That comes to the end of the episode. Here with another awesome episode, dude, what a what a great year, so much good conversations. Always I'll say thank you to you because nobody will ever know the time you put him behind the scenes on this on this podcast, but thank you for a great year. I love that everybody's getting involved, Chad and Or and everybody who watches us across all the social media platforms. And this is a great episode to kick off a new year the BD. So tremendous job. Man, Thank you you Happy one year, Bill, Happy one. If you're just joining us now, make sure you go back and check out all the previous content. We have some cool, evergreen stuff at Bill dumont dot com. We've covered Tough Enough season three and Deep Dive. We've covered the United States Championship history of that title and a extreme deep dive. We've talked about the career of Bill Goldberg. A lot of great conversations that we've done in long form too. We got to get one. We got to get back to those again. That's a lot of work though for me, it's a lot of the beauty of what it is though, is we have so many more people commentating on the YouTube channel now past episodes because I'm glad they're catching up of them. So it's really cool to see what everybody's catching up to. But I like when we take those deep dives because they turned out to be really great episodes. Yeah, they do. And this was another fun one, Bill, and I'm thank you for everybody listening. Yeah, make sure you check out the previous content if you haven't, and yeah, check out the work that the Bill does with the foundation as well. Yeah, the Starfish reminded me of that. I can't I can't forget it. But that's Starfish back there. I'm telling you this this office is a complete shambles this week. We've been so busy. You have the Shakespeare's call back there too. Are you reciting some Shakespeare you notice at all? Man? You Knowice? Well that's that's who I thought to what I'm working at home? Well, there you go. All right, man, hit us. What's your catchphrase? All right, everybody, do what you say, say what you mean, and mean what you do, and keep being you and keep being great. Jeff Townsend, media say good night. And the question is do I stay here? Will you be back? Are you going to come back? Will you be back? Are you coming back