January 10, 1992
- The Inside Edition steroid story aired and yikes. Among the most damaging parts were Superstar Billy Graham and David Schultz both talking about Hogan's excessive steroid use. They also showed FedEx reciepts of packages sent from Dr. Zahorian to Hogan, as well as showed clips of Hogan's various interviews where he lied or contradicted himself. Overall, it was a great work of journalism and the proof shown is pretty irrefutable and incredibly damaging to Hogan and WWF as a whole. Hogan's attorney Jerry McDevitt (that guy again) tried everything he could up until airtime to get the piece cancelled, but Inside Edition didn't budge.
- Over the weekend, Graham and Schultz both appeared on a radio show and made even more explosive allegations. Among them: Schultz claims he personally injected Hogan with steroids hundreds of times. Graham claims that after WWF started cocaine testing in 1987, wrestlers would travel with a jar of clean urine in their luggage for whenever a test occurred. Schultz also claims that Hogan was a black market steroid distributor early in his wrestling career, helping provide it for other wrestlers in Pensacola. Schultz says that in 1984, Vince McMahon pretty much told him to see the doctor (Zahorian) and get on steroids so he could get bigger if he wanted to be put into a storyline with Hogan. Dave says there were other, more serious allegations made in the interview but he won't reprint them because he hasn't had a chance to investigate them himself yet.
- Thus far, WWF's response has mostly been silence. Dave assumes WWF will respond by attacking the credibility of Schultz (most famous for slapping John Stossel during a 20/20 episode taping) and Graham (who tried to get an out-of-court settlement of $1.25 million from WWF before making his statements). But while both men might have credibility issues, it's no secret within the industry that most of what they have said has a lot of truth to it.
- After this, there's about a 10 page interview that Dave conducts with Billy Graham. It's super interesting and a really good read, but there's nothing really groundbreaking in it. But if you have a WON subscription, go back in the archives and read it. This interview takes up about half of the entire issue, which is why this is such a slow news week I guess. Sorry.
- Lex Luger has officially given notice to WCW and will be leaving after the SuperBrawl show. His contract doesn't technically expire until March 1993, but he will be given a limited release where he can wrestle in Japan but not WWF until after his contract expires (for those wondering, this is why Luger debuted as a WBF announcer in 1992 and didn't actually start as a WWF wrestler until 93. It was their way of getting Luger locked down and showing him TV even though they couldn't technically use him as a wrestler. It's funny because Dave says that's what the rumored plan is, and Vince McMahon has "emphatically denied" it but of course, that ended up being exactly what happened). Dave then goes on to talk about how Luger, based on his age and size, could potentially be the heir to the Hogan throne in WWF and explains why other guys (Savage, Piper, Flair, Sid, Undertaker, Bret Hart, Curt Henning) probably won't be the next top star of the company.
- Behind the scenes in Japan, there's a huge cross-promotional show in the works with SWS (Super World of Sports) and New Japan. The show is expected to take place later this year, headlined by Riki Chosu (IWGP champion) and Genichiro Tenryu (SWS champion) and which will likely lead to storylines with the two companies working together. Could be interesting since WWF has a working relationship with SWS and WCW has a similar relationship with NJPW.
- Both of the Nasty Boys were injured over the weekend when they (along with IRS) were driving and some fans in another car pulled up beside them and began throwing things at the car and even bumped the car with their own. At a red light, everyone got out of the car to fight. Knobbs was stabbed 4 times (3 in the arm, once in the stomach) and Saggs was given a concussion when someone swung jumper cables and hit him in the head. Both were treated and released from the hospital that night and are expected to miss this weekend's TV tapings.
- Dave isn't sure why yet but Dan Spivey has been fired from All Japan. He had been part of a tag team with Stan Hansen for awhile and will now be replaced by Johnny Ace (Spivey ended up coming back a few months later I believe).
- Despite getting "married" at Summerslam 91, Dave drops the tidbit that Macho Man and Elizabeth were actually married in real life on Dec. 30th, 1984 in Frankfort, KY.
- In the Letters section, someone writes in with a lot of questions about Madusa which Dave responds to. Was she trained in martial arts (yes), did she compete in kickboxing or judo (not that Dave knows), did she release an album in Japan (yes, called "Who's Madusa" and I want to find that! Google is failing me), was she ever approached by Playboy (yes, they approached her, nothing came of it), then dude asks her age (born in '63), marital status (dating Eddie Gilbert), etc. It frankly is a little creepy how much this guy wants to know.
- And finally, to end the Letters section, someone submitted a "1991 Wrestling Rap" and Dave published the full lyrics for some reason. It's the worst thing anyone has ever written. I hereby challenge someone to record this rap to a beat and post it:
- 1991 WRESTLING RAP
- By MC Kool Ernie (Santilli)
- Since rapping about wrestling's become the "thing to do"
- I've written lots of rhymes and I'll share them with you.
- The American Dream began the year with a new look
- He traded his polka dots for a pencil and book
- Though it had been a while, he proved he wasn't rusty
- By giving the biggest push to a character named Dusty
- Meanwhile in the Fed, Vince K. caused an uproar
- When he came up with an angle to exploit the Gulf War
- Some columnists suggested he wasn't a nice guy
- But you wouldn't know it if you only read SI
- No, Vinnie, no, Vinnie, no Vinnie, no!
- Herb Abrams moved his indie from the West to East Coast
- Made his viewers happy when he stepped down as host
- Cactus Jack's still in the business he was said to expose
- While Ole's working at his sawmill and picking his nose
- Missy took our hearts and turned them topsy-turvy
- When we found out that her boyfriend was Jason Hervey
- Sherri dropped Savage and got a Million Dollar Man
- Now she stores his Franklins where she doesn't have a tan
- Bobby Eaton's popularity his an all-time peak
- So they had him lose two title matches in three weeks
- Jim Cornette worked anywhere vendors sold Pepsi Cola
- Vegas, Dallas, Parts Unknown and Pensacola
- Mean Mark debuted his Undertaker bit
- And gave Warrior a "coffin fit"
- We thought the Ding Dong gimmick was pretty dumb
- Until we saw what the ex-Master Blaster had become
- The Jarretts staged a war between Texas and Tennessee
- Half the battles were fought by General Eric Embry
- Lawler shocked the Memphis crew; told them, "Please be quiet
- I've got tragic news: Tramel folded Rasslin' Riot"
- Sid Vicious left Atlanta but he had a valid reason
- He didn't want to work during softball season
- In came a logger, gay, Desperados and a rapper
- The fans said, "This promotion is going down the crapper"
- Titan Sports was in the headlines yet another time
- When the Immoral One's name was linked to an Allentown crime
- Hulk Hogan spoke about steroids with Arsenio
- And told a fairy tale worthy of Pinocchio
- Although cynics declared it would never happen
- Big Joe got his promotion on ESPN
- Makhan Singh took one look at the announcer's lack of hair
- Said, "Turn it down Scott, I'm blinded by the glare"
- From the offices in Atlanta came the mind-boggling word
- "No extension for the Naitch, but we'll give one to Herd"
- New rules on chain matches, flags on scaffolds, no Flair, What's this trash?
- The worst pay-per-view in memory--The Baltimore Bash
- Put one finger in the air and chant "We Want Flair"
- Rumors spread Ric would make a SummerSlam debut
- Instead Jim Hellwig was fired, bye-bye, boo-hoo
- The wedding was about as exciting as "Oprah"
- Family entertainment? Bride threatened by a cobra
- As his brothers Beau and Blake won another squash
- Steve Beverly told readers, "I'm giving up Matwatch."
- At the September Clash, WCW debuted their newest bland hunk
- They would sign him, but wouldn't go after Owen or Funk
- Despite mixed reactions to McMahon signing Ric Flair
- Vince pleased everyone when he let himself be clobbered with a chair
- Paul E. got heat over what he did or didn't say
- And in the end he wound up with three weeks off with pay
- Scott Anthony teased viewers as to who was The Boss
- Tony Danza? Clarence Thomas? Or maybe Don Coss
- Madusa made a splash finding "knucks" in Blossom's blouse
- "Please let us frisk her," pleaded every man in the house
- I dissed Dusty earlier as you all know
- However he deserves credit for the last Clash show
- Pins, surprises, angles and the return of The Dragon
- A comeback sign for those who fell off the bandwagon
- Hulk's religious interviews, they left us in a daze
- Because all along we thought the Whiff's Lord was Al Hayes
- The Hulkster dropped the belt; six days later got it back
- Then got stripped by Titan's lead heel, Mean President Jack
- All kidding aside, we felt dismay when we were told
- Don Owen's promotion was probably going to fold
- No more Billy Jack Haynes terrorizing the Crow's Nest
- No Fiesta Garden, Grappler's boot nor any of the rest
- Remember as the old promotions fade from the sport
- New indies are starting, let's give them our support
- But beware of the false advertisers out for the quick buck
- When they b.s. you once, say to them, "I don't give a flying...."
- Eventful is the best way to describe 1991
- Ups and downs, but in hindsight, we had our share of fun
- Despite the jokes I'm busting, I don't know about you
- But I'm looking forward to 1992