Wrestling Observer Rewinder

February 24, 1992

Huge news this week as St. Louis police, federal agents, and even drug sniffing dogs raided the WWF locker room at a show on Friday, searching every single WWF employee as they arrived. However, the wrestlers were alerted about an hour before arriving of the planned bust, so everyone got rid of their shit and no one was arrested. The DEA has denied any involvement, though a St. Louis police statement strongly hinted otherwise. WWF released a statement saying that the police were only there to investigate an arena security guard. A rep from the St. Louis Arena has angrily denied that and said it was absolutely a raid on the wrestlers. One wrestler tells Dave that if they hadn't gotten advance warning, he estimates at least 8-10 wrestlers would have been caught carrying something (weed, steroids, or downer pills).
Given how much publicity there is around the issue lately, it would have been a nightmare for WWF if anyone had been caught with steroids. If the bust had turned up anything, it could have cost the WWF sponsorships and TV deals and once one or two of those things happen, the dominoes can all start to fall fast. Dave compares the situation to Morton Downey Jr. or Pee Wee Herman. All in all, it just shows that WWF needs to get serious about cleaning up the company because it's a ticking time bomb waiting to happen.
Sportswriter Frank Deford appeared on ESPN Radio and tore into steroids in pro wrestling and said that, given his position as a role model, it's vital that Hogan come clean and stop lying to the public.
WWF has suspended several wrestlers. Hawk of LOD (which might explain the sudden title change), Kerry Von Erich, and Jimmy Snuka. In the case of Snuka, it's an indefinite suspension (which is as good as fired) for "unprofessional conduct," though no word what that means. As for Hawk, no word yet but the Legion of Doom's future in WWF is in limbo. They've been pulled from all house shows and most feel they are done with the company. Speaking of being done, Hercules is gone as well (no reason given) and Greg Valentine has been released from his contract and is going to WCW.
As for Kerry Von Erich, he was suspended after missing the last two weeks of bookings. While suspended, on Feb. 9th, Von Erich was arrested at a drug store in Texas on 2 felony counts of trying to falsify drug prescriptions. Word is his father Fritz Von Erich contacted WWF and told them that Kerry needs to go to rehab and Kerry has since entered the Betty Ford rehab center. No word on Kerry's future with WWF from here, but it's probably not good (alas, they still brought him back for a little while longer).
In still more bad news for WWF, former WWF wrestler Barry Orton (Bob's brother, Randy's uncle) appeared on a radio show and spoke about homosexual harassment within the WWF offices, and names 3 names (which Dave doesn't repeat yet, but we'll get there in the coming weeks). Orton implied that doing these gay sexual favors was necessary to move up in the company for many of the wrestlers. Needless to say, this becomes a pretty big story soon, which you've probably heard about before.
Bad news for WCW also. Atlanta TV station WSB did a piece on racial discrimination in WCW, showing that the average black wrestler in the company earns $104,000 per year while the average white wrestler earns $205,000, which Dave disputes simply because WCW really only has 2 black wrestlers (Ron Simmons who is earning around $200K and Mr. Hughes). They also noted that Johnny B. Badd and PN News are white wrestlers pretending to be black. The pressure from this story is probably why WCW is bringing back Junkyard Dog and putting Teddy Long (who has been under contract but off TV) in a new announcing role.
WCW's steroid policy doesn't seem to include actually testing for steroids. Seems to mostly just be a plan to try to ask everyone nicely to get off them and start running anti-steroid commercials.
From here, Dave gives his own idea for a steroid policy that requires no testing and no suspensions, and it's simple: every wrestler is told that, in 90 days, if they still appear to be on steroids, they will do a clean job on every TV taping until they are off them. That gives guys enough time to get off the juice and rewards guys who aren't taking shortcuts and punishes those who do by jobbing them out on TV until they aren't a draw anymore. Doing clean jobs on TV every week is the one thing a top star hates more than anything (ask Roman Reigns lately).
LPWA has a PPV scheduled this weekend that will undoubtedly break the record for all-time lowest buyrate (set by Herb Abrams' Beach Brawl PPV last year). Dave says the show might actually be pretty good though, because the women can work and they will have Jim Cornette on commentary and he's one of the best in the business.
The rumors of Hulk Hogan retiring from WWF might not be so far-fetched, because he's been negotiating a 2-year deal with New Japan to come make a few appearances per year with them. New Japan believes Hogan's WWF retirement is happening. Dave thinks Hogan will take the summer off and come back to win the title again before the next Wrestlemania.
The most famous wrestling/Lucha Libre fan in the world, a 92-year old woman named Vicky Aguilera, returned to her ringside seat after being gone for 2 months due to an illness. This past week marks her 46th year of being a front-row regular at EMLL's weekly shows in Mexico (wonder if she ever dressed up like a clown and tried to get herself over?)
In Portland, the lack of television for the promotion is starting to really take it's toll. They're still running live shows, but crowds are abysmal. No word on getting television, but they'll have to if they want to survive.
The Saturday Night Main Event special on Fox actually drew a pretty good rating, which is basically the only good news for WWF this week.
Hogan cut a promo talking about the upcoming Wrestlemania match with Sid in the "Pontiac Hoosier Dome" which shows that, even 25 years ago, just like at Wrestlemania 30, Hogan still confuses whatever stadium he happens to be in with his Andre/Wrestlemania 3 moment.
WWF made an offer to George Foreman for him to be a guest referee at Wrestlemania, but Foreman turned it down. Latest rumor is that Lou Ferrigno will be a guest ref now (that didn't happen either. On TV, leading up to WM8, they actually hinted several times about there being a special referee for the main event but then it never happened and they stopped mentioning it).
Last week it was announced that WM8 ticket sales were at around 20,000. Turns out that was a worked number and the real number is much lower and they're well behind what they need to be to actually fill the stadium.
Former WWF wrestler Paul Roma will be making his boxing debut on ESPN next month.
Dustin Rhodes, Steve Austin, and Brian Pillman all signed new 2-year contracts with WCW. Word is the WWF was heavily pursuing Pillman, so WCW has to be glad they locked him down before Vince could steal him. Jesse Ventura still hasn't signed a contract to become a full-time announcer for them, but it's pretty much a done deal.
Sting missed a few shows this weekend due to the birth of his son. Cactus Jack should be having a son this week as well (CANE DEWEY!!!)