Scott,
One for the forum maybe. I just finished reading JTG's $1 book (didn't take long). Aside from being ever increasingly amazed by how pathetic locker room politics are in WWE, the best thing about the book is guessing who JTG is referring to with his descriptions of wrestlers he doesn't wish to name. Some are obvious (HBK, Jericho, Regal) but some less so.
So, for anyone who has read the book, who do you think these wrestlers are:
1. The guy trying to make JTG smuggle weed
2. The guy jealous of having to share his 'rat'
3. The guy who kept interrupting JTG's massages
4. The guy bitter about not getting Beats headphones
5. The guy who tried to mislead JTG into a squash match
6. The smoker who got angry at JTG not offering his plane seat to his tag partner
I actually have the book on my Kindle and fully intend to blow through it this weekend, and in fact may have already finished it by the time you’re reading this on Sunday night. However, I will currently leave the guesswork to the blog until I’ve read it and can offer a better opinion. I’ve heard the book is great, and will probably have a more concrete opinion at the point when you’re reading this, approximately 14 hours into the future from when I’m typing this.
TIME TRAVEL. MIND BLOWN.
Also, hopefully Canada will have won the World Hockey Championships gold medal by the point this is posted.
How are WWE locker room politics pathetic? They are endlessly fascinating and entertaining.
ReplyDeleteAnything specific from the book?
ReplyDeleteFor some reason I want to make a Hulk Hogan joke - having Hogan call JTG Papa Shango or something incredibly dumb.
ReplyDelete>Also, hopefully Canada will have won the World Hockey Championships gold medal by the point this is posted.
ReplyDelete6-1!
You can't spell Ovechkin without C-h-o-k-e
share some stories please.you don't have to spoil the book
ReplyDeleteI'm sure many people here have had jobs with ridiculous work politics.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard that Hogan story.
ReplyDeleteI want to say #5 is CM Punk, but I'm not positive.
ReplyDeleteIt is.
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling #6 is either Big Show or R-Truth.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair doesn't the internet get pissed off that Hogan gets out of bed in the morning? He's Hulk fucking Hogan the biggest professional wrestling star in the history of the business if he calls you Papa fucking Shango then thats who you are.
ReplyDeleteYeah they aren't any more pathetic than your average sports locker room, or any office job really, or hell actual politics.
ReplyDeleteNot only have I never heard that story, but I definitely don't remember the Internet going crazy over it. And it makes no sense - he would not have "first met" Godfather in 2002, he would have met him in 1992 when they both worked in the same company. And his gimmick name was Papa Shango. It's been pretty clearly established that wrestlers will usually call other wrestlers by the name of the gimmick they had when they first met - not really seeing the issue.
ReplyDeleteI knew that story. It didn't make the smarks go crazy but it was reported widely that in February 2002, when Hogan returned, he called Wright Shango. That's not unusual, as Lance Storm has stated that you usually call wrestlers by their gimmick at the time you knew them (Cactus, Gang, etc ).
ReplyDeleteSomething about Shawn chewing them out for too much crotch grabbing because that's DX's gimmick.
ReplyDeleteI know he outs Cena for being a dick by killing his merchandise idea for shades. Apparently JTG used the words loyalty and respect in a WWE magazine interview, told the writer oh shit don't print those words cause they are cena's, and it got back to John (as well as printed). Cena, being the locker room leader, had to protect his gimmick by getting JTG buried. DICK
ReplyDeleteYes. To the surprise of nobody, Shawn is an asshole despite loving Jesus and not doing hardcore somas
ReplyDeleteBecause a bitter guy always tells the truth....
ReplyDeleteThat story makes no sense
ReplyDeleteLol which part? JTG used "cena's gimmick" in a magazine article and cena was so pissed that he had JTG's idea for wwe sunglasses totally squashed.
ReplyDeleteRight? Burger King is mad with politics!
ReplyDeleteLol. JTG is not the only guy to say Shawn hasn't changed one bit
ReplyDeleteThat's weird the Internet went crazy on that, especially since Mick Foley stated that people would call him "Cactus" despite being Mankind full time.
ReplyDeleteHulk Hogan isn't the Rock.
ReplyDeleteThere are plenty of things that show that he did change but believe what you want....
ReplyDeleteDidn't Orton have to chew out Shawn because he got mad at Umaga for wearing green?
ReplyDeleteWithout Hulk Hogan, there is no Rock....
ReplyDeleteI don't know about Orton, but it was reported that Shawn and HHH gave Umaga a hard time for his green outfit for infringement
ReplyDeleteYou're allowed to love the performer. I'm just stating what many have said in interviews about the guy
ReplyDelete"God...father"
ReplyDelete"Your name is Shango"
*whip*
Yeah I mentioned this in another thread about how my mind is blown that someone who already hates wrestler X will automatically believe anything negative said about them.
ReplyDeleteNot saying if he has or hasn't, but where is the proof aside from someone saying it?
ReplyDeleteThat's the problem I'm having with this book. Yeah the stories are "cool" I suppose and great for shock value, but it's one person's side.
Who are they? What's the agenda? Has Shawn had a chance to make a rebutal?
ReplyDeleteWell if he says it then it must have happened......
ReplyDeleteI hope I'm never wrongly accused of murder and you're on the jury.
Ugh. Nobody believes anything. Fine. Alvarez had JTG on too and reported it.
ReplyDeleteYeah the world and net were abuzz at the time just begging, pleading, writing letters to the WWE to have the great work horse JTG pushed to the moon.
ReplyDeleteI think it's funny that all these guys claim "big things" were suppose to happen, but nothing ever justifies them saying it. Like no selling merch like hot cakes. No 5 star matches out the ass. Literally nothing.
Oh, well if Alvarez reports it then I'm sold. I mean he's like God. Even signed my bible and all.
ReplyDeleteYou don't get that someone saying something isn't exactly proof. In situations like this no one really ever knows cause it's a he said/he said.
ReplyDeleteLike he would really care. He was probably just honored that a legend like Hogan would even give him the time of day.
ReplyDeleteWe are fans of a CARNY business. They all fucking lie and nothing in life is true fact unless you're actually there. I'm done. I was just saying what the 99 cent book stated. Read it yourself.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how every time any team he's played for lost it was entirely his fault.
ReplyDeleteI heard he scored that goal in Game 7 by accident and spent the rest of the night telling Green to take penalties until the Rangers scored and encouraged Alzner to keep icing the puck so he wouldn't have to come on the ice. Typical Russian.
Hurricane said it to. And I've never known Hurricane or anyone from his crew to be overly sensitive drama queens with substance issues.
ReplyDeleteWell there's that story about him paying off a families home on the down-low. But he did tell JTG to stop grabbing at his crotch...so I think we know what trumps what here.
ReplyDeleteThere's a couple of stories about him snapping at people here and there since his return in 2002, which he kind of alludes to in his Hall of Fame speeches and such....and clearly if you're in a bad mood because of something that happens at work one day you're a prick to the core.
ReplyDeleteSurprised that JTG didnt include the sunglasses with every purchase of his book...
ReplyDeleteNobody panics when HHH & Hogan are spoken of negatively. Even if it doesn't make any sense at all nobody panics, because it's ok. But when you say that one little internet hero might not be a nice guy, well then everyone loses their minds!
ReplyDeleteBut when someone says something about Triple H, or Cena, or Hogan or Vince or Stephanie you're not asking "where is the proof its just words". You're grabbing your pitchfork so why the double standard?
ReplyDeleteIf he did it would probably go "I don't remember that but if you said I did it then I probably did"
ReplyDeleteAh, I had Orton in my head at first, until he wrote something that wouldn't have fit him. Punk makes sense.
ReplyDeleteThe smoking thing fits, but the 'tag partner' was both really tall, and quite low down the totem-pole. Who have these guys had that fit that description? I can't think TBH.
ReplyDeleteFor #3, Miz jumped out at me straight-away. Not sure if he'd be that ballsy backstage though - he's famously the guy who had to use the corridor as his locker room for a year after losing a wrestler's court against Benoit.
ReplyDelete#6 is 100% Trevor Murdoch.
ReplyDeleteUm....what are you talking about?
ReplyDeleteStrong strawman is strong
See that's the point I'm getting at. We put these guys and every celebrity on such a pedestal that one bad day and they're branded for life.
ReplyDeleteI won't name names but I met this rather famous actor once. came off like a total dick. Met him again a couple years later and he's the nicest guy ever.
Um....I have. It was entertaining.
ReplyDelete#1 is so obviously Rob Van Dam.
ReplyDeleteI meant that if JTG was so worried about that, he could've just gone to Cena himself, told him it was a mistake, that he asked the magazine not to print it and that if Cena was concerned he could have asked as well (Cena obviously having a bit more clout). The story simply reads as JTG making something up ("I used hustle and loyalty in a sentence, so that's the whole reason I'm not being pushed"). Considering all of the other discrepancies in his stories or other inconsistencies in his character this ain't too surprising.
ReplyDeleteJesus himself was actually viewed negatively back in the day by the Pharisees, etc. It's not actually such an unusual place for a Christian to be in.
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#5 was CM Punk. The match is on Youtube and is quite entertaining in hindsight.
ReplyDeletePresumably the Real English Gentleman who backed him up on not smuggling the weed was Regal. Not surprising, but jolly good show regardless.
ReplyDelete411 was going nuts in 2002 for the lack of respect Hogan showed to Wright by calling him Papa Shango. Seriously, rspw went nuts over it too. I felt even in 2002 that it was too much hate, but hey the snarks were convinced Hogan, Hall and Nash would get Carte' Blanche' (Blank Check) and destroy the era Austin made. Since all of them were buried by August 2002 with Nash and Hogan coming back briefly in 2003 - the E ensured they keep us safe from dream matches like Golsberg vs. Hogan or Nash vs. Kane.
ReplyDeleteWhat clarifies someone being that word? We all got personality hang-ups. I can still be a self-controlling legalistic - but it doesn't stop me from attempting to seek God's face everyday. We are all sinners, and Shawn had a lot of sin in his life - but the old has passed away - behold all things new.
ReplyDeleteAnd respectfully, Chavo Jr has said some similar things about Cena (different post, because the first part was about Shawn) and everybody doesn't buy half what Chavo says based on his reputation and he has put down Cena as a master politician too.
I thought everyone in wrestling calls Godfather " Bear" for some reason.
ReplyDeleteI know you're being a smartass but Helms has also never been particularly critical of anyone else that I can recall. HBK even buried his own trainee Lance Cade for not shaking his hand.
ReplyDeleteIn this topic: People upset that somebody has a negative first-hand opinion of Shawn Michaels.
ReplyDeleteImagine how fucking weird some people would seem if they actually got to go to a WWE locker room and meet everyone, having spent years thinking they know them and how they think based on third hand stories. You'd seem like a fucking stalker.
ReplyDeleteWhat if it was true though? Like part of the point and fun in following backstage rumors or reading wrestling books is to find out what these guys are really like. Take cena and the ice packs. IF thats true, then it wouldnt surprise me that the jtg story is true.
ReplyDeleteIt's 50/50 We should believe what we want. But there has been enough stuff that has gotten out about Cena that hes not exactly this great humanitarian.
Kenny Dykstra not a good example. The guy has an axe to grind. JTG? Im not too sure.
It must be even weirder for porn stars to shake hands with their fans at conventions.
ReplyDeleteThe book was only a dollar
ReplyDeleteSounded to me like the plane seat tag team was Cade and Murdoch
ReplyDelete#1 - It isn't RVD, because JTG says that at that time, the weed-smuggling guy had been with the company for almost two decades. English gentleman backing JTG up is obviously William Regal. Wild guess here, but looking at the 2006 WWE roster, it may very well be Undertaker, who fits the description of a near-two-decade vet and a guy who's cool with everyone.
ReplyDelete#2 - My (wild) guess is Ron Simmons, since he was to be represented by JBL at Wrestler's Court, and is described as a well-liked veteran.
#3 - Massage guy is most likely Big Show or Mark Henry, because JTG says he'd been on the roster for several years, and made a few references to him being a big dude.
#4 - Top guy? Rich? At this point in the book, JTG had already shared some blind items about John Cena, CM Punk, Undertaker, HBK, Triple H, Big Show (or Mark Henry) and Chris Jericho. When the incident happened, Edge was already retired and Christian was often out injured. I hate to think Team Hell No, since Daniel Bryan and Kane appear to be stand-up guys. Batista wasn't with WWE then. Through this elimination process, and I'm still making a wild guess here, I'd say the guy who bitched about not having free Beats is Randy Orton.
#5 - After browsing JTG's singles matches on Smackdown on Profightdb, this one's got to be CM Punk.
#6 - Probably Trevor Murdoch. Not known smokers Big Show or R-Truth, as the smoker is described as someone who got to the main roster just months ahead of Cryme Tyme. And in a subsequent chapter, JTG admits that Cryme Tyme and Lance Cade/Murdoch had heat with each other. Also, Cade as the tag partner of Mr. Smoker fits the description of being tall (6'5") and low on the totem pole.
Book's littered with typos, but the stories are interesting.
Lots of marks in this thread lol
ReplyDeletelol wake up mark
ReplyDelete.... ok
ReplyDelete"It's still real to me" - Justin Stark
ReplyDeleteGeordi?
ReplyDeleteShawn has owned up to being a jerk, even during the Hogan debacle - so I don't really consider somebody getting on Shawn as news. Shane Douglas still gets on him and so does Honky Tonk.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking the Beats headphone guy (#4) is Big Show, because JTG says he has a "big name". I took that as a deliberately obvious hint.
ReplyDeleteI've seen a few people suggesting #6 could be the Highlanders.
The two-decade veteran wanting weed smuggled is a mystery though? Aside from Taker and HBK who could it be?
Working security at the Art Museum was unique, but do your job and enjoy it - unless it conflicts with God's Word. Although even I was amazed by the politics, but I did my best to just do my job.
ReplyDeleteI got to mail Hogan a letter and see if I can get permission to write a parody shoot book written by him.
ReplyDeleteSo then I saw Papa Shango. He was wrestling now as a pimp. We talked about that big dude that said he ruled the world. I really wanted to put him over, but they changed the ending on me with that Shango stuff.
ReplyDelete... and he was 700, 800, no 900 pounds, Jack.
... I don't feel bad about him dying. He was in bad health and he wanted to work the match. I mean he called the spot mid match, and I slammed him and tore all my muscles.
... You know I don't know what his deal was. I think he was involved with Namcy and Chris. I mean she really dabbled in that dark magic stuff. I tried to stay away from that stuff.
... Shawn pinned Bret's shoulders to the ground in a shoot at Wrestlemania 15 or 16 - whatever it was.
Can someone expound on #5? Mislead in what way?
ReplyDelete"wrestler's courts" are such a ridiculous idea that I think many people wouldn't even believe existed if they got told about them.
ReplyDeleteCould be. Which would make the massage guy Mark Henry, since JTG alluded to a large, veteran guy with poor stamina.
ReplyDeleteThe Highlanders? Hmmm. Might also be a valid guess. But considering what JTG said about an "annoying voice," he may have been referring to Murdoch's country singer gimmick.
For the thousandth time, ALSO = TOO, not TO.
ReplyDeletePossible clue about #2 - "He sounded like a sad little boy who had lost his dog (no pun intended)."
ReplyDeleteAl Snow, perhaps, since JTG may be alluding to the Pepper storyline with Big Bossman?
The ring rat incident may have happened around spring/early summer 2007, which means Snow wasn't officially signed to WWE back then, but still employed by OVW as a trainer. He also wasn't married around that time, which would make his having a regular ring rat plausible. (Though it's not like that matters for many a WWE Superstar.) And he and JTG appear to have had a good relationship, despite the latter's occasional misbehavior at OVW.
I'm working on it, it's a process.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is innocent until proven guilty
ReplyDeleteWide awake cumdumster
ReplyDeleteTwo guys who don't seem to get along with anyone themselves.
ReplyDeleteThat's the point. We'll never know one way or the other.
ReplyDeletePersonally I don't see how Cryme Tyme grabbing at their crotch is too similar to the DX crotch chopping, but Shawn is old-school where "protecting your gimmick" was important. Since you mention Cena, he was a dick to Tyler Reks because his finisher was too close to the AA for his liking. I'm sure Shawn's been a dick at times like anyone else has, it doesn't make him an asshole across the board.
ReplyDeleteThe story Hurricane kept harping on was that Shawn told Jericho off in front of everyone in catering, which wasn't very Christian-like of him. The story Jericho himself tells is that he showed up in catering drunk, was loud and obnoxious, swearing in front of Shawn's family, openly said "if he doesn't like it he shouldn't have his family here", and sarcastically told him he'd see him tomorrow when he and his family got up to leave. Does that make Shawn an asshole? If anything it makes Jericho the asshole.
I think a lot of companies have similar things to wrestler court. Not in the same outlandish way but wrestling by nature is an outlandish business. Most companies have unwritten rules and when you don't follow them you piss people off and either someone tells you that you fucked up the unwritten rule or people just silently rage towards you. So I think it depends on how you presented wrestler court to them on whether or not they would be able to grasp it.
ReplyDeleteJericho is such a kiss-ass WWE shill that he probably concocted that story for the benefit of the company.
ReplyDeleteNah. I just calling Papa Shango.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure 411 or Miacasa or 1wrestling reported it.
ReplyDeleteI meant the fact that afaik they are literally backstage trials, including someone taking the part of the defense etc.
ReplyDeleteYeah parts of it are strange but it also sounds like guys at work having fun. I know sometimes they have gotten a bad rep but most of the time I've heard its shit like "buy the guy a beer"
ReplyDelete