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What the HECK?/Intro- AWA Team Challenge Series #1!
Now here's something from the Bowels of ES-Land. Waaaaay back when, around 2000, before I started
re-reviewing my old WWF tapes, I did a tape trade for THIS piece of history: a six-hour tape
containing a good portion of the AWA's Team Challenge Series. For the sake of
easy reading, I'll be breaking it down into clusters of ten matches.
The AWA was struggling in late 1989 and decided to segment their entire roster into "teams".
Each team was captained by a big name in the AWA; Sgt. Slaughter, Larry Zbyszko and Baron Von Raschke. An attempt to resemble "real" sports standings, the teams would gain two points everytime
a member won a match, or 1 point for a draw. Sounded like a somewhat believeable concept.
But as we'll see, most TCS matches revolved around gimmicks. Furthermore, there
were only THREE teams and the AWA's roster turnover confused the concept even more. But, with
so much action coming up, let's get down to ringside and Lee Marhsall!
After a few cheap video intros, Lee Marshall is in the ring to announce the
start of the "most historic, most exciting" concept in pro wrestling history:
The Team Challenge Series! Marshall explains the team point system as captains
Sgt. Slaughter and Larry Zbyszko lead their charges to the ring. Must be time for...
Match 1: Unknown Soldier vs. "Mean" Mike Enos (w/"Luscious" Johnny Valiant)
It's almost common knowledge, but Unknown Soldier was AWA tag-team pretty boy
Ricky Rice in a nifty black/white mask and camoflauged britches. "Mean" Mike Enos
was one-half of the AWA tag-team champs the Destruction Crew, along with
Wayne "the Train" Bloom. They had a simple construction worker
gimmick, wore ORANGE and carried sledgehammers to the ring.
You may know Enos as "Blake Beverly" or from his WCW
days in Col.Robert Parker's Stud Stable, circa 1996.
Slaughter and Zbyszko leave after the intros. Enos attacks with a series of kicks,
a snapmare and a legdrop. Soldier reverse a hiptoss attempt, hits some armdrags
and works Enos's arm. Enos whips him to the ropes, and Solider leapfrogs
twice, then hits two dropkicks for a 2 count. Soldier follows Enos into the corner
for a monkeyflip attempt, but gets thrown off. Enos with an elbowdrop, kick and slams
Soldier's face to the mat. Johnny V is over to get in a few shots.
Enos whips Solider to the ropes and hits a nice turnaround
powerslam. Two vertical slams and Enos tries for a third. Soldier blocks
and quickly small-packages Enos to score the 3 count pin. Unkown Solider
is the first-ever TCS winner!
Slaughter congratulates Unknown Soldier in the lockerroom, mentioning that Soldier
did "2500 push-ups and 500 sit-ups a day" to train for the match. That's only
2,499 and 499 more than I do each day. And heyyy..what's that
patch above Slaughter's left breast pocket?! Here's a hint: it's
officially licensed by Hasbro! Over to the other lockerroom where Enos and Zbyszko bitch.
Cut to Baron Von Raschke and Sgt. Slaughter in a face-to-face staredown!
Candi Devine and Wendi Richter continue the TCS, next!
Match 2: "Queen of the Hill Match":
Candi Devine (Team Baron) vs. Wendi Richter (Team Slaughter)
Don't get excited...this is 80's pro wrestling, where the women still looked
like truckstop waitresses.
Pre-match promo from Candi and the Baron, where they mention the TCS will have a "BIG prize
at the end of the year...including endorsements!". Richter cuts a promo with Sarge,
saying that she's learned the Cobra Clutch! To the ring, where the gimmick for this match
is to either make your opponent submit, or throw her over the top rope. Devine enters to
Bob Seger's "Strut" while Richter STILL has Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna' Have Fun".
Richter starts off with a go-behind takedown and the gals go into a mat sequence.
Devine counters with a head scissors and Richter counters by jumping upright.
Back to their feet where both get into a slap-fest. Richter with a slam for a...
2 count?! Marshall covers by saying it's just instinct. Devine with a clothesline and
Richter with a catapult. Devine falls through the SECOND rope, so she's not a loser.
Devine returns and tries raking the eyes while Richter works the arm. Richter applies
a slam/suplex thingie then goes back to the arm. Richter tries slapping on the Cobra Clutch,
but Devine leads her over to the ropes. Devine reaches down, tosses Richter over and wins the match!
This is probably only the second Wendi Richter match I've ever seen. She moved well and
you could see why the WWF made her their featured female around 85.
Post-match promo time in the back. Devine says she won 'cuz she knew the Baron's CLAW
hold. Umm...was that THIS match she was talking about? Logic in Wrestling....
Match 3: 3-Man Lumberjack Match:
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Say "Car RamRod!" |
"Illustrious" Jonnie Stewart (Team Slaughter) vs. The Trooper (Team Baron) vs. Kokina Maximus (Team Zbyszko. w/ Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie)
It's a lumberjack match, and it's okay! Does this mean that the winner gets to put on womens'
clothing and hang around in bars?! I can't make out who all the lumberjacks are, but
I spot a coupla' dudes in silver/blue masks and DJ Peterson. Trooper has a highway patrol
man gimmick. Helater went on to
greater(?) fame as the masked Patriot in GWF and WWF.
The TV graphics list him as "Super Trooper"... which reminds me that I need a
liter of cola. He should try to grow a moustache, meow. Kokina went on to become
the Island of Samoa, I mean, Yokozuna in the WWF. Jonnie Stewart... not sure what became of
him. Think he went on to host the Daily Show. Okay, so the match
begins with Kokina and Stewart teaming up to toss Trooper around. Trooper ducks a roundhouse
right, sending Stewart over the top and to the 'jacks. Kokina slams Trooper, then lets
Stewart toss the lawman over the ropes. The Texas Hangmen are there to toss Trooper back in.
Kokina and Trooper slowly brawl while Stewart argues with some of the babyface 'jacks.
Kokina gets a belly-to-back suplex on Trooper and Stewart covers for 2. Stewart with
a slam on Trooper. Kokina and Trooper brawl some more with Stewart sitting back
and getting in a few weak shots. The heels hit a double clothesline on Trooper and try again.
This time, Trooper sunset flips over Stewart and gets 2. They toss Trooper into
the corner and try a double-team irish-whip. Trooper gets out of the way and Stewart goes
flying into the corner. Kokina can't stop his own momentum and nails Stewart.
Trooper hits Kokina with a dropkick and the big man falls into the Andre The Giant Special
(arms caught in ropes). Stewart and Trooper brawl for a bit until Kokina escapes the ropes
and charges. They duck and Kokina goes flying over the top. The lumberjacks can't lift
him back in, and Kokina rolls around on the outside. Inside, Trooper hits a backdrop
and NERVE PINCH on Stewart. The hold takes Stewart to the mat, where Trooper pins him.
Afterwards, Trooper writes a ticket for his fallen foe. Kokina makes it back in and
headbutts Stewart out of the ring.
Backstage promo from Team Captain Baron Von Raschke and the Trooper.
BVR says "team" roughly 20 times, while Trooper tells us that
"good things can happen if you hang in there n' work hard, kids!"
Over to the other lockerrom, where Larry Z protests the win and says it's
a simply a matter of fate that his team hasn't won, yet.
Must be a different episode of "All-Star Wrestling" now, as we have a flashback
of Kokina Maximus splashing Greg Gagne on the concrete. This leads to a special
announcement from AWA president Joe Blanchard. The attack happened during a recent
Destruction Crew vs. Gagne/Paul Diamond match. In this match, the D-Crew
also used a ..gasp..foreign object! The "rules were not adhered to", so
Blanchard has ruled that all Team Challenge Series matches will take place in a
"secured environment". Which means "an empty studio with a pink backdrop!"
We cut to a picture of Eric Bischoff in front of a blue screen, errrr...
"at the arena". Back to the Secured Environment, where Lee Marshall and Nick Bockwinkle
talk about the ruling.
Match 4: Frankie DeFalco & Chris Curtis vs. Destruction Crew (Mike Enos & Wayne Bloom w/
Johny Valiant)
Nifty pre-match feature where Bockwinkle provides a "scouting report" on
each wrestler. New rule added to the TCS, if a wrestler wins in under five
minutes, they will earn a point for their team. May sound lame, but it's
a fun way to make jobber matches seem somewhat significant. Crew has the Tag-team belts, but
I'm guessing this is non-title. Match begins
as Frankie DeFalco reverses an irish-whip from Enos and hits two hiptosses.
Enos with a kneelift and tries tossing DeFalco to the ropes. DeFalco reverses
and in what may have been a blown spot, Bloom nails Enos with a knee.
Curtis tags in and hits a sunset flip for 2. Enos is up to slam him and
deliver a legdrop. D-Crew with a doubleteam beatdown in their corner.
Bloom tags in, chokes Curtis on the ropes and drops two elbows.
Double-team flying elbow from the Crew, then Enos with another slam.
Enos stops the count at 2, then lifts Curtis into a bearhug. Bloom
flies in with a clothesline from the top rope and the Crew wins. Afterwards,
Johnny Valiant joins his charges for an in-ring promo. Lee Marshall tries
to ask Enos a question, to wich Bloom replies with his famous "Waitaminut, I'll
handle this one, Mike..." Johnny V goes into a senseless rant about the streets of
New York and Hong Kong.
Match 5: Tommy Jammer (Team Baron) vs. "Pretty Boy" Doug Somers (Team Slaughter)
The Trooper joins Marshall and Bockwinkle at ringside. He adds insightful stuff like
"c'mon, Tommy!" Criss-cross rope action to start
with Jammer connecting via shoulderblock and slam. Jammer slaps on a standing side headlock
and that's pretty much the restof this match. Somers keeps slipping out of the headlock
as the commentators speculate about a greasy substance on Somers's dome.
Somers breaks the monotony with a bell-to-back suplex, snapmare and
a reverse headlock. Back to the mat where Somers scores a series of quick counts.
Somers drops the knee to Jammer's neck. Slam, kneedrop and a reverse chinlock
from Somers. Jammer fights him off his elbows and Somers bails. Jammer, then tries
to FIRE UP THE CROWD by clapping!! Umm... WHAT CROWD?!?!! Holy Chirst in a Dumptruck!
All together now: LOGIC IN WRESTLING! Somers returns for a lock-up and
goes to Jammer's eyes. Jammer is suddenly "blinded" and staggers between the ropes
to the apron. Somers grabs him by the hair and tosses him into the ringpost. Ref immediately
signals a DQ. Trooper is over to check on his teammate.
Lee Marshall brings Somers into the ring, inquiring about the possible
foreign substance he may have used. Johnny Valiant arrives to congratulate Somers
and asks to be his new manager. The two strike a deal and babble some more.
Match 6: Rick Schroeder vs. Col. DeBeers (Team Slaughter)
Sgt. Slaughter is the guest commentator for this one. That's not as bad
as it sounds. He's not growling and offers a few quips about DeBeers.
"Welcome to the
Jungle" plays as DeBeers is introduced. As far as I know, this Rick Schroeder is
NOT the same one from "The Champ", "Silver Spoons" and "NYPD Blue". I mean, if
you were a pro wrestler in the 80's, don't you think you would have picked a better
ring-name for yourself?! Shit.. "Rick Schrader"...there ya' go! Anyways, Schroeder with a
shoulderblock, slam and armbar to start. DeBeers goes to the eyes but Schroeder hits
another slam for a quick 2. DeBeers takes command with what Slaughter calls: "the
Patented DeBeers Foot to the Head". Snapmare, kneelift and a enseguri/ghetto blaster
from DeBeers. Beatings continue, until Schroeder reverses an irish-whip and splashes
DeBeers in the corner. Schroeder tries irish-whiiping DeBeers, but
the Colonel reverses and hits a shoulderblock. DeBeers goes up to the second rope.
places his knee in Schroeder's back and falls forward. Good enough to score
the sub-five minute pin for DeBeers.
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Fans, don't go away! |
Lee Marshall meets DeBeers in the ring and tells him that Slaughter has
signed him up for the "Great American Turkey Hunt". DeBeers
responds with "What the HELL is a Turkey Hunt?"! DeBeers and
Marshall then go off into a hilarious interview about Thanksgiving.
Marshall ends it by saying "okay, folks, I'm not going to have one
of our GREAT HOLIDAYS dragged through the mud".
Back to Eric Bischoff in front of a TV screen....err, I mean AT THE ARENA. Where
"Fans have been watching these matches on the monitors!". They all wanna'
know about the Turkey Hunt, coming up in two weeks!
Time now for a quick TCS standings recap. We also see the rankings for the MVW: Most
Valuable Wrestler! Several guys are tied for first.... with TWO points each!
Lee Marshall interviews Larry Z about the Turkey Hunt. Larry promises he'll
bring a "heavyweight" for the match. He gets off a great rant about
how Americans have screwed the "Indians" and forced them to live on
"5 acres out in the desert!".
Match 7: Mixed Tag:
Candi Devine & "Hard Rock" Paul Diamond (Team Baron) vs. Magnificent Mimi & "Sensei" Pat Tanaka (Team Slaughter)
Whoa... remember what I said about truckstop waitresses? Doesn't apply to Mimi! I mean...
golly... she's nice to look at! If I'm Paul Diamond, I'm not following the
mixed-tag rules. I guess the scouting reports count as "intros", since they play Paula
Abdul's "Cold Hearted" for Mimi, and Europe's "Final Countdown"
for Diamond. First mention of team shuffling,
as we hear that Mimi has replaced Wendi Richter on Team Slaughter.
Match is joined slightly in progess, with Mimi and Candi fighting over
a hammerlock and taking it to the mat.
Devine hooks a body scissors, which
Lee Marshall calls a "sleeper hold". Tag out as Tanaka and Diamond, former
partners as AWA Tag champs Badd Company, enter. Tanaka with chops, a headbutt and whips
Diamond to the ropes. Diamond connects with a stuff clothesline and Tanaka immediately
tags out. Devine with a suplex and a 2 count and the guys return. More punching
and this time Diamond's token move is a backdrop. Tag again-- although
Mimi sneaks in behind the ref's back and nails Diamond. Mimi with her own suplex for
2. Dropkick and clothesline from Mimi and Devine tags out. Tanaka hooks a standing side
headlock, shoulderblocks Diamond off the ropes and gets 2. Girls return and
trade catapults. Devine comes out of the corner with a sloppy sunset flip for
2. Diamond and Tanaka brawl some more, with Tanaka getting his superkick.
Mimi flies off the top rope and dropkicks Diamond! Diamond gets up and
dropkicks Devine onto Tanaka for a 2 count. Ref regains control while
Mimi slams and suplexes Devine for 2. Catfight time as they brawl on the mat.
CRAP, Candi Devine has been shrieking the entire match! Mimi fights back and whip
Devine to the ropes. Tanaka grabs her hair and Devine drops to the mat. Mimi
is over to cover and score the 3 count pin. Guest Commentator Sgt. Slaughter
is "Not Proud" of the way his team has won. Marshall meets Mimi and Tanaka
in the ring for a generic promo.
Cut to a backstage interview with Larry Z and his pick for the upcoming
Great American Turkey Hunt- Jake "The Milkman" Milliman.
Lee Marhsall asks why Larry didn't sign up a real heavyweight, like
Kokina Maximus for the Turkey Hunt. Larry insists that Jake is the man for the job.
Marshall brings up a recent Bill Apter/Pro Wrestling Ilustrated
that Larry gave, where he mentioned "gee, I sure hope Jake doesn't
BREAK HIS LEG or anything" (wink wink). Storyline is that Larry hopes
DeBeers injures Jake, so Larry can boot him off Team Zbyzsko.
Quick TCS highlights. Trooper pinning Pat Tanaka! Destruction Crew pinning
jobbers! Trooper pinning another jobber! Mike George pinning yet another jobber (and showing
off some 7 point ANAL CLEAVAGE in the process)!
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A man and his poultry |
Another promo from Larry Z and Jake Milliman. Larry:
"What's more American than the Milkman?"
Match 8: Great American Turkey Hunt:
Col. DeBeers (Team Slaughter) vs. Jake "The Milkman" Milliman (Team Zbyszko. w/ Larry Z)
Famous match, and the way to win is to grab the turkey, suspended on a pole above
one turnbuckle. Pre-match scouting reports cites Jake's biggest accomplishment -- the
"Give Jake a Break" campaign. Bell sounds and DeBeers demands that Jake salute him.
Jake turns around and salutes the turkey! DeBeers slams Jake, and Jake grabs the leg.
DeBeers kicks him off, then Jake gets up to slam DeBeers and dliver a kneelift.
Jake tries to climb the pole, but DeBeers is over to bring him down with a german suplex.
Kicking and pounding abounds. Several repeat sequences with each guy pulling the other
off the turnbuckle. Jake slams DeBeers's face to themat and works an armbar. DeBeers
retaliates with another bodyslam, drops and knee and gets a ...2 count? Huh?
DeBeers pulls him up and snapmares him by the beard. DeBeers tries to climb the pole again.
but Jake shakes the ropes and DeBeers gets crotched. DeBeers staggers down and
does the Andre the Giant Special (arms in ropes).
Jake tries to climb, until DeBeers slams him off the second rope.
DeBeers goes for a scoop-slam, and Jake's foot nails the ref.
DeBeers goes for a bely-to-back suplex and crotches Jake on the ropes.
Jake writhes around on the mat while DeBeers climbs the pole and grabs the turkey!
The Colonel parades around with the turkey, and Jake reaches up and steals it.
Ref awakens, see Jake with the turkey and awards the match to the Milkman!
Larry Z comes into the ring while Jake gets giddy with the poultry.
DeBeers rolls out to argue with his team captain, Sgt. Slaughter (still guesting
at the announce table).
The two argue and Sarge sez: "I don't want that turkey...I want your butt!" Ummmm..
Match 9: Nikita Koloff vs. "Pretty Boy" Doug Somers (w/ "Luscious" Johnny Valiant)
Back to the arena, now.
Nikita is billed as a "4-time world champ". I'm guessing "World"
includes tag titles, TV titles and what not. This is also
Nikita's AWA debut, and it's apparently NOT a TCS match.
Somers attacks right away, snapmares and kicks
the Russian Nightmare. Goes on for about two minutes until Nikita suddenly begins
no-selling! He responds with a "yarrrrgh!" and a SCARY POSE! Nikita pounds aways,
shoulderblocks and whips Somers to the ropes for a backdrop. Nikita misses a dropkick
allowing Somers to stomp for a bit. Somers whips Nikita to the corner. Nikita
charges out and connects with his vicious Russian Sickle (big-ass clothesline).
That's enough to get the 3 for Nikita. Johnny V comes in and gets flung around.
Eric Bischoff meets Nikita at ringside for a quick promo. Nikita barks alot and the gist is
that he's in the AWA to get Larry Z's world title. Y'know, even though
Nikita had hair in this bout, the Goldberg resemblance was still there.
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Insult me..and I will EAT you |
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You must be THIS tall to ride Larry-land |
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So what if I'm shorter than Bischoff?! |
It's time for Larry Land- as Zbyszko offers a rebuttal to Nikita's "threat".
Eric Bischoff has wandered back in front of a blue screen and intro's a video
hyping the return of Jerry "the Crusher" Blackwell. The video is trying to establish
Blackwell as a bad-ass, and thus is set to the
tune of John Denver's "Thank God I'm a Country Boy".
Greg Gagne denies that he's the one who called in Jerry Blackwell.
Gagne's broadcast partner, Ralph Strandon (?), wonders if perhaps Gagne
was seeking revenge for the big splash from Kokina. Gagne flaty denies it
and says that if he wanted to settle the score with the Sheik and Kokina,
then he'd step in the ring. Gagne being a bad-ass and all.
Match 10: Jerry Blackwell vs. Tom "Rocky" Stone
If you've never seen Jerry Blackwell...well, imagine "Calvin" from
the later years of "Sanford" (after Lamont had left)... in tights. Gagne mentions that
Blackwel has lost weight and is down to a svelte 432. They refer to
Blackwell as "the Mountain", almost exclusively. So I guess 'dem bums
don't wanna confuse 'im wit da' real Crusher. Blackwell starts with a headbutt and
a shoulderblock. Stone rakes the eyes but can't whip Blackwell out of the corner.
Blackwell smashes Stone in the corner, then pulls him to the center for a dropkick.
Stone is whipped, gets nailed with a clothesline and a big splash as
Blackwel scores the 3. Bischoff meets Blackwel at ringside for an interview,
until Sheik Adnan Al-Kaisie arrives. Sheik mentions that he's Blackwell's
former manager and gives him an "envelope of money". Blackwell takes the
envelope, then tells the Sheik to take a hike. Blackwell's going
to "give the money to charity for Christmas". I'll guess he'll just
make out a check to "Charity", shouldn't be tough.
Lee Marshall is standing by with another TCS update. The newly dubbed Baron's
Blitzers are in the lead with 12 points. Followed closely by Larry's Legends
with 11. Sarge's Snipers bring up the rear with 5.
Match 11: Tommy Jammer, Scott "Flash" Norton & the Trooper (Team Baron) vs.
Larry Zbyszko, Mike Enos & Wayne Bloom (Team Zbyszko. w/Johnny Valiant)
Back to the Secured Environment! Johnny starts mumbling "I'll tell ya what"
several times and tries to join the commentary team. The rent-a-cops usher
him back to his manager chair. Another funny thing about the Secured Envronment--
the managers were forced to sit in a corner in a chair. Jammer and Bloom start, traidng
hammerlocks. Larry Z comes in to deliver a slam and get a 2 count. Norton comes in
and beats the tar out of Enos's knee. Trooper tags in and worka the knee as
well. Enos rakes the eyes to escape and tag Bloom. Trooper meets him with a
deep armdrag. Trooper works the arm and bounces to the ropes. Enos kicks him in the back,
which allows Larry Z to tag in. Trooper with a hammerlock and a hiptoss, and Larry
with a hiptoss for 2. Larry hooks a front chancery, but Trooper counters with
a small package for 2. Tags bring in Jammer and Bloom. Jammer hits a backdrop
and take Bloom on a Tour De Turnbuckles. Larry returns with a spining savate kick
and a nice swinging neckbreaker. Enos tags in and misses a kneedrop off
the second rope. Jammer and Enos both connect on a clothesline and drop to the
mat. Simultaneous tags to Trooper and Larry. Trooper runs across
the ring and pins Larry with a flying bodypress! He didn't get the correct
height or timing, but a pin's a pin. Lee Marshall interviews the winners in
the ring. Another team shuffle, as we hear that
Norton has replaced the suspended Derrick Dukes.
Trooper talks about overcoming adversity again, and can't wait
to call Baron Von Raschke over in Munich.
Why'd You Tape This??
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Behave, or you'll go to your room |
Well, there are about 15 or 20 more matches on this tape, but I figure this is a good stopping
point. The matches are good for variety's sake, since most of these guys aren't exactly
on a tape trader's request list. The matches themselvees kinda suck. EVERY match had
a slam, irish-whip, shoulderblock and clothesline. When the highspot is a Zbyszko
swinging neckbreaker, you know it's trouble.
The Trooper had "the look" and
even then you could tell that the AWA had big plans for him. Nikita's
appearance was a big deal at the time. I think Nikita only did three appearances
to get some cash...I believe his wife was seriously ill. The AWA stretches
his appearances out over the rest of the tape, so it'll seem like he's
around longer. Lee Marshall can be unintentionally hilarious at times, but
he did a great job selling the wrestler's credentials and moves. When
Norton was working Enos's knee, Marshall sold it like Enos needed the thing
amputated! Guy had good enthusiasm.
Okay, if there's one thing you get out of this, it's this: Note when
the "Great American Turkey Hunt" happened. It happened fairly early
in the Team Challenge Series--around Thanksgiving 1989. The AWA continues
on into 1990 before burning out. Common internet joke/rumor is that
the Turkey Hunt was the LAST-EVER AWA MATCH. Not true. Not even remotely true.
it preceeded the AWA's demise by a good 6 or 7 months. Also, the AWA
switches between the laughable Secured Environment and arena matches. It's tough to tell
which matches happened last.
Still quite a bit to cover. If you're getting a chuckle out of this,
let me know and that'll speed up the arival of PART 2.
Yes, Eric Bischoff's presence is grounds
for comedy, but there's actually a decent mix of talent in this period.
Older, established stars (Baron, Sarge, Larry, Blackwell) and a good mix
of fresh faces (Trooper, Destruction Crew, Kokina). Oh yeah...Mimi's also around...
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