August 2007 News Archive (Page 4)

A lawyer for Chris Benoit’s personal doctor suggested in court papers the former pro wrestler had a hormone disorder that permitted the amount of steroids he was prescribed before killing his wife, son and himself in June.

In a motion to suppress evidence filed Monday, Dr. Phil Astin’s attorney, Manny Arora, said a federal agent failed to tell a judge who issued search warrants in the case about the legitimate uses of steroids.

Arora wrote that if the government had consulted a hormone disorder specialist, it would have learned that “the amount of medication in question was not excessive and would be medically appropriate based on the medical condition of Mr. Benoit.”

The court filing did not elaborate on Benoit's condition. A spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office declined to comment.

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How many of you out there have ever tuned in to the ol' wrestling show and wondered about the truth behind the story lines?

Well kids, gather 'round and get a load of this little story. The chairman of WWE, Vince McMahon, has been running some pretty controversial stuff since last week on RAW, and I'm forced to start asking some real questions of the old man.

So Vince, just in case you or one of your goons out there is reading this article, let me try and find out about some of these issues. I think your fans would really like some inside info about your professional life right now. You remember your fans, don't you Vince? The folks that keep your jet plane full of fuel?

Question 1:
Is the U.S. government actually launching an investigation regarding your company and its steroids policy? What accusations have been made and does this have anything (or everything) to do with Chris Benoit's death?

Question 2:
How much trouble are you really in with the IRS (the organization, not the wrestler)? Is this IRS audit in any way linked to the previously mentioned investigation from question 1?

Question 3:
Why are you so hot at the media right now? If this is getting as personal for you as it seems, why not just come out and say it? Why dance around obscure issues that your public doesn't have all the details about? I saw McMahon on the Today show recently and he seemed to handle himself just fine. What is all the media bashing fuss about? If you're gonna bring it up, bring it up.

Question 4:
Where the hell was that exploding limo storyline going? What was the set up if the Benoit tragedy hadn't happened? Is this stuff about a bastard child the end result of the plans for the McMahon death story, or has this been concocted to take our minds off of the exploding limo deal?

I would suggest everyone reading this article get onto the FORUMS of this site and start sounding off. I have questions that need answers (or at least opinions) and maybe if we get this going long enough we might actually get some real info from the WWE.

Here is the preview for WWE Monday Night Raw from WWE.com:

As Raw heads into North Carolina’s Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, it is clear that Randy Orton will do anything to weaken John Cena before their showdown over the WWE Championship at SummerSlam. Just a little more than a week before the Biggest Party of the Summer, the Legend Killer sent Cena and all WWE a message when he attacked The Champ from behind on Saturday Night’s Main Event and flattened him with a thunderous RKO on a steel chair.

What is Cena’s condition going into Raw, with SummerSlam less than a week away? And will Orton send the WWE Champion yet another painful message?

The identity of the WWE Superstar who is Mr. McMahon’s illegitimate child remains unknown as Jonathan Coachman appeared unable to get to the bottom of the mystery on Saturday Night’s Main Event. The Chairman has rejected Eugene, Melina and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin as his potential love children. Will there be new developments this Monday in the billionaire’s quest to find out which Superstar could be the fruit of the McMahon family tree?

Also, with the matchup for kingly supremacy announced, how will King Booker prepare to face the returning 10-time World Champion, Triple H, at SummerSlam? Can Booker and Queen Sharmell scheme a way to hold onto their royal Raw kingdom?

Finally, with the big Dating Game date between Ron Simmons and Maria scheduled, will the jealous Santino Marella find a way to throw an Italian-sized kink in the game-show machinations of Raw General Manager William Regal?

The New York Times recently conducted an interview with WWE's Linda McMahon discussing a variety of topics. Here are some highlights from the interview:

How the company has coped with the loss of Chris Benoit:
"That was a terrible tragedy for any company or any family. Plus, [Chris Benoit] had been with us for over eight years, beloved by the people he worked with. Our company, obviously, was stunned. For the first time, we canceled our live event scheduled for that night. But I think, in general, we have come through it."

On the WWE's second quarter revenue jump:
"The increase was driven across all of our core businesses, but WrestleMania was a big contributor. It was our largest-grossing event — more than 80,000 people at Ford Field. It was quite a spectacle. We had attendees from every state in the United States, as well as from 24 countries. It performed above our expectations."

Her reaction to "The Condemned" being a flop:
"We are still surprised at the returns on “The Condemned.” We had produced two movies before that that did O.K. at the box office. Our emphasis is now going to be on DVDs."

If WWE events are geared towards the family:
"We don’t market them as family fare, but if you were to go to one, you’d clearly see a lot of families. We really have a cross section — I used to say Americana — but it’s really almost the same demographic breakdown if you travel the world. There are parents. There are children. There is a large group of teenagers and young adults. It’s a mix. It’s cross-generational."

If UFC is hurting WWE's PPV business:
"Any competition in the marketplace for the entertainment dollar is competition for us. However, WWE clearly has longevity in the marketplace. It’s a part of our American culture."

The following is taken from Lilian Garcia's MySpace page. It talks about the upcoming album from this WWE Diva...

ALBUM RELEASE!!!!
Fri, 17 Aug 2007 04:52:19

Hi Everyone,
FINALLY!!!!!! I have been given word that my album is going to be released this Fall!! (Final date will be released soon) I can’t tell you how thrilled I am! For those of you who don’t know, my album is Pop Rock, mostly in Spanish and my first album release! If you don’t speak Spanish, I still invite you to get the album because I think you will still dig the music and will be amazed how cool it is to listen to another language.

Also, I have been very blessed that I got to record a duet with the ever talented Jon Secada and we loved the song so much that we also recorded it in English. My producers were Tim Mitchell & George Noriega which between them have recorded & worked with Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan & Jon Secada to name a few. They are extremely talented and kicked ass on this album! I wrote & co-wrote 11 out of the 12 songs so they are very much from my heart!

I really hope you enjoy it and thanks again to all of you for your undying support!!

The Sun in the UK has a new podcast interview up with WWE's Mr. Kennedy where he admits to steroid use and how the company's wellness policy got him to stop:

"I don't take steroids, but I have taken steroids in the past. I never took a lot, but when I was working the independent scene I was trying everything I could. I never took massive amounts of steroids and do you know why I stopped taking them? Because of the Wellness Policy. Because I knew that having a job with the WWE was way more important than the 10 pounds of extra muscle that the steroids gave me."

• The latest season of Survivor, which features WWE Diva Ashley Massaro, will debut on September 20th on CBS.

• The Condemned, starring Steve Austin, will be released on DVD September 18th.

• King Booker is expected to sign a three-year extension with WWE. Part of the extension agreement is for him to work a lighter schedule.

- Show opened with Vince McMahon and Coach in the back. Coach said since Vince gave him all the information and he had narrowed it down to a couple of Superstars that it could be. .

Batista & Kane def. World Heavyweight Champion The Great Khali and Finlay
Mediocre match, with a bad finishing sequence: Hornswoogle interfered but was used as a battering ram on Khali as he was tied up in the ropes. Batista then hit a bad looking spear and Batista Bomb on Finlay for the W.

In the back, MVP is talking about himself with his entourage about how he can't box when Evander Holyfield came in.

WWE Champion John Cena def. Carlito
Alright match, nothing special. Halfway through the match there was a huge "Lets Go Yankees/Lets Go Mets" chant that I'm sure the wrestlers appreciated. John Cena won with the STFU, Carlito tapped quickly. While Cena still had the STFU in Orton ran down and attacked Cena. He then threw him outside and into the steel steps. Orton then set up a chair and did a really sick running RKO onto it.

Boxing Match: Evander Holyfield vs. Matt Hardy
Buffer was forced to introduce MVP, as Porter handed him a card. It was actually pretty hilarious as Buffer did his whole voice thing and said all these MVP catch phrases. First round: Holyfield rocked Hardy with some weak punches that Hardy sold pretty well, Hardy was knocked down twice and made it up just before the Round ended. Second round then began and it took Hardy like 10 seconds into the round to get up. MVP hopped into the ring and told Holyfield to knock Hardy out and then he touched Evander the wrong way and got knocked out. Holyfield hugged Hardy as the ref called for the bell. That was all she wrote.

CM Punk & The Boogeyman def. ECW Champion John Morrison & Big Daddy V
CM Punk got a nice pop from his following in NYC. The Punk/Morrison exchanges were really good, other than that it was give or take. Punk won with a surprise cradle on Morrison. Good match.

- As the ring crew cleaned the ring, McMahon and Coach came out. Vince realized that the crew was cleaning the ring so he stalled for time and worked the two ends of the stage as the crowd bowed to him. Coach then got on the stick and said that they couldn't wait for the DNA testing because that would take too long and that so with the information provided by Vince on RAW he was able to deduce who his bastard child was. Coach started rambling and Vince yelled at him to get it started. So Coach reveled his first candidate, he asked Vince if he remembered a night in Louisville, Kentucky and brought out Eugene. Vince said it couldn't be his son because he didn't have sex with his cousin. Eugene said his mom said she met Vince once and that why he became a wrestling fan, the he said his Uncle Eric said that he nailed his mom and that's why he got into wrestling to take Vince out of business. Vince yelled some and threw Eugene out of the ring.

Coach said the second child was from New York and could be the product of that night in the bathroom stall of the Port Authority Bus Terminal, Vince said they didn't need details and Coach brought out Balls Mahoney. Crowd went crazy for Balls, Vince said it was impossible and Balls said ist possible Vince could have Balls. Vince then yells, "I have no balls!" as Balls laughs and is thrown out of the ring. Crowd started a loud "Vince has no balls" chant when Vince tells coach to get on with it.

Coach then asks if Vince remembers the WrestleMania 2 afterparty in LA and brings out what could be his long lost daughter, Melina. Vince has a shocked look on his face and Vince says she can't be his daughter. Coach asks why and Vince whispers into his ear and Coach responds with "Eww, that's disgusting", Vince talks about how it was just a meeting on the 4th of July and Melina gets a mic and says if she's his daughter she's taking him for everything hes worth and leaves.

Vince asks if that is it and says he has one more but doesn't know if Vince should hear it. So Vince agrees and starts to leave but then changes his mind and said he wanted to know who the last Superstar is. So Coach said alright and out came.....STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN! Austin got on the mic and said it was a shame they didn't get to do all the father son things when he was growing up. Austin said he would do what any good son would do and help his father with his problems with his overactive grapefruits and gave Vince two low blows. Austin then stuns Coach and has a beer bash as the show goes off the air.

The following report is courtesy of wrestleview.com...

* WWE United States Champion MVP starts the show off with the VIP Lounge. Matt Hardy is announced as his very guest and comes out. Hardy is in a fighting mood and MVP introduces the "Masterpiece" Chris Masters. Hardy takes the Masterlock Challenge. MVP takes some cheap shots throughout. Masters wins the challenge and then MVP hits Hardy with the Playmaker.

* Backstage, Vince McMahon and Jonathan Coachman arrive, trying to find out who Vince's illegitimate child is.

* WWE Tag Team champions Deuce and Domino defeat The Major Brothers after Deuce hit the crack 'um in the mouth to one of the brothers.

Backstage, McMahon and Coachman are with Teddy Long and Kristal. The Great Khali bursts in yelling something and his translator says he wants out with his match with Kane. Coachman reminds Vince of "that time in India" and Vince wonders if Khali could be his son. Vince and Khali shake hands.

* Finlay vs. Jamie Noble is a no contest when Kane hits the ring and causes a DQ. After Finlay gets knocked down, Nobles gets in front of Kane. Kane pushes him back and Hornswaggle gets in the ring and pushes Noble into Kane. Kane chokeslams Noble while Finlay gets out of the ring.

* Chavo Guerrero pinned Shannon Moore after a brainbuster. After the match, Chavo put a Rey Mysterio mask on Moore and then frog splashed his leg.

* Batista comes out and discusses what The Great Khali did to Ric Flair last week. Khali appears on the Titantron ranting and then crushes a basketball. Batista says basketballs don't fight back and don't hold grudges. Batista promises to take the World title at SummerSlam.

* McMahon and Coachman are discussing that anyone could be Vince's son and that it could be The Great Khali or Batista. Big Dick Johnson shows up dressed like a baby and starts dancing. During the dancing, Vince turned away and Coach started dancing with him.

* Mark Henry defeated unidentified wrestler. After the bout, Henry takes the mic and says he's not scared of the Undertaker. They show Mark Henry attacking the Undertaker when an Undertaker video interupts. It shows Druids in Death Valley with torches digging up a grave. Henry still says he isn't afraid when the lights go out and the gong strikes. Lights on, two druids appear. Lights off again, lights come back on, Druids gone.

* Backstage, Kristal Marshall asks Torrie Wilson and Michelle McCool to be her bridesmaids in her wedding to Teddy Long. Victoria walks in with Kenny Dykstra and agrees to be one, as well. Kristal says she's picked her bridesmaids. Victoria slaps McCool. McCool slaps Kenny after trying to hit Victoria. Teddy Long sets up a match between the two.

* Victoria defeated Michelle McCool after Kenny Dykstra interfered and pulled McCool off the top rope.

* WWE World champion The Great Khali defeated Kane after taking him down with the Claw. Finlay runs in and attacks Kane. Batista makes the save, but gets caught by Khali's claw and is taken out.

And we're not talking about losing a controversial wrestling match!

Turns out the Miamb Beach home of Hulk Hogan and family home was robbed of a reported $100,000 worth of jewelry last night.

The Hulkster and his family were in the process of moving out of their abode when the jewelry was reportedly taken. Among the pricey items taken was a diamond-encrusted watch and two gold chains.