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View Full Version : Vince Russo speaks on Hogan/Bischoff


War2Combat
01-07-2010, 01:06 PM
It's Thursday morning, mountain time, as I sit here still trying to recoup from the series of events that lead up to that monumental Monday.

As I sit here there is a staff meeting going on back at the TNA offices in Nashville that I am missing. Look, I'm going to be 49 in 17 days--I don't bounce back as quickly as I once did--both in mind and body. Right now, I can't mentally sit through a staff meeting--I'd much rather be sitting here in my office, listening to some Joe Cocoker vinyl, and talking to you.

So, here I am--sorry Dixie, but I think I earned a pass on this one.

Before I write another word, I can't go any further without thanking all of you. A 1.5 is a tremendous, tremendous rating going head to head with "Raw", and nobody can take that away from us. Keller, Meltzer, all the other dirt sheet writers that some of you may know, can critique all they want--the bottom line is--TNA WON--PERIOD. However, the reason we won is because all of you came out. You came out and you watched TNA. Whether you were a channel changer, or not, you spent some time with us on Monday night and that's all we wanted. I can't thank you enough--I really can't. Without your support, Vince Russo does not do what I know I was born to do. Without your support--quite frankly--I don't know what I'd be doing.

We learned a lot, on Monday night as a company--a lot. We hit some home runs, but also struck out once, or twice--but that's OK. What really mattered is that we took risks. We gave you everything we had--and didn't play it safe. That's what Eric Bischoff and Russo/Ferrara both did back in the mid-to late 90's. Nothing was safe--NOTHING. The programing, wheteher it was WWF, or WWC was DANGEROUS. Never one time, no matter how hot we got--did Ericv or I EVER rest on our laurels--NEVER. I can't tell you how long Vince has been resting on his . . . I honestly can't.

I sat in the production truck and I wanted our show, side-by-side to Vince's Monday night. It was great to see Bret--I love the guy--always have. But as our show went on, and as I watched his, I just kept asking myself--"where's the effort"? Does Vince think that little of TNA that he felt that he could just produce "another show" on Monday night? I mean, you take away that first segment and that last segment, and you had a wrestling show that wasn't even mediocre at best. Again--going back to the 90's--that NEVER, would have happened if Eric, or I were in Vince's shoes--NEVER. Resting on your laurels is the worst mistake that anyone can ever make--no matter what type of business you are in.

I remember back in the mid 90's--before Eric and WCW started killing us--the mentality of the WWF was simply--"Whatever we put out there--good, or bad--the fans are not only going to eat it--THEY'RE GOING TO LIKE IT!!!!" That's what brought about the era of Freddy Joe Floyd, the Goon, TL Hooper, The Mastadon, and of course--fake Razor and fake Diesel. That was Vince's attitude because there WAS NO competition--that's where Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan came in--the rest was history.

Vince McMahon is at that same place again. There was no effort on Monday night--because in his mind--there is no competition. Man--how can yoiu be a "genius" and not learn from mistakes of the past. Now, I know there are probably many of you out there saying, "Vinnie Ru--why do you want to wake a sleeping giant?"The truth--he may be sleeping--but I don't really think he's a giant any more--maybe 6'7", or 6' 8", but not a giant. The truth--I don't think the creative team over there has, or ever did have, the creativity and the spauldings that a younger Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff ever did. The truth--I'm almost a 49 year-old man right now--and they STILL don't have the passion that I do. Look at the WWE history there since Ed and I left--where are the great angles? Where are the "Bret screwed Bret", stories? Where are the ones where DX pull up to the enemy's camp driving a missle launcher, or the one where the Rock joined the corporation? WHERE ARE THEY? Now don't get me wrong, Triple H putting a midget on a skateboard and rolling him around backstage may be entyertaing to some--but I have to say--it fails in comparision to Stone Cold Austin vs. Mr. McMahon.

Now, have guys gotten over themselves over there--yes they have--John Cena is a tremendous talent--Randy Orton may be the best I've ever seen--but where's the meat and potatoes--the stories. Now, you can say whatever you want about me--love me, or hate me, but you watch any TNA show and there are stories going on for everybody. Stories that build "character"--the same stories that built the D-Lo Browns, and the Mark Henrys, and the Kanes and the Val Venuses. EFFORT goes into everything we do--EVERYTHING. Our challenge has been that we have so many young , inexperienced guys to get over at once--but that just takes time--we WILL get then over. But we're trying--we're trying for you the fans.

Which brings me to Monday night. On record here I will say that I have NEVER workd on a show any harder then that one you witnessed on Monday night. That show was being crafted for 6 weeks--every, single day of the week. We never stopped--NEVER. We tweaked, and tweaked, and tweaked until we couldn't even tweak anymore. We ran young Matt Conway, the junior creator of our staff--into the ground--he will never be the same again. Ed took time away from his elderly parents, who need him more then anything now--and I took time away from the thing I love most--my family. We didn't come up one, single day for air--not one. Eric called me on Christma day--not to exchange pleasentries--but to work--and he did the same New Year's day. IT NEVER STOPPED!!!

And that's the point of this article. I'll be the first to say that Ed, Matt and I have been spending so much time in trying to help get the younger talent over--that we might have gotten ourselves in a rut. Even though we knew that it takes time due to our earlier history at the WWF--we were starting to feel like that gerbal that goes round and round in that wheel. That was until Eric Bischoff came along.

No, Eric and I did not like each other, yes, it is all documented in my new book. We were oil and water, we were just two different guys with two different mindsets and two different styles. At WCW we were BOTH put in positions that neither one of us wanted to be in. We were forced to work together--when we couldn't. Well--the truth is that Dixie Carter forced me to work with Eric Bischoff again. I didn't want to--but I had no choice. Dixie is the boss--I'm an employee--and I have to give the boss what she wants. I dreaded the day. I rememeber a few months back when I had to go meet Eric--with Dixie--the day following the Hulk Hogan press confrence. It was the first time I would see him in ten years. Man--I swear to you--as the hours grew closer--I would much rather have had to go to the dentist and have him tear every tooth from my mouth--NO novacane. To me--this was the meeting from hell.

So I flew to New York. Dixie put me up in some hotel that was so out of my league--that it made me feel even more out of my skin. Then came the monumental breakfast. I walked away thinking--"Has anything really changed here? 10 years--has anything changed?"

Then there was a phone call, or two, then Eric came in to Nashville to work with Ed, Matt and myself.

There's a lot in there to talk about--and I will at a later time--but let me get to the end of the story because I really don't have the time to write my third book right now.

The more, and more I worked with Eric--the more, and more he started to remind me of somebody. A guy that I worked very closely with some 10-15 years ago. A guy that was once so driven so determined and so MOTIVATED that he had me giving my life to him on a silver platter. He had me putting him . . . before my entire family. A guy--that oozed bravado--his favorite word. Eric reminded me so much of Vince McMahon 10 years ago that it was surreal.

But I'm not exactly talking about the "real" Vince, the egotistical maniac who loved no one more then himself--who treated everyone he worked with with the emotion of a cyborg--I'm talking about the Vince McMahon who had the passion to win at any cost. The Vince McMahon who didn't want to rest on his laurels. Eric made it clear to me by his actions--early one--that he wasn't there to take Dixie Carter's money--he was there to win. Love him, or hate him--he lite a fire under me. A fire that I really hadn't had for sometime. Eric provided HOPE--hope that TNA could be the #1 wrestling company in the world. And, when he talked about it--I believed it. I believed it because of his passion--the same passion that you witnessed Monday night--the same passion that "Raw" greatly lacked--the same passion that Vince McMahon lost a long, long, time ago.

And Hulk Hogan was no different. Again--put the personal feelings aside--that's not what this is about--this is about what those two guys--Eric and Hulk--came to do . . . AND THEY DID. They didn't just talk about it--THEY DID IT. Hulk sat in on production meetings, Hulk was a leader in the back--Hulk was the last to leave. You have to respect that regardless of what happened 10 years ago.

So on this night--Monday, January 4th, 2010, I publically give Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff the respect they deserved . . . and the respect they earned.

But remember--it's just the first page of what looks to be a very, interesting, third book for me.

And one more thing--c'mon, Vince--get back in the game--even if it's just for old times sake. Let's have some fun!!!

Peace,

Vince

taker707
01-07-2010, 01:20 PM
wow i actuallly have alot more respect for vnce russo now . But the man really needs to learn how to work a spell check .

Johnny Vegas
01-07-2010, 01:31 PM
Vince R. has got some points

Anybody Thrilla
01-07-2010, 01:38 PM
So they worked on that show for six weeks and THAT was the final product?

Fuck TNA.

The Show Off
01-07-2010, 01:40 PM
I thought TNA on Monday was a good show but...

That was the best show he ever wrote? Seriously?

Anybody Thrilla
01-07-2010, 01:43 PM
In six weeks, they couldn't work out a proper finish for that stupid cage match that kicked off the show? It took them six weeks to think of 'hilarious' things to do with the Nasty Boys?

kareru
01-07-2010, 01:45 PM
to fit everything that needed to be done into a 2 hour timeslot must have been hard to do

Anybody Thrilla
01-07-2010, 01:45 PM
They had three hours, guy.

The Show Off
01-07-2010, 01:47 PM
to fit everything that needed to be done into a 2 hour timeslot must have been hard to do

Still I could have written a better 3 hour show if you gave me 3 hours to write it.

kareru
01-07-2010, 01:48 PM
i downloaded the torrent with the commercials cut and the total running time was 2hrs 8 mins, seems like spike tv wanted to earn some money

McLegend
01-07-2010, 01:49 PM
Why is Russo mocking midgets?

Anybody Thrilla
01-07-2010, 01:50 PM
Still I could have written a better 3 hour show if you gave me 3 hours to write it.

Do it. I think it'd be a fun game if we all took TNA's roster and booked a show. Then we could have people vote on if it would be better or worse than what actually happened.

BigDaddyCool
01-07-2010, 01:52 PM
You know noid is the only one to take that offer up.

Savio
01-07-2010, 01:52 PM
"Has anything really changed here? 10 years--has anything changed?"



No not really.

Sixx
01-07-2010, 01:54 PM
So is Hogan a heel in TNA, now?

Cause the report I read only confused me.

War2Combat
01-07-2010, 01:54 PM
For anyone wondering where to comment Vince about this: http://www.facebook.com/vincerusso.ropeopera

kareru
01-07-2010, 01:58 PM
http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs151.snc3/17866_395026240435_395001945435_10500722_6311367_n.jpg

spot the error

Anybody Thrilla
01-07-2010, 02:00 PM
Is that his real book?

War2Combat
01-07-2010, 02:01 PM
Yes you can pre-order the book

BigDaddyCool
01-07-2010, 02:03 PM
http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs151.snc3/17866_395026240435_395001945435_10500722_6311367_n.jpg

spot the error

Vince isn't a submission machine?

Savio
01-07-2010, 02:11 PM
http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs151.snc3/17866_395026240435_395001945435_10500722_6311367_n.jpg

spot the error
Mick Foley wasn't in WCW when Russo was?

Xero
01-07-2010, 02:12 PM
Why is Russo wearing a Joe shirt?

kareru
01-07-2010, 02:15 PM
Why is Russo wearing a Joe shirt?

that's a russo shirt, joe stole his gimmick

Xero
01-07-2010, 02:16 PM
lol

Steveviscious89
01-07-2010, 03:05 PM
You see I always knew Russo cared about the business otherwise he would have never had anything to do with it after WCW. There's a lot of Russo bashing that goes on especially here, but anyone without experience who says thay can book a show better than the people who actually do it for a living are freakin delusional. They would have a couple good shows but things would hit a brick wall shortly after that. Then there's so much more than goes into it than just making the matches and segments...what about the timing? Heck I noticed a few timing glitches on Monday from TNA. Not surprised since they aren't used to going live all the time, but that just proves it's tough to do.

BigDaddyCool
01-07-2010, 03:08 PM
It doesn't prove dick.

The Mackem
01-07-2010, 03:52 PM
He is right about the storylines but with Russo it's always finding the right ones. Orton, Cena and the WWE need the right storylines.

The MAC
01-07-2010, 04:25 PM
russo is in fear of losing his job hence the sucking up. He knows any fuck ups will be blamed on him by eric and hogan.

V
01-07-2010, 04:28 PM
this thread title sucks, he talks about vince mcmahon, the monday night war and the program on monday just as much as he talked about hogan and bischoff. if i wasn't bored out of my mind, i wouldnt have read the thread, but i would have if you mentioned that he talked about all the other stuff :mad:

kareru
01-07-2010, 04:33 PM
no Kane Knight, no i am not

Kane Knight
01-07-2010, 04:36 PM
i downloaded the torrent with the commercials cut and the total running time was 2hrs 8 mins, seems like spike tv wanted to earn some money

Yeah, how dare Spike not air the show for free? All their other programming has been run without ads....

kareru
01-07-2010, 04:39 PM
Yeah, how dare Spike not air the show for free? All their other programming has been run without ads....

52 minutes of adverts is taking the piss a bit

Dorkchop
01-07-2010, 04:51 PM
http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs151.snc3/17866_395026240435_395001945435_10500722_6311367_n.jpg

spot the error

Nothing is on a pole

Xero
01-07-2010, 04:52 PM
Yeah, but it's in a cage and there's a bat. Who knows if the bat wasn't on a pole.

Kane Knight
01-07-2010, 04:52 PM
52 minutes of adverts is taking the piss a bit

Commercial TV tends to have anywhere from fifteen to twenty minutes of commercials per hour. Now I want you to take those numbers and multiply by three and see if fifty-two minutes is within that range.

They had plenty of time, and weeks to plan, and they still threw a lot of bullshit in. Russo is even trumpeting this as a great show. I know you're some kind of TNA übermark, but you're reaching for justifications here.

Droford
01-07-2010, 08:02 PM
I think that if TNA puts on shows like Monday Night regularly, they'll be out of business by the end of the year and Vince will have a long line of people outside his door waiting to join the KMA Club to get a job back.

Xero
01-07-2010, 08:07 PM
That's the problem, they CAN'T continue to put on shows like that. The only real draw for new fans were the big names. They'll be able to keep that up for MAYBE a month or two. After that? The TNA fans will stay around and casuals won't give a shit anymore.

Yeah, Styles/Angle was good, but if you keep giving away your PPV matches there will be nothing left to push on the PPV. This is one of the downfalls WWE has succumbed to and one reason why buy rates are down. Almost all the PPV matches are either PPV rematches or have been done during the build up, sometimes multiple times (Kofi/Orton is a recent example).

TNA is just very lucky to have very, VERY loyal fans.

Sixx
01-07-2010, 08:12 PM
This is like a wrestling retirement home.

dronepool
01-07-2010, 09:29 PM
I actually agree with a lot of his points. Cool.

PapaGeorgio
01-07-2010, 10:07 PM
52 minutes of adverts is taking the piss a bit

A 30 minute block tv show runs for roughly 22 minutes. 8 minutes for commercial. A 3 hour show has 6 30 minute blocks in it. Equivalent to 48 minutes of commercial. An extra 4 minutes than "standard" over 3 hours isn't taking the piss a bit.

Stickman
01-10-2010, 01:05 PM
So they worked on that show for six weeks and THAT was the final product?

Fuck TNA.

That's exactly what I thought.

owenbrown
01-10-2010, 01:12 PM
the book should be titled "How Russo killed WCW" not vice versa

Londoner
01-10-2010, 01:15 PM
the book should be titled "How Russo killed WCW" not vice versa

I think we all know that.