by Rick Scaia
Exclusive to OnlineOnslaught.com

Let's see how this goes:

• Last night's SmackDown! was once again a very strong show.  It was actually a more storyline-centric effort that recent SD!'s, but it worked really well, nonetheless.  
   
  I agree with the mindset that creating different "philosophies" for RAW (more soap-opera) and SD (more in-ring action) is a good move for the brand extension, but a show like last night's SD! prove that you can go more for the stories and STILL produce a very entertaining show if you know what you're doing.
   
  Match-wise, we didn't get the one big blow-away contest.  But we did get two 10-minute-ish matches that were both really solid (the two tag tourney matches).  Rikishi/Eddie was good, too.  Billy/D-Von I could take or leave, but since I think the Fed might be on to something with a Simmons/D-Von team, I'll keep my bitching to myself for now.
   
  But storyline-wise, the show was clicking.  Starting with Matt Hardy's promo (further evidence, by the way, that he is clearly the more entertaining of the Hardy brothers, no matter what the crowds chant) and subsequent attack by the Undertaker, we got a bunch of angles that, while not wrestling matches, per se, were still stories that fit into an atmosphere of competition.  The stuff they did with Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit (and later with Eddie and Chavo and Benoit) was gold, too.  Even the "revelation" that Tracey had had an affair with Taker was OK, since it really played into the Heyman's Headgames aspect of the Lesnar/Taker feud; it helps that Tracey (an actress/model who was in The Scorpion King, according to OO Reader "Foxtrot1999") was effective on the mic, and that Taker's response was dead-on perfect.
   
  And I have no idea where they're going with the potentially very-creepy Torrie Wilson/Dawn Marie/Torrie's Dad thing...  but so long as the voyage to the end result includes Torrie wearing outfits like that one from last night, well, you'll hear no complaints from me.  In the immortal words of Beavis:
  Boi-oi-oi-oi-oing!
   
  You can get the full results from last night's show right here.
   
  
• The overnight rating for SD came in at 4.7.  I was out of town last week, so I don't remember hearing what the overnight was... but the 4.7 is up substantially from two weeks ago, when SD! drew a 4.3.  Not bad, considering Must See TV and Survivor and play-off baseball were the competition.
   
  Of course, the overnight number doesn't really matter much.  We'll have a final rating in Monday's OO. 
   
  
• If you're like me, you were sitting at home wondering what the hell Nidia and Rey Mysterio were talking about in their promo last night...  with a little help from some bi-lingual OO Readers, I can summarize:
   
  After the requisite greetings, Nidia asked about the (619), and specifically, if maybe she and Rey could ditch the "1" and keep the rest.  At which point Rey enumerated the things he'd rather do than sleep with a nobody like Nidia.  Which, of course, set off Nidia's little hissy fit.
   
  
• OVW's gonna be jump-starting the best part of the wrestling year (traditionally, the Rumble-to-Mania corridor)...  they're going to do a "Run for the Rumble" single elimination tourney. The winner will earn a berth in the 2003 Royal Rumble match, and will also have to endure a singles match with Kurt Angle in the weeks before the Rumble.
   
  I doubt very seriously that the "Run for the Rumble" thing will get any play on WWE TV, but to be honest, I can think of few ways that would be more unique and interesting than to simply say "This is the best that our developmental territory has to offer" by way of introduction.  If people are biting on the Tough Enough concept, then that should really work well.
   
  
• It has come to my attention that SportsLine has finally removed the top secret WrestleLine archive that we used to enjoy access to...  took 'em long enough.  It's been almost exactly a year since they shut down without warning.  Still, it was nice having access to that old material...  those jerks!
   
  Speaking of which, if you're wondering how we're going to celebrate the WL shut-down (and subsequent revival of OO here on this website), you're probably going to be underwhelmed.  Next week, I'll start begging for donations (it's an annual tradition!), and that'll be about it...
   
  
• Since I'm stretching for material here today, let's delve into the realm of reader-suggested fantasy booking!
   
  On Wednesday, I questioned whether the creative team had any sort of a long-term plan for this silly Kane/Katie Fick thing...  OO Reader Wes Mosher wrote in suggesting that this could be the storyline that FINALLY results in Kane being unmasked for good (since it was expected that that was where the X-Pac/Kane thing earlier this year was headed).
   
  In Wes' version of the story, it will eventually be revealed that Kane was never burnt in a fire at all.  Instead, he wears the mask to hide his identity because he is, in fact, a fugitive from the law, suspected of murder.  Then, Wes suggests, we find out that Kane is actually innocent, framed for the crimes by his brother, the Undertaker.  This could all lead up to a showdown with authorities in which Taker is shot by the cops and presumed dead.  Which, of course, sets up his return to wrestling in his old supernatural characterization, after he is risen from the dead...
   
  Of course, after laying all that out, Wes had the good sense to note that it's a good thing he's not a writer for the WWE, as he'd have a worse rap on the internet than HHH...
   
  
• After the NWA-TNA PPV on Wednesday, the crowd was treated to over an hour's worth of Hollywood movie action...  the production of "Head of State" (planned for a mid-2003 release) took over the venue to film a quick scene.
   
  Chris Rock, playing a presidential candidate named Mace Gilliam, accompanied BG "Road Dogg" James (in the role of NWA Champion) for a wrestling match.  The scene turns ugly, however, when Ron Harris, Ron Killings, and Jeff Jarrett storm the ring and attack the duo.  Harris, I believe, got to nail Rock with a chairshot.
   
  
• Steve Austin's scheduled court date (earlier this week) was pushed back to October 24 when his lawyers managed to get a continuance.  Although Austin has ceased divorce proceedings, he still faces spousal abuse charges.
   
  
• Ummmm... I don't think I got anything else to say.  So I'll leave you with this:  see you again on Monday, when, hopefully, there will be more stuff worth talking about!

E-MAIL RICK SCAIA
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Rick Scaia is a wrestling fan from Dayton, OH.  He's been doing this since 1995, but enjoyed it best when the suckers from SportsLine were actually PAYING him to be a fan.

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