12-13-01

Welcome to the “It’s almost Christmas and I haven’t started my Shopping” edition of the Terry Taylor perspective for 12/13/01. Am I the only one that has begun to think the Christmas Spirit is someone cutting us off for a parking place for which we’ve waited? Or maybe people plowing us over because they feel they’re entitled? Or my all time favorite, parents threatening their kids if they don’t behave, Santa won’t come this year. Wow, then why are you out there fighting the crowds, traffic, and headaches? Has the Christmas Spirit changed, or is it just me?

Now that I’ve lead you up this road and prepped you for a Christmas story – our topic is completely different! 

A lot of people who read this column write back with their thoughts and opinions. I enjoy reading all of them – even the bad ones! The constant theme in the feedback is I tell wrestling related stories, but they’re not about only wrestling – they apply to other walks of life. As most of you know (or are about to find out) I was fortunate enough to be part of the writing teams of both WCW and the WWF in their golden eras. No, I’m not going to say I did it all myself, but one cannot deny there’s a mighty strong coincidence. Wade Keller in his newsletter called me the “Forrest Gump” of modern wrestling, meaning I was in the middle of most every major story of the decade of the 90’s. Who am I to disagree?

Wrestling used to be good verses evil. It was very basic and easy to follow. The fans back then were “into it” because it was clearly defined. Wrestling appealed to our guttural feelings, we didn’t have to figure it out. Good would always prevail. As time went on, the audience became more sophisticated and wouldn’t stand for simplistic storylines. The stories and moves had to have logic.

Everything written above is a prelude to how one man got and named his “finishing move” in WCW.  Most of you don’t know, but I gave and named the “Crippler Cross face” finisher to Chris Benoit when he was in WCW. You probably didn’t know I gave the reigning Undisputed WWF World Champion Chris Jericho his first catch phrase. Can you remember what it was? We were turning Chris heel and we needed a reason (see above paragraph) so we had him lose and like a spoiled child – throw a temper tantrum. As part of the tantrum, Chris would kick things, cry, and then attack ring announcer David Penzer. The attack culminated in Chris tearing up Penzer’s tuxedo jacket and stomping his way back to the locker room. The next week on TV Chris would apologize to Penzer and give David a brand new tux jacket. The last thing Chris promised David and all of us concerning his lack of composure was, ”It’ll never – EVER happen again!”!  But as we all know, it did happen again and again and again. Chris became a good heel and the turn was a success.

Sometimes TV storylines follow real life, as is the case in this next tale. In 1993, I was in the WWF and we had just wrestled in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The wrestler about whom this is written and I went out to unwind with a few adult beverages. From our hotel we saw a little bar, which didn’t have too many cars and seemed a good choice for some peace and quiet. This quaint get-away was a house with all the inside walls torn out. The exterior was misleading and inside it was hopping.

My buddy was commiserating with me about losing a $40,000 lawsuit to a man who started a fight with him. I thought, “$40,000 for the other guy starting a fight? What did you do?”

“I bit his nose off,” he said, matter of factly.

I almost spit my beer all over him, but after hearing what happened to the other guy – I reconsidered.

My friend was despondent about this turn of events because he, like so many of us in the middle of the card in the WWF, only made enough money to STAY IN THE BUSINESS – NOT GET OUT. There was sadness in his voice. My friend is known as the toughest man in wrestling, PERIOD! He has nothing to prove. At 14 years old, his parents sent him to Japan to study sumo, which is more like a religion or way of life than a sport. He excelled in amateur and pro wrestling. He speaks seven languages and is one of the most honorable men I have the privilege of knowing.  Forty thousand dollars is huge to my friend because not only is he raising his two children, but the two children of his wife’s sister.

My friend is ungodly strong not only physically and in character, but when he drinks liquor his resolve is weak.

I only drink beer so I know when to quit, but tonight my three hundred pound friend insisted on a few liquor shots. He was VERY persuasive. It was almost closing time and I was glad. We walked towards the exit and a guy with his shirt unbuttoned to the waist, showing off a ‘Mr. T starter kit’ of gold necklaces calls my friend the “N” word. My friend tries to ignore him, but   this drunk orders my friend to clean his table. In that split second, the whole atmosphere and this guy’s life changed forever. I urged my friend to ignore the a$$hole and let’s go home, but the guy mouthed off again.

Before the disco wannabe could finish his sentence there was a lightening fast blur and my friend had grabbed the guy by the goozle. (That’s wrestling vernacular for throat.)  I tried to cajole my friend and then tried to move him, but it was if his feet were nailed to the floor. The balance and strength I felt was unreal. It was frightening. My friend had this man’s throat clamped with a palms up grip holding this 240-pound man motionless - with ONE HAND! 

I threw my keys to the valet and screamed for him to bring our car to the side door. I turned back to my friend and he was whispering something to the guy and then – whack – whack. In a blur of movement, my friend had cuffed this man in the back of the head. The force of the blow was indescribable. Before the man’s head could move 4 inches – my friend slapped him in the face whip lashing it back in the direction from which it just came. I couldn’t comprehend the savagery I had just witnessed. The whole incident lasted 15 seconds.

We got into the car and crossed paths with the police as they parked in the very spot we had just vacated. I asked my friend if he was OK, he was so calm and composed one would think he had just gotten up from a game of chess. He said he was fine. I wondered about the other guy (to myself).

We wrestled two more days in Michigan having based the tour out of Grand Rapids. Two days after the incident, my friend and I went to a different bar. The minute we got there a bouncer came up to my friend and said, “Aren’t you the wrestler that almost killed that guy last Friday?”

I couldn’t believe that underhanded grip almost killed somebody – IN 15 SECONDS! We excused ourselves to avoid any other trouble, but I never forgot that incident.

Fast forward to WCW May 1997.

In a “good news/bad news” situation if there ever was one, I had earned the head booker/TV writer position. I had always wanted this opportunity, but WCW still had the same talent that had been there for 5 years. Yes, that means the audience knows them, but sometimes – too well. Every possible match up had been done. I knew we had to create some new stars. We needed a killer heel with an air of believability. I knew exactly who it was.

The next week we re-debuted MENG with the “Tongan Death Grip” finisher. Meng had been used by WCW (poorly), but upper management didn’t see his potential and relegated him to mid-card status. This upper management is the same that saw nothing in Steve Austin, Brian Pillman, and Chris Jericho.

We built Meng as a worthy opponent for Goldberg – IN ONE TELEVISION!  Meng choked out 10 wrestlers with the TDG, choked out the WCW security force, all referees, and a cameraman! The people sensed Meng was for real and began chanting for Goldberg. We made the match for the end of a 3 hour Nitro. When they finally wrestled as the main event on Monday Nitro, it drew a record rating.

What is the moral of the story?

a) Is it that I’m a genius and the WWF should hire me?

b) Is it that I should be recognized for my many contributions to the wrestling business?

c) Is it that one should make friends with a big tough Tongan, so if a fight breaks out you’re OK, and if you get a job as a TV writer four years later you’ll have a storyline?

d) all of the above!