Television tapings are always big events for the World Wrestling Federation Superstars. Show the action out in the arena on a monitor in the locker room, and without fail they�ll swarm around it every time. The majority watch to be entertained, hoping to gain some good ammunition for a wisecrack when their peers come back through the curtain.

At the same time, the athletes are competing in the ring are fully aware of what�s going on. They know that they are not only performing for the fans, but also for the mob huddled around the sets in the locker room. And with such a collection of male egos dissecting their every move, sometimes nothing proves one�s manhood better than the reactions of the women in the audience.

To the casual fan at home, it�s hardly noticeable. But to those who watch closely, each time Billy Gunn comes out and shows off his �asset,� cameras usually cut away to a googly-eyed beauty in the crowd screaming with appreciation. One more feather in the cap, or in his case, the bottom!

The same holds true for Val Venis, who goes through a variety of suggestive rituals just to provoke a response form the opposite sex. There�s nothing wrong with a little competition among men, but for these two it has developed into something far more serious - and personal.

Sexuality aside, both Gunn and Venis are the very foundation of the World Wrestling Federation. Both are primed for the next level and have already established themselves as bona fide contenders for any championship. Over the past few months, they�ve shared a mutual enemy in Ken Shamrock and a common interest in his sister Ryan. With two superstars who share such similar agendas and goals, common sense would suggest that pooling their resources might benefit both their careers. But Val and Billy have chosen otherwise. Why?

In most rivalries, the competitors are driven by the goal to succeed. Sometimes these athletes, or teams, are so alike that they simply can�t stand each other. Take, for example, the L.A. Lakers/Boston Celtics classics during the 1980s, or the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in the �70s, or Ali and Foreman before that. All bitter rivals, but in some way much like their opposition. But when you put them in an arena or a ball park, the drive to eliminate the enemy takes over. That�s what makes it competition - attempting to conquer a team or an athlete who wants to do what you do better.

Still, we wonder �what if?� Could you imagine the two of them coming out together? Talk about your ultimate degenerates! Simply put, neither Gunn nor Venis can stand being outdone by the other when it comes to being the premier sex symbol of the Federation. It just goes to show that in the world of sports-entertainment, feuds don�t always have to be fueled by money or championships. Sometimes it has to do with how one is perceived by fellow superstars, and hearing from the boys in the back that the enemy outdid you that night just isn�t healthy for those enormous egos.

So, the two superstars push the envelope as much as possible - without going over. When Billy mooned Shamrock�s sister, Val had to get the one-up by featuring her as the co-star in his Sister Act movie. Both are degenerates through and through. Remember those bodybuilding competitions on ESPN when the guys on stage jostle each other for position? In this case, the stage may not be big enough for just Val and Billy!

What they must realize is that there can never be a true victor in their competition. Billy will find ways to out-do Val, and vice versa. Athleticism and common goals aside, both are sex symbols in their respective ways. Gunn has the movie star looks and a body women melt for, while Val lands more ladies than Wilt Chamberlain! Billy sticks his butt out there to get attention and feed his enormous ego, while the Big Valbowski is a paid professional in the world of adult entertainment. So close, yet worlds apart - and still they try to annoy each other to no end.

Here at Titan Tower, headquarters of the World Wrestling Federation, I�ve spoken to female employees who feel Venis� antics are childish, but put them in front of a television to watch one of his matches and they smile and nod their approval! (Read between the lines on that one.) Likewise, New Age Outlaws� photos - prominently featuring Billy - are the prevailing office decoration for some of those same women.

Speaking of the Outlaws, what if Billy feels they�ve seen better days as a team? this is not to say their skills have diminished, but just that both key ingredients of the mix are doing their own thing these days. Road Dogg has branched off into the world of hardcore fighting, while Billy�s cause revolves around the Intercontinental gold. If somehow, some way Billy and Val were to put their personal differences aside, would they be just as good - or better - than the Outlaws?

Before shaking your head, think about it from Gunn�s possible point of view - you could eat lobster every night, but eventually you�d want to tear into a nice juicy steak! What if he tired of dominating the tag team scene? What�s left for them to achieve? But think of the fun Billy and Val could have. It would be one bootie-shaking, hip-gyrating night after another. Perhaps that�s one of the reasons he ignited this feud with Val in the first place - to try something a little different.

What would a team like Val and Billy be like? Both their high-flying styles are extremely complementary. Their ideal finisher might be Gunn�s leg drop to the back of a foe�s head followed by the Money Shot. And who would be able to touch their entrance? Would both of them come out wrapped in towels? Would Val have a big pair of lips stitched on the front of his trunks? And if you weren�t down with that... would those two words be �Hello, Ladies�? It�s just a shame that both of them can�t put their egos aside and become the ultimate degenerate team!

After all, two swelled heads are always better than one...

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