Gay Group Left At The Altar
By Mike Mooneyham Sept. 22, 2002 The WWE’s recent foray into social commentary with a gay wedding storyline appeared to be a positive step – at least in the eyes of one gay rights activist organization. When the angle was consummated, however, the watchdog group felt like it had been left at the altar. “It [...]
Petty Found Success Late In Career
By Mike Mooneyham Sept. 20, 2002 “Let’s make this a fun match. Wrestling hasn’t been much fun lately.” With those words to opponent “Crowbar” Devon Storm (Chris Ford), Ted Petty worked his last wrestling match on Sept. 21 in Jersey City, N.J. Theodore James Petty, an accomplished technical wrestler who ironically made his fortune getting [...]
WWE Generates Buzz With Shows
By Mike Mooneyham Sept. 15, 2002 While the rest of America was immersed in the anniversary of 9/11 last week amid growing speculation of a military strike against Iraq, Vince McMahon and his WWE writers were working overtime to generate a buzz of their own. If their aim was to get wrestling fans – and [...]
McMahon Needs To Reinvent Product
By Mike Mooneyham Sept. 8, 2002 Vince McMahon took a bold step nearly six months ago when he announced that he was splitting the WWE’s roster and dividing talent between his Raw and Smackdown shows. What has evolved is a company that seems to be struggling for an identity and desperately seeking to recapture some [...]
One To Watch: A.J. Styles
By Mike Mooneyham Sept. 1, 2002 A.J. Styles just might be the best performer you’ve never seen. The 25-year-old phenom has taken the Tennessee-based NWA-TNA by storm since the company’s inception several months ago. And while you probably won’t be watching him display his amazing talent on the WWE’s bigger national stage anytime soon, Styles [...]