Jump to content

Minor news items that don't deserve a thread


Richie Freebird

Recommended Posts

I never saw the show. What was actually shown on the PPV?

He was doing The Blue Blaizer gimmick at the time and was meant to descend from the rafters superhero style. They were showing a video recap of his feud with Godfather for the match that was due to take place and when they finished that they would cut back and he'd be in the process of descending down. The fall happened while the video was being shown, so when they cut back it was just on shots of the audience and JR on commentary saying that "something has gone horribly wrong" and explaining what was meant to have happened. You saw nothing in the ring as the camera remained on the crowd before they cut to the back were Kevin Kelly did an interview with Jeff Jarrett & Debra, who were both trying to stay in character, but were absolutely beside themselves at the same time and they went out for their match.

 

None of what happened is on the WWE Network (it cuts straight from the end of Hardcore Holly v Val Venis to Jarrett's entrance) and the show was never released on home video

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

If you watch the Spanish language dub of the PPV you can hear Owen hit the mat while the first video is being shown, which isn't the most pleasant thing in the world.

Edited by PowerButchi
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Paid Members

The video is going to be online one of these days. I'm of the opinion if a video exists (which according to Kevin Kelly, it does), it'll eventually hit the internet.

 

What a tradegy, though. First time I've heard the crash of the mat before. Seriously, what was the point in having him up there? Such a pointless stunt for absolutely nothing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Paid Members

one thing that always weirded me out about the situation was that when the PPV cut back to Jim Ross/Jerry Lawler to inform viewers that Owen Hart had died, the fans behind Lawler/JR are mean mugging, waving and smiling like they are having a great time. The same people less than an hour earlier literally saw a man fall to his death in front of their eyes, it's really strange. I aint buying that anyone that close to the ring was of the thinking that it was a part of the show either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a tradegy, though. First time I've heard the crash of the mat before. Seriously, what was the point in having him up there? Such a pointless stunt for absolutely nothing.

Russo has told the story on a couple of podcasts that it wasn't meant to be part of the show that he had written going into the day of the PPV.

The way he tells it, the day of the show the stunt team who did Sting's rafter entrance for WCW were at the arena and touting for work, and it basically become somewhat of an audition for them and doing other stuff with the WWF in the future.

Whether that's just Russo trying to absolve himself of responsibility or not is a whole other conversation, but it basically boils down to "let me tell you the gawd honest truth bro. If they were not at the arena that day, bro, Owen would still be alive today, and that's the truth bro"

Edited by WyattSheepMask
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Paid Members

 

What a tradegy, though. First time I've heard the crash of the mat before. Seriously, what was the point in having him up there? Such a pointless stunt for absolutely nothing.

Russo has told the story on a couple of podcasts that it wasn't meant to be part of the show that he had written going into the day of the PPV.

The way he tells it, the day of the show the stunt team who did Sting's rafter entrance for WCW were at the arena and touting for work, and it basically become somewhat of an audition for them and doing other stuff with the WWF in the future.

Whether that's just Russo trying to absolve himself of responsibility or not is a whole other conversation, but it basically boils down to "let me tell you the gawd honest truth bro. If they were not at the arena that day, bro, Owen would still be alive today, and that's the truth bro"

 

If they werent at the arena that day, then they would have come back and fucked it up another day. He died because they specifically wanted to do a comedy spot where he hangs a short distance above the ground then is suddenly dropped. The specific device needed to do that released too early and dropped him from the top instead of a few feet from the floor.

 

I don't know if they were the Sting people but Blue Blazer had done at least one other comedy wire spot leading up to this below (ignore clickbait title, Owen starts pissing about at 30 seconds), but this spot didn't need the quick release mechanism, so he was okay.

 

 

I have no idea who to blame, that's a hell of load to put on someones shoulders. If you're doing comedy wire spots with Owen the previous weeks, why not suggest something like that? You ask the wire technicians if its possible and they should tell you to fuck off if your idea is too crazy/unworkable. The saddest part is that he died for a forgettable, silly comedy spot. Absolute tragedy. 

 

I hadn't heard that Spanish audio till Butch posted it, very weird to hear.

Edited by Rob Lowe
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Paid Members

What should also be noted is that Sting was granted one of those proper licenses to say he was trained to be put in that harness and come from the rafters. Sting never came down from the roof without someone going down first to see if its alright as well. It was treated like a proper stunt. Where as they just told Owen Hart "get up there" on a few hours notice on the day of the show. The more you really think about it, its amazing what they were thinking. You dont do stuff like that for a 2nd match bit of comedy. Who the fuck was going to remember it anyway?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another nasty thing about that night, Foley's spoken about obviously everybody being completely off that night, and him in particular crying under his mask and stood next to a bloodstain of Owen's on the mat in the corner that's there the whole night

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...