The news broke that Trevor Murdoch has been released from his WWE contract this week. I am sure he will have the standard ninety day no compete. I have been a fan of this guy since day one. I am sure, partially because once I got to know Dick Murdoch, he was a lot of fun to be around and work with in the ring. I can’t even imagine having to call up this kid and give him that “creative had nothing for him” speech. If you ask me, creative hasn’t had anything for anyone in that company for a long long time.
I still don’t understand why creative has to have something for everyone to begin with. If you just had to do something with this guy there are numerous things that could have been done with him. Would those things have been used to draw money, no they wouldn’t. There’s very little that happens today that draws money. The creative team has been too busy in past years being funny to draw any money. To say that you had nothing for someone like Trevor Murdoch is like saying you had nothing for Charley Fulton, Johnny Rodz, George South, Gary Royal and Chick Donovan. All were highly talented workers who deserved to have creative to come up with something specifically for them for the overall benefit of the company and those they worked with.
If TNA wants some real heat they can bring Trevor in and team him up with Dustin Rhodes. If Dustin does an imitation of his father, and this guy continues to play the Dick Murdoch part, they can have a new updated version of the Texas Outlaws and get some real heat. I realize that the business is still looking for the next big thing so it is more important than ever to have a strong foundation throughout the card.
If someone like Trevor Murdoch can be cut loose that sums up everything wrong with WWE today. The creative team should be embarrassed and hand in their resignations. I guess this kid made the ultimate mistake of not being involved in any scandals or poor behavior he just went out worked hard each and every day. You wonder what creative would have for a young Bobby Eaton today. I am no wondering I think I know exactly what they would have for him, well wished for all his future endeavours.
Sometimes you wonder if WWE creative just tries to see how poorly they can do things and still maintain a profitable company. If they are going to start drawing turn away crowds again then they will to have to start getting real heat. I saw it the other night with Edge that was a start. The people wanted to see him get his ass kicked and it happened. I was also glad to see C.M. Punk, the guy that I put in my first WrestleReunion main event as a future legend, finally get his break. I believe that he has something special and can be a major player in the WWE and it seems like he will finally get the chance. I was glad to see JBL do the right thing and take C.M. Punk up a level.
I don’t know what is so hard about giving the fans what they want. All they want to see is good vs. evil. I sit back and watch this stuff and shake my head. I feel very comfortable saying that I could do a better job the booking of the WWE myself and maximize the talent that they have. I can also state clearly that I could take The Assassins or The Thunderfoot's and get more heat in fifteen minutes than a lot of these guys are getting in months. If you let arrogance guide you then it will cause you to get less than maximum return the majority of the time.
I saw that Nattie Neidhart colored her hair. It was a great decision and should benefit her in a big way.
It was last Friday night and the matches that I had done for Verne Gagne were showing on ESPN Classics channel. It was around August of nineteen eighty seven when I filmed those matches. At the time I was living in Colorado and doing things for Verne Gage and Vince McMahon. I can remember at a house show in Colorado that fans yelling AWA referee at me. When I got back to the dressing room Jay Strongbow said something to me about it. He didn’t like that it was happening. He said we can’t have that. I never really understood why.
I remember a few things about the AWA TV at the Showboat Hotel and Casino. It was the first time there for me, Tommy Rich, Paul Heyman , Dennis Condrey and Randy Rose. I can remember Rod Trongard questioning Tommy Rich about his career so he would have something to talk about and being stunned when Tommy said he was a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion. He said "you were?" In his most shy, country boy way Tommy said "well yes sir" and he asked who he beat and he told him Harley Race.
What he didn’t mention was that the NWA was too ignorant to keep the belt on him any longer than five days. At the time there was no one hotter than Tommy Rich. Who knows what he could have done for the title? It seems that for years the NWA felt that having a heel champion was the thing to do. I don’t think that I agree with that way of thinking. You can look back in history and its always a babyface that can exist for a longer period of time than a heel champion. It is much easier to build heels than it is babyface’s. I like both of these men and I had the chance to watch the career of Tommy Rich when it was at its peak. As far as I am concerned he had it and if handled properly could have set records. If you talk to wrestlers that were around in those days they will tell you the same thing. The people believed in Tommy Rich and he should have been the World Champion. I think Rod Trongard may have been the only one surprised to hear that Tommy had beaten Harley. I can say the same thing about Dusty Rhodes and Kerry Von Erich. These very short title reigns, probably done for no more reason that to appease some local promoter, didn’t help business. The guys who were given the belts weren’t given a chance to help the territory before they had to give the belt back.
I appreciated Rod because he went out of his way to mention my name several times. I was going to write more about the AWA shows but I will wait until next week. I just couldn’t stand still for the ridiculous decision made by the WWE in releasing Trevor Murdoch. The WWE exists today for one reason ... they have done a tremendous job of marketing their brand. Over the years they had stars drop in their laps and have had some great timing. Wouldn’t it be something if they could use the skills and abilities properly of the guys and girls that they have to create an even larger success than they already have? Please stop hiding behind this creative team sham and stand up McMahons and take responsibility for these decisions that are made.
It was years ago when I called Pat Patterson. It was, in fact, nineteen eighty seven. I congratulated him for being named booker of the company. He said "Sal I appreciate it but you heard wrong this company has always had one booker and that’s all it will ever have and that’s Vince McMahon". I can honestly say Pat, as usual, another thing that you told me that turned out to be one hundred percent correct.
In the photo with this article that was taken at my alma mater Saunders Trades and Technical High School in Yonkers NY. In the far left corner you can see Rodney Anoai who went on to become Yokozuna, Afa "The Wild Samoan"#1,The Tonga Kind #2 who later go on to become Rikishi, The Wild Samoan #3 Saumu and midget star Tiger Jackson
This has been a piece of my mind
