Free Daily Podcast Summary
Tales from the Attitude Era: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Tommy Blacha & Robert Pasbani
Pro wrestling shows dominate the top sports podcast charts, but none are from the perspective of the show's writer, until now. Tommy Blacha has written on Conan O'Brien, Da Ali G Show, The Eric Andre Show, and co-created Adult Swim's Metalocalypse. He was also the head writer of WWE (then WWF) during their big boom period, affectionately referred to as The Attitude Era. Tommy was a significant figure in the Attitude Era, primarily known for his work as a comedy writer and performer. He played a crucial role in shaping the entertainment aspect of the WWF product during this time. Joined by co-host Rob Pasbani (Metal Injection, Squared Circle Pit), the two look back on the unique moment in time, discussing the creative mindset behind some of the biggest stories of the Attitude Tales from the Attitude Era is a weekly one-hour podcast looking back at a specific famous moment or storyline from the period in WWE when Blacha was head writer, between 1999 and 2001, producing some of wrestling's most iconic personalities, both in front of and behind the camera. There was a sense of heightened sensationalism surrounding the industry during this time. Fans were eager to learn about the backstage politics, personal relationships, and locker room dynamics that fueled the drama on-screen. Every week, Rob Pasbani will lead the show offering a recap of events, and reactions from critics & fans of the time. Blacha will then offer his unique insider perspective explaining the hows and whys of famous moments involving larger-than-life figures like Vince McMahon, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and Triple H, whose influence extended beyond the ring and into the boardroom. Fans were captivated by learning about their roles in shaping the direction of the company and the industry as a whole, further fueled fans' fascination with the backstage of the Attitude Era.
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- 3 days ago1h 6m
Rikishi Tries to Run Austin Over Again and the Ratings Hit a Two-Year Low - WWF RAW 10/16/00 Review
RAW is at the Joe Lewis Arena in Detroit on October 16th, 2000, the same building where Steve Austin was run over nearly a year ago. Tommy Blacha grew up in Detroit, worked at this arena as a kid, and was at this show. He says the go-home episode for Austin's revenge pay-per-view should have felt massive. Instead it drew the lowest RAW rating since 1998. The show never promotes its main event until the final segment. Tommy says the whole thing smells like a writing room where too many things stayed unsettled for too long.Rikishi's sitdown interview with Coach is the best thing they have done with the angle in weeks. He comes out in all black, says Foley is not keeping him from the arena to protect him from Austin, he is protecting Austin from what Rikishi will do to Austin. Rob says this is what the character needed from the beginning. Austin gets the biggest pop of the night and delivers a promo about the photos of Rikishi he keeps around the house. Then Rikishi shows up in the garage in a car, in the exact spot where he hit Austin, and makes the No Mercy staredown happen in the right place. Tommy says it works but still feels lesser than it should. Regal wins the European title from Al Snow, which everyone agrees was long overdue.The Triple H, Stephanie, and Kurt Angle triangle has come completely off the rails. Triple H is working as a full baby face with nobody establishing the turn. Stephanie arrives and Angle carries her bags. Triple H issues an or else to Angle backstage. Stephanie later hits Jeff Hardy with a tire iron in the main event, and Rob points out she just happened to have a tire iron. The main event, Rock and the Hardys against Angle, Edge, and Christian, is a massive matchup that never got a graphic, never got a mention, and almost nobody in the building knows it is happening until it starts.Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early!Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeeraOther major discussion points include:Eddie Guerrero opens the show with a heel promo about how China cried too much; Jericho interrupts and says for the first time in a month the show is not opening with a 20-minute talking segment; Eddie pulls a hamstring on a back body drop 90 seconds in and the match is cut shortTommy notes Billy Gunn has been back for three weeks and has had zero promo time to explain why he is back or how he feels about DXThe Conquistadors turn out not to be Edge and Christian under the hoods but Christopher Daniels and Aaron Aguilera; the heels were technically telling the truth, which Tommy finds delightfulBenoit is revealed to be getting fed scripted lines on commentary; Tommy says this is where the template begins that will slowly squeeze out wrestlers being inventive on their own0:00:00 Welcome0:01:13 Joe Lewis Arena0:02:05 Tommy at the Show / Detroit Memories0:03:11 Eddie Guerrero Opens / Jericho Interrupts0:05:07 Eddie Hamstring Injury / X-Pac & Billy Gunn0:07:00 Billy Gunn Discussion / No Vignettes / DX Dissolution0:10:16 Stephanie Arrives / Angle Carries Her Bags0:11:07 Stephanie Becoming Head Writer / Writers Pitching for Her0:13:32 Rikishi Sitdown Interview With Coach0:19:22 Heat Recap: T&A vs APA / Strip Poker Segment0:23:33 Triple H / Stephanie / Angle Backstage0:27:37 Al Snow (England) vs William Regal (European Title)0:31:09 Triple H Threatens Angle Backstage0:33:22 Triple H vs Kane 0:39:25 Austin Promo in Ring0:40:25 Rikishi in the Garage0:43:28 X-Pac Calls Out Billy Gunn 0:45:13 Billy Gunn Demands Match From Foley0:47:31 Dudleys vs Conquistadors0:49:56 Road Dog vs Val Venis / Naked Mideon0:52:06 Stephanie Announces Angle on Heat0:55:00 Rock & Hardys vs Angle, Edge & Christian (Main Event)0:59:07 Ratings Discussion / Lowest Since 19981:03:20 WCW Australia / Buy WCW Discussion1:05:22 Patreon / Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 1 weeks ago1h 9m
Edge and Christian Are the Conquistadors and Nobody Is Fooled - WWF SmackDown 10/12/00 Review
SmackDown is at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on October 12th, 2000. Tommy Blacha was in the building for this one and says the atmosphere around these LA shows is changing. More agents, more Hollywood meetings, Vince at a Radio and Television Society luncheon while the product is getting worse. Before getting to the show, they read a listener comment from PMFG who fantasy books three different options for the driver. Rob and Tommy work through all of them and land on the same conclusion: Kurt Angle was the only pick that would have made the subsequent program worth watching.The show is mostly a cooldown episode that barely moves anything forward. The Rock sits down with JR and distances himself from Rikishi. Tommy says this is the wrong call entirely. The Rock should be furious at Rikishi for using his name and his car and putting him through a year of interrogations. Eddie Guerrero attacks Billy Gunn with a tire iron before their scheduled match, turning it into a triple threat IC title match with X-Pac, and then steals the pin directly off X-Pac's cover to win the title. Austin sits in his truck all episode while cops, JR, and Foley try to talk him out of it. He eventually agrees to face Rikishi at No Mercy in a no holds barred match.Angle and Stephanie are the one thing that actually works. Angle convinces Right to Censor to put Val Venis in a Rock title match by telling them it is a win for everybody and admits he cannot see his own goosebumps. He and Stephanie stand tall after the main event to close out SmackDown looking strong heading into No Mercy. Tommy and Rob spend the back half of the episode discussing the growing chaos in the writing room and the decision to make Stephanie head writer, which nobody who was there was happy about.Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early!Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeeraOther major discussion points include:Edge and Christian debut the Conquistadors gimmick at commentary during the Dudleys vs Low Down tables match, speaking exclusively in rudimentary Spanish; the announcers refuse to acknowledge themAl Snow comes out representing Hong Kong with a fu manchu and a portrait of Hong Kong Fooey; Regal is appalled on commentaryTriple H and Road Dog face Benoit and Saturn in a match where Triple H works a full baby face hot tag without the writers bothering to establish the turn; Benoit pins Triple H and it means nothingAustin confronts Too Cool in the back looking for RikishiTommy defends Vince Russo's WCW run on the grounds that he inherited a company where top performers had contracts letting them refuse storylines and nobody was incentivized to help the company succeed0:00:00 Cold Open0:00:27 Welcome / SmackDown 10/12/000:02:10 Staples Center / WWF Scaling Up / XFL Distractions0:05:02 PMFG Fantasy Books the Reveal0:10:22 Kurt Angle as the Best Option for the Driver0:16:49 Episode Overview0:19:55 Dudleys vs Low Down / Conquistadors Debut at Commentary0:22:38 The Rock Sitdown Interview with JR0:27:18 Eddie Attacks Billy Gunn With a Tire Iron0:29:19 X-Pac vs Eddie vs Jericho (IC Title Triple Threat)0:32:08 Austin in Garage / Cops Show Up0:32:40 Angle Recruits Right to Censor / Val Venis vs Rock Booked0:34:27 Al Snow (Hong Kong) vs Albert / Regal on Commentary0:36:36 Jim Ross Pleads With Austin0:39:28 Triple H & Road Dog vs Benoit & Saturn0:43:25 Triple H / Stephanie Backstage0:44:13 Foley to Ring / Austin Agrees to No Mercy0:49:49 Hardys vs Raven & Taz (Tag Title Match)0:53:12 Stephanie Announces She Is in Angle's Corner Permanently0:53:36 Kurt Angle vs Kane0:56:01 Austin Confronts Too Cool / Clocks Grandmaster Sexay0:57:31 Rock vs Val Venis (Main Event)1:00:06 Angle & Stephanie Stand Tall After the Match1:00:45 Stephanie as Head Writer / Russo WCW Discussion1:07:57 Patreon / Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 2 weeks ago1h 28m
Rikishi "Did It for The Rock" and Gets Zero Reaction - WWF RAW 10/9/00 Review
RAW is at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim on October 9th, 2000, the same building that hosted WrestleMania 2000. Mick Foley has promised he will name the person who ran over Steve Austin. He comes out to a mixed reaction, booed and cheered, which Tommy Blacha says has nothing to do with Austin. That is the audience booing the writing. Foley brings in Shawn Michaels, who points the finger at The Rock and leaves. William Regal on commentary agrees. Tommy was in attendance at this show and remembers the crowd already feeling the weight of a year of stalling.The reveal comes after the main event. Foley exonerates The Rock and then points to Rikishi. The crowd gives him nothing. Rikishi repeats himself. He explains he ran over Steve Austin for The Rock because WWF was always about the great white hope and his people were always held back. Rob and Tommy dismantle this immediately. The Rock had already been world champion. He was once the corporate pick over Steve Austin. Yokozuna was a world champion. The logic is broken on every level. Rikishi later said he was unhappy with the angle, hated memorizing a long scripted promo he did not believe in, and felt the company killed the hottest character he had ever had.Tommy explains what was happening backstage: too many writers, new people cycling in every few weeks, no script supervisor, and a bottleneck at Vince producing whatever survived to the last minute. Rob notes Foley reportedly turned down being the driver because his Christmas book for children was coming out. Tommy says they should have had Rikishi say he did it, attack someone, and powder. Save the explanation for later. Instead they got the Scooby-Doo ending and burned Rikishi's momentum at the same time.Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early!Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeeraOther major discussion points include:Lita wins a hardcore women's title match against Jackie with a cookie sheetRaven challenges Steve Blackman to a non-hardcore match to get heel heat for denying the crowd weapons; Lillian Garcia announces it as a hardcore title match anyway; Ross corrects her live on air; the crowd is dead until Blackman pulls out nunchucks after the bellX-Pac and Benoit versus Triple H and Jericho is the best match of the night; four elite workers pull off a convoluted reluctant-partners story cleanly; Benoit pins Triple H; Tommy notes it goes nowhereThe Conquistadors debut by attacking the Hardys during a Low Down match; a GTV clip interrupts the Eddie and Chyna match to reveal Eddie in the shower with two valets0:00:00 Cold Open0:00:28 Welcome / RAW 10/9/000:01:49 Austin Hit-and-Run Origins / Everyone Pitched to Be the Driver0:07:13 Sunday Night Heat Promotion / Marketing Missed Opportunity0:08:42 Ratings / Anaheim / WrestleMania 2000 Arena0:14:08 Risk-Averse Booking / The Machine Growing0:18:10 Foley Opens to Mixed Reaction0:19:13 Main Event Booked / Jericho & Triple H vs X-Pac & Benoit0:21:08 Shawn Michaels Brought In / Points to The Rock0:25:00 Lita vs Jackie (Hardcore Title)0:27:17 Chyna & Deborah Backstage0:29:50 Deborah Interrogated by Foley0:32:17 Triple H / Stephanie Backstage0:35:43 Linda McMahon Limo Arrives0:36:35 Raven vs Blackman / Lillian Garcia Botch0:41:40 Linda McMahon Interrogated0:46:18 X-Pac & Benoit vs Triple H & Jericho0:49:15 Triple H Demands Benoit at No Mercy / Edge & Christian0:50:01 Hardys vs Low Down / Conquistadors Debut0:51:13 Al Snow (Greece/Grease) / Regal on Commentary0:55:33 Eddie & China / GTV Shower Reveal1:01:42 Michael Clark Duncan / Vince's Definition of Huge1:03:20 Crash Holly / Scotty Too Hotty Interrogations1:04:51 China Breaks Off Engagement / Billy Gunn1:07:48 Main Event: Rock & Rikishi vs Angle & Kane1:08:45 Rikishi Reveal / "I Did It for The Rock"1:17:22 Listener Mail / Rikishi Quote / Meltzer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 3 weeks ago1h 18m
William Regal "Besmirched" His Way Into Our Hearts - WWF SmackDown 10/5/00 Review
SmackDown comes from Baltimore on October 5th, 2000, and it is a noticeably better show than the RAW that preceded it. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani spend a few minutes up top explaining what that probably means behind the scenes: somebody noticed, somebody said something, and the pendulum swung back toward wrestling. William Regal shows up and within minutes of sitting at the commentary table, uses the word "besmirched" and immediately gets over with everyone in Rob's friend group. Tommy says Regal has the full checklist and is the total package, not Lex Luger.Austin confronts Foley in a segment that actually works. Foley tells Austin that his job has sucked since Austin arrived, which Rob and Tommy note is exactly what they had been saying for weeks. Austin gives Foley the chance to reconsider, hears no, and delivers what passes in Steve Austin's world as an apology before stunning him anyway. Tommy says the stunner is starting to feel like a pie in the face. Meanwhile, in the second Stephanie and Triple H backstage segment of the night, she tells him "the only thing hurting me is you." Both hosts agree it is not going where it should.In the main event, Rikishi runs in and interferes on The Rock's behalf against Kane, costing them the match on a DQ. Tommy and Rob spend the back half of the episode fantasy booking a better Austin mystery driver reveal, agree there was almost nobody satisfying on the current roster, and settle on Goldberg or Flair as the only options that would have actually worked.Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early!Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeeraOther major discussion points include:Jacky and Low Down pin Lita in what everyone expects to be a Hardy exhibition; Jeff Hardy hits a split-legged moonsalt that Rob says suggests he has been watching Sabu tapes; the upset does not lead anywhere for Low Down despite Tommy pitching for them backstageBilly Gunn interferes in the X-Pac match to help Al Snow win; Michael Cole explains on commentary that it is because Billy Gunn was kicked out of DX; Tommy says this is his pet peeve and the announcer explanation is the weakest possible version of storytellingEddie Guerrero eats a Goodfather powerbomb pin in the RTC match; Tommy says you can always recover from a loss if your character has attitude around it, and Eddie Guerrero has plenty of thatBenoit comes out and complains; Jericho interrupts and challenges him; they have the match of the night before Triple H runs in and bleeds; Rob says he would rather see Jericho and Benoit than Benoit and Triple HTaz and Raven win via DQ over the Dudley Boys on a convoluted ring bell spot; the Dudleys immediately powerbomb Raven through a table; the crowd wanted the tables the entire time and Tommy says it all feels like a house show alreadyChapter Marks0:00:00 Cold Open0:00:30 Welcome / SmackDown 10/5/000:01:45 Writing Staff / Creative Pendulum Discussion0:06:42 Austin Fallout / Show Overview0:08:22 Hardys & Lita vs Low Down & Jacky0:18:05 Foley Backstage / William Regal Debuts0:26:11 Foley Checks Limo / SmackDown Your Vote0:28:13 RTC vs APA & Eddie Guerrero0:31:14 Stephanie / Triple H Backstage0:34:03 Taz / Raven Promo0:36:30 Taz & Raven vs Dudley Boys0:40:02 Austin Arrives / Foley Flips Table0:42:03 Foley Confronts Austin0:48:39 Angle Promo / Edge & Christian vs Rikishi & Too Cool0:52:44 Stephanie / Triple H Part 20:55:40 Blackman vs Albert (Hardcore Title)0:58:03 Angle Approaches Stephanie1:00:17 Benoit vs Jericho / Triple H Runs In1:03:31 Kane Backstage / Rock vs Kane (Main Event)1:05:48 Rikishi Foreshadowing / Austin Reveal Discussion1:16:05 Patreon / Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Oct 5, 20261h 7m
Austin Stuns Foley Before He Can Finish the Ultimatum - WWF RAW 10/2/00 Review
RAW is at the MCI Center in Washington DC on October 2nd, 2000. The show opens with a tribute to Dennis Dunn, father of executive producer Kevin Dunn, who reportedly saved the entire WWF tape library from a fire that would have ended any hope of a WWE Network. Then The Rock opens with a Marion Barry joke that kills in DC. Then Angle comes out. Then Triple H. Then Foley. Then Benoit. Then Kane. Then Rikishi. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani have a name for this. They call it the variety hour. It is not a compliment.The Austin investigation finally moves an inch when Billy Gunn is brought out as the prime suspect, clears himself with a flight delay alibi, and drops the first real clue in weeks: the person who ran Austin over had blond hair. Foley announces he has solved the case and immediately leaves. Austin stuns Billy Gunn anyway. Later, Austin stuns Foley before Foley can finish announcing a suspension. Rob likes the moment. Tommy already knows the reveal is going to disappoint everyone. The best spot of the night is the Brooklyn Brawler falling over a catering table before Austin even extends his hand.The TNN numbers held steady from week one, which the hosts treat as genuinely impressive given typical first-week drop-off. The bad news is the show has less than thirty minutes of wrestling in two hours. The worse news is that for the first time, Rob is losing patience with Mick Foley as commissioner.Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early!Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeeraOther major discussion points include:Raven takes the pin in his second week as Jericho and the Dudleys beat him, Taz, and X-Pac; Tommy sees a potential faction and explains what it could have been with the right bookingLita vs Ivory is advertised and never happens; Jacqueline attacks instead and they brawl through the locker room out to the garage where Jacqueline hits Lita with a fire extinguisher off the top of a truckEdge and Christian are steered into a hardcore title shot against Steve Blackman; Edge calls the title cracked and gross; they lose and look like herbs; Tommy explains how to take a loss without losing your heatBenoit chairs Kane during the tag match to cost them the win, setting up what should be a Benoit-Kane program; Rob asks if it goes anywhere; Tommy confirms it does notTriple H vs Angle for the number one contendership ends with Benoit interfering, Stephanie accidentally handing Angle the match, and Triple H taking a chair to the head; Triple H ends the show by turning his back on Stephanie crying in the ringSmackDown Your Vote is up to 110,000 registered voters; The Rock spoke at a Capitol Hill rally and almost told Gore and Bush where to go before settling for a much more measured ultimatumChapter Marks0:00:00 Cold Open0:00:27 Welcome / RAW 10/2/000:02:09 Attitude Era Fizzling / WCW Context0:08:41 TNN Ratings / Show Overview0:11:08 Dennis Dunn Tribute / Kevin Dunn0:12:20 Rock Opens RAW / Wrestling vs Talking0:15:31 Rock's Marion Barry Promo0:17:25 Angle Responds / Be Like Kurt0:20:10 Foley / Triple H / The Variety Hour0:25:17 Benoit / Kane / Rikishi / Tag Match Booked0:33:32 Hardys vs Too Cool0:35:36 Foley / Edge & Christian / Hardcore Title0:36:17 Taz & Raven & X-Pac vs Jericho & Dudleys0:41:43 Lita vs Jacqueline Backstage Brawl0:43:10 Rob Loses Patience With Foley0:44:36 Rock & Rikishi vs Benoit & Kane0:45:53 Foley's Ultimatum / Billy Gunn Prime Suspect0:49:12 Edge & Christian vs Blackman (Hardcore)0:52:32 Brooklyn Brawler / Austin Stuns Everyone0:54:52 Austin Stuns Foley0:58:52 SmackDown Your Vote / Capitol Hill Rally1:00:12 Triple H vs Angle (Main Event)1:02:24 Triple H Turns Back on Stephanie1:05:08 Patreon / Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Sep 28, 20261h 7m
Foley Says "Or Else" & Former Writer Explains Why That's the Problem - WWF SmackDown 9/28/00 Review
SmackDown comes from Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh on September 28th, 2000. Before Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani get to the show, they read a listener comment that takes about two minutes to accurately diagnose every creative problem WWF is about to run into over the next two years. Tommy cannot disagree with a word of it.Foley opens the show warning Austin to play by his rules or else. Austin responds by hiding in a phone booth backstage and jumping Road Dog in the middle of a hardcore match. Raven gets his first WWF promo and it is immediately buried by a Jericho interruption, dragged into the Taz and Lawler comedy feud, and aimed at entirely the wrong people. Rock and Triple H team up against Angle and Benoit in a main event that works as a match and means nothing as a story. Stephanie pulls a chair away from Rock at the worst possible moment. Angle slam. Three count.Tommy, still occasionally sending in material but increasingly disconnected from the room, explains what is actually happening behind the scenes: not laziness, but too many voices, a soap opera decree from management, Hollywood writers who do not know the roster, and a company so financially successful it has stopped being hungry. The people there are working harder than ever. The output is getting worse.Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early!Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeeraOther major discussion points include:Lita introduces the new tag champions the Hardys before beating Jackie in a match that Edge and Christian have no business being ringside forSteve Blackman gets nothing from his SummerSlam moment; six weeks later he is in a throwaway hardcore match used as a vehicle for an Austin run-inTrish recruits Kane for a six-man by mentioning Rikishi; the hosts assume it leads somewhere; it does notRaven and Taz beat Jericho and Lawler after X-Pac interferes and Raven hits the DDT; the Dudleys run out after; Tommy says Raven and X-Pac should have been the teamChyna strips down mid-match to intimidate Steven Richards; the hosts note she looks exactly the same; she wins anywayStephanie pulls the chair away from Rock and hands Angle the win; Rob says the milk on the Triple H and Angle story is starting to turnChapter Marks0:00:00 Cold Open0:00:27 Welcome / SmackDown 9/28/000:03:06 Listener Feedback / YouTube Comments0:11:04 Foley Opens the Show0:19:16 Benoit / Angle / Main Event Booked0:22:40 Austin Finds Road Dog and X-Pac0:26:23 Lita vs Jackie / Hardy Tag Titles0:27:35 Road Dog vs Blackman / Austin Phone Booth0:32:32 Trish / Kane Backstage0:33:54 Taz / Raven Promo0:40:46 Jericho Interrupts / Tag Match Set Up0:42:37 Triple H / Rock Backstage0:43:15 Sunday Night Heat / MTV Discussion0:45:42 Too Cool & Rikishi vs Kane & T&A0:46:53 Jericho & Lawler vs Taz & Raven0:49:13 Rock Promo / Kevin Kelly0:50:01 Chyna vs Steven Richards0:54:42 Foley on Stage / Austin Stuns X-Pac0:58:38 Triple H / Rock Backstage0:59:48 Rock & Triple H vs Angle & Benoit1:06:23 Patreon / Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Sep 21, 20261h 1m
WWF RAW 9/25/00 Review: The Hardys and Edge and Christian Have a Forgotten Ladder Classic on Free TV
Raw moves to TNN. Austin is back on Monday night for the first time in almost a year. The Viacom suits need to be impressed. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani review WWF RAW from Penn State University on September 25th, 2000, a show that hotshots two pay-per-view quality matches in one night and still finds time for Tommy to notice that the machine is getting too big.Austin opens the show, stuns Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit in the same segment, visits Undertaker backstage in a scene that felt like a western, and walks in on William Regal reading Shakespeare before stunning him before he can finish a sentence. The Hardys and Edge and Christian have a ladder match that Rob calls forgotten and incredible in the same breath. Edge pulls off a spear from the top of a giant ladder onto a dangling Jeff Hardy, the same spot he will use six months later at WrestleMania 17, and nobody in the building even knows it yet.Tommy, still loosely working on things for the company at this point but feeling the ground shifting, talks about what it smells like when the writing staff gets too big, the synergy people start showing up, and creative gets convoluted. He also raises the question nobody on screen seems to be asking: every time Austin stuns someone, is there a next week?Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early!Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeeraOther major discussion points include:Kane vs Rikishi barely starts before Rikishi grabs a chair and the whole thing collapsesRaven DDTs Lawler and Bubba Ray Dudley in the same night; a Tazz and Raven alliance appears to be formingChyna cuts an emotional promo about her Playboy cover; Right to Censor immediately interrupts; Eddie Guerrero challenges them for the IC title on the spotKurt Angle reads the USA Today while Trish Stratus puts his gold medal somewhere he does not notice until he looks upX-Pac smashes a glass bottle over Jericho's face to win the first blood match; Jericho puts him in the Walls of Jericho on the announce table after the bellTriple H inadvertently helps Rock retain the title by throwing Benoit into a Rock Bottom; Benoit headbutts Stephanie on his way outChapter Marks0:00:00 Cold Open0:00:29 Welcome / RAW on TNN0:02:01 First RAW on TNN Overview0:06:40 Penn State / Show Context0:11:14 Austin / Foley / Benoit / Angle0:21:28 Kane vs Rikishi0:24:58 Austin Visits Undertaker0:26:11 Foley / E&C Backstage0:30:10 Tazz vs Bubba / Raven Returns0:36:22 Stephanie / Triple H Backstage0:38:24 Ladder Match: Hardys vs E&C0:42:58 Austin Interrogates the Stooges0:44:16 Chyna Playboy Promo / RTC / Eddie0:48:38 Angle / Trish Stratus Backstage0:49:56 X-Pac vs Jericho (First Blood)0:51:15 Austin / Triple H Locker Room0:53:20 Eddie vs Val Venis (IC Title)0:55:30 Crash at WWF New York / Regal Returns0:56:25 Rock vs Benoit (Main Event)1:00:53 Patreon / Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Sep 14, 20261h 24m
WWF Unforgiven 2000 Review: The Main Event Everyone Built Toward Gets Eaten by Backstage Segments
Stone Cold Austin arrives at the First Union Center, attacks Kevin Kelly in the parking lot, and spends the entire night demanding answers that nobody gives him. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani review WWF Unforgiven 2000 from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their verdict: the first pay-per-view since WrestleMania that delivers good, but not great.Raven walks out during the Tazz and Lawler strap match, DDTs Lawler, Tazz wins, and Jim Ross says on commentary that Raven is not even on this roster. The ECW crowd pops accordingly. Jericho and X-Pac have the match of the night, it ends clean, no ref bump, X-Pac taps to the Walls of Jericho. Edge and Christian face the Hardys for the tag titles in a steel cage with convoluted rules, Jeff Hardy gets eliminated three minutes in, re-enters through a door, Lita does a hurricanrana from the top of the cage, and the Hardys win their first tag team championship.Triple H and Kurt Angle in a No DQ match with Foley as special referee is the most anticipated match on the card. It runs short because backstage segments ate the time. Stephanie low blows Angle. Triple H wins. The hosts describe the finish as sweaty. Tommy, who wrote for WWF during this period, observes that the writers' room was expanding, performers were becoming less empowered, and scripted lines were taking over. He ends with: "Boy, am I glad I don't work there anymore."Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early!Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeeraOther major discussion points include:RTC, the Dudley Boyz, and the Acolytes are thrown together into an 8-man tag with a Steven kick finish; everyone looks weakAl Snow represents Italy in the Hardcore Invitational with a Tony Danza portrait and a red cloth; Blackman wins; the 24/7 rule is suspended until RAW with no clear explanationAustin and Angle meet on screen for the first time; Angle offers him an honorary gold medal; Austin tells him where to put itShane McMahon presents "evidence" involving old footage of Blackman bumping into Shamrock; Austin stuns Blackman (the hosts say this badly herbs him for a pop), then stuns ShaneRock survives the Fatal Four-Way against Benoit, Undertaker, and Kane; Benoit "wins" the title but his foot is on the rope; Foley restarts; Rock retains via Rock Bottom; the hosts hate the fatal four-way formatChapter Marks0:00:00 Cold Open0:00:53 Welcome / Unforgiven 20000:02:03 Pay-Per-View Value / Black Box0:05:50 Card Overview / Show Impressions0:08:31 RTC 8-Man Tag0:14:29 Triple H / Stephanie Backstage0:15:41 Tazz vs Lawler / Raven Debuts0:26:34 Austin Arrives / Kevin Kelly0:27:23 Hardcore Invitational / Blackman Wins0:35:32 Austin Meets Angle0:36:32 Jericho vs X-Pac0:39:07 Foley's No DQ / Rock and Austin0:41:28 E&C vs Hardys Steel Cage0:50:17 Austin / Stephanie Locker Room0:53:36 Eddie vs Rikishi / Chyna0:57:13 Triple H vs Angle (No DQ)1:07:53 Shane McMahon's Evidence1:16:22 Tommy's Insider Take1:17:08 Fatal Four-Way / Rock Retains1:21:09 Overall Assessment1:23:45 Patreon / Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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About Tales from the Attitude Era
Pro wrestling shows dominate the top sports podcast charts, but none are from the perspective of the show's writer, until now. Tommy Blacha has written on Conan O'Brien, Da Ali G Show, The Eric Andre Show, and co-created Adult Swim's Metalocalypse. He was also the head writer of WWE (then WWF) during their big boom period, affectionately referred to as The Attitude Era. Tommy was a significant figure in the Attitude Era, primarily known for his work as a comedy writer and performer. He played a crucial role in shaping the entertainment aspect of the WWF product during this time. Joined by co-host Rob Pasbani (Metal Injection, Squared Circle Pit), the two look back on the unique moment in time, discussing the creative mindset behind some of the biggest stories of the Attitude Tales from the Attitude Era is a weekly one-hour podcast looking back at a specific famous moment or storyline from the period in WWE when Blacha was head writer, between 1999 and 2001, producing some of wrestling's most iconic personalities, both in front of and behind the camera. There was a sense of heightened sensationalism surrounding the industry during this time. Fans were eager to learn about the backstage politics, personal relationships, and locker room dynamics that fueled the drama on-screen. Every week, Rob Pasbani will lead the show offering a recap of events, and reactions from critics & fans of the time. Blacha will then offer his unique insider perspective explaining the hows and whys of famous moments involving larger-than-life figures like Vince McMahon, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and Triple H, whose influence extended beyond the ring and into the boardroom. Fans were captivated by learning about their roles in shaping the direction of the company and the industry as a whole, further fueled fans' fascination with the backstage of the Attitude Era.
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