WWE Version (insert number here)

Castor27 · Dec 16, 2004

Check out these WWE Christmas carols. http://www.onlineonslaught.com/columns/bulldog/20041216.shtml

Blatz · Dec 17, 2004

I remember watching the show last year and thinking how cool it was to see all those troops cheering. Some of them had guns, some were on top of tanks and some were dirty but they all had a smile. Stone Cold was walking around in a Santa suit drinking beer. Torrie Wilson was prancing around in some sexy Santa's helper outfit. I'm not a big wrestling fan but I thought that was one of the coolest things I've seen and I'm glad they are going back.

____________________________________

Wrestlers Bring Holiday Cheer to Troops Overseas ABC NEWS

Wrestlers from World Wrestling Entertainment are ready to body slam some cheer into U.S. troops stationed in the Middle East this holiday season.
Bob Hope never provided the kind of entertainment in wartime that WWE superstars intend for troops who will be stationed in harm's way through Christmas and New Year's, but they are following in the same tradition as the legendary entertainer. WWE wrestlers and performers are set to visit the troops and put on a special show for them that will be taped for "WWE Smackdown!" and aired Dec. 23 on UPN.

WWE stars will also deliver care packages gathered through the United Service Organizations' Operation Care Package program.

The WWE holiday visit to service members is becoming an annual tradition. Last year, wrestlers went to Baghdad, spending time with the troops and taping a special show. WWE wrestlers seem as excited about their trip as the troops they will be visiting.

"I'm just as thrilled as can be," WWE champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield, also known as "JBL", told ABCNEWS.com. "Some soldiers just got news that they'll be spending several more months away from their families. With some, morale may be getting a little low, but you'd never know it. I'm glad that we have a chance to bring a little bit of Americana to them for the holidays."

Headlocks, Wristlocks … and Blackhawks and Mortar Fire

Layfield, a 10-year veteran of WWE, has visited troops regularly at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Maryland and on tours of military bases both in the United States and abroad. He has noticed many of the troops decorate their tents and rooms with wrestling posters. After one visit with troops overseas last year, he planted the seeds of what became the holiday shows. He wondered if WWE could perform holiday wrestling shows for the troops overseas and presented the idea to WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.

"I said to Vince, 'Wouldn't it be great if we could bring this to them [the troops], take an entire show and build it around them?'," Layfield said. "Vince made a few calls and within a few weeks we had all the arrangements we needed to make it happen."

During WWE's holiday show in Baghdad last year, Layfield remembers hearing and seeing eerie reminders that they were performing in a war zone. Several troops were sitting atop tanks so that they could see the action in the ring. He also saw Blackhawk helicopters in the skies around him and heard mortar fire in the distance.

"I remember being in the ring and thinking that this is just an extraordinary, surreal experience," he said.

Armed Forces Entertainment, which has provided free, live professional entertainment to troops and family members stationed overseas since 1951, organized WWE's holiday visits.

AFE officials field entertainment requests from service men and women and invite various acts to visit. Though the Harlem Globetrotters, the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders and various other celebrities and performers have visited military bases, wrestlers — particularly WWE Superstars — are among the most requested.

"It [wrestling] falls within that 18- to-23-year-old demographic with the troops. Many of them watch it when they're at home in the states," said Capt. Josh Anderson, AFE circuit tour manager for Southwest Asia.

Anderson said some members of the military who watched the taped show were amazed that the armed services and WWE were able to put together the program, especially in a country as volatile as Iraq. The troops clamored for another show this year, he said.

"Last year's show with the troops was such a success," Anderson said. "The troops just loved it and thanked the wrestlers for coming out to visit them. But vice versa, the wrestlers were thanking them. You could tell the wrestlers loved spending time with the troops and were thanking them for what they do. They [the wrestlers] were amazed at what they [the troops] do every day. There's been nothing but positive feedback."

Focusing on the Real Champions

Meanwhile, Layfield faces a dilemma.

On last year's tour, Layfield's in-ring persona was a babyface, or hero, and he was known just as the beer-swilling "Bradshaw," a member of the brawling tag-team APA. Since then, he has become a full-time singles wrestler, evolving his in-ring persona into the successful, yet pompous and villainous businessman JBL.

The character combines Layfield's real-life patriotism, athleticism and financial acumen. He has played professional football, written a personal finance book "Have More Money Now," and appeared as a financial analyst on both CNBC and the Fox News Network. But Layfield is uncertain about how to balance his character's pride as an American with his heelish tendencies in front of the troops.

"I'm not sure what I'm going to do," Layfield said. "I might just go along with things, see how it goes. I play a great character."

On last year's program, WWE gave several service men and women an opportunity to send holiday wishes to loved ones. It also gave the audience a behind-the-scenes look at the troops' everyday lives. The program aimed at boosting troops' morale and showed another side of the wrestlers — babyface and heel characters alike.

Layfield said he realizes not everyone is a fan of professional wrestling, commonly referred to in some circles as sports entertainment. But he stressed that the WWE's holiday tour of the Middle East is not about its wrestlers.

"Not everyone likes our product. It's their right not to like us," he said. "We didn't get a lot of publicity for our show last year because we didn't seek it. We didn't want to look like we were looking for it and wanted to keep the focus on the troops. We're an entertainment company. Our product is the easiest form of entertainment to understand. It's about good and evil. … For those skeptics out there, I say watch our product and look how many faces [of troops ] we put out there on television."
Click to expand...

Link to some pictures from last year

Dave2000 · Feb 5, 2005

http://www.wwe.com/schedules/events/WWE-SmackDown-032905.jsp

Coming back for the Smackdown before Wrestlemania at Reliant Stadium? Should be a good one.

rocks_fan · Feb 5, 2005

They're having a card at RELIANT? They're having trouble filling 15,000 seat basketball centers, why would they put a Smackdown in a 70,000 seat stadium?

BTW Dave, the last shows before a PPV are usually just a hard sell for the PPV, especially one as big as Wrestlemania. I wouldn't count on anything earthshattering, except having heels going over all night so the faces have something to work off of for WM. Still though, watching it live always kicks ass so I might drop the cash for it if I can get that day off.

Dave2000 · Feb 5, 2005

yea, i went to the Raw last year before a PPV, no big deal.

i doubt they are going to try to fill the stadium, they may do the 1/3 of the place and try to fill that up. Just wondering how the setup would be.

my guess, probably like how it is setup here for a boxing match.

Kam · Feb 5, 2005

awesome, this might be my first chance to do reliant stadium.

maybe they made a typo and put stadium instead of center, or arena?

Kam · Feb 22, 2005

did anybody get an email from TicketRaper about a presale?

Is there a presale?

Tix go on sale Saturday at 10AM. I have to buy this **** at work.

Dave2000 · Feb 23, 2005

got nothing yet then again, if its going to be at Reliant, I probably wont, since the presale for the last Smackdown was strickly for Rocket ticket holders since they own the building...

gr8-1 · Feb 24, 2005

Been out of the loop. How did Batista find out HHH was behind it all? Did Batista confront JBL on Smackdown?

Kam · Feb 25, 2005

It is going to be at Reliant Arena.

I wonder why they are doing it there?
How much does it cost to lease the Toyota Center for one night?

gr8-1 · Feb 25, 2005

What's wrong with you people?

Kam · Feb 25, 2005

dont think he found out, he just picked him.

Castor27 · Feb 26, 2005

Originally posted by gr8-1
Been out of the loop. How did Batista find out HHH was behind it all? Did Batista confront JBL on Smackdown?
Click to expand...

He overheard HHH and Naitch talking abou tit on Monday. RIght before he had to choose which contract to sign.

Kam · Feb 26, 2005

Ohh, I guess that is how it happened. I didnt see it, or read the reports.

Anyhoo, I got my tickets.

I will be in Section C, Row 4, seats 4 +5.

Why the hell is this at the AstroArena... err Reliant Arena?

Toyota Center is soo way more better and easier.

I noticed alot of things do not go to Toyota Center that used to go to the Compaq Center. Things such as Disney on Ice, and Ringling Brothers Circus.

Dave2000 · Feb 28, 2005

how much did u get them for after the ticketrape charges?

also couldnt get the aisle seats huh...

Kam · Mar 29, 2005

did anybody go?

i went. i should be on tv a few times.

red shirt, red ball cap.

rocks_fan · Mar 30, 2005

Originally posted by Kam
did anybody go?

i went. i should be on tv a few times.

red shirt, red ball cap.
Click to expand...

So.... Kam is Fred Durst?

AntiSonic · Mar 30, 2005

Originally posted by Kam
did anybody go?

i went. i should be on tv a few times.

red shirt, red ball cap.
Click to expand...

Any spoilers for us?

AntiSonic · Jun 10, 2005

Has anyone been watching the draft lottery? Cena and Benoit have been the only two changes thus far.

FrancisFan3 · Jun 10, 2005

Since John Cena is on RAW, does that mean there will be a WWE Undisputed Championship match between Cena and Batista? or will Smackdown get a new WWE Champion?

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