Bash At The Beach 2000: Russo's Speech

[the2ndevil]

Is it known how much, if any of that was known to anyone else at the time? Did Booker T go the the building that day knowing he would be leaving it that night as the WCW World Heavyweight Champion?

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

I am also curious as to why they had Kanyon beat Booker earlier in the night (even with shenanigans). It did not provide additional animosity or build for the main event since it was booked on the PPV, so it just seems to me like it would make more sense to make Booker go over impressively early to set up the main event.

[the2ndevil]

Jarrett interfered in the Kanyon Match, didn't he? I think that was meant as an attempt at foreshadowing a program between Booker and Jarrett.

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

Jarrett did, and if that was used as a catalyst for the match, I would not mind. But seeing as they occurred on the same night, it did not bring in more viewers. Also, Russo did not seem to put Booker in the match because Jarrett screwed him, rather that Booker had worked hard and deserved it. I do not mind Booker losing for the sake of the feud, but the feud was not the focus really. It seems like it might serve better to build Booker up in the mind of the audience rather than having him lose, albeit with interference.

[cjh]

Hogan wanted to be the champion, but Russo wanted Booker to win.  Hogan could lay out the entire locker room if that's what it would take to get him to agree to not win the title, but Russo was determined to have Booker be champion at the end of the night.

An agreement was reached, and they decided to do the angle during the Jarrett/Hogan match with the understanding that there would be a tournament to declare a new champion over the next few weeks/months.  After the tournament, Hogan would show up, claiming to be the rightful champion.  This would lead to a match to unify Hogan's title with the tournament winner's title.

The Hogan/Jarrett segment went as planned.  According to Hogan and Bischoff's account, after they left the building, Russo went into business for himself by making a Jarrett/Booker title match that night (killing the tournament plan) and cutting the promo about how Hogan was a piece of shit and would never be in WCW again.

Also, it should be noted that Jarrett was led to believe by Russo that Hogan was refusing everything but winning the title and that he (Jarrett) needed to just lay down for him so Hogan could get his way.  Jarrett was not told that Hogan knew what would be happening.

[BlackoutCreature]

May 17, 2014 20:15:12 GMT -5 cjh said:

Hogan wanted to be the champion, but Russo wanted Booker to win.  Hogan could lay out the entire locker room if that's what it would take to get him to agree to not win the title, but Russo was determined to have Booker be champion at the end of the night.

An agreement was reached, and they decided to do the angle during the Jarrett/Hogan match with the understanding that there would be a tournament to declare a new champion over the next few weeks/months.  After the tournament, Hogan would show up, claiming to be the rightful champion.  This would lead to a match to unify Hogan's title with the tournament winner's title.

The Hogan/Jarrett segment went as planned.  According to Hogan and Bischoff's account, after they left the building, Russo went into business for himself by making a Jarrett/Booker title match that night (killing the tournament plan) and cutting the promo about how Hogan was a piece of shit and would never be in WCW again.

Also, it should be noted that Jarrett was led to believe by Russo that Hogan was refusing everything but winning the title and that he (Jarrett) needed to just lay down for him so Hogan could get his way.  Jarrett was not told that Hogan knew what would be happening.

It should also be noted that according to Russo, Hogan and Bischoff knew about everything that would happen that night, including the promo and Booker winning the title from Jarrett. What neither Russo nor Hogan knew was that Turner management would come to Russo after the show and say that he couldn't use Hogan anymore because he was too expensive.

Of course Russo is delusional and Hogan is so stuck in carny mode that he couldn't tell the truth if you held a gun to his head, so who knows what really happened.

[NOwave]

Of course Russo is delusional and Hogan is so stuck in carny mode that he couldn't tell the truth if you held a gun to his head, so who knows what really happened.

I think this is the most accurate statement. So many people were told so many different things that the only person who really knows is Russo. And he'll never tell the truth. In fact, he may be so self-delusional that he's convinced himself of some alternate reality.

[Jiren]

It's Russo, So it's up to you whether you beleave it or not

[Mac]

I think there's some truth to everything Russo says, but his delusions just warp anything he says

[Tiger Millionaire]

I don't know why Booker winning the title would be important given how little respect Russo showed the thing.

[Mozenrath]

WCW always had a problem with them trying to work their own employees.

[cabbageboy]

Bear in mind that Booker was booked like total crap once he got the belt. All sorts of nonsense where he won and lost the title 4 times in the span of like 4 months. WCW did all sorts of stupidity with Booker as champ, stuff like Nash winning it for a little while before Fall Brawl, the whole Russo title "win," and so on. The irony is that once Steiner got the title he was booked way stronger because Russo left the scene again.

[champviadq]

Russo believed everyone watching WCW read dirtsheets.

[Chestnutrice]

I believe him, especially with what was going on at that time.

["Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay]

Death of WCW claims that the entire thing was a work, designed to fool both fans and the boys in the back, and that the only reason it went off the rails was because Russo called Hogan bald. But then, Death of WCW claims a lot of things.

[tigermaskxxxvii]

May 17, 2014 22:35:05 GMT -5 Mac said:

I think there's some truth to everything Russo says, but his delusions just warp anything he says

Vince Russo "shooting" on behind the scenes developments reminds me of Cartman telling the various accounts about how he and Jimmy wrote the fishsticks joke.

[kingoftheindies]

According to Hogan and Bischoff Russo didn't tell them that Booker/Jarrett would happen. According to Russo, Hogan knew everything and came up with the unification idea and Russo went along with it to get Hogan to agree to the angle, BUT he had no plans of using Hulk after Bash at the Beach

[percymania]

14 years later, I still have no idea.