Response to review re Eugene/Hardcore Tag/BenoitvsMalenko
Largely agree with the match comments made, although I think that it should be mentioned to anyone thinking of buying the DVD the Edge/Foley/Lita vs Dreamer/Funk/Buelah match up, whilst being in the vein of a hardcore classic, is NASTY AS HELL. A cracking match, but not one to show to your kids, thats for sure. I agree with the comment about Funk and Foley taking bumps, but Dreamer's activity is even more impressive as the guy's back is a total mess, and he is lucky to be able to climb into the ring let alone wrestle.
In response to the comments on the Eugene/Sandman promo. Nick Dinsmore (Eugene) actually suggested the promo, as he sick of the Eugene gimmick. Nick is a top, top worker, in the vein of Chris Benoit (more on whom later). Dinsmore wanted to cut a fake shoot promo, running down WWE and the Eugene character, then become part of the new ECW roster. Kevin Dunn vetoed this however, but agreed to the Sandman caning Eugene promo, with the intention of getting The Sandman oover with the casual WWE fans. Dunn is obviously a good booker and a success at the head of WWE creative, but clearly isn't the brightest at times. He and Vince don't understand the need for The Sandman to use 'Enter Sandman' as his theme, and while he wouldn't agree to Dinsmore running down WWE creative, he clearly missed the irony of Dinsmore's second idea. The Eugene character, a clear example of a stupid WWE gimmick ruining the career of a top wrestling performer, being caned out of the building by one of the most anti-establishment wrestlers around is just as scathing, if a little more subtle than the fake shoot.
The Benoit/Malenko match didn't happen as Benoit had gone on voluntary leave to recouperate from knocks and wear and tear received from years of carrying some of the poorer WWE wrestlers to good matches, and to care for his wife who was also recouperating from major surgery. Benoit vs Malenko would have been a classic, but Benoit obviously made the correct choice.