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Jim Varsallone is the youth sports coordinator and pro wrestling editor for the Miami Herald. Jim has been with the Herald for 13 years and has also written for Wrestling Digest, Total Wrestling, and WOW magazines.
Submitted by MKN from Miami,FL
Q: Do you know if there's any place where I can watch a TNA PPV?
Answered 05/10/08 00:04:13 by Jim Varsallone
A: I do not. TNA was working on getting sports bars to show its PPVs. Anyone know?Submitted by John from Glasgow,Scotland(UK)
Q: hi Jim i was reading wwe.com there and it says that the Ultimate Warrior is set to return to the ring...can u see that happening i thougt he was too old?
Answered 05/09/08 16:03:04 by Jim Varsallone
A: I read something about him competing on an upcoming indie show. You can see him on YouTube. He was wearing a suit. Of course, he looked different.Submitted by Brian from Sunrire,fl
Q: I dont know if you have answerd this question before but remember how eric bishoff use to run wcw? It did extremely well it was a lot better than wwe for a while there.this made me think.say bishoff went to tna and had if not the same role close to it.do you think tna can become as popular as wcw and challenge wwe? I personally would like to see another war happen.what do you think the chances areof this happening?
Answered 05/09/08 14:31:25 by Jim Varsallone
A: I think Eric Bischoff is done with pro wrestling. Bishcoff and his friend Jason Hervey (Wonder Years) are creating/producing TV shows. They will be working with Hulk Hogan on one. As for wrestling, I'm one for new people with new ideas.Submitted by Marc from Phoenix,AZ
Q: What does the term "stiff" mean?What happened between Bradshaw & Blue Meanie?I agree u shouldn't try 2 hurt anyone in ANY sport,just be better & win!Even in Boxing I don't think they purposely try 2 hurt,just beat them badly or enuff 2 win,agree?
Answered 05/07/08 23:42:46 by Jim Varsallone
A: Well, stiff means you will feel the punches and kicks and slams from the stiff wrestler. The stiff wrestler does not do a good job pulling back his blows. Instead of the punches being softer, they are stiff (hard).Submitted by Withers loves LPC
Q: Hey Jim. What's your take on the way they're using Mike Adamle now? I like the way they've picked up on his natural heat and used that to create a character that's essentially a terrible announcer. Especially having him come in to take JR's position on Raw for Burchill's match last monday. Instant heat.
Answered 05/07/08 23:41:14 by Jim Varsallone
A: I agree. Just like the wrestlers. If fans boo nice guy Rocky Maivia, make him a bad guy. If fans don't like X-Pac, make him a bad guy. If fans cheer Hogan again, good guy. If fans like Cena and don't like Cena, you got me on that one. You don't have to be good to be good or bad to be bad these days, but I like what they did in Adamle's situation.Submitted by sayheykid from oakland,ca
Q: Hey:Jim Thank You for doing this for free you rock!!!
Answered 05/06/08 20:39:10 by Jim Varsallone
A: That's not why I wrote that, but it is true. I just think people don't understand the business side. They read things from others who really don't care or don't understand or are just trying to rile them. I'm going to give you an honest answer - whether you like it or not - and if I don't know, I will say, "I don't know."Submitted by Steve from Boston from Boston, MA
Q: Following the release of their earnings today, WWE stock dropped almost 8% from $18.37 to $16.92 (per CNN.com), so not everyone in the investing community was overwhelmed with their results. Yes, I did buy WM and other fans on the fence might have as well, but to lose buy-rates from the prior WM (especially since you had the draw of Mayweather plus Flair's retirement match), my point was simply the increased price was probably the main contributor in lower buy rates. I always find it interesting that you are such a staunch supporter of the WWE and hardly ever critical of the product. I guess there's a correlation of having a vested interested in the success/promotion of the WWE and your own career. If WWE tanks, viewership drops and people are unhappy with the product, then there might be less interest/opportunties in wrestling scribes like yourself
Answered 05/06/08 20:11:33 by Jim Varsallone
A: Well, I don't get paid to do this. I have another paying job and do this for free. Now, understanding the stock market. I've studied business in college, read financial books, went to some seminars, spoke to some in the security firms and purchased some stocks and bonds. It does not make me an expert, but I do have an understanding. A stock increases and decreases daily. It moves in cycles and is measured over a 52-week period. Stocks usually move up and down over the course of that 52-week span, depending on the time of year. The holidays mean a lot of people will be shopping. Hopefully. Buy retail store stocks before the holidays. The market overall has been down. Some will panic and sell, but the smart, patient ones have been waiting to buy at the low - any stock. Rule of thumb. Buy low. Sell high. Just a crash course. Now, in WWE's case, usually buying WWE stock before WrestleMania (a profitable time) is a good time to buy. Let's look at the 52-week gage. The 52-week high for WWE is $18.60. The low is $13.49. I feel fans do not understand the numbers or are presented the numbers in a way where it's not fully explained to them. Some online or in the media will not explain it to you because the negative is what they want you to hear or read to rile you and take advantage of you. You can be negative but do it the right way. You can also be positive, too. People online or in the newsletters will say or write how WWE is falling when it's not true. It's the car crash syndrome. People say that is awful. How can they print that photo or show it on the TV news, but everyone will slow down to look. WWE had a strong quarter (better than last year's quarter), had very profitable international tours and paid dividends to its investors at an increased rate. You don't like it, fine, but that's the truth. As for the PPV price increase, I said it once, and I'll say it again. Do something about it. If you are upset about it, don't buy the PPVs. If enough people did that, then WWE's PPV price would decrease. Should WWE increase its PPV price? I don't want to pay an increase on anything, but from a business stadnpoint, if people like you are going to buy it, then why not. The WrestleMania money from PPV buys with the price increase was about the same compared to last year's money. That's not good for fans because that means WWE can keep the PPV price up. WWE will figure people who did not buy will miss it and return, or they will get used to the fact the price has increased over a certain period of time and come back. International and new fans will buy it. If you have an opinion, good, but don't make these statements based on facts which are not facts or numbers you don't understand. WWE is not in trouble financially. Let me say it again, because it is the truth. WWE is not in trouble financially. I don't know where you all get that, and I just hope I explained it well enough this time. I'm not trying to change your mind about being upset at WWE for the PPV price increase. All I'm saying is do something about it. Don't write things that are not true or misinterpret the numbers because you don't understand them. Actions speak louder than words.Submitted by mike from boca
Q: jim not to contradict you but i recently hear an ahmed johnson shoot interview where he admitted that he worked really stiff with ron simmons with hte intention of injuring him, during wrestlemania 13. can you refute this story?
Answered 05/06/08 19:14:52 by Jim Varsallone
A: Did he actually injure him? No, he did not. Plus, Ahmed Johnson always worked stiff. Even so, actions speak louder than words. I realize that. I'm sure just like any business, people feel a certain way toward someone they work with (good, bad or indifferent), but they still have to work with him or her, or they work somewhere else. (Flair/Foley; Hogan/Iron Sheik; Ultimate Warrior/Many). The employee does what the boss says. Of course there are times wrestlers don't want to make someone else look good, or they don't like someone, or they want to really punch him, but they don't. They do what they are told because that's the business. I've been told by wrestlers and former promoters and read books that back in the days of territories a promoter would tell a wrestler to hurt someone on purpose, but that was in the days of territories. If it occurred in WWE, believe you me, especially with the Internet, we would know about it. You really believe if Ahmed Johnson injured Ron Simmons on purpose, nothing would have happened to Johnson? The point is if you intentionally try to hurt someone in WWE (on your own) or go away from the script and do your own thing, you will be suspended or even fired. That's why you don't read, hear or see that occuring in WWE. Execptions to the rule. Sure, it can happen, but you did not hear, read or see stories about WWE workers trying to injure someone on purpose or not follow the script on purpose. Now if you try that on the indie cirucit, the penalties are less because it's the indie circuit, but you will still garner a bad reputation. Nothing is 100 percent. You, of all people, should know that.Submitted by sayheykid from oakland,ca
Q: Hey Jim what was your thought of cheeleader melissa? and everyone saying she seed but I don't see any of moves from lockdown to last week too diff people. like their saying curry man and the falling angel are the same person but I don't see it. Seed has blond hair her top of her mask was falling off and she had blond hair so that rules out melissa. melissa has black hair.maybe it a diva from the past????? what your thoughts????
Answered 05/06/08 16:46:19 by Jim Varsallone
A: No secret. Curry Man and Christopher Daniels are one in the same. I have no thoughts on cheerleader Melissa. That match on TV was ok. It was one match. Hard to pass judgement on one match. I'll leave that to the wrestlers and agents at this point. I think Gail Kim and Awesome Kong are the top of the women's division.Submitted by mike from boca fl
Q: jim why are you misleading hte readers, the public enemy was legitimately beat up years ago by bradshaw and simmons, it wasn't scripted. it happens shooting takes place in wwe from time to time.
Answered 05/06/08 16:45:12 by Jim Varsallone
A: If I recall correctly with that incident, they were supposed to do that to the Public Enemey. The agents knew and Mr. McMahon knew. It was to work stiff (hard) against the Public Enemy because WWE wanted Public Enemy to tone down their moves, and that was its lesson. Being in ECW, Public Enemy, RVD, others worked stiff. ECW was hardcore. WWE was not. The only time I can recall someone going off script on purpose, per se, in WWE during Mr. McMahon's reign is Bradshaw on Blue Meanie. I guess you can debate the Bret Hart/HBK match, but still that was Mr. McMahon going off script. It's his script so that really does not count. In WWE, if you do not do what you're told, you can very easily get fired. C'mon. You know that.Submitted by Chris M from Mesa, AZ
Q: Hey Jim, I heard that TNA is developing their own version of the Dome Cage match that is used in Mexico. They are to debut it at Slammiversary. Do you think it will be much different than theirs and who do you see competing?
Answered 05/06/08 16:36:58 by Jim Varsallone
A: I don't know. I recall the three-tier cage DDP and Kanyon helped develop for WCW. To be honest, I don't think I've seen Mexico's Dome Cage. So I can not really comment on it. If anyone else has, go for it.Submitted by Ernesto from Miami Beach
Q: Hi Jim. What's the connection between TNA and Lucha Libre, if any? Saw recent Lucha broadcast with Super Pump Steiner and past broadcasts with Ron Killings, both of whom are or have been on TNA. Any connection?
Answered 05/06/08 16:35:05 by Jim Varsallone
A: TNA wrestlers are allowed to work elsewhere, except WWE, as long as it does not interfere with TNA commitments.Submitted by Steve from Boston from Boston, MA
Q: Per PW Torch: The drawing power of Donald Trump vs the drawing power of Floyd Mayweather and Ric Flair's retirement match. WrestleMania 23 generated 1.2 million PPV buys and $24.6 million in PPV revenue, compared to this year's WM 24 figures of 1.06 million buys and $23.8 million in revenue. WWE increased the PPV price $5 and $10 for HDTV (1st time WM on HD), which accounts for the revenue figure being close to last year's, but not enough to surpass it. Steve: As noted previously, 12+ PPVs at increased prices are beginning to hit WWE in the bottom line. With 1Q08 results just released, WWE stock dipped 4.5 percent to the mid-$17 per share range. Some analysts last month had predicted WWE stock would jump to $20 in the first-half of the year. I would expect Backlash & the upcoming Judgement Day PPV to have rough buy rates, especially as most fans have just received their WM buys on their last cable bill. Anyone else have any thoughts on this besides Jim, are PPVs becoming a bit too pricey and are you not ordering as many or now none at all? I'd be curious of other peoples views.
Answered 05/06/08 16:33:56 by Jim Varsallone
A: Wait now. I don't know where you acquired your info, but as for the quarter, WWE did very well, beating last year's quarter. Please have the facts if you are going to make an educated opinion. I have no problem with your WrestleMania comparison as Mr. Mayweather did not boost the PPV buys like WWE hoped. I still feel WWE paid him a lump sum and then more via how many PPV buys and merchandising. I never really believed the $20-million price tag for Mr. Mayweather. Though, with incentives, it could have reached a hefty sum. Again, how can you say WWE is slipping or is in trouble when for the quarter it did better than last year. Look, even if WWE did dip in this past quarter (which it did not), the question to be asked is did the company make money? It did in last year's quarter, and it did this year's quarter. I respect the fact you admit that you purchased WrestleMania, but I take your opinion on WWE's PPV price increase with a grain of salt. If you did not buy the PPV, I would say have at it. The board is yours. Instead, you complained about the price, prior, but still purchased the PPV. As for WWE's stock, it is still doing very well, and the company just paid a cash dividend, increased rate to stock holders. You don't pay a dividend, especially an increased dividend, per se, if you are not making money. The stock is still a recommended buy not a bear in the financial world. That is not my opinion. Those are facts. If you want to discuss the entire WWE financial scope with the real numbers that's one of my areas. Let's have at it factually. I'd be the first one to say if WWE or TNA or any group is slipping when crunching the numbers. This is just not the case right now in WWE, and we need to make sure people know the truth. Do you realize how much money WWE made on international touring last quarter and this quarter? It is amazing. As for the PPV price increase, if you don't like the PPV price increase, don't buy it. That will make a mark. Simple as that. If you do pay, don't complain.Submitted by john from Glasgow,Scotland(UK)
Q: Hi Jim just a few questions -1 where is Drew McIntyre and Eugene ive not seen them on Raw,Smackdown,Heat or even on ECW. -2 looking at some of your previous answers you say that when Undertaker does that submission move "the blood comes from a capsule like in the movies" so do they fight the whole match with it in there mouth ? I have had the capsules before and they burst very easy.
Answered 05/06/08 16:05:37 by Jim Varsallone
A: Eugene was released. As for the blood packet, I'm guessing it's in their tights or wrist tape. Nowadays, technology in Hollywood offers better products.Submitted by Anonymous from Hialeah,Fl.
Q: You don't always answer all of the multiple ?'s?!. Who IS Cherry & who is Jillian?. T.Y.
Answered 05/05/08 18:08:36 by Jim Varsallone
A: Need to give everyone a chance. Cherry was on the developmental roster in Ohio Valley Wrestling in Louisville, Ky., when it was part of WWE's developmental territories.
