McMahon ready to lead WWE invasion of Iraq (Pics)

SUNTIMES ^ | 12/21/03 | BlackjackBrown

[Pikamax]

McMahon ready to lead WWE invasion of Iraq

December 21, 2003

BY BLACKJACK BROWN Advertisement

The WWE will celebrate Christmas this year by giving a little back to the troops in Iraq. Next week's edition of ''SmackDown'' will be shown from the battlefields of the Middle East as Vince McMahon and the company try to bring some of the U.S. over to the men and women of the military.

In addition to performing two shows, the WWE will be touring the entire region to greet the forces as well as give them care packages as part of ''Operation USO Care Package.''

''The participation of a great organization like the WWE is essential to the success of a program like 'Operation USO Care Package,''' said Brigadier General Michael Teilmann, executive director of the USO. ''Having the WWE superstars not only promote this program, but then deliver the packages, provides an added dimension and brings that extra bit of home to our troops. I think it's tremendous.''

Most of the ''SmackDown'' stars will be on the tour. ''We are looking forward to visiting the troops and providing them with the most unusual, entertaining live event ever produced for the holidays,'' McMahon said. ''We plan on carrying as many care packages as we can to deliver to the troops, along with greetings from the American public.''

[CounterCounterCulture]

Can you put me on the wrestling list?

You're on. You're the 95th Freeper on the wrasslin' ping list.

[lelio]

Abdullah The Butcher ... he of the multi-scarred forehead

Does he do a stunt of jabbing a fork into his forehead , not hurting himself at all due to all the built up scar tissue?

Is the worst's greatest wrestler Ric Flair going over?

[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

Add me, too :)

[CounterCounterCulture]

2003 Wrestling Deaths

The Wall/Malice (Jerry Tuite) - December 5, 2003 (age 36) 
Moondog Spot/Larry Latham (Larry Booker) - November 29, 2003 
Crash Holly – November 6, 2003 (34)
Hawk (Michael Hegstrand) – October 19, 2003 (46)
Stu Hart -  October 16, 2003 (88)
Anthony Durante (Pitbull II from ECW) – September 26, 2003 
Fred Blassie – June 2, 2003 (85)
Miss Elizabeth (Hulette) – May 1, 2003 (42)
Curt Hennig – February 10, 2003 (44)
The Sheik – January 18, 2003 

[VOA]

Saddam Claus

Nice work-around in regards to that Geneva Convention prohibition on holding
up POWs to public spectacle or ridicule.
Convert Saddam into a person of high regard!

[in the Arena]

To all Islamofacists:

Here Comes The Pain

[Blzbba]

Nope. I think the Nature Boy stayed home from this one.

[The Chief]

If you could, please add me to your wrestling ping list as well...

Thanks,
Jon

[lelio]

From a quick look at that list, Hawk and Curt Hennig died from a heart condition. Probably brought on by steroid abuse, I would imagine.

[CounterCounterCulture]

Steriods were definitely abused by Hawk and he had heart problems.

Hennig died from a cocaine overdose.

Michael Hegstrand, "Hawk" of The Wrestling's Road Warriors, dead at 46

[CounterCounterCulture]

You're both on the ping list. Woooooooooooooo!

[TheFamousMister]

Put me on the *ping* list - been a fan since seeing WHOOOOOOOOOOOO Ric Flair in 1977

[GreenHornet]

The Wall/Malice (Jerry Tuite) - December 5, 2003 (age 36) Moondog Spot/Larry Latham (Larry Booker) - November 29, 2003 Crash Holly – November 6, 2003 (34) Hawk (Michael Hegstrand) – October 19, 2003 (46) Stu Hart - October 16, 2003 (88) Anthony Durante (Pitbull II from ECW) – September 26, 2003 Fred Blassie – June 2, 2003 (85) Miss Elizabeth (Hulette) – May 1, 2003 (42) Curt Hennig – February 10, 2003 (44) The Sheik – January 18, 2003

Add the following "Old Timers" to the list:

Don "Ox" Anderson - Jan. 18, 2003 (age 72)

Tony "The Sicilian" Altimore - Feb. 18, 2003 (age 74)

"Sailor" Art Thomas - March 20, 2003 (age 79)

Kurt Von Poppenheim - May, 2003 (age 88)

Francis Zela, A.K.A. Boris Volkoff ("Brother" of Nickolai Volkoff) - Oct. 15, 2003 (age 76)

Dick Hutton - Nov. 24, 2003 (age 80)

[Hatteras]

"Also, how'd you guess my first name?"

Just lucky, I guess...

Sorry for misleading you regarding the Iron Sheik though. It appears as though I was a little too quick on the draw. I bow to those more knowledgable than I.

[Finalapproach29er]

"The Claw" Baron Von Rashcke used to live up the street from me.

[Commiewatcher]

"Abdullah the Butcher's House of Ribs and Chinese Food
2387 Fairburn Road
South West Atlanta, GA 30331

Thank you! Next time in the Atlanta area I am going to check it out. I knew he ran such a place but having the address in advance helps!

[Commiewatcher]

Nice to get great wrestling news for a change!

[razorback-bert]

Is the worst's greatest wrestler Ric Flair going over?

LOL

Or the greatest worst wrestler.

[KC_Conspirator]

The Iron Shiek/Sgt. Slaughter story was probably one of the best "heel/baby face" lines of all time. People just ate that up.

[lelio]

I fondly recall an interview The Nature Boy gave before he was going to wrestle Sting for the heavyweight championship belt for the Nth time in the NWA (or was that UWA?) back in the late 80's. Went like this:

"Sting ... oh STING. You've been calling for me punk! Well here I am in all my magnificance. WHOOOOOO The Nature Boy!!!!"

You could gage an interview by how big Ric's veins grew on his face. Looked like he was going to explode in half of them.

I could never figure out how Telly Blanchard became a member of the four horsemen. Always seemed out of place to me.

I'm trying to recall if there was a match that didn't have Ric doing a handstand flip over the turnbuckle to land on the apron followed up by his opponent knocking him down to the floor.