I still haven't decided if I'm going to return to doing Hack Notes™ on
a weekly basis again, but I told a lot of people that I'd probably put
on out in late October--so I figured I'd better throw something
together, even if I didn't put too much work into it.

 = = = = = = = = = = [ WCW ] = = = = = = = = = =

I heard a week or two back that Gene Okerlund had re-signed with WCW
(to work with the nWo and only appear on episodes of Nitro, Clash of
the Champions, and PPVs).  It now appears that he took about a 50% pay
cut along with the lightened workload.  This is cool, since he was
trying to get his salary up to around $500,000 per year.  Once he
found out that no other promotions wanted him, he pretty much had to
come back to WCW for less money or else quit the biz.

It was reported last week that a lot of the AAA guys were leaving WCW.
More info has come in on that:  Konnan, Rey Misterio Jr, and Psicosis
have quit AAA to work for another company in Mexico.  I assume this
means they will not be working in WCW any longer.  Misterio and
Psicosis will be missed, as they were part of the hot cruiserweight
division.

Memphis may be the site for an early 1997 WCW PPV.  Execs were happy
with the turnout and fan reaction to the 14 October 1996 Nitro.

(from the Observer): If you watched the satellite back haul feed of
the 30 September 1996 Nitro from Cleveland, you saw Kevin Sullivan at
the nWo hotel room handing the guys their scripts, telling them where
to sit and what to say.  After the show ended those watching on dishes
could see Macho Man Randy Savage and Liz walk into the room where Eric
Bischoff, Kevin Sullivan, and the nWo guys were all talking about what
a great job they'd done.

There are rumors of the January and August(?) Clash of the Champions
"free PPVs" being moved from TBS to HBO (which was put under Turner's
direction in the Turner/Time-Warner deal).  Bischoff says he hasn't
heard of any WCW programming being put on HBO.

 = = = = = = = = = = [ WWF ] = = = = = = = = = =

Though there are still conflicting reports, most believe that Bret
Hart has signed a three-year deal with the WWF for $1,333,333 per
year.

Too Cold Scorpio wrestled a tryout match at the Raw tapings as "Flash
Funk" (a cheap imitation of Disco Inferno).  Many reports have come in
that he has already been fired for drug use.  Scorpio has been very
open about his drug use (which was the reported reason why WCW let him
go) and has said he won't stop using drugs just to pacify the
promoters.  This is why I was surprised he even got a TRYOUT with the
WWF.

In other "WWF copies WCW" news, Brian Lee (the UnderFaker) should be
coming back to the WWF with a Big Bubba Biker Rogers gimmick.  He will
more than likely team with Justin Hawk Bradshaw.

Jake Roberts was able to convince McMahon to drop Windham's "Stalker"
gimmick and to wrestle has himself.  No face paint.  No fatigues.  He
will now be known as "Barry Windham".

 = = = = = = = = = = [ AWF ] = = = = = = = = = =

Someone on IRC was reporting that the AWF paid 500 people $50 each
(plus free food) to fill up their TV taping.  I find it hard to
believe that they couldn't find 500 people to attend a show for free,
much less spending over $25,000 to fill a small gym.

 = = = = = = = = = = [ RATINGS ] = = = = = = = = = =

21 October 1996 ratings:

Raw          = 2.6 (Bret Hart, Perfect, title change)
Nitro        = 3.3 (first hour = 3.3, second hour = 3.0)
Nitro replay = unknown

Hack Notes™ is available on RSPW, RSPWI, and my web page).  
Back issues are also available on my web page.  

As always, the info in this post comes from various sources:
wrestlers, hotlines, online forums, newsletters, and web pages.  
All names are trademarks of someone else. :-)  
This article is copyright © 1996 Otto E Heuer. All rights reserved.