83 Weeks - Spring Stampede 1999 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Spring Stampede 1999 took place on April 11th, from the Tacoma Dome, in Tacoma, Washington. It drew a sellout of 17,690 to the Tacoma Dome, which was 16,799 paying $582,230 and another $106,217 in merchandise.

This was the 4th ppv under the Spring Stampede name. It started in 1994 and then took  a few years off and returned in 1997.

An interesting thing with this Spring Stampede, basically as soon as the show started, the first match happened and usually WCW would have several minutes of talking from the announcers before the first match happened. Was there any reason for that change for this show?

This was a big event at the time for WCW. The problems that they'd have would start around this time and last until they closed in 2001, but Spring Stampede 99 among the fans, seems to universally be one of the last, best ppvs that WCW had.

It's been rumored that the main event was actually supposed to be Hulk Hogan vs Ric Flair for the title, which would've been a rematch from the previous month's Uncensored cage match where Flair beat Hulk for the title, but because of Hogan's knee injury at the time, it was changed for the 4 man match, Flair vs Hogan vs Sting vs DDP, is that true?

Another rumor that about Spring Stampede, which Meltzer wrote was - Flair & Page & Booker T vs. Hogan & Nash & Dusty Rhodes as the main event. Rhodes is being thrust into the spotlight because Scott Hall may be retiring from wrestling.

Let's get to some news heading into the event

Meltzer reported - Scott Steiner was sentenced to 10-days in jail on 3/17 in the case where he hit a Department of Transportation worker with his Ford F-250 pickup last April. He was also ordered to pay $25,000 in fines, fees and restitution and sentenced to seven years probation and 200 hours of community service. Scott Rechsteiner pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and making terroristic threats. The charge was from an incident in South Cherokee County in Georgia where Rechsteiner was driving down a closed exit ramp. When worker Paul Kaspereen told him the exit was closed, he hit him twice with his pickup, although Kaspereen wasn't hit hard and wasn't seriously hurt. Under Georgia's first time offender rule, Rechsteiner's conviction will be taken off his record if he avoids any trouble during his probation period

Keller wrote about this - Scott Steiner’s off-camera behavior is beginning to frighten some in WCW. Apparently his temper has gotten the better of him and he has thrown tantrums at gyms and airports and has had to be restrained by other wrestlers on more than a couple of occasions. Regarding his conviction over the incident with the construction worker, he can serve his ten-day sentence over the course of five two-day weekends anytime this year. He was shocked by the $20,000 fine and 7 years probation he received since the judge had assured him in his quarters shortly before sentencing that if he pleaded guilty, he would take care of him and minimize his punishment. The judge also was a big fan of wrestling and a longtime friend of his lawyer which gave Scott (what he now believes was false) comfort, although the judge could have sentenced Steiner to a number of months or years in jail for his crime…

Did you talk to Scott about this?

Meltzer reported - Whisper of the Nitro Girls has given notice. This wasn't surprising given reports that she's now engaged to Shawn Michaels, who had just had a previous engagement broken off. Nobody would be surprised to see her show up on WWF TV in some form or fashion

What's your memories of them getting together? They're still together today, with 2 kids

On the March 29th Nitro at the Toronto Air Canada Centre, Bret Hart appeared in street clothes and called out Ric Flair, & Hulk Hogan, for avoiding a match with him. Finally, he called out Goldberg , claiming he could beat him in five minutes. Goldberg came out and gave Bret a spear but Goldberg didn't get up and Bret rolled him over and Goldberg was unconscious.

Bret was wearing a metal breastplate under his Toronto Maple Leafs jersey, which resulted in Goldberg being knocked out. Hart then counted his own pinfall over Goldberg and announced over the mic: "Hey Bischoff, and the WCW, I quit!"

First, Bret has talked about this over the years, he said that at first, you liked the idea but then on the day of it, you went to him and told him that you wanted him to cut on a promo on the canadian fans and turn heel there in Toronto, and he flat out refused to do it, and tried to make you realize what a great idea this was with Goldberg

He then said that you told him that he could do the thing with Goldberg and then Hulk would come out and go to high five Bret, and then attack Bret. Bret then said he asked you, am I going to work with Hulk? You said no. He then asked, is Goldberg gonna work with Hulk? You said no, and Bret said why would I do that then? He then said, you finally told him that if Hulk says it's ok, then you can do it.

Bret said you and him then went to Hulk, Bret then laid out his side of it, and Hulk said that he agreed with Bret and said there's no point in me being out there. Then, you gave him permission to do this with Goldberg.

What's your side of all of that?

Meltzer wrote about this -

There's a ton behind the scenes regarding the Bret Hart quitting angle on Nitro on 3/28 in Toronto. The angle went pretty much as planned, but there was a lot of backstage maneuvering trying to kill and/or change the angle. Basically several weeks back, Hart came to Bischoff with this angle which would heat him up for working on top on PPV shows. Despite what you probably have read elsewhere and will read elsewhere and will be rumored everywhere, Hart is going nowhere and is under contract for longer than will be publicized in worked storylines that will come out. With the quitting angle, the idea his contract is up soon and thus teasing he's leaving and you know where that speculation goes, will be made as part of the angle.

Legitimately it appears, as I'll get to in a second, Kevin Nash was mad about the angle, or at least he was telling everyone who would listen that. Nash had already gone to Hart last week and wanted to use all the heat on the internet about him burying Hart (which he was doing) and turn it into an angle where he could become a heel booker since that's what he's being portrayed at anyway and Hart fans were all over his website blaming him for Hart's lack of a push.

Nevertheless, even though Nash told Hart he wanted to turn this into an angle, there must have been some heat at some level since Nash didn't want the Hart-Goldberg angle to take place and was complaining that he was given control to be booker and this angle was sprung on him and he didn't want it and he was told by Bischoff they wouldn't interfere with him as they had with previous bookers, before the Panama Beach Nitro, and he basically let Dusty Rhodes put the show together (something the whole company was paying for the next week). A lot of the other power brokers got in Bischoff and others' ear about the angle potentially ruining Goldberg, particularly being done in Toronto where Hart would get the face reaction.

Bischoff wanted Hart to run down Canada and the Canadian government in his interview before Goldberg came out so Goldberg would be the face in the angle, but Hart refused. Nash also wanted the angle to end with Hart quitting, but Nash jumping him and leaving him laying on the way out as the bully booker to start a program between the two of them, which Hart also refused since he thought he and Bischoff had already agreed upon the direction of the angle and he clearly had it in his mind that this was the night he rehabbed his past year plus of floundering. Because so many people feared damage to Goldberg, Bischoff ordered the Goldberg chants piped into the building (the fans were actually booing him heavily) when Goldberg came out to be turned up full blast. The angle, which saw Hart get a phenomenal response similar to what Rock has been getting in WWF the past few weeks, probably second only to Flair that night in Greenville, challenge Goldberg, Hogan, Flair and others.

Goldberg came out and speared Hart, but when both guys were on the mat dead. They were both down for way too long before Hart recovered and covered Goldberg and counted 1-2-3. Hart then took off his hockey jersey revealing a metal plate around his stomach that KO'd Goldberg, which actually got a big pop as well. It probably would have been slightly more effective had it been done with a ref counting the pin in a real match, but I guess nobody wanted Hart to actually beat Goldberg.

The biggest pop, and this surprised me, was during the interview when Hart talked about Goldberg putting up money to challenge Steve Austin, and how he's the guy who beat Austin every time they wrestled. I figured even in Canada, that would elicit at least some boos but instead it drew the biggest cheers. There were a lot of people hot backstage at Hart for bringing Austin's name up, but it did make sense for him to do it because it positioned him as one of the biggest stars in the business at a time when he hasn't been viewed as that in a while and besides, it got the biggest pop of anything on the show.

He then said WCW didn't respect him and said he was quitting the company and walked out of the building. Bischoff and Hart tried to work the people and the wrestlers backstage that the angle was a shoot as they argued backstage with no cameras on in front of the wrestlers, but Bischoff has done that so often that now the wrestlers consider it a pathetic joke and nobody bought it.

However, it drew a lot of mainstream media coverage in Canada that the angle was a shoot with stories of Hart quitting WCW (I'd call this the David Von Erich media theory--I lived in Texas in 1984 when David Von Erich died and it was barely covered in the local media for two days, until the media realized the reaction of the public was so Ungodly huge, particularly the teenagers in the market, that it became a front page story about three days after it happened, and then whenever it happened again in the future with name wrestlers dying in Dallas, which turned out to be far too often, every other one was played up huge from the start--in this case when Hart and WWF had the deal in Montreal, it didn't get that much media coverage although it got some, but in hindsight everyone realized how underplayed the story was in that market and when they believed it happened again, it was a bigger deal).

The plan that WCW wanted was for him to do the Goldberg angle but not to quit on television and have him call a press conference with no WCW involvement in calling it and say he's quitting so it would get mainstream press and be perceived as legit instead of an angle, however Hart didn't want to do that because of the long-term ramifications of people feeling used when he comes back and also the idea that would make people think his leaving the WWF was an angle as well.

He's trying to play this off publicly as something of the effect of he's not retiring but he's sitting out and is not sure what his next move will be but that he can't see himself in either WWF or WCW. Actually there is some truth in that because nobody does know what the next move will be, other than they have to rehab Goldberg next week which can easily be done with him killing a star (and Meng isn't a star). Hart came out of it looking for the first time since coming to WCW as one of the biggest superstars in the business but it isn't as if WCW has fallen into situations like that before and not done anything with it

Meltzer wrote -Kevin Sullivan, 49, passed out before the show and was literally asleep on the floor backstage and lost control of his bodily functions. The EMT's arrived at the building and Sullivan actually stopped breathing backstage on more than one occasion before he was revived. At one point in the early evening there was fear he had a seizure or even a heart attack but it turned out not to be as serious as that

Meltzer wrote - Bischoff made it clear to everyone that he isn't quitting and that he's got another three years on his contract

Chris Benoit was on the FAN in Toronto and asked if he thought that there was a conspiracy to destroy the company from within and he said, "It appears that way." He said that when he signed his new deal, he vowed he would never complain about the company again but said that Bischoff hasn't delivered on the promises made when he signed. He said he's in wrestling for the money and that in three years he'll be 34 years old, be a free agent and have a lot of money in the bank. He also said that Nash only pushes his friends

Do you recall what promises that he's referring to that you made him, but didn't keep?

Meltzer reported - CNBC was scheduled to interview Bischoff for a piece on the wrestling business, although that could change. WCW was so unhappy with the ESPN show that they have closed their dressing rooms to reporters and especially unhappy with Bischoff's performance. Bischoff was scheduled on "Off the Record" on 3/29 and canceled at the last minute, saying he wasn't going to do anymore interviews due to the ESPN piece (which hadn't even aired nor was even finished editing at the time he canceled so he must have known he didn't do very well and didn't want to be put in that position again so quickly). Playboy is doing a wrestling story in the May issue. The next Rolling Stone has an article on Goldberg. E! Network is doing a one hour pro wrestling special.

Very interesting report here by Meltzer, he wrote - Fitness model Trish Stratus, who was looking for work from WWF, was backstage at the Toronto Nitro also looking for work

Did you meet Trish that day and do you recall any talks about hiring her?

Keller reported - “British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith remains hospitalized with a spinal infection that is potentially life threatening. While he sat in his hospital bed in a partial bodycast, he received an express mail letter from WCW. He hadn’t been active with WCW for months due to a back injury he suffered when he took a bump in a WCW ring.

The ring was rigged with a trap door for Ultimate Warrior’s “mysterious” appearances. The trap door had no give when he got slammed on it during a match with Alex Wright.

Smith opened the letter and inside found a termination notice. Smith had been far from a model employee for WCW. He and Jim Neidhart joined WCW just after Bret Hart jumped. They were expected to receive a huge push, but a number of factors, mainly politics and a reaction to his out-of-ring conduct, eliminated his push.

WCW kept him under contract while he was out with an injury, but shortly after word spread that he may be bed-ridden for five or six months and, if he lives, may be wheelchair bound, WCW sent a termination notice to him.

The contract Smith signed said if he was unable to compete for a certain number of days, WCW could terminate his contract. They exercised that option last week.

Smith likely needs surgery to replace the disks in his back with titanium plates. If he does have that surgery, there is a chance he would be wheelchair bound. He has two crushed vertebrae and four fractured ends of vertebrae. He has a chance to recover fully after a painful, lengthy hospital stay. His condition took a turn for the worst early this week when some of his veins began collapsing.

WCW may realize how their lack of tact could be a p.r. disaster. The spin early this week coming out of WCW through their 900 line is that their firing of Bulldog was a publicity stunt to add to the Bret Hart angle (i.e. they are a ruthless company out to mess with not only him, but his friends and family). That would work if WCW wants to portray Bret as a babyface, but otherwise it’s just a shallow attempt to cover for their lack of compassion and terrible timing.

There is an attitude among some in WCW that Bulldog did nothing while earning a WCW paycheck to earn WCW’s loyalty. Others in WCW believe management acted in a heartless fashion by sending the letter when they did.

What's your memories of this and was this your call to fire him?

Was Bret angry about it? Davey would return to the WWF in September. The Owen Hart tragedy would happen on May 23rd, and many people, including Bret have said that Vince hired Davey and Jim Neidhart back, a few months after because he wanted them on his side for the impending lawsuit.

Meltzer reported- They are contemplating a new slogan for WCW, "Shut up and wrestle." I'm not making that up

How about this one? WCW ordered a ton of new business cards, stationary, etc. with the new logo and the address on all the cards was spelled "Altanta.

Speaking of that, in early April, we saw the debut of the new Nitro set with the new slogan and also it was placed in the middle of the ramp, where wrestlers could've easily tripped on it. What's your memories of that new design?

Keller reported- Despite shaky morale and the growing gap between Nitro and Raw in the ratings, the power structure appears to be solid for the time being with Kevin Nash as booker and Eric Bischoff remaining the president. Nash shares booking power with Hollywood Hogan, Randy Savage, and Dallas Page (in that order of influence). Hogan and Savage have reputations for only being out for themselves while Page is said to be out for himself and taking care of his friends.

Those without power but with heavy input include Kevin Sullivan, Lex Luger, Arn Anderson, and Mike Graham. Sullivan is considered Nash’s right hand man but his rep is that he comes up with as many bad ideas as he does good and “needs an editor.” Nash now is as open as he’s ever been to listening to anyone who may have an idea. Meanwhile, the feeling among most is that Eric Bischoff’s job won’t be in jeopardy despite losing to Raw in the ratings by such large margins and that he will survive at least another year in his position as long as Nitro’s ratings stay around 4.0.

For the first time in a while he is said to be excited about the company and has been attending more shows. He is still standing behind Nash as his booker but has stepped in and given Nash a couple of names he would like to see used better, including Bret Hart. Another reason for Bret’s current push is said to be fans flooding Nash’s website with e-mails bashing Nash for not pushing Bret.

The Mar. 29 Raw drew a record 6.5 rating, outdrawing Nitro which only averaged a 3.2 rating in the concurrent time period.

April 3rd Nitro did a 4.3 rating and Raw did a 5.8

April 12th Nitro did a 4.3 and Raw did a 6.2

That takes us to Spring Stampede

Juventud Guerrera pinned Blitzkrieg in 11:11. It was absolutely amazing, even working with a guy the calibre of Guerrera, that a wrestler with the lack of experience as Blitzkrieg could put on a match this good on a national PPV. Blitzkrieg is far from a great wrestler today, but he is more spectacular than Rey Misterio Jr., Guerrera or any of them were at the same stage of their career. Having seen the guy work a few indie shows before his WCW days, it's really amazing how quickly he's progressed. The crowd went nuts and it really says something when two guys who aren't pushed got more heat than any other match on the show. Guerrera did a spectacular dive off the top.

Blitzkrieg in spots was slightly tentative but Guerrera covered for him. He did this incredible plancha off the top about 80% of the way to the other post and Guerrera caught him with a dropkick. Blitzkrieg than did the Taka Michinoku move where he goes from the ring, lands on the top rope, reverses his position on the top and basically does a top rope Asai moonsault to the floor. The only negative spot was some sort of a top rope slam or flip that they botched up.

Blitzkrieg missed a Sky twister press and Guerrera signalled for the Juvi driver, but Blitzkrieg turned that into an inside cradle. Blitzkrieg did some sort of a leg whip into a cradle off the ropes. The finish saw Guerrera come off the middle rope with a spectacular looking Juvi driver for the pin. The finish was fantastic, but I hope to never see it again because that's the kind of a move that with one mistake could result in somebody getting a broken neck too easily. ****1/4

Meltzer said they were one missed spot away from a potential match of the year. Talk about where you found Blitzkrieg, at the time, he was kind of the darling of the indies, so to speak and it was a pretty big deal when he came into WCW

Bam Bam Bigelow pinned Hak in 11:33. This was really the perfect match to follow the previous one because it was totally different. Hak was out there literally killing his body to get himself and the match over. Unlike the Luchadores, who risk injury when they do the spectacular flying moves, Hak, at 270 pounds, out there doing the stunt work is pretty much guaranteeing a very difficult life once he gets past 40. Hak came out with a table and wrapped in the WCW barbed wire. Bigelow came out with a crate of weapons.

Unlike most matches of this type which are a mess because so much looks bad, this was really good. They traded hard garbage can shots. Tony Schiavone in his infinite retardedness killed those by saying that they sounded great but really don't hurt, which is actually true, but by saying it ruins the illusion of it. Jeez, in real life, those hard chops to the chest make a great noise and they do hurt, but they don't do serious damage so why not just bury everything everyone does? Hak did a somersault off a stage coach prop onto Bigelow through a table.

Bigelow bent a metal crutch on Hak. They finally got in the ring at 2:50. After Schiavone explained how the garbage can shots really don't hurt, Bigelow went out to kill him dead with a wicket shot that apparently didn't hurt. Schiavone then said it made a great noise but didn't hurt as bad as it sounded. Bigelow then hit him with a cookie sheet (him being Hak, not Schiavone, who probably deserved the blow by this point). Hak brought out a ladder. Hak dropkicked the ladder into Bigelow. That looked bad as the move missed.

Hak somersaulted off the top onto the ladder which was on Bigelow. I'm sure he's making his Chiropractor wealthy. He bulldogged Bigelow on the ladder. More garbage can spots. Hak climbed the ladder, but Bigelow pulled the ladder down and Hak went flying over the top rope and somersaulted going through a table that he had set up between the ring apron and the guard rail. Hak took a flip bump into the ladder. Hak came off the top and missed a legdrop and landed on a guard rail that he brought into the ring. There are wrestlers with artificial knees and artificial hips who didn't do this many crazy things in their entire careers as Hak was doing in this match.

Chastity brought out the fire extinguisher. Bigelow got it from her and sprayed her in the part of her body that half the wrestling universe has seen in recent weeks at their adult video racks. Hak cracked Bigelow with the cane and used the Russian leg sweep with the cane. Bigelow actually got up from it and delivered a death valley driver off the middle rope through a table (in the replay you could see that Bigelow totally protected Hak on this move, and I'm glad somebody has mercy on his body at this point) and the idea was that Hak's head was to go through the table and hit the fire extinguisher on the mat for the pin. ***1/2

What's your memories of bringing Sandman into WCW?

Scotty Riggs pinned Mikey Whipwreck in 7:03. The crowd gave these guys no chance and were hating them vociferously. Riggs came out with a mirror that read "Better looking each day." Obviously that doesn't refer to his career prospects. Mike Tenay brought up that Joe Namath made up that saying "I can't wait until tomorrow because I get better looking each day," which I believe was the title of Namath's autobiography in 1968 and the saying was later made more famous in a song by Mac Davis in the 70s. There were loud boring chants 40 seconds into the match. Whipwreck worked hard, particularly doing a pescado into a huracanrana on the floor and taking a great guard rail bump. Riggs didn't do much, winning with a flying forearm. 1/2*

The last 2 matches had 3 former ECW World Champions in them. Bam Bam Bigelow, Sandman and Mikey Whipwreck; in fact, Whipwreck beat Sandman for the title, and lost it back to him in a triple threat match that included Steve Austin, which happened a few months after you fired him in 1995.

Why did you bring these guys in? Obviously, you would want Bigelow, he's a legend, but did you bring in Sandman and Whipwreck only to hurt ECW? Did you have any plans for them at all? Sandman and Whipwreck would both end up going back to ECW

Konnan pinned Disco Inferno in 9:17. This was similar to the previous match as Disco worked really hard but the other guy won. Disco was given most of the offense. Konnan seemed sluggish and off a slight bit when he made his comeback but the crowd was into him. Konnan used Disco's own last dance, formerly the chartbuster, currently the stone cold stunner, for the pin. After the match Konnan looked right into the camera and said, "not tired," which I guess was a reference to Kevin Nash going on television a few months back and saying Konnan lacked heart and conditioning. *1/4

Rey Misterio Jr. pinned Billy Kidman in 15:32 to retain the WCW cruiserweight title. You know what the most amazing thing about these guys is? Kidman came out literally swimming in baby oil, and they did a match doing all that high tech stuff and they never slip and slide off. This match was disappointing for two reasons. The first was that the crowd wasn't into it. The second is beat Misterio Jr. nearly knocked himself out doing a spinning head scissors off the guard rail onto the floor when his head accidentally cracked into the ring steps at the 3:30 mark.

He actually got up and did the rest of the match and the two didn't even miss any spots and did their high degree of difficulty moves, but Misterio Jr. sort of lost his fire because his head was ringing. The match consisted of one great well executed spot after another but the lack of heat and transitions hurt it. Kidman may have hurt his knee. They both did dives, with Misterio Jr. doing a Silver King tope con hilo. At the finish, Kidman used a Pedigree and went on top. Misterio Jr. got up and went up with him but Kidman did a sunset flip power bomb spot off the top for a near fall. Kidman went up again, but Misterio Jr. got up and shook and ropes and crotched him, then delivered the Frankensteiner off the top for the pin. ***

Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko beat Raven & Perry Saturn in 14:11. The crowd was totally behind Raven as a babyface, probably because Raven's grunge personality is considered an original product of the Seattle night club scene many years ago. Arn Anderson got a total heel reaction coming out with Benoit & Malenko and both times during the match when Anderson got decked got two of the biggest pops of the show. Another very good match. Saturn put Benoit's head inside his dress. Thankfully with Benoit, I didn't have to worry about what he'd do once in there. Malenko used a power bomb into a cloverleaf but Saturn made the ropes in a good spot.

Saturn did a death valley driver on Malenko but Benoit saved with a head-butt off the top, and Saturn kicked out of that pin attempt. They got heat on Saturn at that point. After the second time Anderson took a bump, Saturn set Malenko up on a table outside the ring for the big plancha. Anderson pulled Malenko to safety and Saturn took the bump through the table. In the ring Raven used the DDT on Malenko. Anderson hit Raven with a chair and put the chair on top of him. Benoit came off the top rope with a diving head-butt onto the chair on Raven and Malenko pinned Raven. Benoit busted up his own head above the eye hardway by smashing it onto the chair in the landing and went to the hospital after the match and needed several stitches. ***1/2

Scott "The Walking lawsuit Waiting to Happen" Steiner won the vacant U.S. title in the tourney final pinning Booker T in 15:57. Steiner basically threatened everyone in the first two rows of ringside for the first few minutes. It's bad enough that Steiner's motherf---er stuff makes the air, but when it's audible that he's calling Booker T "boy" on the air is something that could come back and haunt the company.

In the ring, he took T down and began throwing elbows to the back of the head ala a UFC fight. Mike Tenay remarked something about him showing his amateur wrestling background from college, like in college wrestling elbows to the back of the neck are legal. Lots of suplexes and lots of steroid chants. Steiner did the most blatant low kick you'd ever see right in front of the ref. They made it that ref Johnny Boone was afraid to DQ Steiner for a blatant foul. Most of the match was the Steiner show and T didn't get to do much. At one point Steiner suplexed him on the back of his head.

Boone got sandwiched in between the two and T delivered an ax kick followed by a side kick but no ref to count the fall. As Boone was getting up, Steiner clobbered him again. T used a sidewalk slam but again no ref. T climbed to the top but Steiner fell into the ropes and T was crotched. Steiner used a Frankensteiner off the top and grabbed Boone and put his hand down for the count but T kicked out. Schiavone said that we haven't seen Steiner do that move in ages. Doesn't anybody pay attention? At this point Randy Anderson ran out to help Boone. Steiner pulled out a foreign object. T picked him up for a vertical suplex but Steiner hit him with the object and a dazed Boone ran in and counted the fall. **1/2

Bill Goldberg pinned Kevin Nash in 7:44. Nash had the early advantage including using a low blow and a side slam. Goldberg powered Nash over with a front chancery into a suplex. Goldberg went for a spear but Nash leap frogged him and Goldberg destroyed ref Mickey Jay. Actually Nash looked good for a spot. Nash used a chair shot on Goldberg. Goldberg made the big recovery using the claw to the groin, followed by a spear and jackhammer. *

This was their forgotten match. Nash beat Goldberg at Starrcade 98 to win the World title and end Goldbergs famed undefeated streak. This match was obviously done to give Goldberg his win back. What was their relationship like at this time and did Nash have any problem losing here?

Diamond Dallas Page captured the WCW title in the four-way over Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and Sting in 17:27. Randy Savage came out first as ref with Pamela Anderson lookalike Gorgeous George, which reminds me, has anyone seen Torrie Wilson of late? Page got the weakest reaction of the five coming out (Savage who hadn't been seen in months got the best reaction) and he was the only one given pyro to jump start his pop. Savage was much bigger than the other three and he's older then all of them except Flair.

The match was atrocious early with no heat. Hogan legdropped Flair but Sting saved. Flair vs. Hogan was the focal point early but the brawling was bad. Sting worked with Page and they had no rhythm and nobody cared. When Flair worked with Page it was a total mess.

Page did the Bret Hart figure four around the post on Hogan, who sold it big. Sting saved Hogan but trainer Danny Young ran out and Hogan was helped to the back selling his knee big-time.

Eric Bischoff came out looking concerned to sell the injury. It was real sad, or maybe it wasn't, that with Hogan being helped out a few weeks after the big face turn, all you could hear from the crowd is people screaming at Hogan to retire. The match got a lot better once Hogan was out of there, but it still wasn't good. Page reversed a tombstone on Sting but Flair saved Sting. Sting used a superplex on Flair. They did the double sleeper spot and double jawbreaker spot. Sting got the scorpion on Flair but Page saved.

Sting used the scorpion death drop (reverse DDT) on Page but Flair saved. Flair got the figure four on Sting but Sting made the ropes. Savage refused to break it and instead dragged them from the ropes to the middle of the ring, theoretically helping Flair. He then jumped off the top with an elbow onto Flair. Finally Page used the diamond cutter on Flair for the pin. *1/4

A lot of people over the years have said that the only reason that DDP was given the World Title here was because of his relationship with you. It's also been said that you didn't want to push DDP because of his relationship with you, and you had to be talked into it. Address both of those things.

Talk about Randy Savage as the guest ref; why was that decision made?

Why did he help DDP win? Was he supposed to have a feud with Flair after this? There no explanation given afterwards as to why Savage dropped the elbow on Flair, and nothing came out of it

Talk about Gorgeous George; did you want to hire her? Did Randy insist on it?

This was DDPs first World Title win, he was 43 years old at the time. Talk about what his win here meant to you. Was it a big deal to you personally, or was it business as usual?  What did it mean personally to DDP?

In hindsight, would you have done anything differently on Spring Stampede, or are you happy with how everything turned out?

On a scale of 1-10, what would you rank Spring Stampede?