83 Weeks - nWo Wolfpac [Show Notes] (Patreon)

With all that’s been going on in the world of professional wrestling - we have yet to touch back on what was going on 25 years ago when WCW was slowly losing its grip on the Monday Night War lead…and we need to discuss one of the the things that WCW attempted to do keep and hold the lead…and that is the formation of the Wolfpac!

When did you think a split of the nWo was viable?

The reaction of the fans who were would cheer various members of the nWo, specifically Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Syxx - was that the first time you thought a splinter of the group was something you could achieve?

Seriously - was the hope that you could sell more nWo shirts just in red just the thought process?

Randy Savage always seemed to be the one who was on the “outs” during the early run of the nWo - was that designed that way on purpose?

Was this something of a legitimate split in terms of politics backstage between Hulk and others?

The nWo Nitro…let’s call it what it was…a failure…do you remember that being an impetus to the thought process of splitting the nWo up?

Did having Thunder speed the process up?

I mean let’s call it what this is…the nWo formed in July of 1996…as March of 1998 comes around…you’re almost 2 years into the gimmick…it was time to freshen it up right?

WHAT was the 3 act structure of the nwo?

Eric, you talk so much about how the three-act storytelling structure was and is so important in wrestling. As we’ll see throughout today’s episode, that structure is apparent in the nWo’s story. At what point did you have an outline for the nWo’s three acts?

The original tensions emerged at Great American Bash 1997 with Randy being at your throat after his loss to DDP. At that point in time…did you ever see what would become the Wolfpac?

You went through various people - like the Giant, Ted DiBiase, who came in in the beginning of the stable and then would leave…but you’re also expanding with the likes of Big Bubba Rogers, Buff Bagwell, etc. Did you see the nWo having a revolving door or was that something that would evolve with the story?

Konnan joining in July of 1997 is an important part of this story I feel like. We talk about casting often - and Konnan being in the Dungeon of Doom was terrible - but at the same time - Konnan really didn’t fit into the nWo in reality - but he added a coolness factor that not a lot of the midcard guys did. How important is Konnan to what will become the Wolfpac?

In late January and early February of 1998 we see more expansion as Brian Adams - the former Crush - enters the company and immediately joins the nWo - why Brian here?

Then - because it’s been too long since they’ve been separate - that Brutus “the Fucking Barber” Beefcake…now named The Disciple makes his way into the group. That’s a Hulk call is it not?

The nWo even gets a NASCAR car…Kyle Petty is driving a car for the brand - how does this all come together?

Having two cars in NASCAR - as Elliot Sadler would drive a WCW car during various times of the season - NASCAR and Turner had the relationship is that right?

Was it a revenue source?

We’re going to be covering SuperBrawl in the next few weeks - but we’ll see the end of a major tag team in the history of not just WCW - but professional wrestling - with the Steiners. But the real question is - was the nWo just too big and it needed to be split?

Trying to transition the Randy Savage character

Just one night later Randy Savage declares that he no longer needs the nWo, saying that Hollywood Hogan failed as its leader and that he would get the title back from Sting, since Hogan couldn’t…so was the original plan for Savage to head one group and Hogan to head another?

HOW Hulk Hogan became “Hollywood Hulk Hogan”

As you’re writing this creative - and Mike Tyson is now on WWF TV and Stone Cold is getting hot and Mr. McMahon is taking a bigger role on screen - you’re dealing with Sean Waltman and some issues with him are you not?

You wrote this in your book: “In late 1997 or early 1998, we’d come to a verbal agreement -with Sean on a new contract. We agreed on terms and sent the writ ten contract to his manager, Barry Bloom. We also started paying him under the terms of that agreement. A few months later, someone from my legal department told me Sean hadn’t signed the contract, and I called Barry and said, “Let’s get this thing signed and get it out of the way.”

And I was hit with, “Well, we want to talk about the terms of the deal.” That pissed me off to the point where I fired Sean immediately. To me, that was just a sleazy way to conduct business, and I’ve been exposed to a lot of sleaze.”

So the narrative has always been his injury or substance abuse struggles…but that isn’t the case is it?

Was Sean’s release something else that helped split the nWo - not just on screen but behind the scenes?

By the end of March Scott Hall is then removed from WCW television due to his struggles - and you, Hulk & Kevin have a confrontation about the direction of the nWo on Thunder. This has been something that has taken on a life of its own over time…how much of that was shoot or work?

How big were the real life issues in the back between Hulk & Kevin?

It has been said by Kevin Nash - that the plan was for when Scott was to return and not join the Wolfpac - and that Hulk wanted Scott on his side to help still be cool. What do you say to that?

BRUTUS BEEFCAKE

Did Scott have an opinion?

HOW did you come up with the name?

How far in advance do you need everything ready? The red & black t-shirts, the iconic music, etc?

When did you know you were going to go with the Wolfpac name?

This is right around the time the WWF has ended the 83 week streak - was this story supposed to go longer or did you feel the need to move it up in response to the fateful 84th week with Austin vs. McMahon on top defeating Nitro?

What was Hulk, Kevin, Randy’s response when they found out about the split? Were they excited for it?

The first three members to walk out on that fateful night on May 4th - was Savage, Nash & Konnan…why these 3? Was there any consideration for anybody else joining besides Konnan?

RAW beats Nitro with McMAhon vs Austin

The whole package - the attitude - was it something that WCW was missing? Let’s be honest Eric - you had a bunch of stale beaten babyfaces on WCW - and here were the elite cool guys of the nWo on their own - rap song as an entrance - really what WCW should’ve been at some point - wouldn’t you say?

We will get into a lot more this year of the battle of WCW - 1998 - Wolfpac vs. Hollywood vs. WCW - and in just two weeks we’ll discuss SuperBrawl VIII where thankfully Sting shows up somewhat tanned to regain the WCW World Title from Hulk Hogan, but next week, “Sensational” Sherri Martel will be the topic. Her start in the business, her time in the AWA, from her epic WWF run with Randy Savage, Shawn Michaels and Ted DiBiase among others, to coming into WCW, Harlem Heat, Col. Robert Parker and more!