Television Report

ALMOST TIME TO SAY FAREWELL

"Big" told us the trainers are looking for the "it" factor in all of the students at this point. Al and Ivory went over the strengths of each of the students. Matt is a natural in the ring. Eric is a machine. John can do things no one else can do inside the ring (we see him nailing a standing shooting star press, which Al commented no one else has ever been able to do). Jonah & Jamie have good ability as well.


THE RIBS

The students talked about the ribs they had played during the entire season and we see video footage of these ribs. They told us they were going to get Al Snow. During lunch they had Matt sneak out while Al and the other trainers were eating and Matt took all four tires off of Al Snow's car. We see them going out to do their daily exercises and John hugs Al so he has too look directly at his car. Snow is shocked at what he sees and everyone starts laughing. DeMott tells Al they got him. Al told us that he was speechless.


TWO DAYS LEFT

A special guest was in the ring. It turned out to be "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair. Flair talks to them about how the business has changed in his 30 years in it. Snow introduced Flair as one of the men that had influenced him to become a pro wrestler. Flair talked about the dedication and effort it takes to be a success in the wrestling business. He told them if there is one thing they do better then someone else to take advantage of that, because that one thing could be the reason why they are either in a 'camp' or on national television with the big show.


ANOTHER GUEST

Next Al introduces the students to Mike Chioda. He told them he wanted them to see what it is like working with a professional ref. We see them working a match with Chioda as the ref. During the students talked about how they thought the others would win.


AND THE THIRD SPECIAL GUEST

While they were working out in the ring, Tazz walked in behind Jonah. Jonah felt his presence and got up and turned around. Tazz ushered him to sit back down and he did. Tazz told them since DeMott would not be there for the typical Tuesday routine he would take them to the canyon instead at 6AM. He told them not to plan on going out tonight because he would be there right at 6AM. Al asked Tazz if he wanted to go back and see their house, and Tazz said he would.


BACK AT THE HOUSE

Tazz was challenged to play PS2 with Jonah. Tazz told Jonah he would kick his ass at it. We see Tazz playing PS2 as himself, and he gets his ass kicked versus Ivory in the game. "Big" joked with them that Tazz came over and none of them got 'dressed up'. So they all ran upstairs and put on some nice threads. When they got back down Tazz said they all looked nice and would look good sitting front row at SmackDown!. Everyone was excited about going to SmackDown!.

Tazz told them they still had to go to the canyon the next morning. Then Tazz told them the canyon was off.


SMACKDOWN!

We see them backstage at SmackDown!. They met all of the talent that was present at the taping. Al took them through the backstage area and out through the production area (near the Gorilla Position) and told them that Jim Ross & Vince McMahon sit at the table watching the show. Al said he never gets nervous until he gets to that point. Snow told them not only would 20,000 fans be watching their every move but so would Jim Ross & Vince McMahon. We see them watching the taping at ringside while Ivory & Al Snow wrestle. At one point the dated reference happened when Billy Gunn gave them all high fives, telling us just how old the show was.


VINCE MCMAHON MEETS THE STUDENTS

After the show the students were all standing around and Vince McMahon walked in. Every one looked like deer caught in headlights (can you blame them?). Vince was holding a cup of coffee (so that isn't just a prop for television). Vince shook all their hands and introduced himself to them all. All of them managed to introduce themselves to Vince as well (which is very important). Vince explained how the talent is the best in the world and has the privilege of performing in front of the wrestling audiences. Vince said maybe all of them one day could have the honor and privilege of doing it also. Vince wished them all luck and shook their hands again on the way out. Jonah commented that every wrestler has a dream of meeting Vince McMahon. All of them were excited about meeting Vince McMahon and thought it was quite the moment.


FINAL DAY ARRIVES

We see them all packing for the journey home. Matt said that he started with the thought he could win, but was still surprised he made it all the way to the end of the show. All of them wanted to be in the business, Jamie said if she did not win it was the experience of her life. Jonah said if he lost it would not be the last we see of him in the ring. Eric & John both commented about how they wanted to be in WWE. The end of the show was them all explaining how they were a 'family now'. Jonah summed it up quite nicely when he said that he can no longer say he is going to win and the other four fools are going to lose, because this is not a competition to him any longer. He wants all of them to win. Which is what the business is all about. Rather should be all about.

They announced you could vote off the last person by going to Toughenough.com.


THOUGHTS:

I thought this was a good show this week. John should get a deal because of his ability to pull off the standing shooting star press, which was a sight to see. That alone would get him over with the audience. Matt is so exception in the ring, I think he deserves a deal as well. Who are my picks to get the deals? This is the order I would select the competition. 1. John, 2. Matt, 3. Eric, 4. Jonah and 5. Jamie.

John has untapped potential to be something special in this business. He has the look and the ability. His ability to do the standing shooting star press gives him untapped potential because that is not a move that is HIGH RISK, well not as HIGH RISK as doing it off the top rope. So he could stick around for quite some time by innovative moves such as that.

Matt is just oozing of money in the bank, in my opinion. The kid is genuine and he has talent to boot. I really think he could be a big BIG star in this business if developed correctly. He is so soft spoken, that you know he would have a crazy streak in him just waiting to be developed.

Eric doesn't seem to have as much upside in the personality department as the others, but he is solid in the ring. And I think he could be marketed to the demographic in a key way.

Jonah has the personality. I am still not sold on his passion for the business. I think he would crack on the road. With that said, he has enough potential to warrant getting a second look in OVW. But I don't think he should get the deal.

Jamie just doesn't do anything for me. I think this year they should skip picking a female and just go with the stronger male counterparts. I know some will argue that is not fair, but that happened last season and pay back is a bitch. I really do not think she is going to be as much of an impact as the others could be initially.


THE CAST

The Guys

Chad   - 24 - Wausau, WI          -- Cut  / Episode 3 / 11.07
Eric   - 23 - Northampton, PA
John   - 23 - Davis, CA
Jonah  - 23 - Natick, MA
Justin - 24 - Tampa, FL           -- Cut  / Episode 9 / 01.02
Matt   - 23 - Kalamazoo, MI
Nick   - 20 - Peabody, MA         -- Cut  / Episode 5 / 11.21
Scott  - 21 - Harrisonburg, VA    -- Cut  / Episode 6 / 11.28


The Girls

Jamie   - 21 - Beaverton, OR
Jill    - 20 - Stoneham, MA       -- Quit / Episode 1 / 10.24
Kelly   - 22 - Lynchburg, VA      -- Cut  / Episode 7 / 12.05
Lisa    - 25 - Livermore, CA      -- Quit / Episode 2 / 10.31
Rebekah - 23 - Lynchburg, VA      -- Quit / Episode 4 / 11.14