JBL Bullying/Harassing/Torturing Mauro Ranallo/MNM/Justin Roberts Duke The Dumpster Fire Droese Thread

[TheVileOne]

As for proof, Edge, who is not in a bad relationship with WWE, wrote about JBL molesting him in the shower.  Edge is no choir boy, but yeah.  

Mark Henry talks about incidents with JBL.  Henry excused it by saying ribbing is a part of wrestling and that's a way they show affection for you.

 

[ReiseReise]

In Bradshaws perception, he is probably "not doing the stuff anymore" because he thinks his verbal abuse is not anything like soaping sbs behind, stealing sbs passport, roughing sb up etc. Not sure if it fits the timeline since I simply don't recall much of Justin Roberts.

As for the hazing and bullying by Bradshaw, lots of oldschool guys from Europe who came up in the late stages of our CWA act quite similar. It's often sth they experienced and it's part of the business to them, the way the new guys take it serving as an answer to the question "Do you REALLY want to be a part of this?" As late as early 90ies, when aspiring wrestlers tried out, oldschoolers would single out a trainee they considered not cut out for wrestling and broke his leg and horrible stuff like that.

However, this doesn't make it right. It's still shitty behaviour and an awful working environment. Make them work hard, yes, but no need for hazing and bullying. Or even physically harming trainees.

On top of that: It is weird that THIS of all the few things that are "wrestling" which still exist in WWE. The idea of "testing out new guys" by horrible "ribs" and physical bullying in what McMahon tries so hard to push as "NOT-RASSLIN" is so unbelieveably rasslin. It's so archaic, I would have thought it could never be part of today's publically traded sports-entertainment, at least not as an institution. I would prefer they would use oldtimers to bring their talent back to telling stories in a ring instead of bullying a new announcer into submission. Or using terms like wrestler on air.

As for Ranallo, I hope he makes a full and speedy recovery. And yeah, it would be fun seeing a JBL taking on Bas Rutten. Submission-grappling match.

[RIPPA]

Meltzer put another long update in the WON that just came out and most of it has been covered.

I am just highlighting a couple of things

Quote

At press time, neither Ranallo nor WWE have made any statements on the case past WWE saying Ranallo is under contract through 8/12. Ranallo’s contract doesn’t allow him to give unauthorized interviews on WWE and the belief is that WWE is working hard to come to a settlement that would include an agreement that he not publicly talk about the issue.

 

Quote

Over the past week, a number of former WWE talent, most still employed in the industry, contacted us regarding the story, most with similarly negative portrayals of Layfield both from wrestlers and non-wrestlers who worked with him. Others have been quiet about it. There is a nebulous line between hazing, which goes on in sports, and bullying, which also does, but in sports, that is usually limited to the players and not people like announcers and ring announcers. There are also changes in customs, as things that would have been considered acceptable in wrestling and society 20 years ago, or longer, wouldn’t play as well today, particularly when you’re talking about a publicly traded company.

While most recognized that what Layfield was doing was encouraged by those above him, with the idea that it’s a tough business and they need to weed out the weak, they also portrayed him as someone who gladly did it when most wouldn’t have.

Others noted that he was very hard on wrestlers who didn’t drink, making their lives miserable, but that was in an era where very few wrestlers or those who toured with the wrestlers didn’t drink. Today the situation is very different.

(Note - Dave said on the radio show that the number of people who contacted him with stories "would blow your mind")

 

Quote

The issues are far deeper than Layfield. The Fire Layfield movement is clearly asking for a simplistic answer to a complex issue within the company, that comes from well above him. The goal of this publicity should not be to create a scapegoat, or celebrate if the pressure is such that Vince McMahon does a Pat Patterson with Layfield, having him leave while still backing him and bringing him back when the heat is off. (For the record, I believe Pat Patterson should never have left the company even if it was largely a very temporary and largely worked departure). It should be a lesson regarding the change in culture and that the company will realize it’s not worth the risk of this coming up again, and changing internally.

Layfield going off on Ranallo on the WWE Network show “Bring It To The Table,” which was the final catalyst for what happened, while positioned and purported to be an unscripted show, that’s not exactly the case.

The show isn’t exactly scripted, but the topics, the tone, the parameters and where to go and not to go are all discussed in advance. It is Chris Chambers who puts together the show and Kevin Dunn is the person responsible for the show. Because of that, Layfield’s attack on Ranallo was not something done off the cuff or out of the blue. Chambers had to know about it and Dunn had to know about. Vince McMahon may not have known about it, but after it became an issue, he would have known about it and the show was re-aired without the segment being edited off. Whether or not it was Layfield’s idea to do it, what they could and couldn’t do was up to Chambers. The insults, at least the tone or degree of them, had to have been approved in advance.

 

[RIPPA]

Also - on the radio show - Meltzer made it a point to specifically say that Charles Robinson would be the guy going up to people who felt like they had to do what JBL said (especially around the alcohol issue) and be like "You don't have to do this. Don't give in to this culture"

[steve]

Learning how to handle someone with Bipolar can be difficult sometimes.

My sister has bipolar, and it scares me how things that I thought were completely innocuous have affected her poorly. I'm getting better at gauging what is and is not too far, and she actually texted me the other day to thank me for being so empathetic, but's it's taken some time to figure it out.

I'm not trying to excuse JBL, because given his track record it's hard to imagine he wasn't trying to get at Mauro over the Observer thing. But I can also believe some of the things that might have hurt Mauro weren't necessarily intended to. 

[NikoBaltimore]

17 minutes ago, RIPPA said:

At press time, neither Ranallo nor WWE have made any statements on the case past WWE saying Ranallo is under contract through 8/12. Ranallo’s contract doesn’t allow him to give unauthorized interviews on WWE and the belief is that WWE is working hard to come to a settlement that would include an agreement that he not publicly talk about the issue.

This part bothers me, even if it's something they can and maybe should legally do.  But instead of addressing the internal issues within the company they want to give Mauro hush money and hope this isn't brought up again.  I wonder how daft they think they are in trying this today.  It's not like this information can't be found online.  And given the companies that are tied to WWE I'm sure many of them wouldn't be pleased to know this is going on.  I'm hoping Mauro refuses a settlement and talks about this when the time's right.  He's got enough money and outside gigs where he'd be fine, and with him being a known name might be the guy that could make a difference.

I'm still and always will be about "Fire JBL"  But I'm also about "Fire Vince" and that's going to be a nightmare and a half trying to get that to happen.  But while it would hurt WWE badly initially forcing Vince out would benefit WWE in the long run.  Not just in Hunter and Steph running things but a hopefully better work environment.

[Curt McGirt]

Shit, "nightmare and a half"? You do know the only way they're gonna get Vince out is on his back in a body bag, right? The only thing anyone that wants Vince to step down can hope for is a heart attack. 

[RRR]

Man if you have not realized by now Vince will be calling the shots in WWE till the very last millisecond of his life you have not watched wrestling long enough. 

[piranesi]

51 minutes ago, Zartan said:

Man if you have not realized by now Vince will be calling the shots in WWE till the very last millisecond of his life you have not watched wrestling long enough. 

As long as he's conscious and mobile....

 

 

It's an upper body business

 

 

[The Iron Yuppie]

A sub-plot that's creeping up out of all this is how intensely loyal Vince is to JBL, which is interesting. Among the theories I've heard and read in the past week explaining that are JBL's affable with management (e.g. a kiss-ass), has been a good Company Man, and his punditry on Fox earned him some clout. But Vince has dumped plenty of others who were good Company Men, and while it's not a prestigious () role on Fox Business, VKM's bodied employees who garnered positive mainstream publicity. Titus O'Neil comes to mind on that front. 

The truth is, Bradshaw was a horrible heel champ once the Eddie feud ended. He's abominable on commentary. Now, he's the biggest PR problem WWE has had since at least Hugh Morrus, if not the steroid busts in the wake of the Benoit murders. 

I feel like this whole ordeal is going to lead to us learning JBL's dad saved tapes from a burning car and thus earning a job for life, a la Kevin Dunn. 

[Burgundy LaRue]

An honest question: Will WWE change as much as we think it will once Vince departs this mortal coil? The smart money is on Stephanie/HHH running the show after Vince. But I wouldn't be surprised if  Shane is looking to angle his way back into a position of power.  And by several accounts, Shane gets along with Kevin Dunn and likes being seen as 'one of the boys.'  That would mean business as usual, quite possibly.

And even if Steph/Trips squeezes out Shane and smartly kick Dunn out of the company, it's not like HHH is some angel who hasn't run roughshod on others.  While I think there would be some changes for the better, I don't know if those changes would be as much as we would hope in terms of changing WWE's overall culture. HHH may not condone outright bullying, but I don't see him getting upset over certain questionable stuff, either.

[BobbyWhioux]

3 hours ago, The Iron Yuppie said:

A sub-plot that's creeping up out of all this is how intensely loyal Vince is to JBL, which is interesting. Among the theories I've heard and read in the past week explaining that are JBL's affable with management (e.g. a kiss-ass), has been a good Company Man, and his punditry on Fox earned him some clout. But Vince has dumped plenty of others who were good Company Men, and while it's not a prestigious () role on Fox Business, VKM's bodied employees who garnered positive mainstream publicity. Titus O'Neil comes to mind on that front. 

The truth is, Bradshaw was a horrible heel champ once the Eddie feud ended. He's abominable on commentary. Now, he's the biggest PR problem WWE has had since at least Hugh Morrus, if not the steroid busts in the wake of the Benoit murders. 

I feel like this whole ordeal is going to lead to us learning JBL's dad saved tapes from a burning car and thus earning a job for life, a la Kevin Dunn. 

The first time I saw JBL as the JBL character my first impression was thinking he bore a passing physical/facial resemblance to a young Vince (and that this vague resemblance was intentional).  I can't remember what it was that I saw that I thought looked familiar, but I definitely remember thinking "wow, he kinda looks like Young Vince."

My personal pet theory derives from this and Vince living vicariously, ever so slightly, through JBL.

[Kevin Wilson]

I went to his wiki page to see how long he was out of WWE without a full time contract after retiring (about three years), but man someone went all out writing about this issue. It is longer than most wrestler's entire pages.

[BobbyWhioux]

I think it's the haircut?

[The Natural]

16 hours ago, RIPPA said:

Meltzer put another long update in the WON that just came out and most of it has been covered.

I am just highlighting a couple of things

 

(Note - Dave said on the radio show that the number of people who contacted him with stories "would blow your mind")

 

 

Thanks for posting these updates, @RIPPA. Stupid gags.

16 hours ago, RIPPA said:

Also - on the radio show - Meltzer made it a point to specifically say that Charles Robinson would be the guy going up to people who felt like they had to do what JBL said (especially around the alcohol issue) and be like "You don't have to do this. Don't give in to this culture"

I like Charles Robinson the referee. I like him more now. Well done, Charles!

[piranesi]

Wasn't expecting Charles Robinson to be the "Bill Murray on the set of Royal Tenenbaums" but I'll take it.

[TheVileOne]

5 hours ago, The Iron Yuppie said:

A sub-plot that's creeping up out of all this is how intensely loyal Vince is to JBL, which is interesting. Among the theories I've heard and read in the past week explaining that are JBL's affable with management (e.g. a kiss-ass), has been a good Company Man, and his punditry on Fox earned him some clout. But Vince has dumped plenty of others who were good Company Men, and while it's not a prestigious () role on Fox Business, VKM's bodied employees who garnered positive mainstream publicity. Titus O'Neil comes to mind on that front. 

The truth is, Bradshaw was a horrible heel champ once the Eddie feud ended. He's abominable on commentary. Now, he's the biggest PR problem WWE has had since at least Hugh Morrus, if not the steroid busts in the wake of the Benoit murders. 

I feel like this whole ordeal is going to lead to us learning JBL's dad saved tapes from a burning car and thus earning a job for life, a la Kevin Dunn. 

I never really understood at the time why JBL of all people was given such a hard main event push for as long as he did.  I know he did start to warm to the IWC when he started doing the "Wrestling God" schtick, plus he had a penchant for working stiff and having some decent brawls, which the IWC likes as well.  It just seemed if they needed a new main eventer or world champion, there were plenty of better options than JBL.  

But what sticks out the most for me is that when JBL was the top dog on Smackdown, that was when Smackdown was at some of its lowest points.  Most of JBL's main event programs and matches were garbage.  Most of his feuds were garbage.  Even his feud with John Cena was garbage and just a formality to get the belt onto Cena.  

[Niners Fan in CT]

Wasn't it Charles Robinson who went at Jericho in the "Neviille is injured"  match?  He seemed like a guy who doesn't take anyone's shit. 

[PetrolCB]

Yeah... 

 

[Johnny Sorrow]

I love that their first PR move is to put "ultra nerd character that gets picked on" Saxton on TV with JBL ,who's nice to him . 

Thats some carny shit. 

[Rev Ray]

11 minutes ago, Johnny Sorrow said:

I love that their first PR move is to put "ultra nerd character that gets picked on" Saxton on TV with JBL ,who's nice to him . 

Thats some carny shit. 

The guy he unmercifully ribbed on Ride Along and left him abandoned at a Rest Area.

[Johnny Sorrow]

That was the worst one. The Ride Alongs that are so obviously scripted stink.

Speaking of Ride Along, the new one with Miz and Maryse is adorable. 

[Brian Fowler]

I actually ended up really liking most of his title run (it went way to long though) but the big problem was how quickly it happened. He took the belt almost instantly after the character shift.

At times I've liked him on commentary.

As mentioned above, he's legitimately great doing the Legends with JBL interviews.

None of that shit matters. It doesn't change that he's a bully and an asshole.

[Johnny Sorrow]

I just have one point. If all this hazing shit has you pissed off and furious, you're not allowed to wax nostalgic or enjoy old stories about ribs , guys getting stiffed, and all the other crazy and fucked up bullshit that's been part of pro wrestling since forever . You're not allowed to pick and choose what insane behavior is ok and what isn't based on who did it and what  promotion it happened in.

I've been watching this shit for over thirty years, I've come to grips it. It's a shitty , weird, fucked up business and I'm pretty much ok with it, to be totally honest.

And the idea that a "wrestling scandal involving a Trump appointee " is possible has me giggling and despondent at the same time.

[FluffSnackwell]

9 hours ago, The Iron Yuppie said:

A sub-plot that's creeping up out of all this is how intensely loyal Vince is to JBL, which is interesting. Among the theories I've heard and read in the past week explaining that are JBL's affable with management (e.g. a kiss-ass), has been a good Company Man, and his punditry on Fox earned him some clout. But Vince has dumped plenty of others who were good Company Men, and while it's not a prestigious () role on Fox Business, VKM's bodied employees who garnered positive mainstream publicity. Titus O'Neil comes to mind on that front. 

The truth is, Bradshaw was a horrible heel champ once the Eddie feud ended. He's abominable on commentary. Now, he's the biggest PR problem WWE has had since at least Hugh Morrus, if not the steroid busts in the wake of the Benoit murders. 

I feel like this whole ordeal is going to lead to us learning JBL's dad saved tapes from a burning car and thus earning a job for life, a la Kevin Dunn. 

Of course, JBL is a corporate cowboy caulksucker. As for his own personal Kevin Dunn legacy lifetime pass, I'm sure his cousin's uncle's nephew saved young Vince from being advanced upon by a rodeo clown.