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SPORTS Thursday, May 6, 1999 - Page 18 The Top Rope Report BY CHRIS ANA.STASlA would like to pay my respects and pay trib- SwjJWriler ute to Richard Rood. Rood, known as "Ravishing" Rick Rude in both WWF and WCW, passed way at his Hello again fans, it is time for yet another home in Adelphia, Georgia last week. look into the frighteningly popular world of The apparent cause of death is heart fail- professional wrestling. ure, but the medical examiner has yet to re- This was another banner week for Vince lease a full report. McMahon's WWF promotion as they de- Rood was one of the first heels, or bad buted their newest show, WWF Smackdown. guys, in wrestling to have a large fan fol- The UPN network broadcast this as a WWF lowing. His ability to generate heat with special, but speculation persists that UPN crowds was a positive and led to some great will make Smackdown a series starting in feuds in both promotions. the fall. His long-time Feud with the Ultimate This is the first network experience for Warrior in WWF gained Rood the Intercon- the WWF since its Saturday Night's Main tinental Title. Event was broadcast on NBC. The success After entering WCW, Rood won the of the show was marked by the 5.8 rating it World Title and feuded with WCW star Sting. received. It was a match for WCW in Japan, in which The card for the show was pay-per-view Rood severely injured his neck and was un- worthy, with a tag team match pitting the able to compete in the ring. intriguing tandem of the behemoth Kane with He later served as a manager and com- the diminutive degenerate X-Pac against the mentator in both promotions and spent some 3 lime former Tag Champs; The New Age time in the growing ECW promotion. Outlaws. Isend out all my love and prayers to the This match was made even more inter- family of Richard Rood in hopes that their esting by the relationship between X-Pac and Sorrow will soon be lifted. the Outlaws. (They are all friends and team- mates in D-Generation X) Smackdown saw "Ravishing" Rick Rude: 1958 - 1999 a Kane and x-Pac win and yet another pos- sible breakup for the Outlaws. Only time will tell if the Outlaws will be able to stay together and regain the Tag Team belts, but it is my opinion that the New Age Outlaws are finally through and with them probably D-X as welL All that being said, Smackdown may be most remembered for the formation of the most insidious faction in wrestling history. Shane McMahon's Corporation merged with The Ministry of Darkness, led by the Under- taker, to form a stable that is as vicious as it is talented. The main event of Smackdown was the Undertaker and Hunter Hearst Helmsly of the Corporation/Ministry facing the unlikely pairing of Rocky Miavia and Steve Austin. The match was furiously fought back and fourth until members of the Corporation! Ministry hit the ring to interfere .. Surprisingly, Ken Shamrock, Test, and this summer, Paul Wight hit the ring to help Miavia and Austin. pack your underwear, your toothbrush Along with owner Vince McMahon, these> stars were able to drive off the Corporation! Ministry, but the ramifications of this evil and your [guts]. merger for the WWF has yet to be fully es- tablished. We will just have to stay tuned; r know I will. News and Rumors: Not a lot of rumors floating around at this time, so I will focus I:'s CllIidCoiml> ChI. I«p•..-..._ GI~_ _" ...... h'IWlI .. u~ GI on an update from a previous column. - ..... IiJIloOllNmy(lllicer, You"8ab1l-.op~ __ ,rqr Dave Smith: The wrestler known as The British Bulldog was released form A Calgary 11<·13 ~ tIP ..... for t!le rtsI '" yell' iii••ntllftl»id to do it. IIIu lion', _, Hospital late last week. "~lIOre ~ As reported in a past edition of this col- _10 jOon!he lifWl'j. N:fIIyIot Cio'r'P ~~. umn, Smith is suffering from a rare case of Then sun "., ..... Spinal Infection, caused by an injury he suf- fered to his back while wrestling in WCW. _ Smith refused surgery and instead opted for medication as treatment for his illness. This was chosen due to the fact that surgery would have put an end to Smith's career in the ring. At this time, doctors are uncertain how much of a recovery Smith can make and if he will ever wrestle again. Again our prayers go out to Dave Smith and his family in hopes he makes a full recovery. Well that about does it for this addition of the Top Rope Report, but before I go, I