Blog From the Beat 3

I was intrigued recently by Bobby the Brain's editorial on the Doggman's recent push for commish. It made me take out some old tapes, and really review Bobby's assessment of what had occurred. I watched and realized that quite correctly the Doggman bought his own ticket out by placing himself between too popular a wrestler and too stubborn a hard place. It's interesting to look back and see the man go down. Except that glosses over what really brought the man down.
Many seem to forget the controversy of a briefcase and the documents held therein. The health of many of our greatest wrestlers put at terrific risk because of what many saw as Doggman's inherent slavishness to the bottom line. The man had an apparent need to control and dictate not only ppv's but the health and faculties of these great wrestlers. It was the worst kind of scandal, swathed in hidden documents and secret trips by the then noble Phillip Berkowitz and someone Heenan underplayed, Jonny James.
I can't help and watch what's unfolding between Team USA and the Doggman and feel they aren't held together by a thin thread. It was Jonny James that originally destroyed the morale of Team USA, making them expend a years worth of energy on defeating him and his minions. They carried on after that, but the level of violence James brought to the federation laid the ground for the fallacy that was the apparent death of Samuel Adams. Next came Jonny's search for redemption. Many forget that during David Finn's improbably long title reign, one which helped stabilize and counteract much of the Doggman's ultimate control of the federation, James was constantly seeking the forgiveness of the wrestlers around him, and most importantly from Don Edwards. This search, which took nearly four years, through poor showings in the ring, purchasing and losing the company, and most importantly as a journalist seeking redemption through truth, placed Jonny in the unlikely role as Commissioner of the EWF. He was the redemption to the Doggman's corruption. He was the chance taken by Bret Hart and Captain America that provided the ultimate contrast to the Doggman's reign as commissioner.
It's hard to believe but it wasn't that long ago Jonny James immediately began campaigning for the power to rest in the hands of the champions. This was met with resistance. Yes, even by the venerable Bret Hart and noble Captain America. They questioned the source, the man who had abused that power so greatly. Many feared anarchy. But Jonny persevered and convinced Mr. Hart. Together they forged a policy that so far has created an exciting and competitive dynamic in the federation where feuds flourish or flounder on their own. The terrible threat of a despotic champion has not yet been seen, though many would say Dean Nyquist is moving in such a direction. Still the commissioners are imbued with their original powers and can step in. It a systems of patience and measured steps.
Heenan's column is interesting but incomplete. The Doggman seeks power and attention, and the new amalgamation of wrestlers, call them Team USA or the Alliance, are seeking to battle great evils. The man standing between the two, the man who has straddled both those lines, is Jonny James. I can't help but wonder which way he will be pulled.