Sunday, August 29, 2010

Pro wrestling star Luna Vachon dead at 48 - 29th August 2010

Veteran pro wrestling star Gertrude “Luna” Vachon was found dead Friday morning at her mother’s Florida home.

The Canadian-born Vachon, 48, the daughter of Paul “The Butcher” Vachon Butcher and niece of Maurice “Mad Dog” Vachon, had been staying with her mother after her own house was recently destroyed in a fire.

The cause of death has yet to be determined. An autopsy was scheduled for Saturday.

Vachon had been medically diagnosed as having a bipolar disorder and being manic depressive, and had battled health issues throughout her career. She attended a WWE-sponsored rehab program in 1994 due to drinking problems.

Vachon began training at the age of 16 under her late aunt, Vivian Vachon, and began her wrestling career at The Fabulous Moolah’s school in Columbia.

“All she ever wanted to do (was wrestle),” Paul Vachon once told the SLAM! Wrestling website. “Her idol was my sister, Vivian, who was a wrestler. She had been watching her ever since she was 4 or 5 years old. That’s all she ever did. I told her she was a lunatic because all she wanted to do was wrestle.”

Vachon’s gimmick for most of her career was that of a “lunatic,” an outlandish, face-painted, Mohawk-sporting, over-the-top character with exaggerated facial expressions, and a part of stables such as Kevin Sullivan’s Army of Darkness in Florida in the mid-’80s and The Oddities in WWE in the late ‘90s.

But Vachon, who last performed in WWE in 2000, also was an accomplished wrestler who enjoyed notable feuds with the likes of Alundra Blayze (Debra “Madusa” Miceli) and Sensational Sherri Martel (Sherri Schrull), and most recently had mentored WWE women’s star Natalya (Natalie Neidhart) of the Hart Dynasty.

She often lamented that the business would benefit from more women who could actually wrestle — “not just bimbos and bimbettes.”

“I am saddened to hear of the passing of Luna Vachon,” Sullivan said in a statement. “Not only was she a fantastic performer, but I was lucky enough to consider her a dear friend and I will miss her greatly. Luna was an integral part of my career and I would not have succeeded without her. We have lost a great performer and an even greater person.”

Vachon had been married three times, including twice to wrestlers Tom Nash and David “Vampire Warrior” Heath of The Blackhearts tag team, and also was once involved in a purportedly abusive relationship with veteran wrestling star Dick Slater.

Vachon, who was nicknamed “Daughter of Darkness,” became a born-again Christian in 2004 after attending an Athletes International Ministry conference, and was later baptized by fellow wrestler Nikita Koloff and her then-husband David Heath (the former Gangrel in WWE).

She had worked in recent years as a tow truck operator in Port Richey, Fla. She recently had lost nearly everything she owned when her home in Florida burned down.

Jim Ross posted on his blog at jrsbarbq.com that he and Steve Austin both conversed with Vachon at a Cauliflower Alley Club event two years in Las Vegas, and that she had gained much-needed stability in her life.

“We talked about her being diagnosed with being bipolar and her having issues with depression of which she battled on an ongoing basis for a good while,” said Ross, who worked with Vachon when he was Vice President of Talent Relations in WWE. “Luna was a battler and was a tough individual who said she was going to keep fighting the good fight, but that it wasn’t easy. Steve and I both gave Luna many words of encouragement and spent significant time with her at the CAC function, talking old times and mostly laughing about our mutual experiences. Without question, laughter is good medicine for all of us.”

“It’s a very sad day for wrestling with the passing of Luna Vachon,” said TNA star Mick Foley. “My heart is aching.”

-- “Tough” Tony Borne, a legendary performer in the Pacific Northwest for several decades, passed away Friday at the age of 84.

Borne, whose real name was Anthony Osborne, was the father of wrestler Matt Borne (the original Doink The Clown).

The nine-time Pacific Northwest heavyweight champ was perhaps best known for his tag team with “Moondog” Lonnie Mayne during the ‘60s. The two held the Pacific Northwest tag-team belts on 11 separate occasions.

Borne, whose last match was in 1981, worked full-time in the real estate business after retiring from wrestling and also was a licensed superintendent for American Kennel Club.

The Milwaukie, Ore., resident had been in poor health as of late and passed away just as his son was leaving home to board a flight to Dallas. Borne had never fully recovered after having a pacemaker placed in his heart earlier this month.

-- Johnny “Mr. Wrestling No. 2” Walker arrived in Charlotte more than three weeks ago for what he assumed would be a weekend stint at the annual NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest.

Sign some autographs, take part in some photo-ops and receive an honor at a Hall of Heroes banquet. That’s what the job required.

Unfortunately for the 76-year-old Walker, who had endured a long plane ride from his home in Hawaii, the weekend turned into a medical crisis that is now going on four weeks.

Walker experienced feelings of tiredness during Fanfest, and on Sunday, the final day of the festivities, was taken to a nearby hospital after reportedly suffering a heart attack.

Several surgeries were postponed over a near three-week period due to complicating issues, but Walker finally underwent a triple bypass operation on Friday morning, and initial reports were that the procedure was a success.

Walker likely is looking at another five to six days of recovery in the hospital.

Fans can send get-well wishes to: Johnny Walker, c/o Carolinas Medical Center, 1000 Blythe Blvd., Charlotte, N.C. 28203.

Sixteen-time world heavyweight champion Ric Flair will be part of a TNA show Oct. 3 at Blackbaud Stadium on Daniel Island.

The Sunday show, which starts at 6 p.m., also will feature such names as Jeff Hardy, A.J. Styles, Jeff Jarrett, The Motor City Machine Guns, D’Angelo Dinero and Angelina Love.

Tickets are on sale at www.charlestonbattery.com, or charge by phone at 1-843-971-4625. Tickets also are available for purchase at the Blackbaud Stadium box office. For more information, visit www.tnawrestling.com.

“Scott is under care in the WWE’s wellness program,” Kevin Nash said recently. “God bless Ann (Russo) and Vince (McMahon) for taking care of my friend.”

WWE has an ongoing policy in which it covers the costs for current or former wrestlers who were employed by the company to enter a rehab facility.

-- Former WWE performer Charlie Haas, who served as a pallbearer at the recent funeral of Lance Cade (Lance McNaught), told the Right After Wrestling radio show that Cade, along with the late Umaga (Eddie Fatu), were the two people who were with him when he found his brother, Rusty Haas, dead in his apartment on Dec. 14, 2001.

“It’s been a rough year for me,” he said. “Now I look at that as both of those gone in six months — my two best friends.”

Cade’s father launched a verbal assault against his son’s former employer in an article published last week in TheDay.com.

Harley McNaught responded to remarks made by former WWE CEO Linda McMahon that she “may have met him once” in regard to Cade. The wrestler, who had struggled with an addiction to painkillers before being released by the company earlier this year, died of heart failure several weeks ago at the age of 29.

“I’ve been with him on two different WWE functions where she came up to him and knew him by name,” said McNaught. “She disrespected him. She disrespected my family.”

“Vince’s stance (is) they do all this because they care about the talent,” Cade said in April during a wrestling podcast with manager Kenny Bolin. “Bull----. They care about the image of the WWE and you care about the fact that Congress was having ... hearings about this. That’s what this comes down to.”

“WWE has nearly 600 employees and about 140 performers, and I think it’s understandable that Linda may not recollect every interaction she’s had, particularly given the fact that she’s personally met with thousands of voters since resigning her position at WWE in September. Linda’s a very kind and sympathetic person, but she is human,” said Ed Patru of McMahon’s political campaign.

Patru noted that it “certainly wasn’t Linda’s intent to diminish any additional interaction she may have had.”

McNaught said his son “would have cut his arm off for Vince McMahon, but it wasn’t there in return. (Vince McMahon) don’t care any more than the man in the moon for them, other than as dollar signs.”

Linda McMahon, who is running a close race in Connecticut for a U.S. Senate seat, had come under attack several days earlier from former WWE performer Chris Nowinski.

Nowinski, who left WWE. after a concussion and now serves as an advocate and as a consultant on head injuries, accused her of “kicking dirt on the guy’s (Cade’s) grave” after McMahon told reporters that the company could no more be held accountable for the death of Cade “than a studio could have prevented Heath Ledger’s death.”

“Who knows what causes people to have addictions and do what they do,” she added.

-- Lanny Poffo told the Right After Wrestling show that his brother, “Macho Man” Randy Savage (Randy Poffo), would, “without a doubt,” accept an invitation into the WWE Hall of Fame if asked.

“But I think he would do something else. He would barter to get my father (Angelo Poffo) in there,” Poffo added. “That would be the classy thing to do. If the WWE asked my brother, I absolutely think he would say yes. He’s in a different place now that he has married Lynn.”

Savage, 57, married longtime girlfriend Lynn Payne, 55, on May 10 in Sarasota, Fla. The two met in Sarasota in 1974 when Savage was playing minor league baseball for the Tampa Tarpons and Payne was attending school at the Ringling School of Art and Design.

They dated for two years before parting ways. The couple reunited in 2001.

“Thirty-six years ago, Lynn and I met on Lido Beach,” said Savage, who was married to the late Liz Hulette (WWE’s Miss Elizabeth) from 1984-92. “I feel so fortunate that I had a second chance to marry my first love, here where it all began.”

WWE recently put out a Savage DVD, and Mattel included him in its latest WWE toy line.

-- Straight Edge Society member Serena has been released by WWE.

The 24-year-old Serena (Serena Deeb) was a six-time Ohio Valley Wrestling champ.

-- WWE Hall of Fame announcer Jim Ross gave a nice tip of the hat to late friend Gen. Skandor Akbar in a recent blog.

“In my over four decades in the wrestling biz, I don’t think I can name one man who unselfishly done more to help young wrestlers and who was more dedicated to his profession that Jim Wehba aka General Skandor Akbar,” said Ross. “Ak passed away suddenly last Thursday at the age of 75 after living a wonderful life doing what he loved more than any thing and that was being a viable and timeless participant in the world of pro wrestling. Everyone should be so lucky to have such a long, distinguished career in their chosen vocation.”

Ross attended Akbar’s funeral on Tuesday.

“It was good to see several of ‘the boys’’ at the Catholic service in Ak’s birthplace of Wichita Falls including the great Danny Hodge, Johnny Mantell, and former referees James Beard and David Manning, among many others. The drive home was equally as challenging again not because of the miles, but because I had to come to grips that I would never see my dear friend again in this life.”

-- Hardcore icon Mick Foley, promoting his book “Countdown to Lockdown: A Hardcore Journal,” told MTV News that Vader and Steve Austin were the two stifffest men he ever worked with.

“I could say Vader, though a lot of people don’t remember Vader,” Foley said. “There were some things where he was hitting me so hard, and you wanted to say, ‘Did you not get the memo?’ It was just ridiculously hard.”

Foley also said Austin let the crowd work him up.

“Stone Cold in his prime was no day at the park when he was firing up for his big comeback,” said Foley. “The crowd would be so enthusiastic, and he would feed off that enthusiasm. Everyone would benefit except me.”

-- Monday Night Raw is celebrating its 900th episode this week with a show featuring performers from both brands.

-- Stephanie McMahon-Levesque gave birth to her third child Wednesday, a baby girl, making it three daughters for her and husband Triple H (Paul Levesque).

-- Birthday wishes go out to Jody “The Assassin” Hamilton, who turned 72 last week, and Lowcountry native Burrhead Jones, who turns 73 Wednesday.

Jones (Melvin Nelson), who moved to New York City four years ago, invites his fans to call him at (843) 607-5482.

Jones officially retired from Standard Warehouse in Moncks Corner in 2004. He last stepped into a wrestling ring that same year at a show in St. Stephen.

The inimitable Jones, borrowing some lines from Tennessee Ernie Ford’s “Sixteen Tons,“ sends out the following message to his Lowcountry following:

“I’m another year older and deeper in debt. Saint Peter, don’t you call me, ‘cause I can’t go; I owe my soul to the company store.”

-- Old School Championship Wrestling will present “Tag Team Wars 5” this evening at the Omar Shrine Auditorium, 176 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant.

Former WCW and WWE performer Hugh Morrus will meet Josh Magnum in a featured bout. Also on the bill will be the annual “Team Wars” tournament in which the winners will get a shot at the tag-team title.

Bell time is at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5. Adult admission (cash at door) is $10; kids 12 and under $5. For more information, visit www.oscwonline.com or call 743-4800.

Reach Mike Mooneyham at (843) 937-5517 or mooneyham@postandcourier.com.

(Credit: The Post And Courier)

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Wrestling News Media Blog: Flashback: Casino, War and Royal Edition - Royal Family, Las Vegas, WWE...

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Media wars hit royal family; Las Vegas, Australia, France, Afghanistan...; WWE's Military support, Sgt Slaughter, Randy Orton or The Miz in Marine 3?




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Hey fans. Wrestling and gaming nuts, and patriots from Australia and the United States. Have we got a gun ho news report for you today. From WWE rings to the battle field in Afghanistan, to the south of France where royals were relaxing before being interrupted by paparazzi...Prince Harry runs amok on the Las Vegas strip - we've got it all for you today. Then there's the Andre The Giant game to check out at X casino plenty more scoops by the Media Man network at the official websites and blogs. What else to say but good hunting and good luck.

AFL player offered drugs before Las Vegas casino fatality - 12th September 2012...

AFL footballer John McCarthy was drinking heavily and offered drugs before probably jumping from the third storey of a Las Vegas casino to a palm tree and falling to an accidental death. Warning - drugs can make people do stupid things.

McCarthy died within minutes of telling a Port Adelaide teammate in Vegas he was okay and was on his way back to his hotel, about four kilometres from where his body was found.

McCarthy was with 10 other Port players on an end of season trip but became separated from his teammates at a nightclub where the sportsmen were offered drugs.

"A couple of the guys have said that the drugs were freely available in these casinos," Port Adelaide chief executive officer Keith Thomas told reporters in Adelaide on Wednesday.

" ... They said they were really mindful of it - they had been drinking - but they were surprised at the sort of stuff that was going on."

McCarthy's Port teammates returned to Adelaide earlier on Wednesday feeling guilty about what happened, Thomas said.

"I don't want the impression out there that these lads just left one of their mates to just roam around," he said.

"As soon as they became aware, they made contact with him. And unfortunately an accident happened."

Thomas declined to name the Port player telephoned by McCarthy's girlfriend in Adelaide, just moments after she'd spoken to the Victorian-born 22-year-old.

"Whilst she was concerned that he was on his own and he seemed a little bit disorientated and perhaps lost, he probably was (lost), she was comfortable with the call, she felt as if it went okay," Thomas said.

"She was, however, concerned enough because he was on his own to make contact with one of our other players to try and get him (McCarthy) back into the group.

"She did that. She made contact and that player made contact with John who suggested that he was on his way back to the hotel.

"And so at that point, the group felt as if he was okay and he's coming back."

Thomas believed McCarthy "shortly thereafter" fell nine metres to his death at the Flamingo casino and hotel complex, where his body was found about 5.40am on Sunday, Las Vegas time.

A group of Western Bulldogs AFL players were also in Las Vegas, chaperoned by club runner and Victorian policeman Stuart Bailey, believed to be the first Australian to view McCarthy's body.

"Everything is leading towards an accident at this point of time," Bailey told reporters in Las Vegas on Tuesday (Wednesday, Australian time).

Investigators believed McCarthy walked into the Flamingo casino and took a lift before arriving on a third-storey roof.

"He then walked to the edge," Bailey said.

"The evidence is suggesting that he has jumped off that wall to a palm tree, maybe been disorientated at how much the fall was, slipped and has fallen to the ground."

Port officials were awaiting clearance from the local coroner to repatriate McCarthy's body within two to three days, Thomas said.

An autopsy has been performed but toxicology results could take up to 12 weeks, after which McCarthy's family will decide whether or not to publicly release them.


Harry 'should stay in Afghanistan'...

Prince Harry should not be withdrawn from his military role in Afghanistan despite an attack on the Camp Bastion military compound, defence experts have said.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for Friday night's attack, saying it was carried out because Harry was on the base, and also as revenge for an anti-Islamic film.

The Prince was unharmed, but two US Marines were killed and several more wounded.

Harry, an Army captain, is based at Camp Bastion for his second tour of duty, due to last four months. The Prince was about two kilometres away with other crew members of the Apache attack helicopters, of which he is a co-pilot gunner, when the attack took place, sources said.

US officials said the attack on Camp Bastion was by heavily-armed insurgents and involved a range of weaponry, including mortars, rockets or rocket-propelled grenades, as well as small arms fire.

Qari Yousef Ahmadi, a spokesman for the Taliban, told The Associated Press: "We attacked that base because Prince Harry was also on it and so they can know our anger." He added: "Thousands more suicide attackers are ready to give up their lives for the sake of the Prophet."

Tory MP Colonel Bob Stewart, a former commander of British troops in Bosnia, said he did not think the Prince should be pulled out of Afghanistan because of the attack by the Taliban. "To hell with them," he said. "Harry wants to go there and our soldiers want him there. He should stay." But Col Stewart added: "Capturing, killing or hurting Prince Harry would be a huge propaganda coup for the Taliban."

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "The threat to all our service personnel is continually assessed and all measures taken to mitigate it. As we stated last week, the deployment of Captain Wales has been long planned and the threat to him and others around him thoroughly assessed. We stated that any risk posed by his deployment, based on the capability, opportunity and intent of the insurgency, is continually reviewed."

Harry, who celebrated his 28th birthday on Saturday, arrived in Afghanistan on September 7. He has been undergoing training to fly operations in Apache attack helicopters and is expected to start flying missions this week as a co-pilot gunner.

Camp Bastion is a huge base in the middle of the desert and is shared with US, Estonian, Danish and Afghan troops. It is the logistics hub for operations in Helmand, with supply convoys and armoured patrols regularly leaving its heavily-defended gates, to support the military forward operating bases, patrol bases and checkpoints spread across the province.


Prince Harry unharmed in deadly Afghan attack - 14th September 2012...

Troops injured at Camp Bastion, Helmand


WASHINGTON — Heavily armed insurgents staged a deadly attack Friday on the British airbase in southern Afghanistan where Prince Harry is stationed.

Two U.S. Marines were killed, and several other troops were injured, U.S. officials said, adding that the attack at Camp Bastion in Helmand province involved a range of weaponry, possibly including mortars, rockets or rocket-propelled grenades, as well as small arms fire.

A spokesman for NATO-led forces in Afghanistan said Harry was on the base at the time of the attack but was unharmed.

“Prince Harry was never in any danger,” spokesman Martyn Crighton said, adding that the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) would investigate whether his presence on the base had motivated the attack.

Lt. Col. Stewart Upton, a spokesman at Camp Leatherneck, a U.S. Marine based adjacent to the airbase, confirmed the attack and said two coalition service members had been killed.

Upton said coalition forces were assessing the extent of the damage and would provide more details later.

Camp Bastion is a British airbase and is used by the Marines at Leatherneck.

Crighton said the attack took place between 9 p.m. and midnight on Friday and that NATO-led forces were still securing the area in and around Camp Bastion.

A number of aircraft at the base also were hit by insurgent fire, a U.S. official said.

Capt. Harry Wales, as the prince is known in the military, is serving a four-month combat deployment as a gunner on an Apache helicopter. Harry, who turns 28 on Saturday, is expected to start flying Apache missions this week. This is his second tour in Afghanistan.

It also was not clear Friday whether the attack was connected at all to the protests and violence across the Muslim world this week that has been linked to an anti-Islamic film. Afghanistan’s southern region has been a hotbed of the insurgency and frequent attacks.

Earlier this week, the Afghan Taliban said they were doing everything in their power to either kill or kidnap Queen Elizabeth’s grandson in what they dubbed their “Harry Operations.”

Crighton said ISAF would investigate whether his presence on the base had motivated the attack.

Prince Harry had been in the news recently after nude pictures of him at a private party in a Vegas hotel room were published.


Friend of Princess Diana fears 'history repeating itself' with Kate...

'I saw what it did to Diana and it’s absolutely horrendous,' Rosa Monckton says about press intrusion following the publication of topless photographs of the Duchess of Cambridge

Rosa Monckton, a friend of the late Princess Diana, has told the U.K.’s ITV News of her fear that the press will hound the Duchess of Cambridge in the same way following the publication of photographs showing her topless.

“I think it’s history repeating itself,” Monckton told ITV News, which is a partner of NBC News. “It’s very damaging if you as an individual feel that you can never properly relax wherever you are. It gets to you in the end.”

She said she had decided to speak out in an attempt to dissuade the press from treating Kate the same way as Diana.

Monckton was on a private vacation with Diana in Greece shortly before Diana died and told about how they were constantly hunted by an army of about 250 journalists using boats and helicopters.
“I do not want that to happen to the Duchess of Cambridge. I saw what it did to Diana and it’s absolutely horrendous,” Monckton added.

Many blamed paparazzi photographers for following Diana’s car on the night she died in a crash in Paris in August 1997.

Kate and William have filed a lawsuit against French magazine Closer for printing photos of what appears to be Kate, sunbathing topless.

The suit alleges that Closer breached the couple's right to privacy, though the magazine insists it did not.

St. James Palace confirmed Friday that "legal proceedings for breach of privacy have been commenced today in France," reports the Associated Press.

Blurry, long-lens shots of Kate, taken while she and William were on vacation in Provence, in the south of France last week, were printed in the gossip magazine on Friday.

A statement from the palace said the pair were "hugely saddened" by the publication, adding that William and Kate "had every expectation of privacy in the remote house" where they were sunbathing at the time the pictures were taken.

According to a report in Reuters, Closer's editor-in-chief Laurence Pieau defended the "beautiful series" of photos.

"There's been an over-reaction to these photos. What we see is a young couple, who just got married, who are very much in love, who are splendid," Pieau told French BFM television, adding that the magazine had more "intimate" shots from the same series that it chose not to publish.

The news comes as the couple makes an official tour of Southeast Asia. Kate has been basking in the glow of rave reviews for her performing during her second overseas tour as a duchess — and just 24 hours after her heralded first public speech on the international stage.


Taliban Uses Former WWE Diva's Photos To Lure Aussie Troops Into Giving Away Military Secrets...

Taliban insurgents are posing as "attractive women" on Facebook to befriend Australian soldiers and gather intelligence about operations. There is a wrestling tie as one of the accounts the militant group created features photos of former WWE Diva Maria Kanellis.

PCWorld.com has posted an article on the matter, which features a screenshot of a phony Facebook profile with an image of Kanellis displayed.

The tech-savvy Taliban are using these fake profiles to befriend Australian soldiers and gather information based on their Facebook updates. The social networking website features a geo-tagging function, which logs the location from which posts are made. If a soldier posts something while they're in the field, their location is revealed.

Three Australian soldiers were murdered inside their base month, allegedly by an Afghan Army trainee.

Many soldiers did not realize that people using fake profiles can capture information and movements, according to the Australian Government's review of social media and defense. The review found an "overt reliance" on privacy settings had led to "a false sense of security" among troops.

Australian soldiers are being given pre-deployment briefings on the matter and the Australian Department of Defence is currently working on new social media guidelines.


WWE Military Outreach profile via WWE official website...

WWE Superstars and Divas regularly visit military bases and hospitals, including Walter Reed Army Medical Center (prior to closing its doors in 2011) and Bethesda Naval Hospital, to bolster the morale of our troops. Since 2002, WWE has produced WWE’s Holiday “Tribute to the Troops” with WWE Superstars and Divas performing before troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and the United States. In addition, WWE offers all U.S. military personnel free tickets to all its live events in the United States.

WWE also is a proud supporter of the National Guard’s Youth ChalleNGe Program, which assists youths in obtaining their G.E.D. or becoming educated in technical trades. WWE Superstar Kofi Kingston serves as spokesperson for the program. (Credit: WWE)
http://corporate.wwe.com/community/troops.jsp


WWE The USA Guy...

- WWE's official Twitter account continues to promote The USA Guy - a character made up by WWE Superstar Derrick Bateman.

WWE tweeted a new video promo for “USA Guy,” which shows Derrick Bateman re-packaged as a pro-American wrestler fighting foreign and domestic heels. The promo concludes: “Hold on to your flag poles … America is coming.

YouTube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkP5ibG9p7o&feature=player_embedded


Sgt Slaughter bio (credit: WWE)...

“Ten-hut!”

Boasting one of most recognizable names (and jaw lines) ever, Sgt. Slaughter is an instantly recognizable American icon to WWE fans and general pop culture enthusiasts alike. A former U.S. Marine who proudly served his country, “Sarge” burst onto the wrestling scene in 1974 using his real name, Robert Remus in the American Wrestling Association (AWA), working for and trained by WWE Hall of Famer Verne Gagne.

Four years later, Remus donned a mask as Super Destroyer Mark II, teaming with Super Destroyer Mark III managed by Lord Alfred Hayes. After a falling out with his partner, Super Destroyer Mark II took on WWE Hall of Famer, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan as his manager and began a series of ring wars with his former partner and Hayes.

It was not until six years after his professional debut that Remus decided to incorporate his status as a United States Marine Corps veteran and debut in WWE in 1980 as the brutal bullying drill instructor, Sgt. Slaughter who referred to his outmatched opponents as scum, slime and maggots. In less than one year with WWE, Slaughter was doing battle with legends like Bruno Sammartino, Pedro Morales, Pat Patterson and even Andre The Giant.

In 1981, Sgt Slaughter took his penchant for punishment to the NWA where he defeated Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat for the United States Championship. Sarge also proved he could still dominate tag team wrestling as well, teaming with Don Kernoodle to become NWA World Tag Team Champions.

Slaughter returned to WWE in 1983 and, still reviled by its fans, instantly main-evented against WWE Champion Bob Backlund but was unable to take the title from the All-American standard bearer. Almost a decade after his professional debut, Sgt. Slaughter had still not attained every competitor’s dream of being a World Champion.

In 1984, Sgt. Slaughter had heard enough of anti-America rhetoric from for WWE Champion, The Iron Sheik and decided to defend the honor of his country, instantly making him a fan favorite with the WWE Universe. For an entire year, Sgt. Slaughter battled The Iron Sheik in almost all of the 50 states in bloody Steel Cage Matches and Boot Camp Matches. Sgt. Slaughter finally silenced the Iranian aggressor and was second only to Hulk Hogan in terms of popularity with the WWE Universe. However, Slaughter was about to leave WWE right before the birth of WrestleMania in 1985 because of a dispute over action figures. Toy company Hasbro approached Sgt. Slaughter about becoming a character in their G.I. Joe franchise which included action figures. However, at the time, WWE had an exclusive agreement with rival toy company LJN, Sarge had to choose between WWE and G.I. Joe and chose to battle Cobra Commander and his evil forces as an action figure, a comic book hero and even on the G.I. Joe animated series.

In order to continue his wildly successful wrestling career while being G.I. Joe’s best selling action figure, Slaughter returned to the promotion where he began his career, Verne Gagne’s AWA where he defended America ideals against the Soviet Union’s Boris Zhukov and South Africa’s Colonel DeBeers and even The Iron Sheik who followed Sarge to the AWA looking for vengeance. While all of his opponents had the advantage of having Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissey in their corner, Slaughter delighted wrestling fans by besting his opponents in bloody Boot Camp Matches. Sarge earned AWA World Title matches against Stan Hansen and then against Larry Zbyszko on ESPN but was still unable to win his first World Title.

In 1990 the AWA’s demise was imminent and Sgt. Slaughter returned to WWE and was part of one of the most infamous chapters in WWE history. Slaughter claimed America had gone soft as a result of the end of the Cold War with the Soviet Union and did the unthinkable by becoming an Iraqi sympathizer during the Gulf War. Despite the distractions of death threats with enraged Americans, Slaughter finally won his first and only World Title when he defeated The Ultimate Warrior at Royal Rumble 1991 with the help of “Macho King” Randy Savage. At WrestleMania VII, Slaughter was defeated for The WWE Championship by the red, white and blue clad Hulk Hogan. Slaughter then found a way to sink even lower than he had by flanking himself with fellow Iraqi sympathizers General Adnan (formerly known as his nemesis, Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissey) and Colonel Mustafa (formerly known his most despised opponent, The Iron Sheik). At SummerSlam 1991, Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior defeated the trio now known as The Triangle of Terror, Sgt. Slaughter, General Adnan and Colonel Mustafa.

After The United States soundly defeated Iraq in the Gulf War and months of soul searching, Sgt. Slaughter pleaded with the WWE Universe to accept his apology and welcome him back as a champion for the American way pleading “I want my country back.” Cautiously, WWE fans gave Sarge a chance to prove himself and he did, teaming with the American flag waving “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan to take on all aggressors, foreign and domestic. Almost two decades after his professional debut, Sgt. Slaughter retired from full time competition in 1992 and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by former foe turned long time friend, Pat Patterson in 1994.

In 1997, Slaughter returned as WWE Commissioner and did his best to control the chaos created by newly formed D-Generation X, Triple H, Shawn Michaels and Chyna. After a stint as one of Mr. McMahon’s evil lackeys in his war against “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Slaughter largely disappeared from television and assumed a behind the scenes role with World Wrestling Entertainment. The beloved Sarge is now an Ambassador for WWE and busy as ever appearing at charity events all over America and as the only legend who is part The National Guard’s WWE “Big Guns” Team alongside the likes of John Cena, Beth Phoenix and others . Sgt. Slaughter remains one of the most recognizable WWE personalities of all time and recently appeared on Comedy Central’s top rated program Tosh.0, NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and most importantly, WWE’s annual Tribute to the Troops.

Looking as fit as he did when he first laced up his boots in 1974, Sgt. Slaughter always travels with his tights and boots and at a moment’s notice, will fight for truth, justice and the American way.

“Dismissed!”
(Credit: WWE)


Sgt Slaughter VS The Iron Sheik - 23rd April 1984 - Multimedia...

One of the most famous matches ever at Madison Square Garden

http://www.wwe.com/videos/sgt-slaughter-vs-the-iron-sheik-april-23-1984-25057299


The Iron Sheik bio...

Real Name: Hossein Khosrow Vaziri
Birthplace: Tehran, Iran
Current Home: Atlanta, GA
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 265lbs.
Birthday: March 15th
Pro Debut: 1973
Finishing Move: The Camel Clutch
Signature Moves: The master of the suplexe
Names Used: Great Ali Hussein Arab, Hussein Arab, Col. Mustafa and The Iron Sheik

Championships Held:

WWF World Heavyweight Champion
WWF World Tag Team Champion (with Nikolai Volkoff)
NWA Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion
NWA Canadian Tag Team Champion (with Texas Outlaw)
NWA PNW Tag Team Champion (with Bull Ramos)
NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion
NWA Canadian Heavyweight Champion
CWA Heavyweight Champion
NWA National Television Champion
NWA Southern Heavyweight Champion\
Twin Wrestling Entertainment Champion

In The Beginning

- Khosrow Vaziri started out as an amature wrestler and even won a medel at the 1968 Olympic Games, representing Iran..
- Years later, this was proven to be a complete "work" just to enhance his gimmick wrestling in America..
- 1972: Khosrow Vaziri defected to the United States and became an assistant wrestling coach for the United States..
- Khosrow Vaziri was a two-time AAU Champion and also a United States Olympic Greco Wrestling Coach..
- 1972: Khosrow Vaziri caught the eye of Minnesota legend Verne Gagne at the Olympic Training sessions..
- 1972: Khosrow Vaziri began training with Verne Gagne and debuted in the AWA at the end of that year..
- 1979: Khosrow Vaziri signed with the World Wide Wrestling Federation, wrestling as "Hussein Arab", managed by Fred Blassie..
- June 4, 1979 - MSG: Hussein Arab won a Battle Royal to earn a title shot at WWF Champion Bob Backlund, in the main event..
- Hussein Arab departed the WWWF and toured the Southern territories..

Mid-South Wrestling

- Kosraw Vaziri went to work for Bill Watts' Mid South Wrestling promotion and became known as The "Iron Sheik"..
- November 26, 1981--Superdome Extravaganza: The Iron Sheik defeated King Cobra..

World Wrestling Federation

- 1983: The Iron Sheik signed with the World Wrestling Federation when it was becoming a national promotion..
- The Iron Sheik gained a reputation of being the "master of the suplex" using many versions of the suplex..
- December 26, 1983 - MSG: The Iron Sheik beat Bob Backlund for the WWF World title when Arnold Skaaland threw in the towel..
- The Iron Sheik had title defenses against Chief Jay Strongbow, Pat Patterson, Bob Backlund, Salvatore Bellomo and Tito Santana..
- January 23, 1984 - MSG: Hulk Hogan defeated Iron Sheik for the WWF World title in one of the most famous matches of all time..
- Rumor has it, AWA promoter Verne Gagne offered Sheik $100,000 to break Hogans leg during the match..
- Luckily, Iron Sheik is a smart man, and did the job, and informed Hogan & McMahon of the offer after the match..
- July 23, 1984 - Brawl to End It All: The Iron Sheik defeated Tony Garea..
- 1984: The Iron Sheik & Sgt Slaughter engaged in a bloody and violent feud that spread throughout the entire country..
- June 16, 1984 - MSG: Sgt Slaughter defeated The Iron Sheik in a famous Boot Camp match..

World Wrestling Federation - The Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff

- 1984: The Iron Sheik formed a successful tag team with Nikolai Volkoff, managed by Fred Blassie..
- March 31, 1985 - WrestleMania: The Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff beat Mike Rotundo & Barry Windham for the Tag Team titles..
- May 11, 1985 - SNME: The US Express & Ricky Steamboat defeated Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff & George Steele..
- July 8, 1985 - King of the Ring: The Iron Sheik made it all the way to the finals where he lost to Don Muraco..
- Iron Sheik b Jim Brunzell | Iron Sheik b Ricky Steamboat | Iron Sheik b Tito Santana | Don Muraco b Iron Sheik..
- November 7, 1985 - Wrestling Classic: The Junk Yard Dog defeated The Iron Sheik in the 1st Round of the Tournament..
- April 2, 1986 - Wrestlemania 2: The Iron Sheik participated in the Invitational Battle Royal - won by Andre The Giant..
- May 3, 1986 - SNME: The British Bulldogs defeated The Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff in 2/3 Falls to retain the Tag Team titles..
- July 14, 1986 - King of the Ring: Billy Jack Haynes defeated The Iron Sheik in the 1st Round of the Tournament..
- March 14, 1987 - SNME: Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat defeated The Iron Sheik..
- March 27, 1987 - WrestleMania III: The Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff defeated the Killer Bees by DQ when Jim Duggan interfered..
- May 26, 1987: The Iron Sheik and Jim Duggan were arrested by New Jersey State Police..
- Duggan was charged with possession of marijuana and drinking alcohol while driving..
- Sheik was charged with possession of marijuana and cocaine..
- Duggan received a conditional discharge and Sheik received one year probation..
- What was so shocking about this was that they were feuding at the time, and the incident exposed the business..
- 1987: The Iron Sheik left the WWF soon after this incident..

World Class Championship Wrestling

- November 26, 1987 - Star Wars: Chris Adams & Matt Borne defeated The Iron Sheik & The Thing by DQ..
- December 25, 1987 - Star Wars: Matt Borne defeated The Iron Sheik to retain the Texas Heavyweight title..

American Wrestling Association

- Dec 13, 1988 - Superclash III: The Iron Sheik made a surprise appearance when he attacks Sgt Slaughter during a match vs Col. DeBeers..

National Wrestling Alliance

- May 7, 1989 - WrestleWar: Sting defeated The Iron Sheik to retain the NWA Television title..

World Wrestling Federation - Col Mustafa

- 1991: The Iron Sheik returned to the WWF, but this time wrestling as "Col Mustafa"..
- Col Mustafa aligned himself with Iraqi sympathizers Sgt Slaughter & General Adnan as the "Triangle of Terror"..
- SummerSlam 1991: Hulk Hogan & Ultimate Warrior defeated the Triangle of Terror in a handicap match..
- After the match, Adnan & Mustafa turned on Sgt Slaughter, who became a born again american patriot..

World Wrestling Federation - Manager

- February 1997: The Iron Sheik returned to the WWF, as the co-manager for "The Sultan". (Credit: Sheik Show official website)


Where Are They Now? Corporal Kirchner...(Credit: WWE)

He’s remembered as a patriot, an all-American good guy who defended his country’s honor against loathed Russian villain Nikolai Volkoff at WrestleMania 2. But there’s a dark side to the career of the man known as Corporal Kirchner that many WWE fans don’t know — a decade spent in the vicious world of Japanese hardcore wrestling under the name Leatherface, brawling his way through the most brutal matches ever witnessed.

From a truck stop in Tennessee, Mike Kirchner reflected on each of his personas as if they were long lost friends.

“I loved both of them,” Kirchner told WWE.com during a lengthy phone conversation. “[Corporal Kirchner] was so much fun, because you’d learn from so many guys. But Leatherface was just hardcore joy.”

Different as they may be, Kirchner’s alter egos had one thing in common — toughness. It was a reputation he carried with him throughout his career and something that was ingrained in him since his schoolyard days. By his own account a rebellious kid, the Chicago native grew up a scrapper — the result of a childhood spent moving from town to town. His no-nonsense attitude could have sent him down a bad road, but at 17 he joined the military and learned discipline.

*Credit and full article at WWE official website http://www.wwe.com/classics/wherearetheynow/where-are-they-now-kirchner


The Iron Sheik On WWE Hall Of Fame website...

Website
http://www.wwe.com/superstars/theironsheik


WWE's Randy Orton to star in The Marine 3...

WWE are giving 'The Apex Preditor' another shot at the movie business, confirming Orton will star in 'The Marine 3'. This clearly shows commitment to sticking with the volatile pro wrestler.


Eve wins NBC's "Stars Earn Stripes"...

Congratulations are in order for former Divas Champion Eve, who won the season finale of NBC's "Stars Earn Stripes" and the USO a total of $150,000!

Eve joined four-time undefeated world boxing champion Laila Ali, actor Dean Cain (“Out of Time,” “Five Days of War”), actor and former National Football League player Terry Crews (“The Expendables 2,” “The Newsroom”), multi-platinum recording artist, actor, producer and television personality Nick Lachey (NBC's “The Sing-Off”), Alaska businessman Todd Palin, Olympic gold medalist Picabo Street and “The Biggest Loser” trainer Dolvett Quince in the competition.

Over the course of the show, Eve had already won the USO $50,000, utilizing the skillset from her WWE and MMA training and engineering degree from the University Southern California, USC. She impressed millions of fans across the world with her target shooting, physical prowess and dedication and respect for the men and women of our Armed Forces.

" 'Stars Earn Stripes' was one of the best experiences of my life," Eve told WWE.com in an exclusive interview. "I went in assuming I was the underdog because I didn't have the military experience. The USO is a really important organization, and I know that this win is really important to the troops."

But Eve said there was something she didn't expect about the competition.

"It was much more mental than I had expected," Eve said about the dangerous military missions she took part in. "So while I was trained physically for it — jumping out of helicopters — I wasn't fully prepared for the emotional and mental part; that focus," Eve explained. "It just taught me so much about what our military men and women go through."

On "Stars Earn Stripes," eight competitors gathered at a remote training facility where they tackled complicated and difficult missions inspired by real military exercises. Each was paired with an “operative” who is a member or a former member of our Armed Forces or law enforcement agencies. The operative coached and guided their celebrity teammate on their training and each of their missions and competed alongside them. From helicopter drops to long range weapons fire — the competitors were tested physically and emotionally as they played to win and to earn a cash prize for military, veterans and first-responder based charities. Each week, one of the teams was eliminated.

The Diva also noted that WWE played a large role in getting ready for the competition. Even before "Stars Earned Stripes," she had a deep-rooted dedication and respect for the military from WWE's Tribute to the Troops.

"WWE is a huge supporter of our troops," she said. "Part of my love and admiration for our men and women in the military has come from the tours we have done. That really opened up my eyes to what they go through."

And how did being a WWE Diva in the ring help prepare her for her big "Stars Earn Stripes" win?

"I think being a WWE Diva is a tough job; there's lots we do that's not seen on television, constantly working and trying to better ourselves," Eve said. "And I really think that hard work and dedication from being a WWE Diva is probably what set me apart from the other competitors."

Congratulations, Eve! (Credit: WWE)


JBL to climb Mount Kilimanjaro next week...

UPDATE: Sept. 14, 2012

JBL is one week away from beginning his Mount Kilimanjaro climb in Africa!

"I really believe unless I get altitude sickness (which I didn't have any problem last time) or I have an accident where I fall and break an ankle or something, I should make this mountain at 19,334 feet," he wrote.

Read more on JBL's Facebook blog. http://www.facebook.com/pages/John-Layfield/194176253533

Credit:
http://www.wwe.com/inside/overtheropes/wweinyourcorner/jbl-seven-summits-kilimanjaro-aconcagua-26043451


2012 Sydney Islamic Riots...

The 2012 Sydney Islamic protest occurred on 15 September 2012 in response to the video Innocence of Muslims. Protestors had objected to the video's portrayal of Muhammad as a man who encouraged violence, and who had people who ridiculed him killed. The protest started at about midday when about 100 people - including women and babies - gathered at Town Hall, marched through Hyde Park and along to Phillip Street, chanting, "Down, down USA" for almost three hours.

As the crowd swelled to over 300 they started to leave Hyde Park towards St James station, riot police armed with batons and shields were waiting for them at the park exit. The crowd soon became agitated and began attacking police as they tried to storm the US Consulate. Islamist protestors continued to throw sticks and bottles at the police. Riot and mounted police pursued protesters down William Street towards Kings Cross as one protester was seen throwing a milk crate at a police car. The already splintered crowd then broke up further, running through the back streets of Darlinghurst where smaller fights occurred.

Protesters, including children, held signs saying, "Behead all those who insult the prophet" and "Obama Obama, we love Osama", and threw objects from construction sites and water bottles at police officers. Police responded by spraying capsicum spray into the crowd.

Several CBD streets, including the intersection of Martin Place and Castlereagh Street, parts of George Street and Market Street were shut down while protestors moved through the city, causing damage and traffic chaos. (Credit: Wikipedia)


Topless Kate pix published in Ireland, Italy next...

ROME (AP) — The British royal family faced a multinational battle to contain the spread of topless photos of Prince William's wife Kate, as an Irish tabloid published them Saturday and an Italian gossip magazine planned to do the same despite the threat of legal action.

The royal couple's St. James's Palace office condemned the moves as unjustifiable and evidence of pure greed, and said it was considering "all proportionate responses."

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge sued French magazine Closer on Friday after it ran the photos, taken while Kate and William were on vacation at a relative's private estate in southern France last month.

The publication has been roundly condemned by British newspapers, which refrained from publishing them out of respect for the young couple's privacy, even though tabloids like The Sun run topless women every day on page 3 and ran pictures of Prince Harry naked in Las Vegas last month.

The British media, wary about an ongoing media ethics inquiry triggered by revelations of illegal phone hacking and other intrusive newspaper behavior, has generally respected palace guidelines stressing that William and Kate should not be photographed when they are not in public.

But across the Irish Sea, the Dublin-based Irish Daily Star ran a blurry reproduction of the pages from Closer over two inside pages Saturday.

Editor Mike O'Kane told the BBC the photos weren't included in the edition distributed in Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. And the newspaper's website came up as "temporarily unavailable" Saturday.

O'Kane defended his newspaper, saying that Ireland did not view the royal family the same way as the British.

"She's not our future queen," he told the BBC. "The duchess would be no different to any other celeb pics we would get in, for example Rihanna or Lady Gaga."

Northern and Shell, the British company that co-owns the Irish Daily Star — and publishes its British sister tabloid, the Daily Star — said it was "profoundly dismayed" the Dublin newspaper had run the pictures. It said it had had no control over the decision.

Northern and Shell's chairman, Richard Desmond, said he was "taking immediate steps to close down the joint venture" that runs the tabloid.

In Italy, gossip magazine Chi, which is owned by former Premier Silvio Berlusconi, said it planned to publish a 26-page spread with the photos on Monday, although it wasn't clear if the content was any different from what Closer ran.

Chi is part of Berlusconi's publishing empire Mondadori, which also owns Closer.

The Chi cover, featuring three pictures of a topless princess, was unveiled Saturday in Italian newspapers and television under the headline "Court Scandal: The Queen is Nude!"

In an interview Saturday with The Associated Press, Chi editor Alfonso Signorini said he didn't fear legal action since the photos were already in the public domain following Closer's publication.

"Closer's position is different, they were the first ones to publish," he said.

He defended the decision to publish them in Italy, saying the photos are tasteful and respect Kate's dignity.

"I don't see anything morbid or damaging in them," he said. "Chi pays attention to respecting people's dignity. I don't think they hurt Kate's image."

He added in a statement that the pictures actually were in line "with the modern concept of the monarchy."

"It shows in its total naturalness the daily life of a young, famous, modern couple in love," he said.

Citing that argument, Mondadori said Saturday it respected the editorial decisions of both Chi and Closer, Italian news agency ANSA reported.

A spokeswoman at St. James's Palace said royal officials were reviewing "all proportionate responses" to Chi's planned publication.

The spokeswoman, who spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with palace policy, said publication of the photos served no purpose "other than to cause further, entirely unjustifiable upset to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who were enjoying time alone together in the privacy of a relative's home."

The blurry photos, called a "grotesque" abuse of privacy by royal officials after they were published Friday by Closer, show Kate - the Duchess of Cambridge - wearing only a skimpy bikini bottom and sunglasses.

In one of the three on Chi's cover, she appears to be rubbing suntan lotion on William's shoulder.

Palace officials compared the intrusion on the young couple's privacy to the tragic paparazzi pursuit of William's mother Princess Diana, which many believe was a contributing factor to her early death in a car crash in Paris on Aug. 31, 1997.

That two magazines in Berlusconi's media empire were responsible for the distribution of the images of a topless Kate is remarkable, given the former premier's own problems with paparazzi and his privacy.

In 2009, he threatened legal action against the Spanish newspaper El Pais after it published photos of topless women and a naked man lounging at his Sardinian estate. Italian prosecutors seized the photos and placed the photographer under investigation for alleged violation of privacy.

The photos came to light at the start of Berlusconi's downfall: They were published amid a scandal involving Berlusconi and a Naples model, whose 18th birthday party the then-premier attended.

Berlusconi, who was forced from office in November after financial markets lost faith in his ability to steer Italy out of its debt crisis, is currently on trial in Milan on charges he paid for sex with an underage Moroccan girl and then used his office to try to cover it up. He denies wrongdoing, and both he and the girl say they didn't have sex.

Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.


Crown raises $532m in notes offer...

James Packer's Crown Casino has raised $532 million through its subordinated notes offer.

The amount exceeded the $400 million Crown in August said it was seeking to raise.

Crown said it had issued 5.3 million notes at an issue price of $100 each.

The notes are expected to commence trading on a deferred-settlement basis on Monday.

Crown has been undertaking a range of capital expenditure projects at its Crown Melbourne and Burswood hotel and casino complexes.


Banned punters from Crown casino turn to illegal gambling in Melbourne...

Some punters banned from Crown casino are among gamblers involved in illegal high-stakes games in Melbourne.

The secret table games - some run in the Chinatown precinct - attract punters unwilling to visit Crown and other legal outlets.


Websites

Casino News Media

Sgt Slaughter official website

The Iron Sheik official website

Hulk Hogan official website

John Layfield official website - The Layfield Report

The USA Guy YouTube

Australian Army official website

United States Army official website

Stars Earn Stripes - NBC official website

WWE Studios

Media Man Int

Casino News Media

Australian Sports Entertainment

Website Network

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Media Man

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Underbelly Real Life With Pokies And Gunfire, by Greg Tingle - 14th August 2010

Australian casino news sees the crime theme level hit fever pitch. With a script right out of Hollywood, Melbourne sees real life Underbelly return, with bloodshed, bullets and a pokies connection. The Underbelly scenario follows yesterday's report of Melbourne Crown Casino Chinatown high rollers getting busted for drugs, a curious casino chips connection and the works. Media Man and Gambling911 once again don the bullet proof vests and call on the sniffer dogs with this special report from the war zone. 3, 2, 1 rolling and action...

Underbelly real life has appeared to return to the now mean streets of Melbourne, down under in Australia.

Evening peak hour traffic in downtown Lygon Street, Carlton. One Aussie bloke dead as wood inside the doorway of a pokies pub, another fella lying on the footpath outside the venue. A gunman darts across a public park, reloading his weapon on the run.

The deceases were said to be middle aged, both gunned down at close range. A 3rd man was has been detained in custody, being questioned over the murders.

Earlier that fateful day, in another part of Melbourne, another man lay dead. Just before 11am, a gunman jumped out of a sedan in Conifer Avenue, Brooklyn, in the city's industrial western region. He strolled towards the bearded figure of Macchour Chaouk, who was standing in his backyard, and fired several rounds into his chest.

Everyone is looking to see if there is connection between the two bloody baths. Let us also recall the Crown Casino Chinatown crims who got busted for drug dealing around the same period, with a somewhat casino chip connection, often spotted in Crown's Mahogany Room (they won't be coming back to play nor mingle).

65-year-old Chaouk, a Lebanese - Australian man with the rep of a low-mid level crime boss, had died a violent death. Police made little secret that they were looking closely at a rival crime family, which had been engaged in a vicious turf war with the Chaouk clan. Turf is often associated with the patch used for drugs, distribution, deals... you get the idea.

Melbourne police advised a 57-year-old Altona North man was arrested over the shooting at a residential address in Altona North.

Chaouk had served time in the slammer for a for number of drug offences and was charged and acquitted of murdering a drug dealer. The crime figure was involved in two blood feuds: one against the notorious Haddara family; another against Victoria Police force, who in circa 2005 shot dead his son Mohamed when its officers raided their suburban Brooklyn home.

It was last month when papa and two surviving sons, Omar and Waleed, were arrested and guns were confiscated in a series of raids by coppers. It came within a couple of weeks of a drive-by shooting in a nearby suburb that left Sam Haddara with nasty facial wounds. Omar was charged, and reluctantly bailed by magistrate Fiona Stewart on the grounds he avoid the family home.

"There is an ongoing war between two families and the court should be extremely worried about the danger posed to the community by it," Stewart said.

These happenings bring back memories of Alfonse Gangitano and Lewis Moran's Carlton Crew.

The shootings took place in Players on Lygon, a pokies den across the road from Argyle Square. Witnesses to the shootings say they heard between five and eight shots above the noise of rush-hour traffic.

Reloading the weapon as he ran for his life, the killer dressed in midnight black, reached the other side of the popular park before giving up the pursuit.

He then strolled back across the park and into the pokies venue. Several more gun shots were heard in the region. He has returned apparently to finish the job, perhaps engulfed in hate and fueled by the smell of blood.

Homicide Detective Sergeant Wayne Woltsche said the shooting as "outrageous and callous." He said he didn't believe there was a connection between this crime and the earlier murder.

"Two people have been shot in the streets of Melbourne. It is a fairly callous crime. Whether it is an execution, I cannot say."

Police sealed off the Lygon Street crime scene, they were still preping to remove Macchour Chaouk's body from his Brooklyn house under police guard.

Footage captured from a Network Nine helicopter showed Chaouk's wife, dressed in Islamic black, prostrating herself on her husband's body as it lay covered by a sheet in backyard on the family home.

Abour an hour and a half after the murders, three kids, aged one, three and five, who were inside when the killing occurred, were taken from the home, wrapped in what looked to be blankets.

Twenty minutes later, after the arrival of a grey assault vehicle, an army of 11 heavily armed Special Operations Group police officers entered the home to make it safe for detectives, forensic experts and the like.

Family and friends, including 19-year old offspring Omar, still on bail waiting to face weapons, drugs and fraud charges, waited outside for many hours after the shooting as police sealed off the area to the public and curious types. He was not allowed inside until a touch after 3pm.

An aging neighbour heard shouting and several rapid-fire gun shots at the house, on the corner of Geelong Road and Conifer Avenue, just before 11am. Schools in the area locked students in their classrooms, neighbours advised they were not surprised by the killing. They were also aware of the strong potential for further gunfire and murders in their neighbourhood, with one sharing, "It will never end now."

Several described Chaouk as a "friendly man", although all were aware of his family's criminal reputation and then some. "He was always pleasant to me," one man said. "I guess you don't shit in your own nest."

Detective Superintendent Murray Fraser said that at 10.55am a gunman stepped out of a car in Conifer Avenue and fired several shots through the back gate, killing Chaouk. Attempts were made to revive him, but he was dead as before paramedics arrived.

Quizzed whether inquiries were centred on the family feud, Superintendent Fraser went on record with "That's a fairly obvious inference to draw at the early stages. At this stage there is no evidence that we can really rely on to take that matter any further but we have to look at that as an avenue of inquiry, no doubt . . . and we will obviously have to keep an open mind."

Probed if he thought there would be revenge attacks, he shared "That's an issue that we have to plan for. There has been a history of conflict involving the Chaouk family."

Before yesterday, the most violent make up of that history had been the drive-by murder of Mohammed Haddara in June last year. Chaouk's 22-year-old nephew, Ahmed Hablas, was charged.

Hablas's legal eagle, Alan Swanwick, advised his client feared for his life in custody as members of the Haddara family had vowed to take revenge. Those fears will be heightened considerable be it Chaouk id dead.

Back to the Lygon Street killings, suspicions are of an unrelated drug deal gone to *hit.

Lygon Street may never be quite the same, and no doubt these real life 'Underbelly' happenings are ongoing to boost interest in the Network Nine smash hit. Insiders say they will include the pokies connection, and perhaps also draw upon more history with Crown Casino, having a hard time stopping the rumor mill. The TV version of 'Underbelly' has yet more material to work with, as it prepares to screen the Brisbane and Gold Coast - Surfers' Parasise versions.

Unfortunately this 'Underbelly' themed report is real life and we call for calm.

The Late News...

Crown Casino coopering with Australian state and federal police

Melbourne CBD in lockdown mode

Underbelly happenings boost popularity of The Godfather and Hitman slot games

More arrests likely

Victoria, Mildura - Jewel Casino Proposal Getting To Next Level...

A Mildura based community group will round up the troops and assemble to support a Mildura casino following an impressive presentation from champion casino pitch man and developer Don Carrazza this week. "CasinoMeister" (Media Man tag) Carrazza spoke to more than 50 punters at The Office Wine Bar and Lounge re the positive progress of the Mildura Jewel convention centre project aka Jewel Casino... you got to love those long names and the adds ons to add value. Many people at the meeting responded saying a community group should be established to help gather support for the prop and also gain bi-partisan (both Labor and Liberal parties) support. A subsequent meet up for this Monday was arranged to assemble the passionate mob er group. Carrazza told the gathering Mildura’s community needed to show support for the casino. "Mildura at the moment needs a boost. We lost 60,000 acres of land with irrigation; that’s got to be replaced. If we stuff around for too long the people who want to fund this project will walk away. As a community we have to make these politicians understand what we want" said the likable pitch man.

Media Man Profiles

Australia

Underbelly

Crown Casino

Mildura

Australian Casinos

Wrap Up...

Readers, do you think the police are tough enough on the real life 'Underbelly' types? Crown Casino should ride off the publicity and get an Underbelly or Kerry Packer themed slot game? What's your predication for the next colourful crime to happen at an Australian land based casino? Should the Mildura Jewel Casino proposal go ahead? What's your favorite casino games and why? Tell us in the forum.

Crown Casino Connection Colourful Crimes...

'Crown Casino Client Ferrari Stolen With Virgin Valet'
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/crown-casino-client-ferrari-stolen-virgin-valet-051410.html

'Crown Casino Shaft Man Probed and Charged'
http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/crown-casino-shaft-man-probed-and-charged-080310.html

Readers, know the odds, bet with your head, not over it, and have fun. Don't mix your passion for casinos and gaming with crime, and don't do anything we wouldn't do.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911

*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming.

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited

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