From: v113np2v@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (George D Emmons)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling
Subject: Re: Cornette's New Tag Team
Summary: Lane & Pritchard are Heavenly Bodies
Date: 12 Apr 92 18:57:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Apr12.170354.20773@acsu.buffalo.edu>, v070qg5d@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Eric M Chmiel) writes...
>>Jim Cornette's new tag team was revealed to be "Sweet" Stan Lane and Dr. Tom
>>Pritchard as "The Heavenly Bodies."  They went on to defeat Bart and Brad
>>Badden to move on into the next round of the tag team tourney being held.
>> 
>    Are you listening Kip?  Break out that wallet and sign these guys up!
>I miss Cornette, I miss Lane, and Pritchard isn't a bad heel in his own right.
>Well, it would beat the hell out of J.T. Southern anyway.
>                                         -Eflow               
     While it _would_ be better than JT's matches, the logistics of
bringing in Lane, Cornette, and Pritchard don't work out. Aside 
from the fact that Smoky Mountain Wrestling is owned by Mr. 
Cornette, who would most certainly not abandon his baby "just" to
return to WCW for a while, consider these (also my explanation for
why, if SMW folds within the year [which it shouldn't] Jimmy and
Stan won't return :'-( )

1) Why would Cornette return to a federation where he would be 
a BIG second banana to PED?

2) It's a commonly known fact that the Midnight Express was, 
outside of the Steiners, Harts, and other family teams, the 
tightest unit in wrestling. Should Cornette and Lane (and maybe
even Pritchard) come to WCW, it's no secret a Midnight reunion
would be the top thing on everyone's mind. Given Corny's mercurial
nature, I think the thing stopping the reunion (And most probably
the entire Cornette & Lane to WCW idea) is Bobby Lee. Bobby was 
put in the toughest situation of his life the last time the 
Express put up a show of solidarity against Herd. While Cornette
has enough to support his family, and Lane (to my knowledge) at the
time had no family to support, Bobby Lee had a wife and kids to 
worry about. The decision to stay, from what I heard, was only
made after Virgil promised him a BIG singles push, the TV title,
and a $15,000 raise. I think Virgil knows what Bobby went through,
and is not sending out serious offers *because* :a)Bobby has asked
him not to (speculation) b)Virgil doesn't want to run the risk of
Bobby jumping with Stan and Jimmy if they get fed up again.

3) Either way, with Pritchard or Eaton, the Cornette-managed team
wouldn't be given squat for a push in comparison to the Steiners.
If Cornette and Lane returned, it would be for the World titles,
which, at least for the next year or so, will be the sole property
of the Rechsteiner brothers once they get them (i.e. "no stinking
tag team will ever take these belts away from us!" but for real 
this time). Bottom line: Lane and ? would be doing some major jobs
for the soon-to-be-champs.

4) Fan interest. The Midnight Express, first and foremost, were a 
hardcore fan's dream. The marks saw them as the Beverly Brothers
with titles. Now that Kip has a team that both hardcores and marks 
love (Rob & Scott), he won't be going out of his way to bring in 
more than one other good worker combo (Which would demand $$$) when
he can team Van Hammer and J.T. Southern for a lot less, and have 
equal or better merchandising business.

                                 Thoughts, ladies & gentlemen?
                                      George
"Are ya glad ta see us back?!?"
"Ladies and gentlemen- the gangster of love and the sultan of 
swing... Beautiful Bobby...Sweet Stan... The Midnight Expresssss!!"
                                    -James Cornette
                         (one last time for old time's sake.)