Television Report

THE OPENING AT TRAXX

Al Snow removes yet another tombstone (chair) and places it in the graveyard (side of the room) with the rest. This one is of course belonging to Paulina. Snow talked about how the competition was only going to get tougher. And instead of the typical insult used at the expense of the last contestant to be kicked off the show, Snow actually said Paulina would be missed (instead of the usual (insert name here).."obviously wasn't TOUGH ENOUGH!".

Jackie informs Nidia and Taylor, they are the only females left in the competition and it is down to one or the other. She asked them who wants it more. Nidia suggested it was between herself and Taylor since the contest began. The rest of the contestant's make secret comments for us at home suggesting to us, Nidia is going to win the competition over Taylor.

I've got a different opinion, I think Taylor is going to win the contest between the two girls. For a lot of reasons which will be addressed later.


THE SELLING STARTS WITH THE TURNBUCKLE!

The contestant's are led to the ring where they take turns learning how to properly bash their foreheads against the top turnbuckle and make it look realistic (I was hoping for the turnbuckle eat routine taught by George "The Animal" Steele!). Taylor during this lesson at one point hurt her back slightly. Greg had difficulties also and cracked his jaw.


BACK TO THE OLD SCHOOL TRAINING

Next was 'old school' training such as arm drags. Nidia took one and landed incorrectly and twisted her knee. She was the third contestant to be injured so far on this week's episode of "TOUGH ENOUGH".


IT'S TIME, IT'S TIME TO LEARN SOMETHING BRAND SPANKING NEW!

Al Snow (while ominous music played in the background) informed the cast they would now be learning the proper way to bodyslam each other. Snow emphasized they would now have the responsible of lifting each other in mid air and safely returning each other to the mat, but at the same time trying to make it look like it really hurt. Sounds simple right?

We see Al Snow bodyslamming all of the contestant's first.. I know what you are thinking. I am thinking the same thing. Too bad Darryl isn't still on the show to see if Al Snow could have actually picked him up without breaking his own back. Hell, I would have paid money to see Nidia or Taylor attempt to bodyslam Darryl!... The reason Mr. Snow was slamming the contestant's wasn't to get revenge on them. It was to teach them how to do it properly.

And then it was time for the contestant's to pick up Al and bodyslam him back to the mat. And again back to Snow bodyslamming all of them again. Nidia landed wrong and hurt her shin this time around. Al sits her down next to Josh who was also previously injured through this same lesson.

Jackie and Tori talked briefly about how this is what happens and it isn't unusual. Greg informs Tori his back hurts from all the punishment. And he talked about how he had a previous back injury, Tori mentioned her back is fused. Greg told her he had herniated discs in the L3, L4.

Al Snow discussed to the group how he knows some of them are beat up, but he warned them not to worry to much about it. When he was in school training the same thing happened to him. They go back to work with Josh and Nidia sitting out watching.


YOU ARE NOW BEING VIDEO TAPED

Snow informed the contestant's he was going to video tape their action in the ring. They do a variety of different moves and then sit down and replay the tape and critique it. Al Snow added color commentary to the replayed action for all of us at home.


THE FEAR HAS SET IN FOR NIDIA

Nidia is fearing Taylor is moving quickly ahead of her because she has been sitting injured.


BACK AT THE HOUSE

All the contestant's are relaxing and trying to heal up as much as possible. Nidia is in tears and openly discusses not being able to finish. Greg made a sarcastic comment that..."Seems every week, we have a new gimp." and Nidia responds, "Yeah, you were one of them,". Greg laughs at it.


THE NEXT MORNING

The contestant's load up the two cars and off they go to train again.


BACK AT TRAXX FOR ANOTHER DAY OF TRAINING

When they walk in, they notice purple and blue hair. It is Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, and Lita. We get a video highlight real of The Hardy's and Lita working in the WWF ring to their theme music.

Nidia comments how she had always been "looking for Jeff" and now he is right there in front of her. It is obvious she wants to hook up. The group members shake hands and exchange greetings with Matt, Jeff, and Lita. Matt ask them if they are wrestling fans. Greg speaks up and says that he has followed it but he thought it was always larger then life and he did not ever see himself being able to do it.

Lita talks about how "last week" (more on this later) on Raw is War she got to be beat up by Steve Austin and how it was the highlight of her career and how she first thought wrestling was about rednecks faking to beat each other up, and did not know it was about telling a story until after she got involved in the business. It was sort of like the same speech Kurt Angle gave them.

Taylor tells us she has been interested in pro-wrestling because of Lita and wanted to be just like her career wise and do the same things she does in the ring.

(Interesting note. Since WWFE booked Lita and Matt Hardy in an angle last Monday on Raw is War, it is a stroke of luck that the "Tough Enough" after that live booked angle which was pre-taped months and months ago happened to air the Thursday following that new angle on Raw is War. Remember, WWF booked Steve Austin v Matt Hardy once before and Austin also beat up Lita. Is it just a coincidence? Or did WWF purposely book Matt v Austin again last Monday so the reference on this show would seem fresh? And people say WWF doesn't book ahead!)


TRAINING WITH THE HARDY'S

I bet the guys were hoping for Lita to give them some bodyslams, but oh well. The group gets ready for the training, with the exception of Nidia and Josh who must sit out because they fell behind due to injuries.

Josh looked heartbroken and shared an emotional moment with us at home when he informed us he cried in the bathroom because he had to sit out. He cried in the bathroom because he didn't want to be joked about.

The Hardy's delivered a round of arm drags for all of the contestant's. And then Matt gets to do his leg drop off the top rope on to Greg below. And the other contestant's as well. Awesome music playing during this and for the first time all of the group looked like actual wrestlers selling moves in the ring to awesome talent (Hardy's).

Greg mentioned how surreal it was to be able to look at Matt when he came down with his leg drop off the top rope. Matt and Jeff Hardy emphasize that they know the contestant's are beat up, but they have worked in the business for years and have never escaped being beat up. It is part of the business and you learn to deal with it. You are never completely 100 percent ever. The Hardy's and Lita split and that was that (they left in a giant stretch black limo).


RUNNING A MARATHON

All the contestant's run. And Al Snow remarks how Taylor is trying to keep up with the guys and he is impressed at her. The other trainers are also impressed and cheer her on as she passes and give her a hug. Do I sense the group of trainer's are getting very attached to Taylor?


BACK INSIDE TRAXX

Another round of arm drags for everybody is up next. And then it was back to the hip tosses for everybody. Repetitive, but awesome TV! Greg lands wrong during his hip toss and whacks his back. He gets out of the ring and walks it off. We hear him talking about this as we see him walking it off and he breaks down. Al Snow goes over to him to talk to him and Greg tells Al the problem. The fact that Greg broke down and cried shocked most of the other contestant's (and us at home also) because all of us knew it meant the injury must have been painful.

Greg tells us at home that he thinks the injury has just ended his chances to win the contest. And it all flashed before his eyes when it happened. Greg tells Al that he has a herniated disc in his back already from before the contest even began. Al did not know this. Al talked about how he never had a back problem before he started wrestling, but now he does. And it isn't going to get any easier. Snow asks about the injuries that Greg has, and says he is going to have to have a talk with "Big" John about what they should do.

"BIG" John talks about how Greg has a great look and he was becoming really comfortable in the ring when the injury happened, and how he has a great personality which could be developed in the right setting. "BIG" John made it clear that Greg could be valuable to the WWF.

We find out that Greg has been taking cortisone shots for the past two years to help his injury heal.


BYE BYE GREG! YOU ARE OUT OF HERE!

Just to the doctor's office. So he can get checked up on and see if he can continue in the contest.


BACK AT TRAXX

Nidia is back training today after she recovered from her injuries. It was made clear that the reason why she was back in action was because she got inspired by seeing Jeff and Matt Hardy. I guess her hormone's kicked in and she realizes if she wins the contest she might get to actually meet and personalize with Jeff Hardy. Nidia takes a bump and lands hard, Jackie asks her if she is okay, and she says she is. Even if she wasn't, do you think she would have said she was? After being made to fall behind and sit out of the training due to previous admissions of injuries? I doubt she would be honest. She knows she can not afford to sit down again and let Taylor get too far ahead.


TIME TO BOOK YOUR SPOTS TO BE TAPED!

Snow tells the group they are going to book their own matches using all of the technique's they have learned so far, and it will be taped to be played back and critiqued by the group. In essence, the sky is the limit. As long as they only use lessons they have already been taught and mastered to Al Snow's satisfaction.

Taylor and Nidia worked together, and we saw some clips of the action with Snow making light of the footage. Everybody is happy with the footage and are all smiles. Snow teases around with Taylor and Nidia about their spots and everybody seem uplifted.


HE'S BACK LIKE A BAD DREAM!

Greg shows up to applause from the group. It seems the doctor has released him to return to TRAXX. But it isn't all giggles and laughs for Greg, he has until the next show to be prepared to get back in to action and that is not a definite. Greg talked about how he feels like he is now a part of the WWF and he doesn't want to let that go. He is motivated now to get the job done, but the question is, can he physically?


MY THOUGHTS

I think Greg has to be the favorite for one simple reason. He has been dealing with his injury for the past two years. He already knows what PAIN is all about. With that said, he might be able to ignore any other small injuries and focus on making it to the end of the rainbow. However; this injury could be serious enough to slow him down and that would end his chances.

So right now it is up in the air. Taylor is the odds on favorite to win the women's competition, even if the rest of the group is counting on Nidia. Taylor has never bitched or whined or moaned or groaned about anything she was asked to do. And she has even attempted to keep pace with the men in this competition. It is as if she is competing against them too. And she is always smiling and having a good time.

She also in my opinion has been showing a lot of character and charisma and she even joked around with Al Snow a few times while training. She is not taking this as if it is "TOUGH". She is taking this as if it is FUN and at the same time "A TOUGH CHALLENGE". And she already see's the rainbow she is trying to reach, and doesn't seem likely to stop until she is at the end of the rainbow in my opinion.

We did not get much out of any of the guys on this show (Harvard, Josh, Chris, Maven, etc). We got Greg, Taylor, and Nidia for this show.

No cuts this week. I assume that is because Greg might have to drop out next week, and that would mean two losses. Because we would get Greg dropping out due to the back injury and then the regular cut. So knowing that Greg might drop out they may have decided not to cut anybody. Or maybe a cut wasn't planned. Whatever.


THE CONTESTANT'S

Female: Bobby Jo, Nidia, Paulina, Taylor and Victoria.

Males: Chris Ni., Chris No., Darryl, Greg, Jason, Josh, Maven, and Shadrick.