[1997-10-20-WWF-Raw] Vandalized NOD locker room / Interview: Faarooq / Bret Hart vs Faarooq

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

We see a vandalized NOD locker room with all sorts of racist epithets on the wall and a Canadian flag. Faarooq is understandably not happy, and it was painfully obvious this was a DX setup on Bret. The WWF loved to do storylines accusing Bret Hart of racism. I hate this angle, but Faarooq is awesome on the mic again. As soon as the match starts, DX is out to troll everyone and Shawn has too much fun accusing Bret Hart of being a racist at the booth. Bret tries to go after Shawn, but the Nation stops him and a big NOD/Harts brawl breaks out while DX scram.

 

After the commercial break, the match settles down temporarily, but when Bret is about to put a ringpost on Figure Four, the Nation swarm him, which leads to a big brawl between stables. Austin comes through the crowd and stuns Faarooq before taking off in the crowd. Bret has no idea why Faarooq is laid out, but covers him for the win anyway. Hot segment, even if I'm not a fan of the premise.

[ajtroma]

From what I remember, this one made the USA Network more than a little nervous. It is pretty damn awful. Clearly, the intent would be that Shawn and Hunter outsmarted the Nation to do their dirty work in beating the shit out of the Harts. So just another way Shawn gets over this year.

 

I don't know which is worse. This one or the Melanie Pillman interview. Both made my skin crawl. Guys, what do you think?

 

As fun as the WWF was in 1997, they also weren't afraid of the sleazy.

[Kevin Ridge]

There is some really bad stuff written on the walls of NOD locker room. It ain’t the MO of the Harts to pull this stuff and it’s an obvious set up. Bret and members of Hart Foundation have looked so bad since Summerslam.

 

I think Melanie interview is much worse because it happened two days after her husband died. That said, people could be upset at the comments written on the walls of the NOD locker room.

 

DX totally outsmarting Harts and NOD. Who the hell is the face is on all this? NOD? I think. Austin hits a Stunner on Faarooq to a massive pop. I’m still confused as to who I should be cheering for.

[Zenjo]

The NOD go from Gang Warz to another racist angle. Of course it's a DX setup, but wrestlers are as gullible as the writers tell them to be.

 

Okay so before the Austin runin we have the NOD (heels) vs DX (heels) vs Hart Foundation (heels). Complicated times for the fans.

[soup23]

Faroqq is at least being featured pretty well again as I don't remember him being mixed up so prominently in all of this. He demands Bret to get his pale ass out here. DX is doing good at trolling everyone. Chaos ensues and again SCSA looks like a complete star. I liked Bret still getting the pinfall.

[PeteF3]

This is SO clearly the work of DX, again making everyone else in the company look dumb. I dug Faarooq's reaction and his confrontation with Vince, though--shades of the famous Halifax incident. Vince's attempts to downplay the obvious racial aspects of the vandalism are...really weird. Shawn is out to self-righteously proclaim himself to be the savior and guiding light for the WWF before the Harts run him off. This set-up and the WWF trying to sort of have it both ways are really distasteful, but the chaos and heat it generates are hard to argue with. By the time Austin has made his run-in and dropped Faarooq with the Stunner, the camera is literally shaking, it's so loud.

[Exposer]

DX commit a hate crime in The Nation locker room with racial insults spraypainted all over the wall & the room being destroyed. They frame the Hart Foundation by placing a Canadian flag in the room. We don't see who does it, but it's obvious DX are the culprits. Faarooq is pissed & cuts an awesome promo on Vince & the WWF. Faarooq is a hell of a promo. The Hart Foundation come out one by one are prepared to fight as Bret comes to the ring for the match. DX comes down & Shawn gets on commentary calling Bret a racist & saying the WWF needs a new champion who's not as insensitive such as himself. Bret sees him & goes after him, but The Nation attack Bret resulting in a big brawl on the floor. DX escape unscathed. The match keeps going & it's nothing much. Just Bret working over Faarooq's leg. Bret goes for the ring post figure four & The Nation stop him leading to another huge brawl with the Hart Foundation. The roar of the crowd getting louder & louder as fans notice Austin coming through the crowd is amazing. Austin jumps the rail & comes in the ring to give Faarooq a stunner. This got an absolutely thunderous pop. The building was shaking. Austin goes back into the crowd & Bret comes back into the ring & covers Faarooq for the win. The hate crime stuff is ridiculous, but this is a hot segment that I liked a lot.