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PWINSIDER Q&A: JEFF HARDY, STEVE AUSTIN, MICKIE JAMES AND MORE

If Jeff Hardy signs a new contract with WWE, does he get three more strikes on the wellness program?

WWE has never made it clear whether they hit the "reset" button when a wrestler's contract ends, or if a performer leaves the company and then returns.  I assume that if Jeff signs a new contract, with no break in his working for the company, than he remains a "two strike" performer. 

In your opinion, what is the most significant reason why Stone Cold Steve Austin no longer was the top star in WWE by late 2000 through mid 2002 (before he abruptly left due to burnout)?  Do you think it was the botched heel turn, the lack of development with the character (excluding the ‘singing and hugging’ he did when he was a heel) , his being out for a year due to neck surgery, or something else?  I remember after he returned in 2000 that, while the crowd still popped for him, overall reaction to the character wasn’t the same (I’d describe it as borderline boredom), and it got progressively worse through 2001 when he became champion and heel.      

I definitely think the heel turn had a lot to do with it.  The once "bad ass" became a cowardly comedian.  While some of the bits were amusing, it also shatter the aura of the Stone Cold character. 

I picked up a copy of WWE magazine "Big Book" edition.  In the book they listed the most downloaded Diva photos from 30 to 1.  What surprised me is that Mickie James was the most downloaded Diva of the year.  That doesn't surprise me because Mickie is drop dead beautiful (I've meet her many times in real life) but it surprises me because she is never pushed for being hot.  She has always been like Beth where the ability in the ring is the highlight.  Why not use Mickie for the beauty she is?  I'm sick of seeing Michelle "Please eat something" McCool get hot photo sets and Mickie not getting anything.  What keeps the WWE from using her in all aspects as a diva? Could her past photo shoot (you know the one I am talking about) have anything to do with her not getting push like a Trish or Lita was?

If you check out WWE.com this week, they just posted a set of Mickie James in Mexico in a bikini.  Obviously, if Mickie wasn't being presented as a hottie, at least on the website, people wouldn't be checking her out (and making her the most downloaded). 

I hate Vickie G!!  I think she is a waste of space, and only gets heat because of that annoying "excuse me, excuse me" garbage! What do you think of moving Teddy Long over to Raw?  He has been Smackdown and ECW GM before but never RAW. I'd hate to think it was a racial thing, but why keep the best (and most over) GM off of RAW?

I definitely think you are marking up the wrong tree if you think Long is not the GM of Raw because of race.  As for Vickie Guerrero, I thought she was fantastic on Smackdown as a heel, but unfortunately Raw has turned her into a mid-card comedy act and totally diluted her effectiveness. 

What ever happen to Lacey Von Erich?  She is stunning to look at, and good in the ring so what happened to her WWE spot?

Lacey was released from her developmental deal in 2007 to concentrate on modeling, but later returned to working matches on the indy scene.  Lacey was diagnosed with meningitis last month, curtailing any plans to wrestle.

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