Tough Enough 4, Episode 5: Capture the Flag

After sending in my report last week about the fourth episode of Tough Enough 4, it turns out that WWE had decided to part ways with another TE winner. This time, it was Linda Miles, one of two winners from the rather controversial second season of the series. As those of you who have been following WWE would already know, Linda Miles was used for a short time in WWE before being sent down to OVW for training, along with the other TE2 winner, Jackie Gayda.

Gayda eventually came back up as a valet for Charlie Haas and Rico. As for Linda Miles, she was pushed back up to WWE as a valet for the Bashams (this really fits in well with this week's episode, as we'll see in a bit). After a time, however, WWE decided to send her back down to OVW for more seasoning, with the rumored hopeful outcome of building her up to work on RAW alongside the other women having matches there. However, there have been plenty of stories of Miles not working well with those in management in WWE or OVW, nor did her ability in the ring really improve over time (her last OVW match just a few weeks ago, which was against Alexis Laree, became troubled when Miles nearly dropped Laree on her head after a botched move). So her being let go was not really a surprise for those who had been following her career. In fact, the only surprise was that it took WWE this long to say, "Thanks, but no thanks."

That means that two of the past TE winners have been let go. Will any more follow soon? I would find that highly unlikely. Maven has not only been elevated to a high position in a storyline on RAW right now, but he even was "general manager" of the program on November 15. Matt and John from TE3 are being heavily pushed in dark matches for WWE right now (on opposite tag-teams, with Johnny Jeter and Joey Matthews, respectively). As for Gayda, she has done a good job of staying under the radar, and with her working with Charlie Haas, she may be able to stick around for a while.

As to who will stick around from TE4 in their piggybacked episode of Smackdown, viewers find out when the contestants first appear on the program. However, in a change from the past three weeks, the TE4 segment is not the first one seen on the program tonight. Instead, they appear about five minutes in, after an in-the-ring promo by John Cena (a former OVW Champion, by the way).

When we first see the contestants, they are backstage in front of a banner for the contest. Five of the six are wearing the TE4 t-shirts, but Rodimer is instead wearing a jacket zipped up to his neck. This is actually a good move by Rodimer, whether intentional or not (I get the impression he may have just forgotten his shirt), as it makes him stand out from the pack.

Al introduces the group and then asks Chris Nawrocki the same question as the previous week - due to his injury, will he quit? Nawrocki makes a face at the camera that unfortunately makes him look like he's pouting and says, "No, I will not quit." Al then reads off the votes from last week, and Nawrocki has the least number of votes, so he must leave. From last week's recap, I pointed out that Nawrocki unfortunately came off as a bit of a jerk with Torrie Wilson and with Mae Young, so that all worked against him in the voting, no doubt.

Nawrocki shakes hands with the others and gives them a quick hug. When he gets to Al, Al quickly pats him on the back and sends him on his way without shaking his hand. After Nawrocki leaves, Al then has the five remaining contestants follow him to the ring.

Once there, Al mentions the "Torrie Wilson Sex Test" from the previous week. He then tells them that tonight's challenge will involve a red flag that has been tied to one of the ring posts. Near the opposite corner is a line on the mat, and the object of the game is to run from the starting point behind the line and grab the flag. The contestants react to the audience as if to say, "what's so tough about that?"

That's when Al introduces the Basham Brothers.

The Bashams are made up of Doug and Danny Bashams. OVW fans will know them better as Doug Basham (A.K.A. Machine) and Damaja. Doug was one of the first - if not the first - wrestler in OVW when it started several years ago. He became a fixture in the company and his last run there saw him as the head of a group of wrestlers called The Revolution. As for Danny, he started with OVW back in 1999 (and I have a tape of OVW television episodes from that year where Damaja first appeared as this scrawny kid just getting his feet wet in OVW; amazing the changes that have occurred over the past five years). Danny was also in the Revolution, and when Doug went up to WWE last year, so did Danny. The two have made frequent return visits to OVW, including one just this past week for a charity event that also included other former OVW talent like Randy Orton, Rob Conway, and Eugene (in fact, my review of the event, along with pictures will be appearing sometime this week on the official OVW website at www.ovwrestling.com for those that are interested). Both have worked from the ground up to make it to WWE, and both know the training work done at OVW for WWE, so they are perfect people to have in the ring for such a TE4 event.