On the heels of the latest round of lawyerball that is the Lesnar/WWE litigation, and in the spirit of the last time I spent some board money to grab court dox (The W), I've grabbed the latest series of filings related to WWE's failed attempt to keep Brock Lesnar from competing for New Japan, and they're all placed in http://the-w.com/downloads (the last batch has been moved into an /old subdirectory). The REALLY interesting stuff was sealed (apparently, WWE submitted the entire Lesnar deposition as an exhibit, but you and I aren't allowed to pay for it) but the dueling arguments for and against the TRO are pretty entertaining...if you're into that kind of stuff. I must be into that kind of stuff because I'm sharing it with you now. Also interesting are two exhibits Lesnar's side decided to introduce - a copy of the infamous USA Today "wrestler deaths" story AND a copy of the Star-Tribune's Eddie Guerrero death story.
If you only want the REAL meat, get document #44 (WWE's request of the TRO) and document #47 (Lesnar's response). The rest are... procedural whatsits that the lawyers among us can translate. I think.
Anyway, hope someone likes them this time around, too.
Originally posted by CRZThe rest are... procedural whatsits that the lawyers among us can translate.
42) WWE asks the court to seal the appendix, including the transcripts of the depositions. 43) WWE asks the court to keep Lesnar from hitting Japan. 44) WWE tells its side of the story. (BTW, this is a great f-ing memo. But for what the 'E is probably paying their lawyers, it better be.) 45) WWE didn't file the appendix electronically. This form explains why (see 42). 46) WWE asks for a hearing ASAP. I dont know if it was granted or not. 47) Lesnar tells his side of the story in response to 43 and 44.
Check the misspelling of the word "versus" in document 47, page 2, second line. Sorry but that just made me giggle for some reason. I love when ultra-smart, well-paid lawyers make boo-boos like that.
Also, near the bottom of page 6, when asked to identify who he meant when he referred to "Shane", he said "Shane McMahon." "That is Mr. McMahon's [WWE Chairman's] son"? "Yeah, I believe so" (emphasis mine).
(edited by ekedolphin on 13.12.05 0142) "Well I say we get drunk, because I'm out of ideas." --The Metatron, Dogma
Four-Time W of the Day (5/27/02; 7/3/02; 7/30/04; 8/28/04)
The Only Five-Time (and Last) N.E.W. World Heavyweight Champion
Certified RFMC Member-- Ask To See My Credentials!
Originally posted by ekedolphinCheck the misspelling of the word "versus" in document 47, page 2, second line. Sorry but that just made me giggle for some reason. I love when ultra-smart, well-paid lawyers make boo-boos like that.
Also, near the bottom of page 6, when asked to identify who he meant when he referred to "Shane", he said "Shane McMahon." "That is Mr. McMahon's [WWE Chairman's] son"? "Yeah, I believe so" (emphasis mine).
(edited by ekedolphin on 13.12.05 0142)
I'm suffering from the most severe case of deja-news...er, vu just reading that.
Am I the only one who feels like just on reading these that Lesnar's lawyers leave a lot to be desired? They make most of his argument seem like "well, the WWE guys all seemed really nice so Brock didn't think he needed to have a lawyer look at the multi-million dollar multi-year contracts he was signing" which kind of makes Brock seem a bit dumb. I just have trouble fathoming that "they weren't as nice as they seemed" will suffice as a legal argument.
spf: Am I the only one who feels like just on reading these that Lesnar's lawyers leave a lot to be desired? They make most of his argument seem like "well, the WWE guys all seemed really nice so Brock didn't think he needed to have a lawyer look at the multi-million dollar multi-year contracts he was signing" which kind of makes Brock seem a bit dumb. I just have trouble fathoming that "they weren't as nice as they seemed" will suffice as a legal argument
Ignorance and poor me are the best lines of defense, at this point. Brock, after he walked out, * was * dumb to sign anything in good faith but he really hadnt been conditioned to be paranoid of WWE Management. He took Vince, Ross and Ace at their words and ended up out in the cold.
Thats not really a defense (or excuse), legally, but WWE has gone so far out of their way to maliciously prevent Lesnar from making a living - in particular, offering him a joke of a contract to return and making assertions that his wrestling in Japan causes irreparable harm to WWE business - that its starting to appear that THEY are at fault, as opposed to Brock bringing this all on himself.
Which he did but that fact is becoming more and more moot by the day. Brocks Lawyers are representing a big, dumb, trusting jock who has been wronged / continues to be wronged, spitefully, by a monopolistic corporate empire and needs to be allowed to ply his trade in an effort to support his family. Good Legal representation will make the courts believe bullshit like that. And thats whats happening in this case.
And - according to Brocks lawyers all they *really* are trying to prove here is the no-compete Settlement Agreement signed is null and void under Connecticut law. All else is slander !. Woe is me, indeed. Funny thing is - WWEs brilliant legal team is getting played like a fiddle
Speaking of suckers I stumbled upon this the other day and cant resist taking a shot...
BROCK LESNAR ABOUT TO RETURN TO WWE
by Dave Scherer @ 6:31:00 PM on 7/27/2005
In the latest follies of the WWE "are we gonna work or are we gonna shoot" website, they just posted the following:
Lesnar offered WWE contract
WWE.com has learned that Brock Lesnar has met with his attorney, David Olsen, to discuss the written contract offer Lesnar received last week from World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. It is unclear when the contract will be signed. The terms were not disclosed.
Yeah, it's unclear. Right! Anyway, Brock is on his way back to WWE folks. Given the lawsuit he filed and the fact that it made sense for both sides to settle, it was inevitable. I wonder if they will do a Ricky Williams-Miami Dolphins angle out of it.
I, personally, loved, and still love seeing Brock back in WWE. Glad Scherer was around to clear that up for me. God forbid I got worked or something
FLEA
Demonstrations are a drag. Besides, we're much too high
For what it's worth, I asked two actual lawyers about this -- one of whom knows absolutely nothing about wrestling and the other of whom used to work for the WWF, so how's that for variety -- and both agreed that the settlement agreement is 100-percent illegal and has little chance of standing up in court. Whether or not Lesnar violated the agreement is irrelevant if the agreement was invalid in the first place. That's his ace in the hole.
So I read a couple of legal briefs, and come to the conclusion that WWE is from Mars, Lesnar is from Venus. The trial (if we ever get to it) appears to come down to which agreement applies - the original 2003 contract, or the settlement agreement signed when Brock wanted to do a reverse Goldberg.
Certainly an interesting read from McDevitt and Associates, but I don't think a court will be interested with storytelling so much as facts and precedent. (Disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer, I only translate legalese for people that are too cheap to hire them ) I see the E's problem being that Lesnar won the IWGP championship on October 7, but they didn't file an injunction until December 6th? Obviously the judge hasn't granted the injunction (likely not ruled on?) - so it looks like they will need to go after damages, should their position prevail.
My favorite part was invoking Philadelphia Ball Club v. Napoleon Lajoie (1902) - that's old school! - but I really don't think Vince wants to be on the same side as olde tyme MLB owners trying to enforce the reserve clause. At least not in the courtroom.
My own opinion is that the E makes a pretty good argument based on contract law, but considering the near monopoly and power Vince has over big-time wrestling, the courts will be reluctant to force Brock to crawl back and work for relative crumbs, or nothing. And that the case is being heard in a more liberal state like Connecticut can't hurt Lesnar's chances any. Not likely to find many 'strict constructionists' on that court.
Originally posted by ekedolphinCheck the misspelling of the word "versus" in document 47, page 2, second line. Sorry but that just made me giggle for some reason. I love when ultra-smart, well-paid lawyers make boo-boos like that.
Also, near the bottom of page 6, when asked to identify who he meant when he referred to "Shane", he said "Shane McMahon." "That is Mr. McMahon's [WWE Chairman's] son"? "Yeah, I believe so" (emphasis mine).
(edited by ekedolphin on 13.12.05 0142)
Eh. I deal with doctors and lawyers on a daily basis. When you get to the graduate-level schoolwork, the last thing anyone worries about is your spelling.
I can't remember where I read it, but there's a saying that goes something like: "There is no such thing as an ultra-genius. There are only people with different knowledge deficiencies."
Look at Brock. Brilliant athlete. Dumb at business.
At the risk of repeating my comments from the earlier thread, I would welcome Brock back and think most fans would as well. He is remarkably talented in the ring, especially for someone still so young. Also, he is arguably the strongest draw not currently under contract (no pun intended).
The longer this drags out, the less likely we see Brock back in time for Mania.
As I read the documents, I think the WWE has the stronger case. I'd be very surprised if Brock gets to work elsewhere in a televised environment without having to pay some penalty to the WWE. When Brock says he can't work in his field, can Vince counter with well that's what they agreed to, but go ahead and work in an indy fed in front of 2000 people in a non-televised setting. It lets Brock work, not to his former high standard, but many wrestlers his age do so. I cannot say how this will end up, but I am curious as to if Brock will appear in Japan again soon (tomorrow? January 2006?)
But mostly, I wanted to say thank you to CRZ for shelling out a few more dollars to make these available to us.
Now, I know I said I wouldn't watch, but Scott Hall facing Jeff Jarrett is too tempting to pass up. But, I'm gonna' say this, since returning it seems like Jeff Jarrett has lost a step in his wrestling. His original match with Hall wasn't that good.