Irv Muchnick's latest blog update calls Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter missing in action on the Linda McMahon story, not for the first time. Upping the ante, Irv is publicly challenging Dave to release his coverage of the criminal investigation into witness tampering at Vince McMahon's steroid trial in 1994, after Dave has ignored recent emails to him.
This to me sounds like a grandstand challenge, like John Cena trying to goad The Rock into a match at WrestleMania 26. Dave's reaction will probably be the same as The Rock's - "That's very funny, he's funny". A cynic like Irv would surely believe that was bound to be Dave's reaction, as he's got to pander to his friends in the business, many of whom must surely hate Irv's guts for exposing the dark side of their beloved business. However, such pointed criticism and grandstand tactics only serve to allow the people within the business to easily discredit Irv, as being an irresponsible journalist with an ax to grind and a book to shill, who'll unfairly disparage the business just to drum up book sales. How can Dave possibly help Irv now after all the mean and nasty things he's said about him?