-I guess everyone got bored quickly of the Lethal Lottery situation because I see Nitro drop bigtime when RAW comes on. Of course, both numbers should have been higher, but many are still out due to the holiday season. But still, it does tell a lot. Round One of the New World Order proved to be unimpressive in the ratings, as I figured the "shock" of them recycling would have jumped the ratings a little bit. It didn't, but before I jump to any conclusions about the NWO as of RIGHT NOW, I'll wait a few months in order to tell you that I was right. I think things for the NWO will improve with Scott Steiner, even though the NWO barely has any faces to match up with. Next week is the real week to watch in terms of ratings.
+Also, I didn't cover this yet, but Thunder did a 2.2 and Smackdown did a 4.4, which is just about the same as last week. Things should get interesting when Thunder owns Wednesday Nights. We will have wrestling 6 days a week when that happens. :)
-No Chunder tonight!!! NOOOOOOOOOOO. What on Earth will I do? I'm kidding, but you have to wonder what WCW is thinking. This is two recent Thunders that they have pre-empted. They didn't have a Thunder for Thanksgiving, and they didn't have a taping days before New Years. Rather strange, but the WWF is giving their audience what they want, so you can assure that Smackdown will always be there. WCW should take note of this.
-Oh my, it looks like WCW is attempting to get some attention by "hiring" a new commissioner. This is always the biggest ratings ploy, and the one knighted USUALLY is a disappointment. Your guess is as good as mine as to who it will be. You could guess Ric Flair, but he was commissioner before, and I doubt that Russo would use him for that at this point and time. I'm guessing that it could be Hogan, but that's pretty off the wall too. I just hope that the new commissioner is a good choice and is someone who can make things interesting.
-Wow, I got a lot of responses as to who Shannon Moore was. Thanks to all for sending the information. It seems that Shannon and Shane Helms, another 3 Count member, seem to be like the Hardy Boys in terms of tag team wrestling. If so, then why are they tagging around with the most worthless wrestler in WCW right now, that being Evan Karagias? Oh well, I like the gimmick for the 3 guys, as it draws good heat because I doubt that many wrestling fans like those boy groups in real life. You can take out your aggression of seeing Backstreet Boys or N'Sync dominating the airwaves by coming to WCW and telling 3 Count off.
-Wade Keller reported yesterday about Big Show being down to 410 pounds as he debuted at 500 pounds. The WWF, of course, is happy about this in hopes that he gets in good enough shape to look like the killer he was when he first entered WCW. (If you have any old WCW tapes with Giant in them, check them out. He's in awesome shape early in his career) The WWF wanted him to lose all of the weight he gained while slacking off in WCW. WCW didn't care for him at the end, so Giant then didn't care at all either. Thus a large Giant, but now a slimmer Big Show. I felt that his best moment in the WWF was defeating Triple H on Monday. I don't know if it was just because he was fighting Triple H or what, but the crowd was loving it. Maybe he's on his way to be a decent champ afterall.
-Smackdown looks to be a decent show, as it is NOT pre-empted like Thunder is. Of course, I still can't see it this week, as I might in the future(more on that in a moment). Lots of continuations of angles here tonight, a few matches with some odd endings. I don't know, I can't say anything now because this is a Spoiler Free column. If you want to read those evil spoilers in order to know what's going on tonight, then Click Here.
That's right. I just got off the phone with AT&T cable services of Ohio, and they told me that Channel 11, for me, which is the WB out of Pittsburgh will be replaced with the UPN channel from Pittsburgh. This comes after months of complaining, myself included, of having two WB channels. Our area has 2 CBS channels, 2 ABC channels, and 2 NBC channels, but at least they would feature different programs or different sports games. The 2 WB channels, one in Wheeling, WV and one in Pittsburgh, would feature the exact same programming. I guess non-wrestling fans hated the two WB channels and complained to AT&T cable as well. I talked AT&T for a while today, but they couldn't find the exact day when UPN comes to our area, but they said that it is definately going to happen. Ok, we are getting the UPN channel based out of Pittsburgh, which is a great thing. Not only do we get Smackdown now, we can see ECW Hardcore now too! The WB that we get from Pittsburgh is the one who dropped ECW for content, and the UPN of Pittsburgh is the one who took it. This move adds more wrestling to Tito's arsenal in terms of wrestling programs to rip up. So you better get ready....
After a seeing everyone enjoy the many many great wrestling games coming out, I decided to finally get in and get addicted to video games once again. I actually told myself not to get any game systems until they were the right price, and I bought the N64 system for only $99 which included Star Wars Racer. Since Wrestlemania 2000 is out, I went ahead and purchased WCW/NWO Revenge for ONLY $20 at Walmart. What a deal! Everywhere else had that game for at least $40. I bought Revenge since it's somewhat like WM2k, plus that price was so nice! You can remember that I mentioned that WM2k isn't anywhere in this Ohio Valley, but I said hell with it, and ordered it online. That way, I'll get it shipped to my house without driving from store to store looking for the rare game in this area. Just so you know, I'm mainly going to purchase wrestling games, so I will have reviews on every new one that comes out. Next up, ECW Hardcore Revolution!
Wrestler of the Year: Rob Van Dam
By far, the best all around athlete in wrestling today. This man can't be beat in ECW, as he's held that television title, which in my opinion is the true world title, ever since mid-98. Many challengers have stepped up, with Van Dam gladly accepting, and failed against the whole fucking show. He's defeated a hungry Jerry Lynn so many times, as you'd figure he would pull one off sometime. Not with Van Dam. Van Dam finally defeated Taz this year, although Taz was on his way out. Still, it was a great victory. Van Dam went undefeated in 1999, which is also a good thing for these awards. Hopefully, the World Title traders, consisting of Tanaka and Awesome, give Van Dam a shot.
WWF Wrestler of the Year: Triple H of the WWF
Why does Triple H get the award? Well, he's been consistant for all of this year, avoiding injuries like many of the other main eventers have suffered through. He has done nothing but improved on every aspect of wrestling ever since his heel turn at Wrestlemania. Sure he has lots of interference in his matches, but somebody has to be the cheating heel. He cheated to win the World Title twice, but he was also cheated when losing it twice. He's one of the ones in the running for most improved, because he's in better shape now than ever and he can draw more heat than ever as well.
WCW Wrestler of the Year: Chris Benoit
Although held back at times, Chris Benoit has made the best of 1999. He was never on the shelf for injuries, and he fought his way up to the top. Most of all, when he did lose his matches, he made his opponents look very good(ex. Sid). Chris Benoit gives you everything he has each match even when he loses. He's finally getting the respect that he deserves, which will only take him higher.
ECW Wrestler of the Year: Rob Van Dam
See Wrestler of the Year.
Tag Team of the Year: The Acolytes
What other team is feared like these guys? This team has been very consistant in 1999, as they defeated the top teams and won a few championships on the side. They have the respect of everyone in the WWF, and teams like the Mean Street Posse wet their pants when they hear their name. I'm sure the WWF is happy with these two guys, who were stuck with dead-end singles careers before they formed as a team. They definately deserved it!
Manager of the Year: Debra
Who else can get someone with no hope then, Jeff Jarrett, over as a wrestler? Call her Debra, as 1999 was the year where she truly stepped out of her ex-husband's shadow. Jeff Jarrett's career was going no where after endless gimmicks until Debra entered the picture. She helped draw attention to the good wrestler that Jarrett was, and Jarrett used that opportunity to work on his mic skills to get much better as a heel. Managers are scarce these days, as Debra won it even though she's taken half of 1999 off.
Angle of the Year: WWF Wedding
No, I'm not talking about after Stephanie turned on Vince, before that. When the marriage happened, it was one of the best moments on television this year. The angle helped get the WWF back some viewers lost from the new Russo-Ferarra era in WCW. WCW hasn't recovered really ever since this angle happened. This angle drew a lot of heat with the upcoming Triple H and Vince McMahon match, and it definately helped the buyrate. Not many impacting angles going on this year too.
Matches of the Year: Hardy Boyz vs. Christian/Edge in the ladder match, Masato Tanaka vs. Mike Awesome from Christmas Eve's TNN show, and Kevin Nash vs. Hardcore Hak on Thunder
In my opinion, these three matches were the year's best. Notice I said in my opinion. First off, the Ladder match between Hardys and Brood Brothers was an innovative match up, which many will talk about years from now. All 4 wrestlers busted their asses for that match. As for Tanaka and Awesome, last Friday, they put on a spectacular match which left me F'N pumped for Christmas Eve. Both wrestlers killed each other, literally. The third match is a match that many might have missed. I had to Thunder results one night(4/29/99), and that match came on. Here, let me copy and paste myself from that night:
"Hak comes out with Chastity. Hak gets on the mic and says he's the most hardcore in WCW. Talks crap on Bigelow, and says his match with Raven and Bam Bam was the most violent match ever in WCW. Says he beat down Goldberg at Panama Beach. Hak asks Chastity who should he fight today. Hak wants a BIG opponent. She suggests Big Sexy, and Hak agrees, saying only if he is man enough.
Nash vs. Hak
Hak comes out with Chastity, and he comes out with a whip(?) and his cane, and he puts a table and a ladder into the ring. Nash comes out, and goes after Hak. Nash pounds him for some early offense, and Hak then gets pounded in the corner. Nash sidewalk slams Hak on the ladder!! Nash then picks up the ladder, and hits Hak with it a few times, and then sets it up in the corner, and throws Hak into the ladder. Nash sets up a table in a corner, but a reversal happens and Nash goes into the table. Hak starts caning Nash, and he canes him in the head as well. Go Hak! More caning from Hak, and another head shot too. Hak puts ladder on Nash, and he goes on the outside, and does a flip over the ropes onto Nash. He then elbows Nash, who still has the ladder on him. Hak hits Nash with the ladder, but he gets distracted by the crowd, and then Nash canes him. Hak retaliates, and canes Nash back. Hak continues to cane Nash, and he then does a diving summersault of the top rope with the ladder on Nash, but Nash kicks out of the pin. Hak continues to pound Nash, until Nash starts fighting back. Chastity tries to spray Nash with the fire extinguisher, but Nash sees her and takes it away and sprays Hak who was setting up a table. Nash Jacknifes him, and Nash pins him. Great match!!!
Winner: Kevin Nash"
I liked this match because it was an odd mix of two different styles, and Nash converted to the hardcore style that night. Of course, it came at a time when Thunder ratings were very low. I hope a few of you out there saw what I saw.
Wrestling Promotion of the Year: World Wrestling Federation
No doubt in my mind for this one, because the WWF continues to rule the ratings, pay per view buy rates, and merchandise sales. They are just too powerful right now, as it will take a lot to take them down now that they know that they can be beaten. I think the WCW overtake of the ratings in 1996 made the WWF smarter, and they will fight whoever wants some now. I will say that WCW and the WWF have improved over the last few months.
Unappreciated Wrestler of the Year: Vampiro
This man has loads of talent, but no booker in WCW could give a shit. He was coming into his own during the Bischoff era, as he caught Bischoff's eye, and Bischoff actually started to push him. When Bischoff was demoted, Vampiro got screwed as well. Bill Busch seemed to have no respect for this great prospect, as he made him take a paycut to stay in WCW. Vampiro agreed to it, and the new creative team doesn't seem to respect that. He's always losing to some of the weakest competitors as Russo must be blind not to see his potential.
Most Overrated Wrestler of the Year: Bill Goldberg
WCW does nothing but worship this guy, but fans in many places boo him. It's a rare occasion when someone defeats him, and it's annoying when you see him slam guys twice his size. Goldberg has lost lots of size this year, as he could barely jackhammer one of the members of Creative Control. I don't see why WCW caters to this man, because he refuses to job to a lot of wrestlers. He never earned his push, he was just handed it on a plate in efforts to create a new WCW superstar.
Best comeback of the Year: Scott Hall
Hall was gone for months, only to return to continue his great wrestling ability. Before he got hurt recently, he was impressing me in the ring by showing no ring rust at all. He still has the charisma that many in WCW lack, and he has the ability still to make his opponents look good in their matches.
Commentator of the Year: Joey Styles
Everyweek when I've seen the TNN show, Joey Styles calls the matches right down the line. Other announcers somewhat mark-out for some of the wrestlers in the federation, but not Styles. He adds excitement to lame matches, and he doesn't shout things 3 times or he doesn't talk about upcoming pay per views or what's later on the show. This man is at the top of his game right now, while the others are on the way down.
Rookie of the Year: Shane McMahon
I couldn't agree more with PWI. This year lacked very good rookies, but Shane McMahon entered the ring for the first time this year, and truly impressed us all. He takes the bumps that no other veterans take, and he can actually keep up with a wrestler in the ring. His matches with Test and X-Pac were spectacular. Hell, he even won a title in his first year wrestling. Shane is quickly becoming a great reason to watch the WWF.
I could go on for hours with many categories, but this pretty much gets the best of them. Remember, these are MY OPINIONS since it's my awards. I'm sure you all have your opinions as well. I hope you've enjoyed the first annual Tito Awards, and if Mr. Tito is still around next year, I'll gladly do them again.
@My God, that's a lot of typing! I'll have a column for you tomorrow, but if you don't catch me tomorrow, Happy New Years! I'll be back tomorrow with more of the Phat Daily Column, so just chill...till the next episode!
Phat Farm: Click Here to Check Out the Most Controversial "BAD TITO" of 99
Take Care, and Wear Sunscreen.