Wrestling Note: I don't know if you saw the Lions-Redskins game, but during the fight with QB Brad Johnson and Linebacker Porcher, the announcers were questioning if this was the WWF. During NFL Primetime on ESPN, the great Stuart Scott was questioning if it was WCW during that same fight when going through the highlights. Interesting.....
-From WCW Live, it was mentioned that WCW is putting heavy emphasis on both Nitro and Thunder in attempts to get back on track with wrestling fans. Like I mentioned yesterday, this seems to be the amount of work that Russo claimed was putting a strain on him with 2 hours of RAW and 2 hours of Smackdown to work with. Wouldn't the strain of the same amount of time on shows and even more with making those shows become popular be more stressful than two successful shows in the WWF? There was no pressure in the WWF, but the pressure is on for Russo to produce two top shows that NEED ratings. Since the good LoP supporter Bravejaw suggested that I should evaluate it, I said, why not? Here goes:
Vince Russo and Ed Ferarra are still secretly working for the WWF- Hmmm, many people thought the same about Bret Hart, on how he was secretly working for the WWF and that the whole Survivor Series thing in 97(didn't see it, rent Bret Hart: Wrestling with Shadows) was a complete work! Well, that was proven wrong. But for Russo and Ferarra, it makes you wonder why they somehow didn't have contracts in the WWF. It could have been just bait for WCW to snag up and take...which they did! This whole time the WWF was in agreement with Russo and Ferarra to make their storylines confusing. Make it seem like a winning formula, but then make it miserable after that. The possibilities are endless. I think with Ferarra really laying into Jim Ross on WCW Live and Nitro or Thunder, I think that it shows that Ferarra, at least, wasn't payed off, because at times he does show his dislike for Jim Ross. Vince Russo also runs his mouth against the WWF, and he's always praising what WCW did in the past. I could show lots of contrasts here, but then I would be typing this column all day long, now wouldn't I?
Money Money Money Money Money!!!!- Having the same exact work load in the WWF, it's obvious that Russo and Ferarra are only in this business for the money. They are WCW's hired hands to get them ratings, but thus far have come up short. WCW is paying the duo a lot of money to write up their shows, as WCW pays any former WWF employees all the money they want. Russo and Ferarra, two that WCW thought would help their show and hurt the WWF, have so far been less productive for what they are getting payed. If they don't produce quickly, however, WCW will get cheap on them, and force them to sign a lower payed contract or leave like the rest of the midcarders who they claim were making way too much.
Egos. Yes, the ego part is a great reason why Russo and Ferarra might have left the WWF for WCW. In the WWF, they were so comfortable on top, and they worked with Vince McMahon so well during the WWF's 98-99 run, that they might have thought that they were the reasons for the WWF's success. Russo wanted power backstage, which he didn't have in the WWF. WCW needed anybody to replace the horrible creative team consisting of Kevin Nash, Kevin Sullivan, and a few others who only booked in favor of friends. They saw that the WWF's two top writers were available, so WCW snatched them! In negotiations, Russo wanted full control over storylines and he wanted power backstage. He feels that if he was successful in the WWF, he could turn around WCW which was suffering miserably. So far in this 3 months that he's been a part of WCW, he's failed. Many midcarders are angry again, and they are once again saying that WCW still worships the older guys. The older guys, obviously, aren't giving WCW any good ratings.
Many readers complain to me everyday how I've been so harsh on Vince Russo lately for his main WCW decisions. That follows up on how I get called a "WWF mark" all the time. Here's all I have to say about this whole situation. When Russo first started working for WCW, I really enjoyed his shows. He had a good mix of great matches with some interesting angles starting. Slowly, he started adding angles which I didn't enjoy at all like the Disco vs. the Mafia angle, or anything with Evan Karagias. But when the angles were getting annoying, the matches were still great! I gave WCW high grades still, but then they dropped when the matches were beginning to have weak endings and horrible run-ins. Look at WCW's matches now. They average around 5 minutes...tops now. In those five minutes, there is nothing but quick, confusing action with horrible endings. I've stuck with WCW throughout the bad booking era, and I thought the early Russo era was great. Lately, in my opinion, I feel as though it hasn't been up to par like it should be. Just my opinion, and the ratings lately can help aid it.
-I heard somewhere that the Big Show isn't too thrilled with dropping the title last Monday. I suppose he feels like he was just getting the fans support and the pops that a true world champion should get. Well, I don't think so. The week before when you defeated Triple H, I think it was just because you were fighting Triple H...the WWF's top heel right now. Everyone wants to see Triple H lose every match, and when you consider that factor, that's where Big Show's cheers were coming from. Never in my life have I seen a World Champion that nobody cared about. Hopefully, Big Show finds a way to get over without the world title recognition, because he most certainly needs it if he wants that world title again.
-Oh where oh where could Vince and Shane be? They need to come to stop Triple H and Stephanie. They've taken time off and their comeback should be good, and you know their comeback will get ratings like it should. Ahem. I guess Vince and Shane will continue to rule the backstage operations and let Triple H and Stephanie rule the show. Why come back when they are obviously winning the ratings each and every week, so why not relax for a while? That's exactly what they are doing, and when it becomes really dry, Vince and Shane will return to make things interesting again. The WWF does have a lot going for them, as they await Vince and Shane's return, Undertaker's return, and Tazz's debut. That's a lot of extra firepower that the WWF possesses and it shall be untilized real soon, so watch out WCW!
As you all know, I'm not too big on ECW because I can only see one show, and ECW never comes to the Ohio Valley for anything. Their last pay per view, however, with my limited knowledge, I got all of my predictions correct. Not bad for a casual ECW fan, so I figured, why not predict it again?
New Jack vs. Angel
After all of the jumpings and staple gun shots that New Jack took, I think that it's payback time! New Jack is going to murder Angel, and show him who the real original gangsta is.
Tito's Prediction: New Jack
Yoshihiro Tajiri and a Mystery Partner vs. Supercrazy and a Mystery Partner
My God, this one is too hard to call, because one will get Jerry Lynn. Lynn will either help someone to win, or help somebody to lose. Too hard to call for me....but I might as well take a guess..
Tito's Prediction: Yoshihiro Tajiri's team
Sandman vs. Rhino
Sandman is well documented for putting other wrestlers over in ECW, and this will continue that streak. Plus, Rhino is slowly positioning himself to the top, and what better way to get their than to destroy the Extreme Icon?
Tito's Prediction: Rhino
Raven and Tommy Dreamer vs. Impact Players
As much as I hate them, the Impact Players will probably win this one. I think ECW wants to push Raven in singles again, plus, ECW has this odd fascination with the Impact Players, and they probably want to give them some recognition by giving them the World Titles so that I and a few other writers might possibly stop making fun of their annoying mic skills.
Tito's Prediction: Impact Players
Rob Van Dam vs. Sabu for the covetted World Television Title
I think that tonight is the night that Rob Van Dam gets dethroned. I'm calling it now, so that I can forever hold my peace if Sabu does win. If RVD drops the strap, the World Title is his. Then, RVD can get redemption by defeating the challenge of Sabu for the World Title.
Tito's Prediction: Sabu
Mike Awesome vs. Spike Dudley
If Spike wins this match against who they are hyping to be one of the best ECW champs of all time, you might as well lose all hope in ECW after this. Not to bash Spike, as he busts his ass in the ring, but Awesome needs some respect from casual ECW fans. Hardcore fans have known him for years, but the newcomers have only seen him recently on ECW programs. Let Awesome destroy this man, please!!
Tito's Prediction: Mike Awesome
Alright, I've received a lot of comments and e-mails about the Rock on the Opie and Anthony show where he confronted Sickboy about some negative comments on his site, Xwrestling. Well, I have no comment on the situation, since it is really none of my business. I enjoy reading many of the posts on that site, and this confrontation is something for them to defend, and not me. This whole situation, however, makes me wonder who is reading everything on the internet. This situation proves that federations look around on the internet for feedback or opinions on wrestlers or programs. WCW is well documented for looking around on the internet for feedback, and they have even changed programs due to it. WWF also looks around on the net, as they make sure to strike down every rumor going around. ECW looks around as well if you can remember certain rumors that struck a nerve for the shills. They look around the net, and wrestlers have their publicists look around too to see what the gossip about themselves is going around. So they are watching us, and they set a landmark when the Rock confronted Sickboy about comments on his site which will have changed the way many look at the internet forever.
@Well kiddies, that's all for today. I'll be back with the usual Monday Night previews to get geared up for the Monday Night Wars to continue. Until tomorrow's column, why not chill...till the next episode. Oh yeah, yesterday proved that the Titans can outlast anybody, which will lead them to a Superbowl victory!
Phat Farm: Brand New Column called "Al Birdy's Wrestling Newscast" for you to Click Here and Read!
Take Care, and Go Titans!