ECW Note: Well, I find it rather sad to have no ECW once again. There is no Hardcore TV in this area, nor is there Hardcore TV in my area. I highly doubt ECW has any chance with a cable operator now too, thanks to the PTC issuing their statement about ECW possibly going on USA Networks. Thanks to that, it's highly unlikely that ECW has a chance to sign with USA Networks, and probably the rest of the cable industry. ECW has relied on the cable deal to basically survive payroll problems, but without that, there is major trouble up ahead, especially with probably no cable deal coming soon. I'll discuss this in more detail in probably what will be the final "ECW Day" PDC this Saturday. It's a damn shame what ECW is going through.
Who knows? Maybe the WWF will be the lone survivor in the wrestling world, with WCW possibly going under, and now ECW maybe going down too.
The wrestlers seemed to have energy for the matches, but the matches weren't booked too well. That's a bad mistake on WCW's part, but of course, they don't know how to book to a small group of fans, let alone a large one. You had that steady build up of Bill Goldberg vs. Chuck Palumbo, which still makes me wonder why Palumbo even gets any kind of shot in WCW. I'm sure there are plenty of better wrestlers in the WCW Power Plant, and I'm sure, from what I've heard, that Mr. Christopher Daniels, who WCW released, is probably better as well.
I did enjoy the 70's Hardcore Duo defeating the Harris Boys. I'm sure the Harris kids will complain to bookers about having to do that job, although the wrestlers are very much more superior than they are in terms of talent. I still don't understand this 70's ignorance that is holding Mike Awesome, and now Crowbar down!!
I did enjoy the mean look on Bryan Adam's face when he was taking some shots from Goldberg and Booker T. He's such a pile of worthless talent. Rey Mysterio vs. Scott Steiner was pretty entertaining though. The main event was kinda bad though with Nash vs. the Cat. You see, Nash can't carry actual wrestlers to a good match, let alone someone who is occasionally a wrestler.
I don't know, I was looking for more effort from WCW for this hot crowd. Sort of like I was for the WWF in Chicago when they didn't play to the hot crowd there, since they keep doing interview after interview that night for RAW.
Reports around the world were that the AOL/Time Warner cleared it's final hurdle, as there was a certain connection with Time Warner that Europe didn't like. That has been eliminated, and according to the Torch, the merger will finally happen around November 14th. Since AOL is known for not wanting any unprofitable companies with them, WCW is most likely going to be sold, or reportedly, shut down. Since there are some interested buyers, it will be sold, so don't worry about not getting your WCW fix every week.
I think it's rather funny that the WWF keeps popping up in the sale of WCW, since their settlement about the Scott Hall/Kevin Nash situation was the the WWF could match any buyout offer. Although a wrestling monopoly would be loved by Vince McMahon(I'm using that term in a sense that he'll rule the TV markets), it's highly unlikely that McMahon would want to meet payroll deadlines for overpaid wrestlers like Luger, Nash, and a select few others. Especially with the WWF roster filled up, I don't see this happening. However, the additions of Booker T, Scott Steiner, Jeff Jarrett(again?!?), Sting, DDP, Jindrak/O'Haire, Mike Awesome, Lance Storm, and a select choice of others would make the WWF the most elite wrestling force EVER!
I doubt that will happen, since Bischoff will be the "savior" of WCW. Yeah, whatever. Hogan will come back, Hall will be allowed to return, and we'll see classic oldtimer wrestling. But like I've said before, WCW is in a state where it's current format isn't profitable, even with cost cutting measures being performed. Yeah, nobody seems to mention that. Good old Russo has high production costs if nobody has noticed, With many wrestlers getting released from WCW and many other various cost cutting measures, the prediction still yields that WCW will be losing around $80 million in profits.
So this current system isn't working, so that's it's really being sold. Attendance in the US is still down, ratings are getting lower, and so forth. It needs to be sold just to really survive. I know the next owners might as stupid as Russo or worse, but nothing that is being tried now works. That's why Time Warner is shopping around for buyers!
Speaking of Eric Bischoff, many people believe that he was a wrestling God for his accomplishments before 1998. Well, I beg to differ, as I think he only did TWO things great.
A. Monday Nitro- Very smart in creating some stiff competition, finally, for the ever so dragging WWF. This took a lot of balls to even try, and he did it, and up to 1998, it's possibly the greatest success story in wrestling.
B. The use of Scott Hall and Kevin Nash- Perfect timing, perfect execution, and everything on the angle involving Hall and Nash as two "Outsiders" who eventually formed the NWO with Hogan. For buying out two top guys from your competitor, you used them properly and helped give WCW the top spot for way over a year.
That's all I'll credit Bischoff for. ANYBODY could spend a Billionaire's money on the top wrestling talent. Bischoff did that, and it took buying Hall and Nash and using them correctly to finally start winning consistantly. Of course, as the story goes, Bischoff's talent got out of hand backstage, he didn't care to control it, and he was out of the job in 1999. Not exactly a wrestling God if you ask me, but probably getting his 3rd crack at running WCW coming up.
4. Prime Time Elix Skipper- This man has wrestled good this past week, and although he cheated to win, he had two big victories over former Cruiserweight champs Billy Kidman and Rey Mysterio. Just somebody get rid of that DMX mockery of a theme song that he has please, especially since it sounds like him singing it.
3. Mike Awesome- The Hardcore 70s guy. I'm hoping that the new ownership of WCW doesn't misuse this guy like Russo does. Awesome continues to show that his wrestling can speak more than a dumb gimmick.
2. Sting- Yep, I'm a major Sting mark, but you can't deny a big win over Scott Steiner on Nitro. Oh, you just can't!
1. Scott Steiner- By far, the best in WCW right now, thanks to becoming a team player for once in his life....well, he was when he was a Steiner Brother, so I should say as "Big Poppa Pump".
Yes, I watched the second presidential debate. I'm inconclusive on the winner of it, since both men studied and planned ahead for this debate. Since this is a wrestling column, I must use wrestling analogies. The race for the president is a real slobberknocker!
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