-To rip WCW hard tonight, it would be so unfair. WWF's ratings are down too, which means total viewership was down. Why can't RAW max out their ratings in their second hour...when they are unopposed? Only a 6.1 in the second hour!!! That's very weak folks, as you have to admit that. On the other hand, Nitro just can't get the job done, still, as RAW still rules Mondays. But Lord, why is the total viewership down? Ransom, a decent movie that was on ABC, is the only different thing from any previous Monday line up. I know why WWF viewership is down...people want Vince!!! Bring him back already! Fans are really getting bored of Stephanie and Triple H running the show, that Vince McMahon would add a certain element of fun to the show once again. I think that many viewers quit watching when they saw the DX bus drive in...nah, I'm only kidding. When the ratings are down, you must step it up to get them back up.
On a side note, just to prove my point yesterday, WWF Superstars got a 1.6, while WWF Livewire had a 1.4, and WCW Saturday Night earned a 1.5. As I stated yesterday, for ECW to really become a force, they must defeat these shows consistantly to show that they can eventually become one of the big boys. They had a 1.2 this week, which is 0.2 lower than Livewire, which is on 10 am in the morning on Saturdays. I still think they need to back up their words of overtaking WCW as the #2 ranked company. They already have WCW beat on ticket sales, and a few people have told me that the buyrates are higher than WCW's. Then prove yourself by making ECW on TNN a high rated show. Sure, it's on a Friday, but ratings can be won on Fridays. Come on RVD and Joey Styles, let's back up your words.
-The matches that I saw after that were alright for the most part, and I was shocked to hear that Vampiro was going to fight Ric Flair of all people. Good match, but I had a feeling that Vampiro was being very fragile during their match. It was good, and Ric Flair resorted to having his new homeboy, Flexy Lexy, cheat for him to get the win. The crowd was cheering for Vampiro, and they were chanting "Flair Sucks" in support of Vampiro. Once again WCW, do you hear this?
Dustin Rhodes tried his hardest to get an interview in that would give him lots of heat. He picked up the "pirate" gimmick, which I guess was left by Saturn when he left WCW, and he kept dogging the crowd. He said everything over and over again, but using different words. A total waste of time really. Terry Funk gets on the Chundertron and tells him some stupid threats back as well. Argh! WCW really needs to work on this department of their shows.
-Crowbar is really coming on at WCW, as he put up a good match against Prince Iaukea. It was a damn shame that Crowbar didn't win the cruiserweight title, but hey, he won the tag titles just into his first few Nitros, so what the heck. The crowd was into Crowbar, but anyone would be when they were fighting a joke like the Artist Formerly Known as Prince Iaukea. Damn Russo leftovers!!!
-You'd think that the Wall would walk through Disco Inferno, but no, Disco showed Wall why he should also be pushed, and not the Wall. Disco carried the short match very well, and he drilled the Wall with a sweet swinging neckbreaker. It was watchable, especially for a Wall match.
-I think that Russo is still running the show from somewhere, because the Harris Brothers are getting a huge push now, and superstars like Booker T and Kidman aren't. It was a very good tag match tonight, but Kidman was stupid at the end. He was on the outside "resting" for about a minute or so, and the Harris bros took advantage of that, and H-Bombed Booker. That H-Bomb move isn't so bad. Anyway, good tag match, but too bad nothing can be done to elevate Booker T.
-Alright, so the main event of Sid and Lex Luger sucked. The rest of the show, from what I saw, was way better than your average Thunder. WCW seems to be long gone in the Monday Night Wars, so why not keep beefing this show up? A good Thunder everyweek would definately help turn things around, and then put pressure on the WWF to stop the Wednesday show. You can do it WCW, as all you need to do is to actually try. I know Kevin Sullivan is the worst booker ever, but even he can book a strong show for Thunder.
-You know, I just really love how Hogan is making a fool of himself with his comments towards Kidman. He ripped Kidman on a radio show a while back, and I guess he expected nobody to notice or fire back. Both Perry Saturn and Chris Benoit ripped on Hogan hard, and they defended Kidman. Just remember Billy Kidman...you had your opportunity to leave with them, to enter the WWF. Did you take the opportunity? Nope. You turned it down to stay in WCW. Biggest mistake of your career, as the WWF has already made them into stars. So Kidman better take the criticism by the man who runs WCW, Hulk Hogan, with a smile. If he doesn't like it, his years in WCW, which he wanted to stay for, will be so miserable.
-Good old Smackdown is on tonight, as I'm hoping NOT to suffer from another DX Express night. That was so terrible last week, and I dogged the WWF for it. Many readers thought I was so harsh, but I think it was the fact that I totally bashed them for a little thing as a bus that shocked the readers. Oh well, I tell it like I see it. Just because the WWF is on top, it doesn't mean that I don't have to rip them when they slack off or make bad decisions. I rip on all 3 of the big federations. Why? I call it being unbiased.
I watch all 3 federations each, and every week. I enjoy certain aspects of each, but still, I'm called a 'mark' for one federation. Whatever. See, it goes through cycles I guess. During the beginning of the Russo run, I was considered a WCW mark. Then at the end of the Russo run, I was called a WWF mark. Then, a WCW mark, and a WWF mark up until I ripped Smackdown last week. Now, I'm back in WCW mark mode, right? Please. Why not call me an ECW mark one week...just for fun!
@That's it for this edition. I'll be back tomorrow to criticize Smackdown fairly, as I do for EVERY show that any federation puts on. Yes, I have apples to hand out for all. So until the next column, why not go to the Phat Farm, because I have 2 New Columns to give to you today!
Phat Farm: NEW and GREAT Edition of "Ups and Downs", along with the anticipated Return of "Getting Educated"!!!!
Take Care, and Thanks, as Always, for Reading.