WRESTLING COLUMNS

The WCW Pattern of Failure
July 9, 2002 - by Brad Dykens

WCW or WWE? The new World order The formation of the nWo in WCW was beginng of the end.. The nWo angle made an incredible amount of money, but the problem was the company put all their eggs into this one basket and once the nWo died out, not even reincarnations of the group could pull WCW out of the slump of the century.. WWE has apparently decided to try it one more time, but the nWo is not the top angle in the company so it doesn't have the same effect.. However, if we look high-paid members of the nWo, here lies the problem... Pushing a Monster too hard, too fast WCW created the monster ego known as Bill Goldberg.. Sure, Goldberg was marketable, but without going the traditional route of developing a talent properly, they accidentally created an employee that was virtually impossible to work with, but the fans loved him so much that management sacrificed the rest of the roster just to make a few dollars.. Brock Lesnar is on track to be the next Bill Goldberg.. Faking a Cruisweight Division This one is hard to explain, but many fans would tell you that the Cruiserweights were/are the most consistantly entertaining matches on the cards.. Both companys made it look like they were pushing these 'little' stars but when you looked closely, you could see that they were quietly being buried.. With the addition of Rey Mysterio to the roster, we're faced with a familiar WCW feel.. The Oldtimers Club I don't care who you are, where you've been, or what your name is, nobody who is twice the age of your youngest performer should wear the World title.. This is you Hulk Hogan, this is you Undertaker.. If you're so established, then why do you need a championship? Ric Flair is the exception, Ric Flair is doing the right thing, he hasn't come close to a championship since his return to the WWE.. He's been wrestling up-and-coming wrestlers giving them some experience and a great story to tell their grandchilden some day.. For both company's, when business was in trouble, they immediately signed older established named based on NAME VALUE, and by VALUE I mean, limited VALUE because their worth eventually diminished.. You can be the most famous wrestler in the world (which Hulk Hogan probably is) but once you step into the ring, your abilities are what makes you a star.. Creative Control Clauses When Bret Hart was screwed out of the WWF Championship in 1997 due to a special 'creative control' clause in his contract, Vince vowed to eliminate this particular clause from contract negotiations in the future.. However, mush of the higher talent, including Triple H, Hulk Hogan & Undertaker have an exteme amount of control over their characters and storylines.. Talent should NEVER had control over their own storylines.. Signing Wrestlers For Exclusive Rights Remember when WCW signed literally 20 mexican wrestlers for 2-3 years and we hardly ever saw them on television, but they got paid a great deal.. WCW contracted many wrestlers just so that they couldn't sign with any competing organization.. I believe that is originally why they signed Hulk Hogan, who was involved in an upstart promotion in Florida.. Writing Team Wars During the final year of WCW, there were so many changes in the writing staff, often on a month to month basis.. The WWE had a consistant writing team for years until Vince Russo & Ed Ferarra left.. Since then it seems like lots of people are given spurating writing duties every so often, between Michael Hayes, Paul Heyman, Stephanie McMahon, Shane McMahon, Brian Gerwitz, even Triple H and the countless wrestlers who influence the writing team.. Talent Frustrations When your own roster begins to crumble in luster and moral you know there is something wrong, and if you step back and take a look you can often spot the reasons.. However sometimes that is hard to do in wrestling.. Many MANY wrestlers spoke out during their time in WCW and often got admonished for it.. When the talent finally gets so fed up that they walk out of the company after being so loyal for so long, then you know there is a problem.. Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit & Eddie Guerrero are a few wrestlers who walked out on WCW after hitting their boiling point of frustration.. Recently the WWE's top star (at least one of them), Steve Austin stood up and walked out, apparently he had had enough! Vince Russo Vince Russo was the ultimate downfall of World Championship Wrestling.. Although the Turner suits probably had just as much fault but Russo took the brunt of the blame.. Russo was recently rehired by the WWE, but in a limited role so the WWE has apparently decided to creat their own pattern of failure.. Team Canada Probably not a major factor but both feds went for this angle during a time when business was down.. And in both cases it involved some of the better talent on the roster.. Storm, of course being the focal point.. In WCW, we had Mike Awesome & Elix Skipper and in the WWE we get Test & Christian.. It's something to get talent on TV and it shouldn't be that way.. Pushing Too Many Rookie's Too Fast WCW pushed a rookie group by the name "Natural Born Thrillers" which included Chuck Palumbo, Shawn Stasiak, Sean O'Haire, Mark Jindrak, Johnny The Bull & Mike Sanders, all of whom are under WWE Developmental contract but still considered "Rookie's".. the WCW pushed these young talents towards major angles as well as major championships and the WWE has learned that talent has to be developed to be successfull.. Recently however, they have been pushing a few too many developmental guys at the same time.. We should only be getting one or two per month.. Too Much T&A Curse the idiot fans who like this crap.. Sure I love a half naked woman as much as the next guy, but if I wanted that, I'd get a porn channel.. I watch wrestling cause I wanna see wrestling.. For me, the T&A is horrible.. WCW & Vince Russo overdid it in their dying days.. and the WWE has began to overdo it moreso than ever.. Half Assed Hardcore Division Both feds tried to keep their Hardcore Division alive, but eventually they each became a joke.. The WWE has turns its hardcore Title into the biggest joke in the history of wrestling.. Raven & Crash Holly have held the title more than 20 times each.. in fact, the title has changed hands more often since it's existance than all other titles in their existence.. There IS a place for the hardcore style in the WWE, but why does it have to be so ridiculous? And why is the "Innovator of Violence" Tommy Dreamer NOT involved?! What is Left to Come Backstage Politics A Pregnancy Angle

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