The rise and fall of WCW

[Dunthreevy]

I just skimmed through an old WCW pay-per-view from 2001 called "SIN". It took place here in my hometown of Indianapolis, IN at Conseco Fieldhouse. If there was ever a clear indication of what went wrong with WCW, this ppv was it. This was the night that Goldberg was "retired" by Lex Luger and Buff Magwell (aka "Totally Buff"). Goldberg and "Sarge" (his mentor) vs. Totally Buff with Goldberg's career on the line. Aside the wrestling being totally garbage, the match was booked so that a fan, who Goldberg had earlier given an autograph to, sprays mace in his face during the match and then Goldberg goes on to lose. The fan is allowed to stay at ringside after spraying him, because that makes sense right?

Then in the main event, you've got Scott Steiner (WCW champ) vs. Jeff Jarrett vs. Sid Vicious vs. Mystery Man (yes that was his name). This "Mystery Man" character wore a hockey mask like Jason Vorhees and all black with some white straps on his top. This is the match is most notable for being the one where Sid came of the ropes and snapped his lower leg in 2. I'm sure we've all seen that footage so I won't bother posting the video. So as the match goes along, Mystery Man never shows up until the very end, after Sid had snapped his leg and lied motionless on the mat for a couple minutes while they tried to figure out what happened because the ring announcers were busy talking about what was happening backstage. So you never even see what happened to Sid, they just cut back to the ring and Sid is laying there with his leg all jacked up. Mystery Man comes out and acts as if he's going to go after Steiner but instead punches Sid in the top of the head one time then Steiner pins him. I'm not talking about a Big Show KO punch, I'm talking just a basic strike. Once the bell is rung, Mystery Man takes his hood and mask off and it's Road Warrior Animal. I have no idea who thought this crap up, and I wish I had never seen it because it brought back that bad taste in my mouth over what WCW became.

Just recently found out that John Laurinitis is the one that booked this ppv. Go figure

[Dunthreevy]

Just to give an example of this, because they won the Monday Night Wars nothing WWE did comes under any scrutiny. After the Montreal Screwjob Owen Hart was doing this black Hart persona where he would usually come through the crowd and take out HBK and HHH. This was during Austin 3:16 and Owen was easily the most over guy in the company. This would've been the perfect time to finally make Owen a permanent main eventer. Instead he ends up jobbing out to HBK and eventually HHH as well and then for some absurd reason joins the Nation of Domination. If WWE had lost the Monday Night Wars I think something like that would be pointed to as WWE dropping the ball with a guy who was incredibly over.

I don't even remember this. I was watching a lot more Nitro at this point than RAW.

[Coach Smiley]

HBK didn't want to work with him

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4dW_XEz0sA[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7JdKfqNbPc[/youtube]

[whysoserious]

Safi, you are right, it's easy to judge and find the flaws knowing WCW was eventually going to lose. But I've been watching Raw and there are a lot of flaws on that side too. I'm right at the beginning of the Attitude Era, watching full episodes of Raw/Nitro from Jan 97.

My whole point in bringing up Bischoff was although he was a good heel when he first joined up with them, he would have served a better purpose staying face for WCW, IMO. Joining the NWO, getting even more face time and success led to his ever inflated ego and he got lazy.

[skbucks1985]

Where I would agree with you is that him joining the NWO did inflate his ego. And I don't know if he necessarily got lazy as much as it was just one too many roles for him. Becoming a full time character coupled with his actual responsibilities may have been one too many hats for him and his actual job may have suffered for it.