What were signs in 2000 WCW was fading to you?

[Trent Valentine]

Some knew WCW was on its way out(Ratings wise, the merger just sealed the coffin.)now more than ever under the watch of Russo. While some saw it as barely hanging on by a thread and there was a chance that it would still be alive. For me, there were many signs. One of them was how desperate they were getting by creating a knockoff of characters in WWF, hoping we'd be interested in them. WWF had Chyna, WCW had Asya. WWF had Road Dogg, WCW has his less talented brother Buzz Kill. WWF had the New Age Outlaws..WCW had the Old Age Outlaws. (Which Tenay f***ed up majorly by calling them the New Age Outlaws on the air.)

But the most obvious sign was the exodus of stars to WWF, Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero and Perry Saturn. Four Talented young superstars growing sick of the bulls*** politics in WCW and left it. Other than reports of them losing a lot of money..WCW looked bleak.

What were signs to you that it wouldn't be long until WCW faded into the darkness?

[Angus Mcloud]

NWO 2000: Silver and Black

[drjayphd (feat. Pitbull)]

Jul 22, 2010 8:48:28 GMT -5 Trent Valentine said:

WWF had Road Dogg, WCW has his less talented brother Road Kill.

But... just imagine where WCW would be nowadays if they paired him up with second cousin, twice removed Roadblock!

[Trent Valentine]

Jul 22, 2010 8:55:02 GMT -5 drjayphd (feat. Pitbull) said:

Jul 22, 2010 8:48:28 GMT -5 Trent Valentine said:

WWF had Road Dogg, WCW has his less talented brother Road Kill.

But... just imagine where WCW would be nowadays if they paired him up with second cousin, twice removed Roadblock!

lmao got to me before I edited my mistake...Road Team would have been huge!

[dav]

Who was booking after Russo was given the boot? I heard that it slowly started to get better as it went into 2001 but I'm not sure whether to trust that.

[The King of Memphis Tennessee]

Jul 22, 2010 8:52:37 GMT -5 Angus Mcloud said:

NWO 2000: Silver and Black

This.

[AriadosMan]

Jul 22, 2010 9:15:45 GMT -5 dav said:

Who was booking after Russo was given the boot? I heard that it slowly started to get better as it went into 2001 but I'm not sure whether to trust that.

I don't know, only thing I know was it wasn't Bischoff, most likely Sullivan.
As for the "good" part of 2001, it had some marginal improvements, but stupid stuff continued to happen up till the death. The fate of the Magnificent 7 storyline was a good example (promising a REALLY IMPORTANT HIRE and bringing in...Animal).

[quantum]

The fact WWF had it's best year of the Attitude Era and was white hot in 2000 may have been a sign also that a lot of WCW long term fans were switching to WWF esspically when Jericho and The Radicalz jumped ship and also NWO Silver/2000 as well as Hogan and the same guys being on top who were on top for years ans no longer the top draws they once were

[agent817]

Something that hasn't already been said, but we all know this was the nail in the coffin right here:

[Matt Dunn]

Rip-off gimmicks and matches (from WWF or ECW), David Arquette, Vince Russo, and New Blood/Old fogies. And the fact that a "reboot" didn't fix anything.

[carp (SPC, Itoh Respect Army)]

Jul 22, 2010 8:48:28 GMT -5 Trent Valentine said:

WWF had Road Dogg, WCW has his less talented brother Buzz Kill.

Brad Armstrong... LESS TALENTED... than Brian Armstrong???

Sir, you have offended me.

[T Vang is a HO-DADDY~!]

To me it was Jarrett on top. It was never possible for me to buy him as a top guy for a major promotion. Same vein but to a lesser extent is DDP, who I couldn't get behind as a headliner, I think it was the pants.

[Mayonnaise]

When their entrances went from the more elaborate sets to the TurnerTron and the double Nitro/Thunder tapings.

[Roo]

When it moved to Channel 5 on Friday nights. Channel f**king 5!

One for the UK fans there...

[Shy Guy]

i was 13 in 2000 and unaware of newz sites, but i remember watching and thinking people would be offended by how they were making fun of JR and trying to rip off the WWF guys like road dog, and having juvi trying to come up with catch phrases like the rock

[Mecca]

There were just so many things they did that made no sense, they really sealed their fate going back to the end of 97, not to mention they squandered numerous guys who had gotten majorly over to keep going to the NWO.

[Deleted]

Everything mentioned so far of course, but I had a good idea they were nearly finished when Haku showed up at the Royal Rumble a week after he was on WCW's PPV.

[YAKMAN is ICHIBAN]

I think the last straw for me was all the New Blood or whatever losing out constantly to the Millionaires Club. nWo Silver and Black was pretty bad too. I didn't suddenly stop watching or anything...but slowly over time, I just didn't care about tuning in at 8 for WCW then switching to WWE at 9. I don't think I watched WCW other than for commercial breaks much at all for the last 2 years.

[Evilution E5150]

for me it was kidman v hogan, sure it was an attempt to push young talen but billy kidman, come one

[________ has left the building]

When they decided to push Power Plant graduates without actually getting the veterans to put them over and make them credible. All the work/shoot storylines. Cuts in production and staff. When Vince Russo became a regular wrestler and eventual WCW world champion.