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Post by Celexa Bliss 54 on Jun 6, 2022 21:29:32 GMT -5
Man, what a mess. Things started off promising, with Mike Awesome in his second reign and on an absolute tear, destroying just about everyone in his path. He looked poised to face Rob Van Dam at Living Dangerously, before RVD broke his leg. But, in a weird bit of booking that actually wasn't terrible, they paired Awesome with Raven to set up a feud between Awesome and Dreamer. Then Awesome jumps to WCW with the belt, so Tazz comes back and wins it briefly, before dropping it to Dreamer, who immediately loses to Justin Credible. And that's just January through April and most of what I described happened over two weeks.
So Credible's reign... happens? I guess. He had a few defenses, then dropped it to Jerry Lynn in October. Then Lynn drops it to a now-babyface Steve Corino and turns heel? Um... what?? Corino gets two months as Champion, then loses it to Sandman who immediately loses it to Rhino, then the company closes down shortly after. But you can see the desperation in Heyman's booking. Sure, he hotshotted the belt from time to time, but it felt excessive here. Of course, the reason is that people kept leaving, so he had to change things, often on the fly. But when Justin Credible is your best option for the World Title, you know you're in trouble. In a perfect world, RVD probably would've been Champion by the time Awesome left, but still. And for the record, no, I don't have a better idea lol but that's the point where you just knew ECW wasn't going to last. The Taz/Dreamer/Credible segment is the one ECW on TNN episode I got to see back when it aired and as soon as it was over, I knew ECW was f***ed. There was just no coming back after that...
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tirtefaa
Unicron
If you wanna know the truth, you gotta dig up Johnny Booth.
Posts: 2,830
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Post by tirtefaa on Jun 6, 2022 21:40:16 GMT -5
I have nothing against the guy personally, but I always thought Justin Credible was one of the dumbest stage names ever. When he won the title, I thought it was the corniest thing they could have done, especially since I think around that time they got the deal on TNN and that's the guy you want at the helm?
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Post by Celexa Bliss 54 on Jun 6, 2022 21:47:19 GMT -5
I have nothing against the guy personally, but I always thought Justin Credible was one of the dumbest stage names ever. When he won the title, I thought it was the corniest thing they could have done, especially since I think around that time they got the deal on TNN and that's the guy you want at the helm? Well, like I said, the reason was because every other best choice left or got hurt. But Credible was always going to win the belt at some point. I just don't think in 2000, as part of a midcard* tag team, as the "break glass in case of emergency" title holder was the right time. * I know they were treated as main eventers, but The Impact Players just weren't going to be the top team. They were overshadowed by the more over Dudleys and then by the more intriguing Raven/Awesome team. They only became the top team because someone left. A pattern for Justin Credible, now that I think about it lol |
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Post by Starshine on Jun 6, 2022 21:53:31 GMT -5
I remember there some also real weirdness with how Lynn dropped the belt as well. The match was something like 2 individual singles matches going on at the same time between Credible and Lynn, and Corino and Sandman, but it also sometimes turned into a basic 4 way. The match closes with Credible just straight up beating Champion Lynn, and then he loses to Corino at the end. But then they do the deal with Lynn handing the belt to the new champion, despite not even losing to him.
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Futureraven: Beelzebruv
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
The Ultimate Arbiter of Right And Wrong
Spent half my life here, God help me
Posts: 15,048
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Post by Futureraven: Beelzebruv on Jun 7, 2022 2:07:01 GMT -5
I understand that "he didn't want it" but why not give Dreamer the belt a bit longer coming out of the Awesome mess?
Just had that throwing everything in the air, give yourself even just 2-3 months to stop and think, give one of the heels a bit more build, see what pieces you had.
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Post by Jedi-El of Tomorrow on Jun 7, 2022 3:14:45 GMT -5
Man, what a mess. Things started off promising, with Mike Awesome in his second reign and on an absolute tear, destroying just about everyone in his path. He looked poised to face Rob Van Dam at Living Dangerously, before RVD broke his leg. But, in a weird bit of booking that actually wasn't terrible, they paired Awesome with Raven to set up a feud between Awesome and Dreamer. Then Awesome jumps to WCW with the belt, so Tazz comes back and wins it briefly, before dropping it to Dreamer, who immediately loses to Justin Credible. And that's just January through April and most of what I described happened over two weeks. So Credible's reign... happens? I guess. He had a few defenses, then dropped it to Jerry Lynn in October. Then Lynn drops it to a now-babyface Steve Corino and turns heel? Um... what?? Corino gets two months as Champion, then loses it to Sandman who immediately loses it to Rhino, then the company closes down shortly after. But you can see the desperation in Heyman's booking. Sure, he hotshotted the belt from time to time, but it felt excessive here. Of course, the reason is that people kept leaving, so he had to change things, often on the fly. But when Justin Credible is your best option for the World Title, you know you're in trouble. In a perfect world, RVD probably would've been Champion by the time Awesome left, but still. And for the record, no, I don't have a better idea lol but that's the point where you just knew ECW wasn't going to last. The Taz/Dreamer/Credible segment is the one ECW on TNN episode I got to see back when it aired and as soon as it was over, I knew ECW was f***ed. There was just no coming back after that... Just think how much could have been avoided if Heyman just f***ing paid Awesome the money he owed him. |
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Post by "Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay on Jun 7, 2022 3:21:04 GMT -5
Man, what a mess. Things started off promising, with Mike Awesome in his second reign and on an absolute tear, destroying just about everyone in his path. He looked poised to face Rob Van Dam at Living Dangerously, before RVD broke his leg. But, in a weird bit of booking that actually wasn't terrible, they paired Awesome with Raven to set up a feud between Awesome and Dreamer. Then Awesome jumps to WCW with the belt, so Tazz comes back and wins it briefly, before dropping it to Dreamer, who immediately loses to Justin Credible. And that's just January through April and most of what I described happened over two weeks. So Credible's reign... happens? I guess. He had a few defenses, then dropped it to Jerry Lynn in October. Then Lynn drops it to a now-babyface Steve Corino and turns heel? Um... what?? Corino gets two months as Champion, then loses it to Sandman who immediately loses it to Rhino, then the company closes down shortly after. But you can see the desperation in Heyman's booking. Sure, he hotshotted the belt from time to time, but it felt excessive here. Of course, the reason is that people kept leaving, so he had to change things, often on the fly. But when Justin Credible is your best option for the World Title, you know you're in trouble. In a perfect world, RVD probably would've been Champion by the time Awesome left, but still. And for the record, no, I don't have a better idea lol but that's the point where you just knew ECW wasn't going to last. The Taz/Dreamer/Credible segment is the one ECW on TNN episode I got to see back when it aired and as soon as it was over, I knew ECW was f***ed. There was just no coming back after that... Just think how much could have been avoided if Heyman just f***ing paid Awesome the money he owed him. That would require them having any money |
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Post by Andee9001 on Jun 7, 2022 4:08:31 GMT -5
I think a better option would have been Rhino as champ. He could have beaten Awesome and had a monster run. Mike Awesome also wanted to put him over.
Seemed like at the end Heyman went with guys who didn't really have anywhere else to go. Dreamer was a lifer and Credible, Lynn and Corino weren't exactly highly saught after by the WWF and WCW. RVD was who should have won the title but Heyman owed him money too and he stopped going to shows by the end of the year after he figured he was never getting his money.
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Post by EvenBaldobombHasAJob on Jun 7, 2022 7:01:04 GMT -5
I understand that "he didn't want it" but why not give Dreamer the belt a bit longer coming out of the Awesome mess? Just had that throwing everything in the air, give yourself even just 2-3 months to stop and think, give one of the heels a bit more build, see what pieces you had. I think a lot of that was just Tommy being obstinate about not wanting to hold the belt. at that point he was basically all ECW had left and that attitude was a mistake (see also Cody in AEW). Though if I can be real for a second, if he hadn't gotten injured RVD probably wasn't long for the company anyway. Bischoff was really interested in poaching him. |
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Sephiroth
Wade Wilson
Surviving
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Member is Online
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Post by Sephiroth on Jun 7, 2022 8:13:18 GMT -5
I have nothing against the guy personally, but I always thought Justin Credible was one of the dumbest stage names ever. When he won the title, I thought it was the corniest thing they could have done, especially since I think around that time they got the deal on TNN and that's the guy you want at the helm? He was a solid enough hand in the ring but had all the charisma of a plank. He is one of those meant to be the other half of a tag team with a partner who could do the talking. But with the drain in take the was one of the only options they had left at the time. Dreamer may look like a better option in paper, but I think his appeal was more in the chase than it would have been in him as champion, especially without it being Raven hed win the belt from. That leaves Sandman as about the only option and the audience had already seen him as champion many times over. Only other one I could argue for is Rhyno but he was still pretty green. |
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Chuck Conry
Dennis Stamp
zombies DON'T Run
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Post by Chuck Conry on Jun 7, 2022 15:34:08 GMT -5
I remember wanting Corino to have a much better run at the time.
How often was Scropio around? Could have been a good option to toss in the mix since he always felt like an ECW guy to me.
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Post by BlackoutCreature on Jun 7, 2022 16:35:06 GMT -5
The fact is ECW was out of money, the higher quality talent had bailed for greener pastures, Heyman was burnt out creatively and had alienated anybody who might have been able to help him. The only thing that might, might, have turned things around was an RVD title reign, but between his injury and later on Heyman just not being able to afford him, that wasn't happening. Nobody else in the company from 2000-2001 was gonna make a dent in their bottom line.
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Post by lildude8218 on Jun 7, 2022 16:37:07 GMT -5
That whole mess with them announcing a 3-way with Justin, Lance, and Tommy but Justin said he was gonna walk out with the belt if Tommy was in the match so Paul just takes Tommy out of the match.
Then eventually they take Corino from a goof and actually build him up as a serious contender for the world title. He wins the title and immediately reverts to his goofy persona.
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Post by GodzillaIsMyMonster on Jun 7, 2022 17:29:13 GMT -5
I liked Credible as champion. The match with Storm is amazing, and the Stairway to Hell vs Sandman is fun.
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Post by The Rick Jericho on Jun 7, 2022 18:06:29 GMT -5
Vince should've sent some guys down.
Al Snow
Dean Malenko
Steve Blackman
Christian
A few to name.
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Post by Celexa Bliss 54 on Jun 7, 2022 18:10:42 GMT -5
Vince should've sent some guys down. Al Snow Dean Malenko Steve Blackman Christian A few to name. Actually, when was the last time Vince had sent anyone to ECW for an extended run? Tazz doesn't count, that was just for a couple of weeks. |
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Post by The Rick Jericho on Jun 7, 2022 18:13:15 GMT -5
Vince should've sent some guys down. Al Snow Dean Malenko Steve Blackman Christian A few to name. Actually, when was the last time Vince had sent anyone to ECW for an extended run? Tazz doesn't count, that was just for a couple of weeks. Probably Snow in 1997? He stayed there until mid 1998 so that might be it. |
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Nosnorb
El Dandy
Nachos and Fraggle Rock are TIMELESS.
Posts: 7,681
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Post by Nosnorb on Jun 7, 2022 18:20:40 GMT -5
Vince should've sent some guys down. Christian. Dude, seriously? Edge and Christian were hugely over, were also massively important to helping Kurt Angle find his character and put on some of the greatest matches the Tag Team division had seen in years. Absolutely no way should Vince have sent him down to ECW. |
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Post by The Rick Jericho on Jun 7, 2022 18:24:33 GMT -5
Vince should've sent some guys down. Christian. Dude, seriously? Edge and Christian were hugely over, were also massively important to helping Kurt Angle find his character and put on some of the greatest matches the Tag Team division had seen in years. Absolutely no way should Vince have sent him down to ECW. After their feud with Team Xtreme and the Dudleyz. Christian disappears a bit, because he's trying to find out how to be "extreme" himself. Goes down there for a show or two challenges for the ECW title but fails. He returns and tells Edge he knows how to beat the Hardyz and Dudleyz at their own game now. A small quick bit of character development for Christian. Honestly Vince should've sent more guys down there for a small stint, since the roster was bloated due to the Radicalz showing up. |
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Post by Celexa Bliss 54 on Jun 7, 2022 18:41:10 GMT -5
Dude, seriously? Edge and Christian were hugely over, were also massively important to helping Kurt Angle find his character and put on some of the greatest matches the Tag Team division had seen in years. Absolutely no way should Vince have sent him down to ECW. After their feud with Team Xtreme and the Dudleyz. Christian disappears a bit, because he's trying to find out how to be "extreme" himself. Goes down there for a show or two challenges for the ECW title but fails. He returns and tells Edge he knows how to beat the Hardyz and Dudleyz at their own game now. A small quick bit of character development for Christian. Honestly Vince should've sent more guys down there for a small stint, since the roster was bloated due to the Radicalz showing up. Kai En Tai - Cyrus brings them in to get revenge on Tajiri for defying The Network D'Lo Brown - could've been a filler challenger for the World Title in between PPVs Tiger Ali Singh - comes in as a member of the New Dangerous Alliance Essa Rios - could work with Super Crazy, Little Guido, Kid Kash, Mikey Whipwreck, etc. Ivory - give her a run with the Network before she joins Right to Censor, so can fine-tune the character |
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