The IWC in The Attitude Era...

[chunkylover53]

Okay, so back then the internet was becoming a big phenomenum, not just with wrestling, but with everything. Now, before that, there were dirt sheets that you needed to subscribe for a nominal fee. In later years, this information was alot easier to access to with just a simple click on the mouse. Many people say that the internet ruined the enjoyment of professional wrestling(I in part agree) with the backstage stuff and knowing what the performers we love are "really" like.

Anyway, I wasn't part of the IWC until 2003, so what I would like to know is, what was in like in the late 90s/early 2000s? From what I read guys like The Rock and to a lesser extent Austin were giving alot of crap and countless discussions over which company(WWF and WCW) was better.

So for those of you who were part of the IWC back then, what was in like in great detail? Plus, are there any forums back then you can get access to today. I'd love to see those discussions for pure amusement.

[Jimmy]

Many hated the WWF product because of the lack of wrestling on RAW and some even prefered WCW for that reason, because at least WCW had Guerrero, Benoit, Malenko, Mysterio, Kidman, etc to go out there and wrestle for 10 minutes.

There was a notable online backlash against The Rock, saying he couldn't wrestle (sound familiar?)

As for accessing it today, go to Google and search wrestling 1999 related keywords for 'Groups' and some stuff should come up. There's also Herb Kunze's old wrestling tibits reports still online:

rspw.org/tidbits/

[Push R Truth]

Every day it felt like there was another NASH/HALL/HOGAN returning to WWF newz item.




If you think Hart/HBK threads are boring now, oh sweet baby jesus they were all over the place in 97.


I remember tons of Sunny love threads and a lot of people claimed Chyna was a man.

I remember lots of threads about people bitching about Macho Man in WCW and how he should go back to the WWF and rule now that Hogan was gone.

The internet Exploded with Rick Rude being on Nitro and RAW at the same time.







You know, on second thought....it's really not that different

[poi zen rana]

Two of the rumors from way back in the day I always remember were that

A) the higher power was either going to be Brother Love, Dibiase, Jake the Snake, or HBK.

B) Whenever Kurt began using the ankle lock there were many rumors this would lead to Shamrock reemerging setting up a 'master of the ankle lock' feud

[I Like Your Poetry]

There were many people who thought Kurt Angle's mystery opponent at Royal Rumble 2000 was Ken Shamrock.

[Paul E. Funk]

Shamrock return rumours > Rock return rumours.

[AriadosMan]

It wasn't as big a portion of the fans, but they were still vocal.

[Steveweiser]

One of the first things about wrestling I ever found out on the Internet (other than Sunny pics and boy did I have to wait a long time for those to load) was the Hogan heel turn. A year later (I did not have the net in my home at the time), I found out about Pillman's death that way. I wasn't around for a lot of the Montreal Screwjob fallout. I became a fully fledged IWC member round about the big WWF comeback.

[Hiroshi Hase]

Sept 28, 2009 13:36:10 GMT -5 Steveweiser said:

One of the first things about wrestling I ever found out on the Internet (other than Sunny pics and boy did I have to wait a long time for those to load) was the Hogan heel turn. A year later (I did not have the net in my home at the time), I found out about Pillman's death that way. I wasn't around for a lot of the Montreal Screwjob fallout. I became a fully fledged IWC member round about the big WWF comeback.

How did you find out about the Hogan heel turn? As far as I know that was kept under wraps. I mean, was there a report that said "Hogan rumored to be the 3rd guy"?

[Steveweiser]

Sept 28, 2009 13:37:32 GMT -5 Hiroshi Hase said:

Sept 28, 2009 13:36:10 GMT -5 Steveweiser said:

One of the first things about wrestling I ever found out on the Internet (other than Sunny pics and boy did I have to wait a long time for those to load) was the Hogan heel turn. A year later (I did not have the net in my home at the time), I found out about Pillman's death that way. I wasn't around for a lot of the Montreal Screwjob fallout. I became a fully fledged IWC member round about the big WWF comeback.

How did you find out about the Hogan heel turn? As far as I know that was kept under wraps. I mean, was there a report that said "Hogan rumored to be the 3rd guy"?

I meant that it had happened. I wasn't ahead of the curve, sad to report.

[Jimmy]

I totally bought into all of those Shamrock rumors, btw. I was a big fan and desperatley wanted him back. I thought he would be the one who ran over Austin.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Every last month from when Kat flashed the crowd onto about 2 years later, SOME Diva was gonna go topless. It was ALWAYS reported. And not in those dumb links at the bottom, as a news source.

[Bishblast]

I remember getting on the AOL WWF chatrooms here and there... still allot of mark-talk, but there were some smarks strewn about.

I personally didn't really get into the IWC (read the news sites regularly, get involved in rumors, etc.) until late 2000, along with the culmination of the "who ran over Austin" storyline.

[Lance Uppercut]

I remember those days.

Up till 2000, Rock and HHH were "fun charismatic but crappy wrestlers".
It wasn't until late 2001 that people got bored with them. Rock was starting to get repetitive, and pandering. HHH was really starting to get obnoxious with his stranglehold on the main event as Austin was winding down/walking out and Rock was Making movies and disappearing for months on end.

WCW was completely retarded.

ECW was the best ever.

Hogan, Bischoff, and Nash were totally Evil.
Flair was a god.
HBK was this legend that was the best ever that everyone wanted back.

[rnrk supports BLM]

Wasn't Billy Gunn supposed to be this incredible talent ready to become the next megastar who kept being held down by poor booking?

[rocket]

I started following in early-mid 1999, and one of the most ridiculous things I've heard was that Jericho would debut in the WWF as Excalibur.

That, and everyone praised the Nitro reboot in 2000 when I knew this really did WCW no good.

[Cry Me a Wiggle]

What I miss are the larger number of WCW fans being online. Many abandoned wrestling and the IWC completely when either the WWF bought WCW or it was clear that they weren't going to relaunch it in any desirable way. I myself left and didn't come back until 2006 when the new ECW (hah!) and TNA piqued my interest.

["Handsome" Whitey Fats]

Sept 28, 2009 18:39:20 GMT -5 rnrk supports BLM said:

Wasn't Billy Gunn supposed to be this incredible talent ready to become the next megastar who kept being held down by poor booking?

Not saying Gunn would be the next Rock, but piss poor booking did cut his legs off a lot.

[Deleted]

My first brush with the IWC was back in 2000, when I stumbled upon SmackDown taping results a few days before King of the Ring. Didn't really start getting involved in it until about 2002, though.

[celticjobber]

The Rock was treated alot like John Cena is now.