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Post by chunkylover53 on Jan 1, 2011 9:31:22 GMT -5
They kept the fans happy in the 1993-1997 period. They brought in the WWF guys who people knew and still wanted to see.Vince was going on and on about the New Generation but honestly it was too soon to consider Bret Hart & Shawn Michaels as main eventers after having Andre, Hogan, Savage and Warrior. I have to disagree with you there. Yes, Hogan's signing gave WCW a small boost at first, but after his cronies came, WCW started having a reputation as an inferior version of WWF. They didn't have their own image until the nWo came along. Plus, fans were booing Hogan before his heel-turn. His pre-nWo value wasn't the same as it was in WWF.
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Big L
Grimlock
Posts: 13,883
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Post by Big L on Jan 1, 2011 9:33:05 GMT -5
I agree with WCW's cruiserweight division being better but that's about it 4 me
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Post by strykerdarksilence on Jan 1, 2011 9:47:03 GMT -5
This Misconception. WCW never lost that much money. From Turner's purchase from Crockett up to the sale to Vince they turned a profit only 3 years. They made a HUGE profit in 2 of those years but they were spewing out huge losses every other year before and after that 3 year period. On the whole, WCW turned a loss and it's not even close. In either 1999 or 2000 they lost more than they made in 1997 which was their marquee year.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2011 14:20:59 GMT -5
Since this is just a generalization (no certain time-line was given); I'm going off of the years 1988-2001, the years WCW existed as that particular company.
-Focus on the Lightweights/Cruiserweights. Vince reluctantly dove into this field in late-1996 by giving us a partnership with the AAA organization in Mexico. Nobody really cared about those guys, because we like to know why we should cheer or boo these guys. Mike Tenay would have a segment on Nitro or Thunder to explain such questions the average fan would ask like, "Why is the mask held so sacred in Mexico?", "Why is the lucha-libre style so different?", and stuff like that. Even before then, WCW had the Lightweight Division. Brian Pillman, Brad Armstrong, Tim Horner, occasional appearances with Jushin Liger.
-Speaking of which, WCW had a better working agreement with Japan. When WCW brought in a guy from Japan making a tour of the States, he was treated as a big deal, like I mentioned with Liger. Steve Williams & Terry Gordy were bad-ass heels who tore through the Land of the Rising Sun, and now wanted to make their mark on the United States. The Road Warriors holding the IWGP tag titles (and the Steiner Brothers afterward) were seen with having international credentials by being willing to travel anywhere to take on the best. The WWF tended to stay shielded in their own little corner, thinking the world revolved around them. And when they DID bring in a Japanese guy like Tenryu, WWF fans scratched their heads and wondered just who in the blue hell this guy was. "Oh, he's a legend in Japan." So, that's it?
-Their announcers were better, even going back to when Jim Ross would be doing WCW shows. Mike Tenay was truly "The Professor", a guy you could count on to give it to you straight and to the point. They called moves by name, not by "whattamaneuver".
-WCW never shied away from a wrestler's past. If he won titles somewhere else, they would tell you so. If he had a personal history with so-and-so from 1978, they made it known. The WWF had a way to hide a man's history (unless it was Ric Flair, a man who's reputation preceded him and was difficult to hide).
-WCW pushed Goldberg, a man with no real wrestling background, as an unstoppable force. The more Goldberg won, the more people got behind him. He didn't speak much, which made him all the more intriguing. "Who IS this guy?! He's awesome!" The WWF took both Ken Shamrock and Dan Severn, both Ultimate Fight Champions and arguably some of the toughest men in the world at the time, (men you should have pushed to every national media outlet and made into household names) and turned them into just another wrestler "who just happened to have competed in the UFC". (Granted, WCW brought in Tank Abbott. I guess you could call this a push.)
-WCW cared and saluted their old-timers. They had a Hall of Fame before the WWF did. WWF kept them hidden unless it was Andre the Giant or Pat Patterson. The WWF had a Hall of Fame later on, but wasn't until 1996 that we were even made aware of it based on TV.
-WCW gave Ricky Steamboat a chance to win "the big one".
-WCW weren't afraid to have 60-minute draws at their shows. The WWF bristled at 15-minute stalemates.
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kolani
Bubba Ho-Tep
Posts: 516
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Post by kolani on Jan 1, 2011 15:47:30 GMT -5
This Misconception. WCW never lost that much money. Waste money doesn't always equal loss of money. Do you think you can honestly find anyone who thinks the KISS Demon, Ready To Rumble, Master P and The Shockmaster were a wise use of money?
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Post by Jedi-El of Tomorrow on Jan 1, 2011 16:58:59 GMT -5
Misconception. WCW never lost that much money. Waste money doesn't always equal loss of money. Do you think you can honestly find anyone who thinks the KISS Demon, Ready To Rumble, Master P and The Shockmaster were a wise use of money? Hey, let's not be dissing Ready to Rumble.
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Post by Citizen Zero on Jan 1, 2011 17:33:39 GMT -5
Notice how the Cruiserweight/Lightweight division's quality is inversely proportional to Vince Russo's presence.
Also I have to give a big 'WTF' to people saying WCW had the better announcers. Yeah they had Mike Tenay but they also had Tony Schiavone, who was pretty much Michael Cole squared.
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toonami4life
Don Corleone
Better than your favorite crossover
Posts: 1,770
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Post by toonami4life on Jan 1, 2011 19:16:34 GMT -5
Notice how the Cruiserweight/Lightweight division's quality is inversely proportional to Vince Russo's presence. Also I have to give a big 'WTF' to people saying WCW had the better announcers. Yeah they had Mike Tenay but they also had Tony Schiavone, who was pretty much Michael Cole squared. Yeah but Tony if he was put with the right people could be a good announcer in his own right. Even if you paired Cole with Jim Ross during his NWA days and The Late Gorilla Monsoon, he'd still find a way to suck the life out of a match.
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Post by Pervy Stone Cold on Jan 1, 2011 21:51:14 GMT -5
- I'll second Rick Rude's theme, but also mention Ricky Steamboat's theme in the 90's. Also Lex Luger's theme. - Used Rick Rude better than WWE. Rude was a bigger deal in WCW than he was in WWE, and they made him the greatest United States Champion ever. - Used Lex Luger better than WWE. That's a no brainer. Screw "Made in the USA" Lex Luger, The Total Package Lex Luger was far better in every way. The Lex Luger in WCW was way more awesome, no doubt about it.
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riseofsetian1981
King Koopa
"I met him fifteen years ago. I was told there was nothing left."
Posts: 10,323
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Post by riseofsetian1981 on Jan 1, 2011 21:57:21 GMT -5
WCW did great things with the cruiserweight division and allowed them to showcase their talent. Another thing that WCW did was hold value to their mid-card titles too.
You'd see great matches and feuds with wrestlers that were either holding the TV title or the US title.
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toonami4life
Don Corleone
Better than your favorite crossover
Posts: 1,770
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Post by toonami4life on Jan 1, 2011 22:10:38 GMT -5
WCW did great things with the cruiserweight division and allowed them to showcase their talent. Another thing that WCW did was hold value to their mid-card titles too. You'd see great matches and feuds with wrestlers that were either holding the TV title or the US title. Exactly, Ricky Steamboat was called a former World Champion yet he had no problem at all going after The TV, Tag, or U.S. title. And if he wanted too, he could challenge for the World Title anytime he wanted. Heck, some of his best matches in WCW where for the midcard and tag belts.
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Post by chunkylover53 on Jan 1, 2011 22:21:27 GMT -5
-WCW never shied away from a wrestler's past. If he won titles somewhere else, they would tell you so. If he had a personal history with so-and-so from 1978, they made it known. The WWF had a way to hide a man's history (unless it was Ric Flair, a man who's reputation preceded him and was difficult to hide). -WCW pushed Goldberg, a man with no real wrestling background, as an unstoppable force. The more Goldberg won, the more people got behind him. He didn't speak much, which made him all the more intriguing. "Who IS this guy?! He's awesome!" -WCW gave Ricky Steamboat a chance to win "the big one". -WCW weren't afraid to have 60-minute draws at their shows. The WWF bristled at 15-minute stalemates. 1)WWF never directly acknowledged Ric Flair's past, they just treated him as a big deal. 2)WWF has pushed many monsters before and after WCW pushed Goldberg. Undertaker was built up over the course of a year before he won the WWF championship 3)Ricky Steamboat would've never won the WWF championship because he didn't fit the World title mold. He had wrestling ability, I'll give him that, but in a "entertainment" based company that was the World Wrestling Federation, that is secondary at best. He had no promo ability or an interesting character that would let him go past IC title status. Not a valid comparison. 4)Again, WCW was "rasslin" while WWF was "entertainment".
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riseofsetian1981
King Koopa
"I met him fifteen years ago. I was told there was nothing left."
Posts: 10,323
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Post by riseofsetian1981 on Jan 1, 2011 22:48:54 GMT -5
WCW did great things with the cruiserweight division and allowed them to showcase their talent. Another thing that WCW did was hold value to their mid-card titles too. You'd see great matches and feuds with wrestlers that were either holding the TV title or the US title. Exactly, Ricky Steamboat was called a former World Champion yet he had no problem at all going after The TV, Tag, or U.S. title. And if he wanted too, he could challenge for the World Title anytime he wanted. Heck, some of his best matches in WCW where for the midcard and tag belts. That's what I really miss about the product. Serious and competitive feuds over the respective mid-card titles. Not only that but unpredictable world title wins on television too. Storylines in WCW at that time were a lot more intense, realistic, and I feel WCW had something for everyone in terms of what certain fans look for in wrestling.
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Post by "Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay on Jan 2, 2011 10:59:29 GMT -5
Midcard gimmicks.
Everyone had something to do, even if it was stupid - and a lot of those midcard heel gimmicks were so stupid that they became great, like 3 Count.
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Post by Macho Dude Handy Damage on Jan 2, 2011 11:16:09 GMT -5
WCW was better at booking two men invading WCW then WWF was at booking WCW as a whole invading them, the WWF.
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Post by ChokeslamToHell on Jan 2, 2011 11:29:01 GMT -5
Use Road Block.
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Post by ronnie2hotty on Jan 3, 2011 16:58:48 GMT -5
Lance Storm
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Glitch
King Koopa
Not Going To Die; Childs, we're goin' out to give Blair the test. If he tries to make it back here and we're not with him... burn him.
Watching you.
Posts: 12,717
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Post by Glitch on Jan 3, 2011 17:11:36 GMT -5
Cliff hanger endings. wwf always seemed to try to wrap things up in the end. There was actual focus on wrestling.
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efarns
Don Corleone
Posts: 1,273
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Post by efarns on Jan 4, 2011 1:12:35 GMT -5
Agree with everyone who said all of their titles had meaning.
WCW got their heels over better
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Schemer
Don Corleone
Total class wit' a capital K!
Posts: 1,950
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Post by Schemer on Jan 4, 2011 5:44:30 GMT -5
The cruiserweight stuff in WCW will probably always be vastly superior to WWF\E.
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