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BIG ED'S RANDOM RANTS

You can't stop Big Ed, you can only hope to control him . . . .

Now, if I only had that much confidence in finding a date, rather than sitting here on a Friday night, writing yet another installment of Big Ed's Random Rants to entertain the masses . . . .

But alas, I have time for women in future weeks and months - you all must be sent the truth RIGHT NOW! And I have been sent from the Wrestling Gods as your truth-teller.

Now, on with the ranting!!

I was in Roanoke, Virginia on September 18, 1994 - the event was Fall Brawl '94, it was my first taste of televised-wrestling-in-person since becoming a fan in the late 80's, and to say I was excited would be a vast understatement. That night, sitting in the sixth row ringside, I saw Ricky Steamboat step into the ring, forfeit his US title to Steve Austin, and thus ended the final chapter of a great career. In Roanoke, VA. A small city in the southwestern part of the state. I dare say that many people watching that PPV had never even heard of the place. Lord, we never thought that WCW would even consider holding a PPV in a little Virginia city famous for nothing in particular. But they did, and I was there. And every time I see a Steamboat match, or even see Austin wrestle, I remember that I was among a select few wrestling fans that got to personally witness the end of a stellar career. I miss ya Ricky, you're still one of my favorites.

And what about "that guy" that Steamboat handed the US title to that night in Roanoke? He was pinned by Hacksaw Jim Duggan to win the title in about 15 seconds.

Boy, how times have changed. Austin went to WrestleMania. Duggan was last spotted buying a new toothbrush, used to scrub toilets for Vince Russo.

File that one in the "How's that for irony" folder.

I'm sorry, I know I'll probably get tons of hate mail for degrading such a "treasured piece of wrestling history," but the WCW World title belt, currently worn by Bret Hart, has become the absolute ugliest creation I think I've ever seen. And what's sad is, I don't think they'll ever replace it. It used to be a beautiful sight, back in the late 80's, around the waist of the Flairs, the Garvins (OK, OK, scratch Ron Garvin from the list), the Rhodes, the Steamboats. But as it was sitting on the bench as Bret was lacing up the boots last night, the upper inch or so of it bent inward, the leather worn, the shine gone, I decided that it's probably time for WCW to think about retiring that belt. But they can make it beautiful again for one more night. Present it to Ric Flair in a ceremony on Nitro or on a PPV - no interference, no angles, just Flair and the belt. Before it falls apart and loses what little shine it has left, it should be presented back to the one man who gave that particular belt such a rich history.

Speaking of Bret, I watched the cage match from SummerSlam '94 again last night, Bret vs. Owen. Brother vs. Brother. Owen, we all miss ya. He's having four-star matches in a much better place now.

Checked out ECW on TNN tonight, saw Dusty Rhodes whip Steve Corino, marked out like crazy, enough said.

Checked out RollerJam afterwards, started wishing ECW on TNN could be TWO hours long so people don't have to endure such a lame-assed show like RollerJam, enough said.

Checked out Mark Madden's column over at WrestleManiacs. Realized what a complete and total moron he is, enough said.

Madden, there IS more to the wrestling world than WCW, and finding a way to insult the WWF every chance you get only makes you look more like a boob. And no, not a Torrie Wilson boob, but more like a big, sagging Rhonda Singh or Mae Young boob.

But hey, what do us fans know anyway? We're not the experts like YOU are, Madden.

Until next time folks . . . .

Big Ed
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Guest column text copyright (C) 1999 by the individual author and used with permission