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Tom Gally

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TALES FROM THE MAT
Can WCW Rebound?

That is the question that has been on the minds of wrestling enthusiasts from coast to coast. The funny thing a lot of people don't realize is that the mere mention of that question out loud gives us our answer. If we have to ask the question, then a possibility exists. Though a possibility is no where close to a guarantee......mmmm, there is that word again. What is guaranteed in wrestling today?

The only thing guaranteed in wrestling is the fact that we as fans might be a mark for one fed or another, but the fact remains we will always switch over to see what the other one is doing. I will be the first to tell anyone that I am a WWF mark. I've watched wrestling like many since I was a kid. When I compare the products of wrestling then to what it is now it's very different. I did find one similarity though. That being the fact that it was exciting. Watching wrestling is exciting because you get that unpredictability factor which makes us jump from our seat.

Is WCW unpredictable? Well, I say with modesty that they try to be, David Arquette for instance. Vince Russo said in his interview on wrestline.com to all the critics arm chair cries from their living room and newsboards on the Internet to sit tight because they were going some where with it. WCW did go some place with it on Sunday when they had their Slamboree PPV. The main event itself was the place Vince Russo said they were going to. I assume he is referring to the "heel turn" by Dewey, ...I mean David Arquette.

Sunday David turned on DDP to help Jeff Jarrett regain the WCW world title. I have to say for the first time, in a long time I actually watched a WCW PPV. Now when I say that, for all you WCW marks out there who think you have reformed me and won me over to your side, I am sorry to disappoint you. I said I watched the PPV, I never said I actually paid my cable company for it, if you smell what I am cooking.

I liked the actual cage concept used for the main event. I had no idea what this thing looked like, because like most people I didn't go see Ready To Rumble. DDP and Jarrett made the match look decent, both worked and sold spots during the match and should be commended. Jarrett and Paige must have been a little uneasy when Jarett was swinging near the edge of the top of the cage while holding on to the cable. The Kemper Arena will always have echoes of that tragic night last May where Owen Hart fell to his death. Under those circumstances the guys worked harder then I have seen any WCW wrestler work in a while and I noticed.

How could they do a better job on this PPV? Well, number one and always number one on my list is put WCW through Chemotherapy and rid it of that cancer known as Mark Madden. Comments like, " this match can end quick or might go a bit longer," just have no place on television in any sport. The match is going to end either then or later, how can we not know this? That comment is like saying this football game is going to be decided in the fourth quarter, if it's still tied after that the game is going to over time. Sometimes I have to wonder if Madden just says what ever the hell he can come up with just so he says something. Mark Madden is the nothing more than a WCW mark, but the thing that pisses me off is the fact is he is a hired mark. He is not a mark because he loves WCW, he just loves the check that he gets every other week from them. Even though it was amusing to see Tank Abbott disrobe Mark Madden to display that Bastion Booger physic of his, the occasional "laugh at the fat guy" comedy can only go so long before it dies. Either from bordom or Cholesterol. Madden should really be taken off television and go back to practicing one liners on the Internet until he can get a clue how to be a heel commentator. Maybe he should go to Memphis and talk to Jerry Lawler for some pointers.

Something that easily could be fixed in the WCW product is the entrance music. When WWF music, or even when ECW entrance music plays you know who is coming. WCW lacks that intensity. The only theme music that really is descent is the Wolfpac music Nash has, the NWO theme and old Hendrix song Hogan used to come out to. Two of those three are pretty much buried now. Besides that every other piece of music sounds exactly like the previous, which is like crap. Compare Jeff Jarrett's theme in the WWF to his WCW theme now, their is no comparison. The WWF handed Jarrett a great theme while WCW gave him one that stinks up the arena from the moment it plays, which is exactly my point. If WCW would stop paying a few thousand dollars for Michael Buffer appearances, maybe they could find a new, talented composer and stop trying to squeeze every drop of talent from a washed up Jimmy Hart. Music is essential to any product, that's why you see these huge studios pay the big bugs to artists to do music for their movies soundtrack. They pay the price because they know it will benefit them tenfold in the long run.

Finally, I personally want to see WCW climb to the level they were at once. Even though I am a WWF mark I see the WWF product has lost a step from what it once was and I believe that to be because of the severe lack of competition. Right now WCW can go no where but up and I hope they do. Because if they can it will mean better wrestling for fans all across the board. At the very least Hogan has realized he is not the main event any more. Though since WCW is making Hogan break out the tables during a match and juice pretty much every week I hope they do him one favor. Please at least give the Hulkster a table that does not break before he even has a chance to open up the legs. Speaking of legs, I have to say Miss Elizabeth still has a very nice pair from my eyes on Sunday. Glad I am seeing more of her and Kim, they are hot and what is wrestling without the ladies showing a little skin.

Simple things that WCW can correct without spending huge amounts of cash, the question out there though is will they take advice from an Internet mark? If anyone ever in power in WCW would listen to Internet fans, it's Vince Russo. Don't take my opinion though, you be the judge.

Tom Gally
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