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/wrestling /guests /Gillon |
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/wrestling /guests /Gillon |
| Guest Columns | Bill Gillon |
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FROM THE BRIT SIDE Well, I'm back for more. After my first effort, I was pleasantly surprised to get some feedback and mails, so thanks to those who took the trouble, I'm touched. What's to come this week? Well, before I get started, I have to mention 'The Phantom Menace'. You may remember that, last time, I mentioned I was going to see it. In my opinion it's one of the best films I've seen and am still taking in the spectacle three days after seeing it, and plan to go again this weekend. Totally blew me away and Darth Maul was great and evil and...... "Shut up Gillon, it's wrestling we want"....and it's wrestling ye shall have. To start with, I'd like to put a point of view over about what, I suppose, is the political situation going on with certain wrestling sites at the moment. Interesting to read in the Letters section on Slash about Sean Shannon's opinions. What I would say is that Chris has just started this site and only he knows where he's taking it....whether he plans to redesign it in time or leave it as is, what the future content is going to be etc. so I would agree with Chris's comment, just take the site for what it is for now, read what's there and Chris will take it from there. I just hope that we can all help Chris to make his site a damn successful one. Right, I suppose that's enough of the brown nosing, and I hope that the money Chris promised me will now be in the mail :-), so on with the show. And this week's first titbit is.... THAT'S JUST YOUR OPINION!!!!!!!!! What I thought might be an idea is to pose a little query just to get some opinions from you, and what I'll do is post answers or the best of them (dependant on how many responses I get) on my next column. Interactive columning, that's my buzz phrase of the week, and I'm always interested in fellow fans views. So, for this edition, let me pose this: With WCW putting on what seems to be a rather decent show this week, if you were the WWF, what direction would you take to counter this? If you want to put an opinion or point of view here's your chance. Mail ME not CRZ, as I'm sure he has enough on his plate organising his site, at the link at the bottom of the column. As I said, if I get some opinions I'll stick the best of them on here next time. Now, on with some opinions of this week's offerings from the big two. Just imagine Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff standing on a dark balcony somewhere, conversing. Bischoff turns to Turner "At last we shall reveal ourselves to the WWF. At last we shall have revenge!!!". Was this week's Nitro the start of the rise of the empire, or a false dawn with the rebels still having the upper hand? Now, promising not to put in any more Phantom Menace references anywhere, I hope it is. The first thing Nitro improved on straight away was not having Tony Shiavone on commentary. I know I'm not alone on this but Tony really grates on me. Now we might hear talk about the actual match in progress instead of wondering what Sting is up to or how great the next PPV is. I'm not familiar with Scott Hudson though, but by all accounts he's a bit of an improvement, although that's not saying a great deal as anything is better than Schiavone. Anyway, it was most welcome to hear that Hudson was in, hopefully he'll be kept there. Nitro itself? What pleased me when reading the recaps was that interesting things seemed to be happening for once!!! WCW seemed to throw a lot of their big ideas at us in one show, hoping for the best, and let's be honest they seem to have done a pretty good job, they've got people interested if nothing else. They could have played a very clever card were they've taken advantage of WWF's predictability (yes, that's what they are at the moment) before Fully Loaded. Maybe the thinking was that more people, knowing that with a PPV coming up the WWF might have a quiet show angle-wise, might be tempted to switch to Nitro and see what's happening over there. My main points of the show: Being Scottish, and not a basketball fan either, I probably don't fully realise how much of an impact Dennis Rodman can have. All I can remember is Rodman's past pretty ineffectual appearances, and yet WCW go back to him and seemingly put him in a feud with Randy Savage. Geez Savage, from champ to feuding with a basketball player in a week, you've really upset somebody....and you look soooo old. It gets WCW attention and publicity sure, but is there any other reason I'm unaware of for putting Rodman in the show? Any suggestions, give me a mail. All the other surprise appearances this week hit good though. Insane Clown Posse flunked in the WWF, but I feel that they could have a good angle going with Vampiro (and any angle doing over Konnan is a good angle). And what about RAVEN!!!! I'll say here and now that Raven is, as CRZ would say, MY FAVOURITE WRESTLER EVER, and it's great to see him back healthy and looking mysterious and dangerous. Shane Douglas finally appearing as well after much tooing and froing. I've always liked Douglas, hell even in his Dean Douglas days, but I hope that in time he's used as a huge heel as that's what he's best at. At least he's finally there and involved. Have to mention Norman Smiley as well, welcome back Norman.....isn't Norman British too? Damn, he's a great guy, and what a dancer!!!! Quothe the Scotsman, nevermore. But just to show that Nitro's annoyances haven't gone completely away, Sting is the latest in the list to have control of the company. I don't know, it might just be me, but I hate this angle and I criticise the WWF for the same reason. To me, the company's president/owner should be behind the scenes. Maybe use this angle once or maybe twice, but don't have control switching continuously between different people, it gets boring. Also, we just had to have another run-in to end the show. Wouldn't it be nice to have a run of Nitros or Raws which have main matches with good, clean finishes? There again, count my blessings, at least Hogan defended his title. Saying all this, Nitro was forgiven anything for one simple reason.....Bischoff was POWERBOMBED. From a great height. One of the most pleasing aspects of Nitro for the past few weeks is seeing Bischoff's attempts at turning face, and yet people just seem to be hating him even more, yet good old Eric stills persists. I would venture that having Sid powerbomb poor, defenceless Eric has turned Sid face more than Bischoff. Does this mean that they made too good a job of portraying Bischoff as a heel, or is he just plain annoying? I'll let you decide. Now for Raw. First of all, this week's Raw is a good example about jumping the gun concerning holes in angles. I've read a few comments on different sites during the last week about Austin not signing the contract for the First Blood match at Fully Loaded, I myself saw this as the probable way out for Austin. Well, that was put right this week with Austin finally putting pen to paper, so it's all systems go (please don't do the DQ....pleaaasssseeeeeee). Sounds like a really wild ending to Raw this week, one that I like the sound of. Call me morbid (which I am) but I like The Undertaker when he gets all medieval and symbolistic. I liked the sacrificial stuff when his current angle began, also when he just sat on his 'throne' watching matches, and I like it when he does things like smear Austin's blood on his face like he does this week. To me, it just gives him that extra air of menace which his character requires. The apparent face turn by Kane was a bit of a surprise though, but I still have a feeling that it's all part of a bigger plan, and that Undertaker and Kane are really back together. It's just a hunch. Here's a little question for you. Is The Rock the WWF equivalent of Sting? Both are hugely over with the fans, and are the real fan favourites of their organisations, yet neither are what you would call real players in the title picture. Sure, now and again they're given title reigns to keep the fans happy, but their runs are only usually a matter of a month or so until it's time for the likes of the Austins or Hogans of the world to reclaim what is apparently rightfully theirs. Both Rock and Sting seem ready to job to help put others over which is great, but I wish they'd be given a greater run for the title. The Rock is one of those phenomenons in which he gets the same huge popularity whether he's a face or heel, and he's MY FAVOURITE WRESTLER IN THE WWF. It's good to see some of the WWF's younger talent getting the recognition they deserve, especially Edge and Christian. I like Gangrel as well (there's my morbid side coming out again), and I liked the concept of The Brood (top entrance) but I thought that they were stagnating possibly, and could do a lot more, and fortunately things seem to be going that way. From what I can see Edge and Christian could very well rival the likes of Chris Jericho for ring technique, but are as yet untried on the mic. If they can prove that they can work the mic as well, they could turn out to be MAJOR stars in the WWF, which would leave the WWF with a great group of young stars for the future. Even without mic skills they could prove to be big players. Well, nearly time for Fully Loaded, and here's my thoughts, what are the results I'd like to see and what I think they'll be, putting my head on the line here: D-Lo v Mideon (possible European title) I'd like D-Lo to win and think he will. Mideon is a mid-carder at best, and with Mark Henry out D-Lo needs some sort of angle to keep going. Al Snow v Big Boss Man (Hardcore title?) They really seem to be turning Snow well loopy. I'd like Al to win this one, as I've got a soft spot for him, but Boss Man could be given this. I don't think he's had a title since he returned has he? Hardy Boyz v Acolytes (Tag team titles) I've read that the Acolytes will win this after interference >from Michael Hayes goes wrong. I hope they do, as I can't stand Michael Hayes/Dok Hendrix or whatever he calls himself today. Anything to get the Hardys away from him will be good. X-Pac and Road Dogg v Chyna and Mr Ass I think X-Pac and RD will win this one, but hope Chyna and Ass do....as I like Chyna. She's much better than Torrie, Rena Mero, Gorgeous George etc. Jeff Jarrett v Edge (Iitercontinental Title Match) Another rumour doing the rounds is that JJ is to be put in a feud with Austin, which could be interesting considering the title match stipulation. I hope Edge wins this, to go along with his push, but think it'll be Jarrett, possibly setting up the Austin feud for the I/C title. Shamrock v Blackman This is a nothing sort of match for me, but I kind of like Blackman for some reason. If Shamrock is going back to UFC, then I can see Blackman getting this. Big Show v Kane I'd really like Kane to get this, and would like some Undertaker interference involved somewhere. In fact, I've a feeling Kane will get it, as I don't think Wight's ready for the title push just yet. HHH v The Rock Come on Rock, you can do it!!!!! However, with HHH nearing the title shot, I think I can see where this match is going. Dubious tactics will probably help HHH to the win. Austin v Undertaker (WWF Title Match) I don't care who wins this so long as it isn't a lamer and ends in DQ!!!! If they have a clean result marked down this could go either way. I tend to veer towards an Undertaker win as a likely result, but really hope for an Austin victory so the WWF can do in a different direction, and maybe we can start Raw in a way other than an Austin-Vince confrontation. Austin to lose the title soon afterwards though. This week I'd like to pay homage to another underated star who is deserving of our respect. This week: HARDCORE HOLLY - HE'S A BIT MAD ISN'T HE? Remember when Hardcore Holly had really bad gimmicks? He was Bob "Sparky Plug" Holly, the wrestling motor-racer. He was part of the New Midnight Express with Bart 'The Boxer' Gunn. He was going nowhere and nobody liked him...what was the point of Bob Holly? Then he became 'Hardcore Holly' and lo and behold, won the Hardcore Title against Al Snow. And now, just to show how hardcore he is, he's decided he doesn't want to trifle with the likes of Snow or Big Boss Man, he can beat Kane, he can beat The Acolytes, and suddenly he's getting attention. To me a great highlight of recent weeks has been Holly's challenging of The Acolytes, only to be needed to be rescued by the Big Show and then plead that he "had them beat". It's a basic joke, but the way he was pleading with Big Show made me laugh. If nothing else, Hardcore Holly is a prime example of what the WWF can do with a wrestler's like Holly, wrestlers who even struggle to make midcard, wrestlers who the fans just do not have any interest in. If he was in WCW he would have remained buried and just disappeared without a trace (what do you mean rightly so??). One of the main differences between the WWF and WCW is that the WWF seem to have storylines for each and every wrestler on their roster, something which WCW seems to be improving on thankfully. So this week, Hardcore Holly, I salute you and your madness. There's loads of other bits and pieces I'd like to mention as well, but I've wittered on for far too long now. Greetings to NISH who mailed me and wondered about a piece comparing the modern US wrestling with the good old UK stuff of a few years back (ah, the sights of Big Daddy, Giant Haystacks, Kendo Nagasaki, the 15 year old Davey Boy Smith and Rollerball Marc Rocco...who needs Raven, Taz and Undertaker anyway when we had such athletic specimens?). Seems like a good idea, we'll see what we can do. Once again, if you want to give your opinion about this week's topic, give me a mail at the link below. Likewise if you have any other comments, suggestions or criticisms, please feel free to give me a mail as well. Thanks once again for reading, and I'll hopefully see you soon. Bill Gillon I promised him MONEY? Mail the Author |
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