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/wrestling /guests /Paul Smith |
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/wrestling /guests /Paul Smith |
| Guest Columns | Paul Smith |
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THE FUTURE As the WWF's version of the Millennium approached, fans were not sure what to expect. It is a widely made point that the WWF has not always delivered on their big surprises, and it's a well backed up point when we take into consideration The Gobbledygooker or Jimmy Snuka. But still, Vince McMahon managed to have us on the edge of our seats waiting to figure out to just what the countdown led. And then he delivered. And delivered. And delivered. Chris Jericho's entrance into the WWF was pure genius. Not simply for the fact that the WWF is putting Jericho into a high-level feud, and not for the fact that the WWF just stuck Jericho out there for the marks to eat up (which may well have happened anyway). No, Chris Jericho going into a feud with The Rock was the best thing for either man right now. Jericho needed to make a splash. Who better than the most electrifying athlete in sports entertainment today to pair up with to make some memories? The Rock needed something more high-level than DX's feud with Big Show and Undertaker. He didn't belong, and the feud was not doing anything for him. Jericho provided an object worthy of his attention. We can look forward to several more noteworthy moments between these two. They gave us a small glimpse of what could be for the WWF. And if this is the WWF's future, it's a very bright one. On the other side of the coin, the one which is seemingly glued to the ground, we have WCW. WCW gave us a look at the WWF's past, and gave Chris Benoit a title. These are not necessarily bad things. Most people have negative feelings about the return of Hulkamania. Personally, it's about time. If you're going to play that Hogan is not a bad guy anymore, what purpose does the "Hollywood" persona serve? None at all. At least bring back Hulk Hogan and let's see what can be done with a little recharging. After all, it has been several years since Hulkamania ran wild. If Hogan plans to retire, it'll be a bad thing for WCW. At the very least, Hulk Hogan provides one proven focal point. WCW knows that. However, their reluctance to test other wrestlers as the focal point of their company seems to kill them. With Hogan gone, they'll have to find someone else. The likely scenario is to throw the belt back on Nash, Savage, or Flair. But are they building up the new United States champion to fill Hogan's shoes once he retires? Not even close. Benoit's U.S. Title reign is more likely than not going to be very short and very forgettable. Without an effective opponent to play off of, he won't get any higher than midcarder. Right now, WCW is not the right place for young talent, and it looks like they're finding that out. With the example provided by Chris Jericho's showcase on RAW, there was a message sent to the younger talent in WCW, which was probably picked up loudly and clearly. "You're wasting your time." RAW may have been more of a glimpse into the future than has ever been seen. One of WCW's young stars made the jump to the WWF and was bigger on their first night there than they ever were while being promoted by Bischoff and company. That says a lot for the creative prowess of Vince McMahon and company. So while occasionally there is a Vader or a Marc Mero, there is also a Rock, a Steve Austin, a Shawn Michaels and a Chris Jericho that show quite obviously that the WWF is the place to be for young stars to grow. They're getting their opportunities. Meanwhile, in WCW, for every Goldberg there has been a Steve Austin, a Chris Jericho, a Chris Benoit, and a Dean Malenko. Wrestlers that have been given some time in the spotlight, but not the ability to fully showcase their abilities. That's a shame. It would be even more shameful if we weren't able to see guys like Benoit, Malenko, and even Eddy Guerrero grow into their full potential. They're not getting any younger, and if the old guard in WCW doesn't start retiring, a move to the WWF is going to be their only choice. Otherwise, they will be old themselves, and as such, right at home in WCW. Mark Madden noted that Jericho made a mistake because he could make more money in WCW. Maybe he could in the short term. But when it came time to renegotiate his contract, what would draw more money? A guy that midcarded in WCW for three years while the company flopped, or a guy that main evented in the WWF for three years while the company soared? The answer's quite obvious. WCW has taken proven talent from the WWF before. They'll have the resources to do it again (unless Uncle Ted unloads WCW). And when that happens, we will see precisely how cyclical the wrestling business truly is. Paul Smith freelance Mail the Author |
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