(This is the second of three columns dealing with the aftermath of Mike Awesome's defection to ECW. The first deals with the effects of Awesome's move into WCW. This is my opinion on what ECW needs to do to survive. The third is how I would book the 4/10 WCW Nitro.)

In my last column, I stated that ECW is just F'N screwed. I believe the next PPV should be called "Extremely Desperate", because that's where the company stands. They just lost their champion. The Whole F'N company, Rob Van Damn, is hurt. Spike Dudley, who was looking awfully damn promising as a single's star, is hurt badly. Jerry Lynn has been out for months. Sabu is gone. The main event level is now a complete mess. The tag team situation is boring; no believable challengers exist for the Impact Players. And even though I like the Network angle for the TV title, I think it should stay there. It can't be at the top without RVD. As good as Cyrus is on the mic, Rhino is not ready to be the world champ. It's a great upper mid-card angle; it should stay there for now.

Things look pretty bleak for ECW. They will have to take another gigantic chance to stay alive. But they have a big money angle that can keep the company alive. Here's how I see it happening.

At the next TNN tapings, Paul Heyman enters the ring, with the ECW belt. No fanfare. Just him, the mic, and the belt. "As you all know by now, Mike Awesome has left ECW. Mike has decided to go to WCW. He'll tell you it's because of the money, the better contract, and the chance to suck Eric Bischoff's dick, but I know the real reason. After Mike Awesome cheapshotted Tommy Dreamer and Raven on TNN last week, I told him that it looked like our next Pay Per View main event was set. Awesome looked at me and said in his stupid Southern drawl 'You gotta be kidding me. I'm not taking on both of those guys at the same time.' And I told Mike tough shit, it's done. So, instead of fighting like a man, Awesome hauled his ass down to Atlanta so he could be Hulk Hogan's bitch."

Raven and Dreamer's battle now becomes the centerpiece. All the history is shown, with the two men giving their traditional interviews. All this time, Francine begins to win Raven's ear. For TNN the Friday before the PPV, Francine and the Minister go at it, until Raven Evenflows the Minister. He's left for dead in the ring.

Raven, with Francine at his side, battles with Dreamer. After a long battle, Dreamer hits a toprope Spicolli Driver for the sure pin. Francine jumps in, scratching Tommy's eyes. They scream at each other, Francine slaps him, and Tommy grabs Francine by the hair and picks her up for the Panty Piledriver. Tommy delivers, and Francine is left laying. Out comes the Minister, laying the badmouth on her. Tommy grabs him, and prepares for another piledriver, when Raven crushes Dreamer with a chair. Evenflow, 1-2-3, and we have a new world champ. As Francine and Raven leave with the belt, Tommy takes out his frustration by punching the Minister. As Tommy leaves, the cameras catch the Minister in the ring, laughing hilariously.

Reality break. Raven is a free agent in August, I believe. After Heatwave, Heyman should pull him off TV until Scotty decides where he's going. Now back to the story.

Raven goes into seclusion, wrestling rarely, never for the title. Raven declares he will only defend the belt at Pay Per Views. Raven sticks to cutting his promos. Dreamer, meanwhile, becomes increasingly hellbent on gaining revenge. Dreamer's interviews take on a "I don't know how much time I have left, so I'm going to kill myself trying to kill Raven" quality. The Innovator of Violence lives up to the name, winning all of his matches by making his opponents quit. Not submit, just plain quit. But Tommy doesn't stop beating them until the Sandman comes out, beer in hand, and calms him down with a few brews.

All the while the Sinister Minister will put over how deadly the fued is becoming, with the gleam i his eyes.

At Heatwave, the match is a brutal affair. Dreamer doesn't care about the title, he only wants to destroy Raven. Raven fights hard, but Tommy is a man possessed. Francine becomes worried, and appears ready to stop the match. Out comes the Minister, who begins to argue with her, and then sucker punches her to the ground. The Minister then takes out a wooden chair, and slides it into the ring, encouraging the men to destroy each other. Tommy sets it up, and drop toe holds Raven through it. Tommy takes a jagged edge, and ala Magnum T.A. over Tully Blanchard, drives the edge into Raven's head until Raven quits. The belt is Tommy's. But Dreamer doesn't care; he keeps beating and beating and beating on Raven, all to the approval of the Minister. Tommy pounds Raven so savagely that everyone in ECW breaks character in fear of Scotty's life. But they can't stop Tommy. Finally, the Sandman comes out to calm Dreamer down. He offers Dreamer a beer. Tommy accepts, but when the Sandman turns around, Tommy smashes it upside the Sandman's skull. Tommy tunes up the Sandman with his cane, until the Minister calmly waves him off. They walk off together.

Under the Minister's leadership, Dreamer destroys all comers. He defeats the Sandman at Anarchy Rulez. RVD, fresh off beating Rhino in the Network Angle blow off at Anarchy, becomes Dreamer's target. The two longest tenured members of ECW battle for the title at November 2 Remember, with RVD finally gaining the world championship gold. RVD becomes USA's darling. And Dreamer finally takes some time off to fix his back, knowing he's saved his beloved company.

I'd still like to see Bret Hart in ECW, but this seems like a more plausible alternative. ECW is facing a trying time right now, but I'm betting they survive, if not flourish. ECW just may be the cockroach of wrestling; here's to hoping it is.