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Jerry Root

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RETURN OF THE BRIDE OF THE SON OF THE MAT POTATO

I have had a lot of things going through my mind recently. Nothing really deserving of a whole column (I can hear you say "Yeah, but it never stopped you before!"), so I'm going to toss out a whole bunch of random stuff and see what sticks. (Make your own RuBisch booking comments here).

First, I want to thank mdb for his sacrifice in watching Thunder and missing the Wings/Av (even though I was unhappy about the end of that one, but what the hell.). Actually, I want to applaud all of those who spend their time watching the shows. Not only the WCW, but the WWF and ECW as well. I know the demands it places on you to plan your schedule around it (even resorting to taping them so you can watch them at a "more convenient time".)

Plus, those who actually pay hard earned shekels for the PPV's just so they can give us the results. I salute each of you for your determination.

Was it only 2 years ago when all of us columnists were branded "WCW marks"? Damn, how times change. I guess that's what you get for having an opinion. As for me? I'm not beholding to any of the feds. I'm a wrestling fan. If the WCW started putting out what I considered a quality product today I'd be first in line to praise it.

Instead I vent my anger and frustration, and as such I'm labeled a "WWF mark". To which I will only add those immortal words I learned so long ago, "Bovine Feces".

I recently read Hyatt's mop-ups, and he ended his Nitro mop-up with a rundown on all the things he remembers from when he first started watching wrestling. It was an interesting read as it recapped a lot of things that happened in the 80's (which I would consider a neo-golden age of wrestling. The original golden age is generally considered to be the 50's and 60's, which I am grateful I was able to witness a portion of.).

Hyatt decided to forego the usual smart-ass remarks and just list a bunch of memories. I must say, I remember most of them, and they brought a tear to this old potato's eye. If you haven't read it yet, I strongly urge each of you to head there and walk down memory lane.

Have you ever sat back and reflected how a tiny, underfunded, relatively unknown wrestling fed managed to change the face of wrestling (or "sports entertainment" if you will) forever? How a fed that was generally sneered at by most of the mainstream columnists, and the "purists", has managed to influence them?

How many stars today have done time in the ECW? Aside from the most recent group, how many of today's favorites have done time doing "garbage wrestling"?

If it hadn't been for ECW, do you honestly think that there would be table matches today? How about a "hardcore" title? Would the valets be involved to the extent they are today?

Paul Heyman deserves a big round of applause, and a huge "thank you" from all of us. He has provided a place where such stars as Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Too Cold Scorpio, Those Damned Dudleys, Public Enemy, and many others too numerous to mention, could hone their skills. He also provided them with the opportunity to get the recognition they so richly deserve.

However, before you get the impression that I regard ECW as the AAA league for the big two, I don't. Heyman still provides an example for others to learn from. He has lost top stars, yet hasn't panicked. He has pretty much stuck with what got him there, and moved on. He doesn't publicly blast those who disagree with him, calling them morons, and trying to justify himself.

Damn, I was going to try to do one column without the obvious jabs. Oh well. Maybe another time.

Jerry Root
[slash] wrestling

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