WHY IS ANYONE SURPRISED AT THE STATE OF THE NEW ECW?
By Dave Whitaker on 12/9/2006 10:33 AM
You're Surprised at How ECW Turned Out?
By: Dave Whitaker
ECW, as we know it, is dead. In my mind, it never really came back. Because the show which is called "ECW" on Sci-Fi is no different than Raw or Smackdown. It has WWE-Style announcing (thanks to Joey Styles becoming an utter and total sellout.) The booking is WWE, the production is WWE, everything down to the ring entrance music is all WWE. The show which has been on TV, the pay per view has been "ECW" in name only.
But recent events have shown that any hopes of a true alternative product which would at least allow longtime ECW stars to shine and provide wrestling fans with a true third brand have been dashed. The signs became obvious long before December to Dismember and the subsequent dismissal of Paul Heyman. Talents like the FBI jobbing every week. The pushes of Mike Knox and Test. Bob Holly being part of ECW. Raw and Smackdown stars appearing regularly in main events on ECW. Joey Styles transition from a wrestling broadcaster to WWE honk.
If you think about it honestly though, what's happened to ECW shouldn't surprise or shock any wrestling fan with knowledge of how Vince McMahon operates. You see, McMahon loves to make money. But he also has a huge ego. Specifically, there are two parts of his ego which have consistently dominated his business decisions. 1. He thinks he knows what we want better than we do. 2. He refuses to allow non-WWE created wrestlers who have been successful elsewhere to outshine WWE-created talent.
Do you remember when Vince McMahon tried to take over TBS? For those who don't, here's a quick summary. McMahon's WWF bought out Georgia Championship Wrestling's timeslot. Gordon Solie and the NWA stars were bumped off for WWF matches like Big John Studd vs. Mario Mancini. Vince McMahon was quoted in Pro Wrestling Illustrated trashing the NWA and talked about how he'd show Georgia fans what was best. It took Ted Turner buying back the timeslot to return the NWA to TV. He didn't care that fans were angry.
Do you remember when Chris Jericho was WWE champion? I try to forget it. Because as champion, he was made to look extremely weak. Other heel champions like Kurt Angle and Triple H got clean jobs over opponents. But did Jericho? Never. Every match of his was marred with outside interference. Triple H and Kurt Angle were WWE creations, Chris Jericho had been successful before coming to WWE. Get the picture?
I suppose not being surprised is why I'm not angry. I've got my memories of ECW. Flying to November to Remember in 1997. Watching PPV's with friends and enjoying the wrestling, the music, everything about ECW. Spike Dudley acknowledging a sign I'd made for him at house show in Columbus, GA. Seeing Rob Van Dam in Warner Robins, GA in December of 1999 and him still remembering me. Yes, I have my memories and neither Vince McMahon nor Kevin Dunn can take them from me.
I will always remember what ECW was. And that truth shields me from the trash WWE is putting fourth right now.
