This week’s edition of the memoirs it is the first ever Madison year-end review for 2001'. Come to think of it, is the last Madison year end review for the year 2001. These are the memories and reflections of the epic battle raged on the world of fans, marks, writers, in the world of organized chaos. I took some time to complete this so back off. All right I was late with this but you having to excuse me some pretty major events have been taking place as of late.
It is interesting on how everyone will approach this type of column. To me this will be about some of the issues of wrestling as a whole and not just that of the strangle hold McMahon has on the business. Even though it was just a couple of weeks ago when I took a look at what had happened at the third quarter point of the year in the WWF, I now feel it is time to offer my thoughts of the year that was 2001'.
The Wrong To Censor angle=Hypocrisy in the WWF
These initial opinions are a bit out dated. In fact they are very out dated. What the following is, were my thoughts of a column that never saw the light of day. During the year 2001' I had allot of opinions about what the WWF was promoting and could never understand why they did some of the things they did. My first example was the entire Right to Censor angle.
World Wrestling Federation states as their freedom of speech. As everyone may be aware of the whole Right to Censor angle is based on the federation’s problems with the Parent Television Council. I who love the drama, theatre and athleticism of the wrestling do not however understand some of Vince McMahon's decisions and how they come to be. What decisions is it that I am talking about? To create an angle mocking an impending lawsuit (the Right to Censor gimmick) by the Parents Television Counsel and then counter sue them for causing you to lose television sponsors.
Why provoke more publicity negatively if you intend on keeping your sponsors. The Devil's advocate would say any publicity is good publicity and by this I am confused. The corporation that is the WWF at the surface has the power to take hold of matters such as publicized criticism from the P.T.C and NOT allow them to manifest into a much larger problem. This is not how Vince likes to work stirring the pot, create controversy, create interest, One might say the federation has always had to defend where they stood in the sports and entertainment world, why continue to create more criticism for yourselves, when you do not need to. On the other hand simply put, Vince may be the single greatest marketing tool entertainment had ever seen. It is clear this federation is not the Hulkamania driven era of the 80's it is much more adult-oriented, and crash-television directed program. I know what you’re thinking; tell me something I don't know.
If these decisions made by McMahon confuse you then how are you suppose to understand where the federation intends on heading. The next is the whole reminder of the screw job of Bret Hart at the 97' Survivor Series, with this past November's Survivor Series constant reminder that "anything can happen at the Survivor Series". Let sleeping dogs lie. Wrestling may not be in a state of emergency. There are however, territories the WWF are entering that they have not before. Regardless of how they have tamed their product as of late, wrestling will lose more of it's appeal to audiences if they can't at least try to reach every demographic. Black, white, Hispanic, Italian cover all the creeds all the religions then your product will stay current and fresh. If Vince claims his story lines are based on real life drama and not some after school special then talk about abortion, rape, cancer. Come on Vince, you want to push the envelope or are these storylines too much for you. I do not think so. Eventually, Vince's freedom of speech may just be an avenue to create interest. It is clear the federation is not headed in any one direction, which is good and bad. It is good because in today's WWF nothing is taboo and can be reached. Although without direction isn't anything doomed to fail? Angle's will bomb and interest could drop.
I want my Crash TV.
All right this entire means as to how to create a script and a storyline by the likes of Vince Russo just seemed destined for great things. Now that I have completely lied threw my teeth I know that the difference between the WWF and WCW pulling it off is like night and day. Russo was able to pull it off in the WWF for a number of reasons. The most significant of all the reasons was organization. Under the Bischoff regime the entire crash TV format just looked disjointed and out of place. Russo had the car-blonche, in the WWF that was never possible in the WCW. Vince McMahon bought into Russo's idea right from the get go. Where in the case of WCW the obvious TBS standards and practices and actual fan base was much more family oriented.
Is that why there rating slipped? Is this the reason why the company went under? Not in the least! We need to realize that in order to compete in any business their needs to be a level playing field. This was not the case with the rival companies. Russo was constantly battling the head office with his storylines and the actual content of program.
HTM, everybody’s favourite disillusioned intercontinental champion of all time.
In an era where shooting on other wrestlers has become a common occurrence the Honky Tonk Man has made it a habit. He has taken pointless jabs at guys who have not only worked to attain their popularity and discredits himself in the process. I ask why? Does it make him feel better? Does he does it simply to shock others and really doesn't mean half of the things he says? I have no idea. DO I really care? Yes! These guys that he takes jabs at worked and I being allot closer to several independent promoters know how the Honky Tonk Man does business. He is an athlete with a name. He is one who as opposed to being recognized by fans with having us all accept him for his past accomplishments, he continues takes great pride in condemning other athletes in order to maintain his popularity. Can someone please justify this to me?
I am often told since revenge is a dish best served cold, that good old Honky Tonk received a helping serving. The closing of his website means, he is not free to use his website to attack the Nash's, Lawler's and Tommy Billington's of the ring. Does this mean he will stop? I doubt it. All this does is slows down one vehicle in which he can use to criticize others.
Fall of the great "InvasioN"
This entire sub-federation that the company was shooting out to the fans was, as we all know a way for the company to split. However, all it did was simply create a televised separation rather than an actual one. The company did what it felt was best by bringing down the "WCW/ECW" alliance down only to reinvest in something familiar 3 months later. This has confused me to no end. The nWo, the band we all new and loved are being brought back and for whom? To do what? Create competition. I don't think we the card caring members of the world of wrestling fans anonymous have the feeling that this is going to be the way to get our attention. Sorry come again.
I could exhaust the losses of triple H and Benoit to the company and say how much we missed them, but it has been done and I honestly believe I couldn't say it any better than anyone else.
Before bring this to a close I have a MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT to make! To all everyone here that is aware I do a little feature called "the scriptures interviews" well I have the opportunity to interview my childhood HERO to all that know who I am taking about, it is true! I would like to thank my new friend Sean Keats, who helped me with this. To anyone reading be sure to check out Keateronline.com for some great interviews and terrific news updated daily.
Marcus Madison...Can you read through the madness!
