While reading Mick Foley's book, particularly the chapters regarding his time with World Championship Wrestling, several times he used the phrase "misuse of talent". This is true when you consider the names of stars who were nothing in WCW, and became stars elsewhere, or who were stars elsewhere, but became just one of the guys in WCW.
I don't want to sound like I'm starting a list, but just look at the names who were floundering in WCW before Vince McMahon saw and unleashed their full potential; Steve Austin, Mick Foley, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall. The list is endless. And just look at some of the names who went nowhere in WCW - Owen Hart ws there for a while, as was Road Dogg. Triple H, Sean "X-Pac" Waltman, and many others. These men are now probably in the top twenty wrestlers in the world today. And don't forget Bret Hart - one of the top draws in the WWF, who became lost in the crowd in WCW, until their new creative direction came into being.
So what is going wrong in WCW at the moment? Just look at the talent they've lost in the past twelve months - Raven, the Big Show, Chris Jericho. Add to that the recent departures of Perry Saturn, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko. Add further to the facts that Chris Kanyon, Buff Bagwell and Shane Douglas want out of their contracts, and that Scott Steiner has been suspended for 90 days for speaking out on television about WCW's current sorry state.
What is more confusing is the fact that Vince Russo, the man credited with changing the fortunes of the WWF with his more adult storylines, and who jumped ship to WCW to head up their writing team, has now been demoted. His creative genius was probably one of the few things that could have saved WCW in this time of crisis.
WCW has always, and will continue to play second-fiddle to the WWF. The reason that these top performers are leaving WCW is simple - misuse of talent. Unless you are Hulk Hogan or soe other sad, over the hill has-been who behaves like a man half their age, you won't get anywhere. In the WWF talents are valued -in a space of a few weeks, Chris Benoit has gone from wrestling the likes of Villaino IV on a hardly watched show to wrestling the likes of Triple H, Rikishi Phatu and The Rock on the hottest programmes on US television right now.
So it's obvious what's going on in WCW - their athletes may be getting paid a small fortune, but they have no job satisfaction. How long before the likes of Goldberg and Sid Vicious jump ship?
WCW will always play second fiddle to the WWF, and that's the bottom line!
I don't want to sound like I'm starting a list, but just look at the names who were floundering in WCW before Vince McMahon saw and unleashed their full potential; Steve Austin, Mick Foley, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall. The list is endless. And just look at some of the names who went nowhere in WCW - Owen Hart ws there for a while, as was Road Dogg. Triple H, Sean "X-Pac" Waltman, and many others. These men are now probably in the top twenty wrestlers in the world today. And don't forget Bret Hart - one of the top draws in the WWF, who became lost in the crowd in WCW, until their new creative direction came into being.
So what is going wrong in WCW at the moment? Just look at the talent they've lost in the past twelve months - Raven, the Big Show, Chris Jericho. Add to that the recent departures of Perry Saturn, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko. Add further to the facts that Chris Kanyon, Buff Bagwell and Shane Douglas want out of their contracts, and that Scott Steiner has been suspended for 90 days for speaking out on television about WCW's current sorry state.
What is more confusing is the fact that Vince Russo, the man credited with changing the fortunes of the WWF with his more adult storylines, and who jumped ship to WCW to head up their writing team, has now been demoted. His creative genius was probably one of the few things that could have saved WCW in this time of crisis.
WCW has always, and will continue to play second-fiddle to the WWF. The reason that these top performers are leaving WCW is simple - misuse of talent. Unless you are Hulk Hogan or soe other sad, over the hill has-been who behaves like a man half their age, you won't get anywhere. In the WWF talents are valued -in a space of a few weeks, Chris Benoit has gone from wrestling the likes of Villaino IV on a hardly watched show to wrestling the likes of Triple H, Rikishi Phatu and The Rock on the hottest programmes on US television right now.
So it's obvious what's going on in WCW - their athletes may be getting paid a small fortune, but they have no job satisfaction. How long before the likes of Goldberg and Sid Vicious jump ship?
WCW will always play second fiddle to the WWF, and that's the bottom line!
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