Well last weekend, the big two of wrestling invaded, Canada, with WWF house show in Toronto on November 20, followed by WCW Mayhem the pay-per-view on November 21. I attended both shows, and both were great experiences, but the WWF House Show, seemed to lack the hype and enthusiasm, WWF events usually get when steam roll in to Toronto. Also, in the show, sure there was loads of cheering, and support for the favorites and jeers for the foes, but the atmosphere in the Skydome just didn’t do it for me this time around. I’ve been to quite a few WWF shows in the Skydome, each which have left with me some great memories, and often quite hoarse, but on Saturday night, surprisingly I came out with my voice intact. First time for everything. I really just didn’t have anything to cheer for. The matches were average or below, nothing special nothing fantastic. Really the only times I cheered was for the entrances. Most of the people in the crowd, sat there intently watching the matches go by. Very unusual for a Toronto crowd, which is usually reaching new levels of sound. Quite honestly, The Rock just doesn’t entertain me in the ring anymore. That’s not saying that he isn’t great on the mic. He’s greta with his catch phrases, but really, he’s just the average wrestler in the ring, with two mega moves that caught on with the crowd, as they have both been publicized, as The Rock’s trade marks. Before the Rock’s main event match ended at the Dome, I just got up and left, trying to avoid the rush for the exit, because as soon as I saw him connect with the Rock Bottom, I knew it was over. Why bother sticking around to see the elbow and pin, when you’ve seen it a million times before? Also, if it’s not bad enough with the prices of before, $25.00 for a WWF shirt, it’s now $30.00. What is up with that? You can buy most top brand name t-shirt’s for lower or equal the price of a WWF, cheap brand shirt? No wonder their merchandise sales are through the roof, with prices like that, they should be raking in the money.  

WCW Mayhem, now what an experience this show was. Let me state first off, that I have grown up with WWF television and didn’t become aware of WCW until around 1990. Therefore, I always seem to lean a little towards the World Wrestling Federation. But after last Sunday, that favoritism is in doubt. This was my first WCW live event, and boy, it was worth going. From the opening match to the end match, the card was solid and very entertaining. Although one match I hated was the Hardcore championship match. I really could of gotten into this, IF they had of stuck around ringside, but no such luck. As they headed to back to fight, you could almost hear the sighs coming from the crowd. For people that have been to other events where matches have headed to back, I truly am sympathetic to you all, as I now know how it feels, to pay the money to go to the event, and end up watching three quarters of a match on a TV screen. Doesn’t going to the show live, defeat the purpose of watching it at home? One thing that caught my eye at the end of the pay-per-view, was Bret Hart’s wife, was in attendance, and even made her way into the ring along side her children, to celebrate with Bret. What happened to them being divorced? With the emotions on there faces, it really didn’t seem like they were separated. One thing that you notice live, is the intensity in each of the wrestler’s eyes. They truly give it there all, even if they aren’t a fan favorite, you can see the effort being put in to their work, to make their match and generally the whole card a memorable one. 

Now onto the past week’s wrestling shows. The WWF really seems to be nervous over all this PTC controversy, as they seem to be putting down this group at every chance they have. The whole Vince/Jail segments from this past week’s RAW were both hilarious and just plain idiotic, as Vince drove the car into the limo, yelling out like a confused old man, but with the cops arresting him, they didn’t read him his rights, they seem to never read their rights on wrestling shows. Make it seem a little bit more realistic, and also I know WWF camera man were great at catching scenes backstage and in the parking lot, but I didn’t know they could remain in the cell area of a jailhouse, that’s truly amazing, how some news stations can’t even get into the cells, but WWF cameraman just walk on in, and set up base in front of McMahon’s cell. Interesting. Again, if they are going to set it up, SET IT UP PROPERLY.  

WCW Nitro. Was a totally different story. They still are making some crucial errors, but all in all, they really are improving, and often are outdoing WWF’s recent, efforts. The most often question asked on the internet, is about the ratings. Who will be leading the ratings in a year or so. Well quite honestly, I do not see the WWF losing the ratings. It looks as though the WWF has a tight grip on their audience, quite honestly because the WWF isn’t putting much into the wrestling aspect of the show, and is leaning more towards the verbal confrontations and interviews. The average WWF fan, doesn’t watch WWF for wrestling. They watch it for the women, entertainment, and the story lines. ECW really is just total wrestling, and WCW seems to be focusing more on the wrestling as well.  The WWF is truly sports entertainment now, and if they ever did go back to the wrestling aspect, I’d bet that their ratings and popularity would drop drastically, since in a few months, when all the younger talent in WCW finally blossom into legitimate top contenders, they will be outdoing any wrestler in WWF. WCW’s average fan watches WCW for wrestling, otherwise they’d be watching WWF for the story lines. With that said, the rating gap between the two, may be decreasing, but don’t expect any miracle. It’s just the core wrestling fans that used to tune into WWF, finally switching over to WCW for their true entertainment, wrestling.  

 Now, PTC, the Parents Television Council, has really set their eye on, targeting WWF and particularly Smackdown! for the vulgar and mature content that is airing on the show. Is it me, or are these type of groups totally idiotic and dumbfounded. Wrestling is not the most extreme thing on television. On any night of the week, you turn your television on to the time-slot of 8pm to 10pm, you will find some shows that deal with killings, drunk driving, car crashes, rape, sex, domestic violence and more. Sure WWF has done some of these things, but in wrestling it’s totally different. Besides if you aren’t happy with the excuse of it’s fake. Most people would say, that little children wouldn’t realize this. Well groups, like PTC, should look right into the name of their group. PARENT television council. If you don’t like what’s on a wrestling program, and your a parent of a smaller child or even a teenager, thirteen to fifteen or so. Don’t allow them to watch it. The parents are the ones paying the bills, they own the television, if you don’t want your eight year old watching because your afraid of what he will do on the playground the next day, it’s simple. DON’T LET HIM WATCH. There is a family channel on television, there is a cartoon network, and many more stations more suitable for their age and maturity. When you are a parent of a small child, and are allowing them to watch wrestling, but yet you complain at the vulgarity of it, your just making yourself out as a bad parent that is two-faced. Your ruining the enjoyment of the shows for other fans of older age, and even the children that watch with the monitoring eyes of their parents on them when they are watching tv. It’s simple as that. PTC, if you are that concerned, don’t go after the sponsors, all your doing is upsetting the fans that don’t mind the shows. If you want to act responsible, direct your messages to parents.  

Well it’s a big show… or is it? The Big Show steam rolled into the WWF back in February as the towering monster heel who was McMahon’s personal assistant/body guard. Through the past eight months or so, he hasn’t changed much, and it doesn’t look bright for the man in the main event status. The WWF is basically admitting to the lack of popularity and fan support for Big Show, sticking him in a feud with Bossman, and having him wrestle mid way through the card. At the Skydome house show. Big Show fought Triple H for the WWF title, in I believe the fourth match of the night, out of roughly 9 matches. The match took place before the mid way intermission! That has never happened. The WWF title is always the main event attraction of the night when the WWF comes to Toronto, and even other places. Now, with Big Show permanently stuck in the feud with the Hairy Prince, and the Bossman, you got to wonder, how long his reign will last. They have got to get him in a better program, with a more motivated and more marketable opponent. I’ve heard rumors of a hardcore handicap match taking place at Armageddon, with Big Show battling Prince Albert and Bossman. If the WWF does sign this match. They have basically signed away the legitimacy of Big Show’s main event status. 

With the WWF Wedding, just set to take place in a couple of hours, it’s got a lot of people talking. I’ve heard Undertaker may return to play a apart in this wedding, and probably will be the deciding factor that will stop the wedding from taking place. I think it’s safe to say that the Wedding won’t actually take place, and that something or somehow it’ll be stopped. Only question is, HOW? Maybe the rumors of Taker’s return are true, and we could see a possible confrontation, since Taker attempted to wed himself and Stephanie but failed, a few months back. 

Meng Vs. Bret Hart for the WCW title tonight? Give me a break! They really need to drop Meng down a few notches. He has an incredible look, but come on, he doesn’t deserve a title shot. Give the shot to a guy like Malenko or somebody that could put on a good match with Hart.  

Jushin Liger will be on Nitro tonight, it’ll be interesting to see what WCW does with him. It would be great to see a high flyer versus him, or even better a great technical wrestler like Benoit go toe to toe with Liger. I just hope his match ends cleanly with no run ins or DQ ending. Let’s see a legitimate pin. 

Ryan Shamrock, or known now as Symphony is back on television, except now she’s with Maestro in WCW. It’ll be interesting to see what Russo has planned for her. Just a note, but is it me, or is a lack of cat fights in WCW? I actually can’t remember the last time, two female valets, not female wrestlers, went at it, pulling hair, clawing each other. 

 Now this week’s Failed Gimmick of the Week, has got to be, Terri Runnels, with the Hardy Boyz. The Hardyz and Terri match up nicely, and look great together, but the chemistry between the tag team and her isn’t working out. She just doesn’t get involved in the matches anymore, and isn’t wearing the outfits that match her team. When she was Marlena with Goldust, the long golden dresses made her unique, now she just comes out in street clothes, and doesn’t do much. Get her in to some outfits that match with the Hardyz apparel, and get her involved in their matches. It would have been great on this past week’s Smackdown! to see her climb up the cage after Xpac and deliver a low blow or something on him, allowing the Hardyz to capture the tag titles, which they so truly deserve. 

Thanks for reading, and I hope you all enjoyed this week’s issue. Enjoy the wrestling.