Question
- What do you make of reports that Bischoff is beginning to distance himself
from Russo?
Z
- It's an old tradition in WCW for the bookers to 'work' the management,
and it's my guess that Bischoff's 'break up' with Russo is just another
work - with Bischoff and Russo presenting Brad Seigel with a 'master plan'
that allows them to buy some more time on salary from Turner. With Russo's
'master plan to rescue WCW' now in ruins, its time for Bischoff's
'master plan to rescue WCW' which will take us up to Christmas, or until
they can find a buyer - which ever's sooner.
For the past few months, Russo has been
working with Flair to put over the family von Flair, with Flair
putting over Russo in return. Flair has been called on for some emergency
CPR to resuscitate Nitro, particularly after the Arquette fiasco.
In fact, the only time Nitro appears to peak in the ratings is when
Flair is on TV. That's FLAIR not Russo - it's clear why McMahon never put
Russo on TV.
Meanwhile, Hogan and Bischoff have been
hovering in the wings. Bischoff has been holding off TV the guys
he plans to build the second half of the year around. First, Goldberg's
return from injury was indefinitely delayed, then Scott Steiner disappeared
( 'suspended' for indiscipline) then Buff Bagwell disappeared ('suspended'
for indiscipline) then Luger disappeared ('suspended' for indiscipline)
and Sid Vicious (presumably absent on his 'annual holidays'). Add to the
list Nash who's been virtually absent all year and maybe a rehabbed Hall
- then consider what all these guys have in common - and I guess you have
all you need to know to identify the outline of Bischoff's next "master
plan to rescue Nitro". In case you're still guessing, consider Hogan's
recent return to his Hollywood persona - (in six months Hogan has had four
equally unsuccessful incarnations as 'Hollywood' -'Terry Bollea' - 'Hulkster'
- now 'Hollywood' again).
They're hoping that this and the Goldberg
heel turn will add some value to the company's product - I've heard
they're urgently looking for a buyer.
Spare a thought for WCW VP Brad Seigel.
Bischoff, Russo and Sullivan's booking has generated a reported $61
million annual loss for WCW (with another possible $10 million loss for
Warner on "Ready to Rumble"). What choice has Seigel, other
than a fire sale of the company that would probably sink his own career?
who'll
buy a company in crisis, with a bottom line of negative $61 million,
a geriatric workforce with
an
engrained history of nepotism and cronyism?
My guess is that Seigel's instructions
from AOL-Time Warner are to give WCW a thorough 'workout' to get
the company in shape for a quick sale. But who'll buy a company in
crisis, with a bottom line of negative $61 million, a geriatric workforce
with an engrained history of nepotism and cronyism?
Question
- What do you think of the Goldberg heel turn?
Z
- As in "Who killed Goldberg?" The formula for Goldberg is simple - look
at what the WWF did with Hogan back in the 80s. My guess is that
Russo and Bischoff think counter-intuitively - they see what
WWF are doing and then they do the opposite. WWF takes raw talent and makes
a star - WCW buys old WWF/ECW stars and reduces them to raw talent. WWF
builds everyone up and makes millions - WCW buries everyone and loses millions.
Watching WCW is like looking in the mirror of WWF. Except WCW appears even
more successful at losing money that WWF is at earning it!
Just think what Vince could have done with
Goldberg. Then look what WCW have done with him. Vince fed Kamala
to Hogan, they fed Hercules Hernandez to Hogan, they fed Hogan with everyone
including Andre the Giant. So what do WCW do with Goldberg? Goldberg
gets hot, then gets beaten by Nash with his great knee lifts in the corner.
Then Goldberg gets injured for 6 crucial months pursuing a worthless gimmick
smashing a car window.
 |
The "Forrest
Gump" of wrestling everyone seems to
have missed
Page's talent except his next
door neighbor Eric Bischoff |
Question-
With Goldberg their top heel - who's going to be their top babyface?
Z
- You tell me? It can't be Jarrett - Jarrett carries the reputation
of being beaten by Chyna in WWF. It can't be wrestling's Forrest
Gump [Dallas Page] - "not pretty enough to be a face and not big
enough to be a heel" - anyway isn't he 51 with ruptured discs. I've always
thought - with so much 'talent' - how come Vince never picked up on Dallas
Page? You know Vince doesn't miss! But everyone seems to have missed
Page's talent except his next door neighbor Eric Bischoff. So who else
is there. Sting and Luger? Just think about it. Luger, Sting, Flair, Arn,
Dusty, etc., have had a VERY long run on top without drawing $$$$. WCW
is projected to lose $61 million this year alone - and this is when wrestling
is at its hottest!! Think how much they've lost in the last decade. Who
gets a 15 year run at the top anywhere, especially when they're not drawing.
Not even Hogan had 15 years at WWF. At the moment I can't see anyone who
can do a program with Goldberg, the way The Rock is working with HHH over
at WWF.
....Page
wants to fight Keller - I'll fight him on Keller's behalf .....any day
Question
- What makes a face become a heel and vice versa? I recall your comment
that you're 'a heel trapped in a babyface's body.'
Z
- Many guy's are addicted to the "pop" or applause of the crowd
- whether they're babyface or heel for that matter. Terry Funk loves the
pop, mostly as a heel. DDP loves being a babyface - that's
why he's so sensitive to criticism from Keller etc. [By the way, Page has
been calling out Keller for several weeks now. Why pick on a non-wrestler
like Keller? If Page wants a fight, I'll give him one anyday].
As a general rule faces or heels turn when
their run with their current persona gets a waning crowd reaction. There
are exceptions. For example, the Road Warriors turned because people were
cheering them stronger than the faces.... In their interviews on TV the
Warriors were saying that they'd kick butt and they did! And people love
a guy who talks kick- ass stuff and can back it up. A babyface, on the
other hand, should never promise a victory when he knows the finish is
going to go to the heels. People lose respect when you can't deliver a
victory. You just end up looking goofy like Bagwell.
Hogan always wins, the Warrior always wins,
so.. if you're figured in as a main guy, you have to adjust your interview
and only make promises you know you can keep. That in turn builds credibility
with the fans as someone who tells the 'truth'! The only problem with this
is that there are only a select few who have enough stroke with
the office to carry this important psychological effect through to a logical
conclusion and get themselves over in a given territory. And what a difference
a small detail like this makes!!! Without stroke, your abiliity to get
over rests entirely on the whim of the bookers and their 'creative ability'.
