wrestling / Columns

The Professional 3 7.28.13: Favorite Time Periods in Wrestling

July 28, 2013 | Posted by Jon Harder

Welcome everyone to another edition of the Professional 3 exclusively on 411wrestling.com! I’m Jon Harder and another exciting week of professional wrestling is in the books. Great stories being told combined with phenomenal in-ring competition makes for an exciting time period in wrestling. Personally, this has been one of the more exciting times in the sport of kings in recent history. It actually gave me the inspiration behind this week’s edition. Trust me; a very controversial edition of the P3 will take place this week.

Before I go any further, check out the trailer for the debut of the Angry Mets Guys, a brand new YouTube show starring Leon St. Giovanni and me. As two angry fans of the most unappreciated franchises in sports history, we are looking to discuss facts and stories from Mets history, discuss issues from the Mets of today, and rant and rave all in between. You can find us on Twitter at @AngryMetsGuys or on YouTube HERE.

Now for this week’s P3, it revolves around my episode this week on The Hardway Podcast, which was dedicated to FAN PARTICIPATION. I had laid the question through my Twitter and Facebook on Tuesday, asking what people’s favorite time periods in wrestling was. Any territory or promotion in any specific time length was on the docket. A dozen fans responded to the question at hand and it made for a great episode. Some time periods truly caught me off guard.

Even for a niche writer such as myself, getting obscure answers truly surprised me. Karl Mackenzie gave me the AWA from the 1980s. The bastard Master H 2 chimed in with ACE Pro Wrestling from early 2009 to the summer of 2010. The most shocking I received was from a fan named Morrisa, who gave the year 1986 and the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling company (That’s GLOW by the way.) Great answers from a small, yet dedicated fan base for the podcast.

As I alluded to on this week’s edition, I felt as if I could only give my choices in this week’s P3. In a column such as this, I felt as if I could elaborate a lot more on this particular topic in here. My choices are legitimate and among my favorite wrestling time periods. I know I’ve had my personal favorite matches in a previous column, but this has a possibility on being a more intricate piece than just another rant. Without further hesitation…

THE PROFESSIONAL 3: Jon’s Favorite Time Periods in Wrestling

1) BISCHOFF AND FUSIENT’S WCW (December 2000 to March 19, 2001)

In late 2000, Vince Russo’s time in WCW was coming to an end. Due to a number of concussions, Russo had to step away from handling the day-to-day creative process of World Championship Wrestling. Around the same time period, Eric Bischoff and Fusient Media Ventures, whose founders were Classic Sports Network creators Brian Bedol and Stephen Greenberg, were orchestrating the plot to buy the company. When a door closes, a window opens. After the announcement was made that Eric Bischoff was to buy WCW in December of 2000, Bischoff took over creative and started one of my favorite times as a wrestling fan.

Bischoff, along with booker Johnny Ace, revamped WCW. The Cruiserweight division got a rededicated focus, especially with Chavo Guerrero becoming Cruiserweight champion and the debut of the Cruiserweight Tag Team titles (which you already know my feelings on). Ric Flair became “CEO” and developed the Magnificent Seven, a group of wrestlers that truly believed in Flair’s vision with WCW. Scott Steiner legitimately eliminated all the main eventers from WCW, all building to a massive backlash against the WCW World champion. Sean O’Haire and Chuck Palumbo broke away from the Natural Born Thrillers and became the most dominant tag team in WCW as World Tag Team Champions. Most of all, they finally got Mike Awesome back into what he was most comfortable with: the “Career Killer” with Team Canada.

It was such a great time for me, as it was a last gasp into the lifeblood of World Championship Wrestling. About two years too late, all the young talent were getting an opportunity. If it was 1999, Sugar Shane Helms would not have been receiving a golden opportunity to become the “Evolution of Innovation” as a Cruiserweight pioneer. Guys like Jason Jett (EZ Money) would not been given a chance to at least make a name on Nitro as a WCW competitor. Hell, Totally Buff was a fresh take on Lex Luger being cocky and borderline hilarious with Buff Bagwell. Although ultimately WCW was not owned by Eric Bischoff in the long run, it was a fun time for this wrestling fan. I legitimately wonder what would have happened if the Big Bang took place on May 6, 2001.

2) WWF – (Survivor Series 1997 to Survivor Series 1998)

Survivor Series 1997 was truly the dawning of a new era. With Bret Hart getting “screwed” by Vince McMahon, it ultimately started a one year odyssey to one of the greatest storylines ever told: Vince McMahon’s corporate champion. Once Mr. McMahon became the evil corporate boss we all know and hate, he had one goal in mind: to mold Stone Cold Steve Austin into what a champion should look and act like. In the end, Mr. McMahon got what he wanted: by “screwing” Stone Cold by hook or by crook and ultimately finding his corporate champion in the Rock.

There was so much that transpired during this time period. Extremely intricate story-telling combined with solid in-ring competition. The veterans and young talent were being integrated together to make a phenomenal show. While Stone Cold was feuding with Vince McMahon, the Undertaker, Kane, and the Stooges, the Nation and DX battled over being the top faction in the WWF, which was started once Owen Hart joined the group after a lengthy battle with Triple H. Also, with D’Lo Brown, Val Venis, and Edge as the young guns getting ample opportunity to shine, it made for a mix of all worlds and most of all: an entertaining television product. That one year meant SO much to what we see on WWE TV today.

3) ROH (Reborn Stage 1 to Punk: The Final Chapter)

For all die-hard independent wrestling, the 18 months that surrounded this time period has to rank up as one of the greatest in Indies’ history. When ROH ran into legal issues, booker Gabe Sapolsky took his top-flight talent, combined with some great angles and rivalries, and saved the company from folding. Samoa Joe got his big break during this time period as the face of Ring of Honor. CM Punk took his straight-edge, cocky personality and became a master of the microphone and inside of the ring. The Rottweilers were dominant in and out-of-the-ring. Bryan Danielson was untouchable as a technical dynamo. Generation Next in one night became the future of the company. Jay Lethal left his rave days behind him and developed his incredible in-ring talents.

ROH during this time was the lifeblood of alternative wrestling. I’m not the only one that agrees with this statement. Although ROH is on a different, yet great, path with Sinclair Broadcasting owning them, this time period will never be forgotten by any die-hard Indy fan. I can’t forget it. This is why I’m involved with Indy wrestling right now.

What a throwback. I hope in time, certain companies will hold your heart as a favorite time-period in your lives. Sadly, I had three. Hope you have them as well.

Feedback? Tweet at @TheJonHarder and we’ll go from there. Have a great week.

Jon Harder

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