My Take On The Monday Night Wars 5.06.08: Raw vs. Nitro (6.30.97)
Posted by Larry Csonka on 05.06.2008
On Raw we discover that The Undertaker is a murderer and has a brother! I wonder how that works out. Meanwhile over on Nitro, Raven chills in some sweet seats and Curt Hennig debuts!
Introduction:
Welcome back to the latest edition of My Take On! With the addition of WWE 24/7 to my cable system, I have decided to have some fun and do some columns on "The Monday Night Wars." I plan to work this similar to the "My Take on MMA" columns, where it isn't a recap as much as it is an analysis piece. I will provide the ratings of the two shows, my breakdowns of each segment that aired and then give an overall final grade so to speak of the show. At the end I will give the winner a point for the ratings win and a point for the show I thought was the best. The goal is to run through as many of these as I can as they air. I think it will be a fun adventure to embark on. Sit back and relax, as I relive The Monday Night Wars!
For those that have asked, these columns don't have a set schedule. They will appear as a fill in for when another 411 writer needs the day off. If you want to complain, complain to the people that didn't write.
WWE RAW IS WAR (6.30.97)~!: RATING: 2.5
This is the go home show for the In Your House, Calgary Stampede PPV.
Match/Segment: Taker and Paul Final Thoughts: We begin the show with an excellent video package on the history of the Undertaker and Paul Bearer. It showed them succeeding together, the eventual break up, the reunification due to the secret and finally Taker saying fuck it last week while Paul promised to unleash the secret. This was good shit right here. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 7.5
Match/Segment: Ken Shamrock pinned Hunter Hearst Helmsley Final Thoughts: One week after a horrible encounter with Rockabilly (because Rockabilly sucks), Ken Shamrock gets to fight the king of the ring, talent wise that's like night and day. A match like this with an established heel is great for Shamrock, as the crowd reactions for his were very strong here. Both men worked well together, and after a distraction from Mankind, Shamrock got the win. Shamrock gets an important victory, while we keep the HHH/Mankind fires burning. This was a solid opening segment. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 6.75
Match/Segment: The Gang Wars are off to a limping start… Final Thoughts: We get a video package showing why Ahmed Johnson turned on the Undertaker, and joined the New Nation. HE DON'T HAVE NO RESPECT FOR THE WHITE MAN! This led to the introduction of the DOA (The Disciples of Apocalypse) last week and the big brawl. Ahmed tore ligaments in his right knee during last week's brawl. We then get video from the hospital, and Ahmed promises to run through the DOA and the Undertaker. Again a good recap segment to keep everyone up to date as well as to explain the injury to Ahmed. This also leads well into the next segment, which featured the Nation in action. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 7.0
Match/Segment: TAG TEAM TOURNAMENT SEMI-FINAL BOUT: Farooq and D'Lo Brown w/Kama Mustafa defeated The Legion of Doom Final Thoughts: Michael Cole debuts to interview the LOD. They should have spiked him in the throat. I have seen the same sign twice, "VOTE JEREMY BORASH MARCONI 1997!" The Godwins are on the stage, Henry still has ill will due to the whole broken neck thing. LOD hit the Doomsday Device, but Henry Godwin would run in with a bucket shot, allowing the Nation to win. After the match LOD chases the Godwins away as Farooq demands that Vince come to the ring. Farooq claims that one of the Nation members should have inherited Ahmed's title shot. They are OFFENDED that Vader is given the shot, and accuse Vince of being racist. Vince blows them off to talk about the DOA, and just them Savio Vega appears and we get the debut of Los Boriquas (Perez/Estrada/Castillo)! They brawl and the DOA appears to make it a massive brawl. Agents and "uniformed security" hit the ring to try and break it up. The match was blah, and while I liked the introduction of the Boriquas, the crowd didn't care at all. It wasn't totally bad, but to me felt a little off as compared to the rest of the show. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 6.5
Match/Segment: Brian Christopher pinned Scott Putski Final Thoughts: If you have been following the series, just place my rant about them building the Light Heavyweight Division around the wrong guys. Sure these guys could have been involved in the division, but not the focus of it. Lawler gets involved at the end to cost Putski. Jerry and his kid do a post match beat down, including a spike piledriver. This would set up a tag match between the Lawler's and the Putski's July 14th on Raw. Lawler had a ton of Polish jokes, not all good. The match was actually pretty good. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 6.75
Match/Segment: The Undertaker/Brian Pillman Speak Final Thoughts: He says that Paul will present a slanted version of what was the worst night of his life, a night that changed him forever. He knows that Paul will try and poison the minds of the creatures of the night. All he wants is the chance to tell his side. Pillman then gave an interview addressing the fact that he was fired from Shotgun Saturday night. This was the usual crazy Pillman promo, full of goodness. Both were effective. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 7.0
Match/Segment: Brian Pillman defeated Mankind by Count out Final Thoughts: Mankind apologized to JR for the attack from weeks ago, and gave him a gift of a mannequin hand, with the claw deal on it. He was also wearing his "PICK ME STEVE" sign. Not as much of a match as it is a crazy brawl. Hunter and Chyna watch on from the ramp as Pillman is a complete nut, biting Mankind and trying to stab him with a pencil. Mankind then tries to destroy the ankle of Pillman and removes his boot, which allows Hunter and Chyna to get involved. It was chaotic, but fun and played into HHH vs. Mankind. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 7.0
Match/Segment: Paul Tells His Secret Final Thoughts: Paul tells the tale of the funeral home, and the family that lived there. There were two kids, a sweet kid named Kane and a punk, the Undertaker. Paul was the apprentice there, under the Undertaker's father, a mortician of excellence. While Kane was sweet, the Undertaker was the devil's seed. Paul saw Undertaker smoking many times behind the funeral home, and one day he saw something that was not right, so he went to school. And when he came back, the funeral home was on fire! The Undertaker burned the home to the ground, and was the only one to survive. "UNDERTAKER…YOU ARE A GOD DAMN MURDERER!" That's all we get for now, and it was a great performance from Paul. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 9.0
Match/Segment: TAG TEAM TOURNAMENT SEMI-FINAL BOUT: Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith defeated the Headbangers Final Thoughts: Bret joins us with a phone interview, hyping the 10-man match and putting over Canada as "God's Country." Davey and Owen win a very bland match. It is then that Jim Cornette returns and brings out THE HEADHUNTERS! They brawl, the Headbangers join the brawl but Davey and Owen smartly escape. We then get a horrible brawl, with next to no heat (until the Hunters bust out a moonsault and splash.) This was a real downer compared to the rest of the show. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 4.0
Match/Segment: Taker Responds Final Thoughts: He basically admits that the basis of the story is true, and that they were playing with matches. But their father punished them. He should have known better, as the older brother. But after he left to do his chores, it was Kane that had the flammable liquids in the back. And when he returned, the house was on fire. He ran as fast as he could, but when he got there, the fire was too big. But he ran for the front door, but he was stopped. He wanted to go in, but he had to watch the house burn as he was held back. And yes he was not at the funeral, but that was because Paul dragged him to see the bodies. The images haunted him, and still do to this day. It changed him forever, and he had to look at death, understand it and realize that without death, there cannot be life. The spirits of his family strengthen him and will allow him to strike down Paul. Just like Paul was great, Taker gave an outstanding performance here. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 9.0
Match/Segment: Rockabilly and Vader fought to a No Contest Final Thoughts: Rockabilly uses the guitar to begin, and Vader no sells him. The Undertaker hits the ring and we have out no contest. Paul starts to scream that he is a murderer, and Taker slaps the piss out of him and yells for him to tell the truth! "IT'S TRUE…KANE TOLD ME… KANE TOLD ME… KANE TOLD ME…HE'S ALIVE! KANE IS ALIVE UNDERTAKER!" Vader then goes on the attack, frees Paul and they run. We got the big reveal, and it also plays into the title match with Taker and Vader. More good stuff. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 8.0
Match/Segment: Steve Austin defeated Jim Neidhart by Disqualification Final Thoughts: The match is not good. They blow some simple stuff, like the Thesz press. Well, Neidhart blew a lot of simple stuff. We saw that during the break, BRET HART attacked Ken Shamrock backstage. SWERVE~! Bret eventually runs out, not soon enough and we see Bret and Anvil beat down Austin. Bret busts out the figure four on the steel post, and MANKIND makes the save! CLAW on Bret! The rest of the Hart Foundation makes the save as the show ends… Larry's Enjoyment Index: 7.5
The Overall: Best Match/Segment: Taker and Paul's Promos 9.0 Worst Match/Segment:: TAG TEAM TOURNAMENT SEMI-FINAL BOUT: Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith defeated the Headbangers/The Headhunters are Here 4.0 Final Thoughts: With the exception of one segment, this was the perfect definition of clicking on all cylinders. Solid in ring stuff, but all of the segments had a purpose, they all went somewhere, they all worked well in their placement on the show and we got the BIG reveal that Taker has a brother and that he is alive. Plus we had build to the Canadian Stampede main event. This was great stuff. Show Score: 9.0
WCW MONDAY NITRO (6.30.97)~!: RATING: 3.3
Match/Segment: The Nature Boy Speaks Final Thoughts: Flair has Piper's music played as he has two women carry out a dummy dressed like Roddy Piper brought to the ring. Tremendous. Flair and the ladies run down Piper as he explains last week's beating. Piper made the mistake by telling Flair how to do business; he crossed the line and paid the price with a Horsemen beat down. They have a moment of silence for Piper's career and Flair does his wacky River dance. It played off of last week well, but wasn't exactly Flair's best interview. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 6.0
Match/Segment: World Cruiserweight Champion Chris Jericho defeated Juventud Guerrera Final Thoughts: Tenay informs us that Jericho won the title at a house show in LA from Syxx. Juvi slips early on in the match, but thankfully doesn't kill himself. He saves that for a RANA try later, where he almost knocks himself out. Wow, Juvi is all over the place in this match. I mean, he's on a different page of a different book. Jericho is busting ass to keep things together, but isn't having the best of luck. Chris Jericho is my hero. He killed Juvi with two stiff powerbombs, got a SICK Super Frankensteiner and finished it with the walls. This went from complete shit to a pretty good match. Mean Gene interviews Jericho after the match and thanks him for bringing back a title to WCW. This brings out Syxx and says that the n.W.o still recognizes him as the champ and they brawl. They fought through the commercial break, and Alex Wright appears. He was held down, wasn't allowed interviews and the refs cheated him, blah, blah and he walks away. Well that brought things down. Go away Kraut. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 7.0
Match/Segment: Eddy Guerrero pinned Dean Malenko Final Thoughts: Eddy is a complete bitch and attacks Dean on his entrance. Eddy had previously cost Dean the CW Title, and is now coming off an injury and then cost Dean the US Title. What an asshole. They have a really fun match, Chavo then comes to the ring and distracts Dean. Eddy tosses them together, gets the brain buster and frogs plash to win. Eddy checks on Chavo after the match and says, "I'm a bad boy." Larry's Enjoyment Index: 7.5
Match/Segment: Mean Gene with Rey Jr. Final Thoughts: Rey is tired of Nash pushing him around. He got darted into a trailer, he gets attacked while facing Syxx, it s never one on one. He doesn't care that Nash is bigger, but he has to know if ONE on ONE, he can beat Nash. Rey claims to have a bigger heart than Nash, who then comes out and promises to find out, by performing an in ring autopsy on Rey. It's on. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 6.5
Match/Segment: Bishoff and Hogan Speak Final Thoughts: Hogan and Rodman are going to party all night long, and let Macho Man and the Outsiders have their fun. This is 5-minutes of Hogan saying the same thing over and over again, while Bishoff says, "Yes Hollywood!" He also BERRIES DDP and Mysterio the whole time. This sucked and was completely useless. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 2.0
Match/Segment: World Television Champion Steven Regal defeated Hector Garza Final Thoughts: Garza has been impressive in his WCW run thus far, picking up solid wins. Regal was a great heel champ and of course worked well with just about everyone. They were going strong, but then had some miscommunication when Garza went for the big corkscrew off the top to the floor. He almost torpedoed himself into the floor. Back in the ring Garza misses a moonsault, Regal does a wacky jig and finishes with the regal stretch. Regal remained dominant, yet gave the young guy enough to look credible and keep the fans involved. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 6.0
Match/Segment: The Steiner Brothers Speak Final Thoughts: Scotty explains that they were stripped of the titles, but they beat every tag team put in front of them and have been named the #1 contenders. This brings out Hall, Nash, Syxx, Norton, Buff, Chono and Vincent. Hall has a contract with him, and says they are fighting champions and the Steiner's can have their shot. Rick and Scott blindly sign the contract and leave. Hall then says the contract says that the Steiner's have to face Muta and Chono and beat them before they can have the title shot. Rather boring and hey, great job making Rick and Scott look like complete goofs. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 4.0
Match/Segment: Psicosis pinned Super Calo Final Thoughts: Generic Lucha-fest #3. It was boring, and man if you want to talk about no selling. Psicosis jumps from the top, misses Calo and hits the steal railing. FIVE seconds later they go to the finish, which they blow (manager tripping the guy on a suplex try back into the ring) and that is that. Shit. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 3.0
CHRIS BENOIT EDIT: After showing Chris Benoit on the previous show, it appears as if he was omitted from this show. On this edition of Nitro, Ric Flair, Chris Benoit, and Steve McMichael defeated Buff Bagwell, Scott Norton, and Masahiro Chono by Disqualification. It would have been in this slot of the show. Make up your mind WWE.
Match/Segment: High Voltage defeated Mortis and Wrath Final Thoughts: Glacier and Earnest Miller's first match as a team was against High Voltage, so the heels wants to prove that they could beat the same team, just as impressively. Mortis and Wrath run wild, and Glacier comes out to distract Wrath. Miller runs in and gets the spinning round house on Mortis, allowing High Voltage to get the win. The faces FINALLY got one over on the heels, and High Voltage gets a win for once. This was fine stuff, and after the last two segments, they needed a good segment. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 6.5
Raven is sitting in the crowd… He blows off Tenay later on in the show in spectacular fashion.
Match/Segment: United States Champion Jeff Jarrett defeated Konnan Final Thoughts: A basic TV match, not great and not horrible. The Horsemen come out and help Jarrett retain the title. Jarrett and Flair strut, as the announce team guesses that Jarrett's probation is over. Mean Gene is here to interview the group. Jarrett mentions that he beat Arn, Benoit and Mongo and that he is above them all. But he and Ric see eye to eye, and are true professionals. Flair says Jarrett is great, but as of now he is no longer a Horsemen. "Tell your story walkin, Alan Jackson." Deborah says Jeff isn't welcome anymore and needs to go. Jarrett says this is over professional jealousy; Flair loaded the gun and put it to his head. Jarrett promises to put him out to pasture. They allow Jarrett to leave without the beat down. Ok, so they show this but do not show the match? Make up your mind! This was a fine, yet unspectacular segment. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 6.0
Match/Segment: Kevin Nash pinned Rey Misterio Jr Final Thoughts: Rey rushes the ring, runs wild for a wild but then gets caught and eats the jackknife powerbomb. Nash then delivers a second, levels the ref and Konnan is out and appears as if he DOES NOT APPROVE! Nash with a third powerbomb, and Konnan is out to the ring. Nash leaves and Konnan then applies a knee bar to Rey. This was one of those times where WCW wanted to make Rey a star, and they would start and then stop on many occasions. This was also the beginning of Konnan into the n.W.o, which as a good move as he wasn't doing jack shit and jobbing to the wrong people. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 7.0
Match/Segment: Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Randy Savage fought to a No Contest with The Giant, Diamond Dallas Page, and Lex Luger Final Thoughts: They brawl for a few minutes until Hogan comes to the ring and takes out Luger and Giant with the title belt. The n.W.o B-Team is out and the continue to beat down Giant and Luger. DDP is getting beat down by Hall, Nash and Macho Man. They try to destroy the ribs of DDP, and here is a fake Sting in the crowd. Macho continues his elbow drop buffet as the real Sting drops from the ceiling and runs off the n.W.o. And then the promised surprise at the end of the show is Curt Hennig, who enters the ring. Raven also jumps the railing and we have a huge stand off to close the show and making you wonder who DDP's partner would be. Larry's Enjoyment Index: 8.5
The Overall: Best Match/Segment: Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Randy Savage fought to a No Contest with The Giant, Diamond Dallas Page, and Lex Luger 8.5 Worst Match/Segment:: Bishoff and Hogan Speak 2.0 Final Thoughts: Overall the shows are getting better, minus a segment or two, but the fact is that they would have had to provide a second coming of Jesus to match that episode of Raw. Show Score: 7.0
THE WINNER:
According to the Ratings: NITRO According to Larry: RAW Overall Series Score: RAW~11.5 – NITRO~8.5
Meltzer said they'll show Benoit in interviews, if he runs in or if he's
mentioned by the announcers or wrestlers. But they will not show his matches. I
think that's their decision for now.
To each their own, but I like WWE not showing Benoit matches. I don't want to
watch him, personally. As a company, WWE has to play it safe and appeal to me
(someone who doesn't want to watch a murderer) than appeal to wrestling fans
that don't care he killed 2 people.
Posted By: O'Dog (Guest) on May 06, 2008 at 03:35 PM
Did the Headhunters even have a match in the WWE, as the followup RAW's don't
have or even mention them.
Posted By: JLAJRC (Guest) on May 06, 2008 at 04:48 PM
I'm tired of this personal bias. I've seen every show you reviewed LIVE and
there is a reason why Nitro got better ratings, because the shows were actually
better. Don't let people rewrite history for you, outside the Austin/Hart
Foundation,HHH/Mankind stuff Raw was mostly a SNOREFEST. The fact he gave this
episode of Raw, which I seen LIVE and re-watched a 9.0 is insane.
Posted By: USAUSA1 (Guest) on May 06, 2008 at 06:16 PM
Gang Warz got old very quick. I did actually get excited when it first happend
then by the third week it was tiring.
Posted By: Guest#5410 (Guest) on May 06, 2008 at 06:17 PM
You're cute "USAUSA1." The bias argument might have ment something,
except for the fact that I was always more of an NWA/WCW fan. In hindsight, the
WWF shows are much tighter and usually better. But thanks for reading and
trying to be cute.
Posted By: Larry Csonka (Registered) on May 06, 2008 at 06:40 PM
I remember these shows, well, the WCW on since that is what I watched at that
time. I remember thinking it was time to switch back to WWE around this point.
Nice review.
Posted By: Sam (Guest) on May 06, 2008 at 06:56 PM
O'Dog i think you're entitled to your opinion but i think that it's somewhat
childish for WWE to show benoit in interviews and run-ins but not his matches.
You can't have it both ways either your offended by his mere presence or you
learn to accept that while the things he did were horrible and shouldn't be
forgotten that the past is the past and if you don't want to watch his
matches/segments you can turn them off. but to pretend he didn't ever wrestle
is kind of absurd.
Posted By: Guest (Guest) on May 06, 2008 at 06:59 PM
Total agreement. Either show it all or show nothing.
Posted By: Steve307 (Guest) on May 07, 2008 at 12:14 AM
I miss WCW
Posted By: Eric (Guest) on May 07, 2008 at 01:09 AM
Larry thinks USAUSA1 is cute? Now that's just plain creepy...
Posted By: Guest (Guest) on May 07, 2008 at 02:25 AM
I'm pissed that they would edit off a match involving Norton just because of
their wishy-washy stance on Chris Benoit.
Posted By: G-Walla (Guest) on May 07, 2008 at 03:31 PM
Christ, give the super-special fans their child murderer matches. Fuck it. I'm
so tired of arguing with you people. It's obvious that real life will never
interfere with your TOTALLY COMPLETE WRESTLING COLLECTION, so why bother
anymore.
Posted By: The REAL MP (Registered) on May 07, 2008 at 04:28 PM
Larry, I totally disagree about the WWE shows being tighter and better. It does
seem like you give WWE higher ratings and kill stuff in WCW. Much too biased. I
am a WWE fan, but I can see why WCW was beating WWE at this point. The WWE shows
were nowhere good as you are making them out to be. I remember them. Your
reviews have become too one sided. There was a reason WCW was killing WWE in
the ratings war at this point. The tide had not turned yet, but it did in late
97.
Posted By: Steve (Guest) on May 07, 2008 at 07:32 PM
Do I not care that Chris Benoit killed two people -- three, counting himself?
Well, considering that the entire affair nearly caused me to lose all faith in
humanity, I'm pretty sure that counts as 'caring'... I probably cut the man too
much slack for being so obviously crazy that I'm probably not exaggerating that
he thought he was fighting for-real demons (Ref. Nowinski's report, the
bible-placing, the fact that he managed to kill his son with some version of
his *finishing* move).
But even that's not it. What it is, is the simple fact that the NFL doesn't
edit OJ Simpson out of tapes of Buffalo Bills games in the 1970's, and you know
why? It's because that'd be denying history. And maybe this just feels like
Vince rewriting history, and that's always been a major annoyance to me.
I mean, we're now supposed to believe that a) ECW went down entirely due to
WCW's raiding of talent, and had nothing to do with the Fed's similar signings
AND taking over ECW's network; b) WCW only beat Raw in the ratings because of
unfair business practices, not because they had the single-most killer angle
the wrestling world had ever seen; c) VINCE trained the fans to chant 'ECW'
during matches; and d) Chris Benoit never existed.
Maybe it's that.
Posted By: MadmanJack (Registered) on May 07, 2008 at 08:26 PM
I agree with Csonka's assessment of these shows.
Raw was GREAT during this period while I had grown tired of WCW and only
bothered to flip to Nitro (and the inevitable NWO gabfests) during commercials.
Every week I used to shake my head in disbelief at the ratings. To this day I
don't understand how WCW won the ratings war all through '97 with vastly
inferior shows.
Posted By: Guest#4030 (Guest) on May 07, 2008 at 09:44 PM
Gotta agree with Madman Jack.
I can understand the stance of not wanting to see Benoit. But you have the
option to change the channel if it offends you. But for those of us who can
dissociate Benoit the person with Benoit the wrestler, we don't have an option.
I'm not trying to step on anyone's toes, that's just how I feel about it.
Chris Jericho has some good thoughts on the subject of Benoit in A Lion's Tale,
I would recommend it.
Posted By: G-Walla (Guest) on May 08, 2008 at 12:52 AM
Dear Dorks, you don't want to watch Benoit (or have been already brainwashed by
Vince into believing he never existed), just do what that other dork who tried
to force the change of banner/title did - DON'T WATCH HIM. Nobody's forcing
you. I really think you just like to whine, cry and bitch about him every
chance you get, just like the Cena Haterz do. And besides it's not like we
don't have other murderers in our country, who happen to be shown on Tv and
some even walk free.
Posted By: Captain Jack (Guest) on May 08, 2008 at 09:38 AM
