Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling
Subject: Re: WWF/WCW(newbie's opinion)
From: pmbarlow@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Dan Fielding)
Date: 27 Sep 92 18:22:09 -0500
Organization: Miami University Academic Computer Service"

In article <Bv1At3.GAz@cs.dal.ca>, colin@ug.cs.dal.ca (Colin Edward Mac Donald) writes:
> 	Lately I have been tuning in tho, and I like what I see, especially
> 	Jushin Liger(sp?) and Jake the Snake.

Liger is, far and away, the best lightweight WCW has ever had wrestling for
them... and by that I mean that he wrestled on one of their cards.  Several,
actually.  But he's not wrestled on WCW shows in at least a month, and probably
a little bit more.  But I see your point.

Jake, on the other hand, hasn't changed much in the last 10 years.  If you take
a look at that clip from the CoC which featured Jake at the old Techwood Dr.
studios, it's roughly the same exact type of wrestling.  But Jake DOES have his
moments in the ring...

> 	One thing I noticed that did turn me off tho, was the look and
> 	feel of the broadcasts. The WWF "seemingly" has huge crowds, loud
> 	music, lots of pomp and ceremony.

Key word, seemingly.  WWF draws have been down lately (case-in-point, WM VIII)
and, in general, attendance just isn't what it was 5 years ago.  The WWF DOES
have loud music, and plenty of boring ceremony, but this is just to offset the
fact that none of the guys there, excepting Ric Flair, can wrestle.

>       The few WCW shows I have watched
> 	seem "small" and weak when compared to the WWF. Even the WWF ring 
> 	looked bigger than the WCW ring. I'll also take Mean Gene and
> 	Bobby Heenan over Jim Ross and Jesse Ventura(although Vince has gotta
> 	get off the air).

There's a reason for that, too.  WCW isn't going for the big crowds right now. 
They're going for a revamped product, which is more technical wrestling instead
of sheer brawling.  In time, they know, this may lead to bigger crowds, but
Watts is, I think, realistic enough to know that an immediate turnaround just
isn't going to happen.  Add to this that a lot of the WCW shows are taped at
either Centre Stage Theatre in Atlanta, which seats about 700 according to Jim
Ross, or at their arenas, which are, by and large, smaller than the WWF arenas. 
An example:  New York City.  WWF plays most, if not all, of their shows at MSG,
whereas WCW has to settle for the smaller Nassau Coliseum.  Another example: 
Cincinnati.  WWF plays Riverfront Coliseum (not the Stadium), WCW plays either
Shoemaker Arena (UC basketball) or Cincinnati Gardens, both of which are
smaller than the Coliseum.

The ring size for both, as far as I know, is the same: 16 feet by 16 feet.  The
WWF just has a little bit better lighting capability... which has a lot to do
with television appearance.  The AWA rings looked absolutely puny on ESPN there
at the end, but only because the lighting was so terrible.

As for the announcers... nope.  No way.  Trash Gene, trash Bobby.  But then
trash Jesse as well.  IMHO, the best announcing team I've ever heard was Tony
Schiavone and Davy Crockett during the last few years of the Techwood Dr. era.

Whatever happened to Davy Crockett anyway?

> 	I think all the WWF pluses appeal to the mark in me. The WCW has 
> 	better wrestlers(IMHO), but lacks a certain UMPH!

Another example of Herb's re-education necessities.  WCW just isn't going for
UMPH!  they're going for NEAT!  The WWF is going for FLASHY!  It all depends on
what you go for... me, I go for a nice combination of both... something in a
Williams and Gordy to be exact.

> 	Just an opinion, I welcome yours.
> 	Flames by the way, I completely ignore...unless they are in the
> 	same building I am in.

Two things:
1.  I don't know what building you're in, and why would I care anyway?
2.  People don't usually flame here... except for when somebody puts up and
extremely stupid mark post, ie anything printed in PWI or WWF Magazine (HINT!) 
But it's been a while since someone's gotten flamed for an opinion, and I sure
as hell wasn't trying to flame you... so don't worry about it.


Dan Fielding.  Oh, wait, I'm not ready for my sig yet... gotta reply to this...

> * 30 Ways To Beat Stress *
> #11	Dance naked in front of a pet.

#10  Grab a beer, and watch some WWF... if you thought it was funny sober, just
wait till you see it drunk!  :-)


Dan Fielding.  Just tossing in my $0.02.

Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling