What if they?

[Guest Loss]

If Vince Russo were given the book today, he would immediately change the stip to a Taxi-Driver-on-a-Pole match.  Then after ten ref bumps and fifteen chairshots to Batista's head, Triple H would retain.  JBL would then come out with 39 strippers and they would party.  Until the music hits, and number one contender Edge comes out and challenges Triple H to a match.  He accepts.  Midway through, Matt Hardy would come out, stop the match, and shoot about how Edge is feces and how he betrayed him.  Then Lita would come out, hit Matt in the head with a chair, and dryhump Edge in the ring.  Russo himself would then come out, call Matt Hardy a piece of shit for ruining the worked finish he wrote for the match, wish he was the one in the car accident and not Shannon Moore, and then proceed to put Matt Hardy in the sharpshooter, ring the bell himself a la Sur Series '97, and then declare himself, Vince Russo, the new world champion.  Triple H and Russo would then hug, and with Lita, Edge, JBL, and the taxi driver on the pole (who will unmask, and reveal himself as Batista omg swerve?) they would reform the nWo and spraypaint Matt Hardy and the 39 strippers to end the show.

I like how everybody completely forgets that Vince Russo booked the WWE for the two best years they ever had, storyline-wise. He'd probably just leave WM alone, build up a heel while Batista finished off HHH again at Backlash in a stip match, and then set up hot feuds for Batista throughout the summer.

I *dare* you to rewatch 1999 and call any aspect of the product that year "good". Russo's booking is proof positive that Austin and Rock could draw in literally any situation at that point in time.

[SuperJerk 0]

If Vince Russo were given the book today, he would immediately change the stip to a Taxi-Driver-on-a-Pole match.  Then after ten ref bumps and fifteen chairshots to Batista's head, Triple H would retain.  JBL would then come out with 39 strippers and they would party.  Until the music hits, and number one contender Edge comes out and challenges Triple H to a match.  He accepts.  Midway through, Matt Hardy would come out, stop the match, and shoot about how Edge is feces and how he betrayed him.  Then Lita would come out, hit Matt in the head with a chair, and dryhump Edge in the ring.  Russo himself would then come out, call Matt Hardy a piece of shit for ruining the worked finish he wrote for the match, wish he was the one in the car accident and not Shannon Moore, and then proceed to put Matt Hardy in the sharpshooter, ring the bell himself a la Sur Series '97, and then declare himself, Vince Russo, the new world champion.  Triple H and Russo would then hug, and with Lita, Edge, JBL, and the taxi driver on the pole (who will unmask, and reveal himself as Batista omg swerve?) they would reform the nWo and spraypaint Matt Hardy and the 39 strippers to end the show.

Wow. That's the best fantasy booking I've ever fucking read.

This man is the future of TSM.

Indeed.

[Guest MikeSC]

If Vince Russo were given the book today, he would immediately change the stip to a Taxi-Driver-on-a-Pole match.  Then after ten ref bumps and fifteen chairshots to Batista's head, Triple H would retain.  JBL would then come out with 39 strippers and they would party.  Until the music hits, and number one contender Edge comes out and challenges Triple H to a match.  He accepts.  Midway through, Matt Hardy would come out, stop the match, and shoot about how Edge is feces and how he betrayed him.  Then Lita would come out, hit Matt in the head with a chair, and dryhump Edge in the ring.  Russo himself would then come out, call Matt Hardy a piece of shit for ruining the worked finish he wrote for the match, wish he was the one in the car accident and not Shannon Moore, and then proceed to put Matt Hardy in the sharpshooter, ring the bell himself a la Sur Series '97, and then declare himself, Vince Russo, the new world champion.  Triple H and Russo would then hug, and with Lita, Edge, JBL, and the taxi driver on the pole (who will unmask, and reveal himself as Batista omg swerve?) they would reform the nWo and spraypaint Matt Hardy and the 39 strippers to end the show.

I like how everybody completely forgets that Vince Russo booked the WWE for the two best years they ever had, storyline-wise. He'd probably just leave WM alone, build up a heel while Batista finished off HHH again at Backlash in a stip match, and then set up hot feuds for Batista throughout the summer.

Umm, his storylines for those years were shitty. They were just better than the crap the 3 retarded monkeys who booked WCW created.

 

WWF storylines in 2000 showed how bad they were in 1998-9.

-=Mike

[The Czech Republic 0]

It doesn't have to be five minutes, but Batista v Hunter has to be short and explosive, with Batista doing as little selling as possible. Batista v Triple H needs to be Hulk Hogan v Iron Sheik.

Yeah but evidently they only booked eight matches for a five-hour show, and I don't know if I want any of the other seven picking up the slack timewise. Eh what the fuck do I care I'm not gonna watch

[iggymcfly 0]

If Vince Russo were given the book today, he would immediately change the stip to a Taxi-Driver-on-a-Pole match.  Then after ten ref bumps and fifteen chairshots to Batista's head, Triple H would retain.  JBL would then come out with 39 strippers and they would party.  Until the music hits, and number one contender Edge comes out and challenges Triple H to a match.  He accepts.  Midway through, Matt Hardy would come out, stop the match, and shoot about how Edge is feces and how he betrayed him.  Then Lita would come out, hit Matt in the head with a chair, and dryhump Edge in the ring.  Russo himself would then come out, call Matt Hardy a piece of shit for ruining the worked finish he wrote for the match, wish he was the one in the car accident and not Shannon Moore, and then proceed to put Matt Hardy in the sharpshooter, ring the bell himself a la Sur Series '97, and then declare himself, Vince Russo, the new world champion.  Triple H and Russo would then hug, and with Lita, Edge, JBL, and the taxi driver on the pole (who will unmask, and reveal himself as Batista omg swerve?) they would reform the nWo and spraypaint Matt Hardy and the 39 strippers to end the show.

I like how everybody completely forgets that Vince Russo booked the WWE for the two best years they ever had, storyline-wise. He'd probably just leave WM alone, build up a heel while Batista finished off HHH again at Backlash in a stip match, and then set up hot feuds for Batista throughout the summer.

Umm, his storylines for those years were shitty. They were just better than the crap the 3 retarded monkeys who booked WCW created.

 

WWF storylines in 2000 showed how bad they were in 1998-9.

-=Mike

Yeah, the Austin/McMahon feud? Shitty. The Rock's heel turn at Survivor Series and subsequent run as Corporate Champ? Shitty.

 

But Rock and HHH wrestling each other for nine straight PPVs until it's revealed that Rikishi ran over Austin? That was fucking gold.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Russo had his chance to show how good he really was when he took control of WCW and had total power. Where is WCW now, by the way ?

[Jericho2000Mark 0]

WWE dropped the ball on every major angle from mid-late 2000...that was the beginning of the creative decline for the company.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

WWE dropped the ball on every major angle from mid-late 2000...that was the beginning of the creative decline for the company.

Which just happens to be when Stephanie became head writer.

[evilhomer 0]

If Vince Russo were given the book today, he would immediately change the stip to a Taxi-Driver-on-a-Pole match. Then after ten ref bumps and fifteen chairshots to Batista's head, Triple H would retain. JBL would then come out with 39 strippers and they would party. Until the music hits, and number one contender Edge comes out and challenges Triple H to a match. He accepts. Midway through, Matt Hardy would come out, stop the match, and shoot about how Edge is feces and how he betrayed him. Then Lita would come out, hit Matt in the head with a chair, and dryhump Edge in the ring. Russo himself would then come out, call Matt Hardy a piece of shit for ruining the worked finish he wrote for the match, wish he was the one in the car accident and not Shannon Moore, and then proceed to put Matt Hardy in the sharpshooter, ring the bell himself a la Sur Series '97, and then declare himself, Vince Russo, the new world champion. Triple H and Russo would then hug, and with Lita, Edge, JBL, and the taxi driver on the pole (who will unmask, and reveal himself as Batista omg swerve?) they would reform the nWo and spraypaint Matt Hardy and the 39 strippers to end the show.

I'm confused here. How could Batista be the taxi driver on the pole when he was in the match with HHH? Who is this second Batista?

 

 

[/sarcasm]

[iliketurtles 0]

Thrashist...that was fucking hilarious.

[Promoter 0]

That would kill the company.

 

... I'm all for it.

 

It's funny, but it's true. They would lose a lot of fans for pulling that stunt and I would really believe those who would say they would never watch again. It would be worse than when wcw did it because it's a $50 show and WrestleMania. That is a MAJOR burn to your fans.

 

The wwe's best year storyline wise was the summer of 1997-summer of 1998. It was better than 2000 imo when you take into account everything. I don't know how much is credited to Russo, but that timeframe is the real stuff that put them back on the map. Austin's face turn at WM 13 followed by the feud with Bret Hart about America. HBK turning heel finally after the abysmal face run as champ in 1996 when he alledgedly helped Bret win the title for a 5th time ending UT's sucky reign. Kane/Taker's seeds were set and the first HIAC. The build up to the WM 12 rematch where DX is formed with the MSG incident. The Montreal screwjob that led to the Austin/Mcmahon rivalry in 1998. The Austin/Tyson angle which is the best celebrity angle of all-time. HHH taking over DX by throwing out HBK and aligning with X-Pac and NAO. DX invading wcw. Foley's 3 faces of fear. Austin defending his title against UT when he was good and a draw at MSG for SummerSlam.

 

Things started to take a dive after that, but luckily Rock was rising in popularity along with Foley. Rock winning the world title the way he did was fantastic, but too bad the wrestling sucked that night and the company would go overboard with the shock and swerve in storytelling from there.

 

2000 started with Russo's storyline supposedly with the Mcmahon/Helmsley Era. It carried over to Mania 16 when Triple H did the impossible by going over in that fatal 4-way. The company has been going downhill ever since with nonsensical soap opera(I'm sorry that whole love triangle had potential, but it ended up stupid). Luckily they had some great talent like Benoit coming in that year.

[JoeDirt 0]

If Vince Russo were given the book today, he would immediately change the stip to a Taxi-Driver-on-a-Pole match.  Then after ten ref bumps and fifteen chairshots to Batista's head, Triple H would retain.  JBL would then come out with 39 strippers and they would party.  Until the music hits, and number one contender Edge comes out and challenges Triple H to a match.  He accepts.  Midway through, Matt Hardy would come out, stop the match, and shoot about how Edge is feces and how he betrayed him.  Then Lita would come out, hit Matt in the head with a chair, and dryhump Edge in the ring.  Russo himself would then come out, call Matt Hardy a piece of shit for ruining the worked finish he wrote for the match, wish he was the one in the car accident and not Shannon Moore, and then proceed to put Matt Hardy in the sharpshooter, ring the bell himself a la Sur Series '97, and then declare himself, Vince Russo, the new world champion.  Triple H and Russo would then hug, and with Lita, Edge, JBL, and the taxi driver on the pole (who will unmask, and reveal himself as Batista omg swerve?) they would reform the nWo and spraypaint Matt Hardy and the 39 strippers to end the show.

I like how everybody completely forgets that Vince Russo booked the WWE for the two best years they ever had, storyline-wise. He'd probably just leave WM alone, build up a heel while Batista finished off HHH again at Backlash in a stip match, and then set up hot feuds for Batista throughout the summer.

Umm, his storylines for those years were shitty. They were just better than the crap the 3 retarded monkeys who booked WCW created.

 

WWF storylines in 2000 showed how bad they were in 1998-9.

-=Mike

I liked Austin vs. McMahon...

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

I liked Austin v McMahon too. Up until the Cage match, which is when it should have ended. Instead, it got run into the ground and kept going long after it lost its appeal.

[Guest MikeSC]

I liked Austin v McMahon too. Up until the Cage match, which is when it should have ended. Instead, it got run into the ground and kept going long after it lost its appeal.

Any idea why they didn't stop it then, since that was the logical blow-off (Austin just kicking the ever-loving shit out of Vince and Wight's debut)? Was it just Russo's ineptitude and McMahon's love of being on-air?

 

I think THAT match was the first time I realized that Russo was clueless. He had the PEFECT ending to a feud and the start of a new one -- and he did not know how to pull the trigger.

-=Mike

[Promoter 0]

Actually, I've read rumours that Austin/Mcmahon cage match was going to be the main event of WM 15 somehow(I know about the triple threat rumour too). It's just that Rock took off so well as the corporate champ they saw the dollar signs in pitting the two against each other. I don't know having Mcmahon wrestle in the main event of Mania is kind of ridiculous.

[Guest Shadow]

The McMahon Vs Austin blow-off should have been @ Backlash after Mania with McMahon doing a "if they cant do it, I'll do it myself" thing. That would have effectively ended that feud; I'd have McMahon berate rock for not helping him and that would be the rock turn there like we saw anyways.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

I liked Austin v McMahon too. Up until the Cage match, which is when it should have ended. Instead, it got run into the ground and kept going long after it lost its appeal.

Any idea why they didn't stop it then, since that was the logical blow-off (Austin just kicking the ever-loving shit out of Vince and Wight's debut)? Was it just Russo's ineptitude and McMahon's love of being on-air?

 

I think THAT match was the first time I realized that Russo was clueless. He had the PEFECT ending to a feud and the start of a new one -- and he did not know how to pull the trigger.

-=Mike

Because Vince convinced himself he was a draw after that. Hence why you couldn't be a top level heel without a McMahon in your corner from 99-03.

[strummer 0]

I got sick of Austin/McMahon around WM 15, but crowd reactions at the time were saying that the fans still wanted to see the program

[Promoter 0]

The McMahon Vs Austin blow-off should have been @ Backlash after Mania with McMahon doing a "if they cant do it, I'll do it myself" thing. That would have effectively ended that feud; I'd have McMahon berate rock for not helping him and that would be the rock turn there like we saw anyways.

You know that makes a whole lot of sense which is why it didn't happen. I mean we had Vince winning the Rumble for crying out loud.

[iggymcfly 0]

I don't know. The thing I liked best about Russo's booking is that the wrestlers could actually keep track of who they hated. Nowadays, people randomly start a feud over nothing, wrestle each other for a couple months, and then forget about it.

 

The Austin/Taker feud kept going off and on for a year, and Austin and McMahon didn't stop hating each other either. When Rock and Foley feuded, it started at Survivor Series, and they were still feuding until close to Wrestlemania. The feuds felt like they were established for a reason rather than the faces and heels just playing musical chairs with each other.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Yeah Russo was shitty and all, we know, but everyone had something to do. There were hardly as many guys then as there are now who just mill around with no storyline or anything. If you weren't Mexican or Japanese, Russo could find a place for you.

[Guest Loss]

Yeah Russo was shitty and all, we know, but everyone had something to do. There were hardly as many guys then as there are now who just mill around with no storyline or anything. If you weren't Mexican or Japanese, Russo could find a place for you.

Everyone having something to do is overrated. It takes the luster away from the guys you _are_ trying to make special when you just go out of your way to give everyone a storyline, even people who aren't over and don't need them.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

I don't know. The thing I liked best about Russo's booking is that the wrestlers could actually keep track of who they hated. Nowadays, people randomly start a feud over nothing, wrestle each other for a couple months, and then forget about it.

Have you ever actually paid attention to Russo's 'work', specifically when he was given total control in WCW ? People would turn for no reason, finishes that made sense were changed to ones that made zero sense for the sole purpose of surprising people, you had some of the most insanely stupid angles and storylines ever, and he was a major factor in WCW going out of business. The only time Russo was ever any good was when had an editor to edit his bullshit into something that resembled coherency. Every time Vince Russo was given free reign, his booking has fallen flat on its face. Vince Russo is a complete and total idiot.

[Guest MikeSC]

I don't know. The thing I liked best about Russo's booking is that the wrestlers could actually keep track of who they hated. Nowadays, people randomly start a feud over nothing, wrestle each other for a couple months, and then forget about it.

 

The Austin/Taker feud kept going off and on for a year, and Austin and McMahon didn't stop hating each other either. When Rock and Foley feuded, it started at Survivor Series, and they were still feuding until close to Wrestlemania. The feuds felt like they were established for a reason rather than the faces and heels just playing musical chairs with each other.

Umm, iggy, can you explain why Vince would join the UT after he abducted his daughter? Because Russo couldn't.

 

Russo has a LONG history of pointless swerves.

 

And, personally, I wouldn't hold up ANYTHING Russo did in regards to UT as a good thing. Honestly.

 

Hell, I still want a clear explanation of UT v Kane, 1997 - 1999.

-=Mike

[iggymcfly 0]

I don't know. The thing I liked best about Russo's booking is that the wrestlers could actually keep track of who they hated. Nowadays, people randomly start a feud over nothing, wrestle each other for a couple months, and then forget about it.

 

The Austin/Taker feud kept going off and on for a year, and Austin and McMahon didn't stop hating each other either. When Rock and Foley feuded, it started at Survivor Series, and they were still feuding until close to Wrestlemania. The feuds felt like they were established for a reason rather than the faces and heels just playing musical chairs with each other.

Umm, iggy, can you explain why Vince would join the UT after he abducted his daughter? Because Russo couldn't.

 

Russo has a LONG history of pointless swerves.

 

And, personally, I wouldn't hold up ANYTHING Russo did in regards to UT as a good thing. Honestly.

 

Hell, I still want a clear explanation of UT v Kane, 1997 - 1999.

-=Mike

Actually, the storyline was that McMahon let Taker abduct his daughter to draw Austin out, with an understanding that Taker wouldn't let anything too bad happen to her as long as Vince got him to the title later. It's a little over the top, but it made sense.

 

At least Russo would make feuds that were actually interesting and held together for a while. My theory on WCW is that Russo tried to do much to revive interest in a product that had been failing for years, but since I never watched it except for a few months in 1998, I don't really know how much was Russo's fault, and how much wasn't.

 

All I know is that the time Russo was booking the WWF was the best creative period they ever had in their history. Even if Jesus Christ is wrestling on the card, you don't turn 2.0 ratings into 8.0 ratings without good writing.

[Guest MikeSC]

Umm, if you happen to have guys who can write their own stuff, as Austin, Rock, Mankind, and Vince did --- yeah, you can make those kinds of gains despite a 'tard booking.

-=Mike

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

My theory on WCW is that Russo tried to do much to revive interest in a product that had been failing for years, but since I never watched it except for a few months in 1998, I don't really know how much was Russo's fault, and how much wasn't.

There is no 'theory' needed on went wrong with Russo in WCW. Just before Russo took charge in WCW, WCW had a major survey company do a survey of WCW fans, casuals, hardcores, the works, and asked them what they wanted. The results came in; they wanted more wrestling, and less stupid angles. The results came in when Russo arrived, and guess that Russo did ? Ignored the opinions of WCW's own fans, and went in the totally opposite direction, and booked the company into the ground. Vince Russo is a complete and total idiot, who doesn't know the first thing about wrestling.

[CheesalaIsGood 0]

A real russo swerve would be Batistia winning and losing to Edge ala Bret/Yoko/Hogan IX.

 

With Edge using the "contender" card on the spot against a weary batista.

Actually, this is a interesting idea. I like it. It would take some brass balls to do it too.

[Promoter 0]

Russo booking from summer of 1997-1998 is gold. Everyting else sucked. Seriously. 1999 they were riding of the waves of the comeback in 1998 with Tyson and so on. Russo left in 1999 because he ADMITTEDLY got burnt out.

 

1999 saw STUPID stuff like....

Taker believing his character?

 

Austin and Vince joining together to take the title from HHH?

 

I can't bother...........