How much longer for Eric Bischoff?

[UZI Suicide 0]

It's obvious he's never had the big impact that was expected when Vince signed him. His "evil GM" character is incredibly stale at this point and I'm just wondering how much longer you all think WWE is going to keep him around?

 

I don't know how long his contract is but I'd assume when it runs out they'll just let him go, he really serves no purpose on the show anymore, IMO.

[iliketurtles 0]

His contract, I believe, ran out in July and they signed a new deal. As far as his character, it still gets heel heat with the audience and he'll always be over. Even though the impact would of been greater if he had been brought in during the InVasion angle or even when the nWo came back...I still think he's been the best authority figure they've had for a long time.

[UZI Suicide 0]

Really? That sucks.

[Guest JMA]

Well, I guess that question has been answered.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

I was thinking about this at work today actually. Even a trade for Long during the lottery would have been something.

 

He's done all he can do on Raw, his character is indeed stale, but he still does get heat, so maybe a shake-up some how.

[Dandy 0]

How about this for Bischoff? I posted this on June 24th, and thought of it when this thread was posted:

 

If Bisch does leave Raw, I would like to see him leave via a "promotion" to WWE President kind of like the Jack Tunney role from the past. Vince is still the god of WWE, but Bischoff got promoted for his 3 plus years of service. His role would be making decisions on titles, matches, etc, like Tunney used to do. Appearances would be kept to a minimum, and the GM's of the two shows would be toned down in importance.

 

I would have both GM's be neutral as well, with the heels being pissed off with just about every decision because they think evilly or irrationally, and the faces not liking every decision, but accepting it for the most part because they are just there to do their jobs.

 

 

 

To further expand on the idea, maybe he could announce the return of Raw to USA, saying he got Raw a better television deal on a cable channel that is available in more homes (KAYFABE). He could say it made Raw much more profitable. Vince would reward him with a promotion.

 

When the new GM comes in, that person could bring in a new set, new theme song, and be impartial. It could revitalize the show with all these minor changes.

[Guest JMA]

Bischoff as President of WWE would be great. It even makes sense since he's been the GM of RAW since the whole concept started, while Smackdown! has had many of them.

[Gert T 0]

Well he's Canadian now, so does that count as trying to change his character?

[Adam 0]

I'd like to see him switch shows and perhaps have someone like Shane running Raw. Like, they hire Bischoff to build SmackDown up just like he built Raw up, and take it from there. I think the Heel GM angle is stale beyond reasonable doubt, so I think we either need the 'Board of Directors' to make the decisions with Vince coming in every now and again, and guys like Bischoff and Long running stables.

[dubq 0]

Bischoff as President of WWE would be great. It even makes sense since he's been the GM of RAW since the whole concept started, while Smackdown! has had many of them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Actually, Flair was GM beforehand, wasn't he?

[Dandy 0]

This is totally from memory, but Flair was only owner of Raw. Vince owned Smackdown. When Vince won total control of WWE by beating Flair (The night Austin walked out), Flair went back to being just a wrestler, and for a while HHH would ridicule him, which led to Flair's heel turn (after a very short run as a face) and siding with HHH. McMahon introduced the GM's after winning 100% back and for Raw it was Bischoff, for Smackdown it was Stephanie McMahon. Since then, Smackdown has had Paul Heyman, Kurt Angle and Teddy Long as GM's, and Bischoff has stayed the entire time. And I'm not considering guest GM weeks, like Coach and those that won Survivor Series.

[Guest J0bber]

Bischoff as President of WWE would be great. It even makes sense since he's been the GM of RAW since the whole concept started, while Smackdown! has had many of them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Actually, Flair was GM beforehand, wasn't he?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Not with the exact term GM. Flair was considered a co-owner.

[cabbageboy 0]

If nothing else Bischoff has been better than when Flair ran Raw. Hell all Flair did was book the NWO vs. Austin/Bradshaw every week.

 

I actually have gotten quite used to Bischoff running Raw. I'd say if anything it makes the Raw side stable, instead of the South American style "here today, gone tomorrow" GMs of Smackdown.

 

If anything Teddy Long needs to be ousted on SD, they could say that under his watch the show has been moved to the bleh Friday slot and he's let JBL run amock, etc.

[Dandy 0]

If nothing else Bischoff has been better than when Flair ran Raw.  Hell all Flair did was book the NWO vs. Austin/Bradshaw every week.

 

I actually have gotten quite used to Bischoff running Raw.  I'd say if anything it makes the Raw side stable, instead of the South American style "here today, gone tomorrow" GMs of Smackdown.

 

If anything Teddy Long needs to be ousted on SD, they could say that under his watch the show has been moved to the bleh Friday slot and he's let JBL run amock, etc.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I think the booking of the nWo vs. Austin/Bradshaw was actually going to go somewhere, but things were screwed up around that time. Raw was dealt a bad hand in that era. Nash debuted and tore his bicep (IIRC). Kane was set up for a big push and tore his bicep (IIRC). Bradshaw was gearing up for a big push and tore his bicep (IIRC). Austin walked out. Nash made a comeback and tore his quad in his first match.

 

Flair was secretly working with the nWo, and setting up Austin in the process. The booking was way screwed, though.

[Guest Quik]

Nah, I think the original plan was for the two beer-drinking Texans to squash the nWo, with Bradshaw turning on Austin and adopting his JBL character which would then lead to Austin/JBL at Wrestlemania... whatever the fuck year that was.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

This is totally from memory, but Flair was only owner of Raw.  Vince owned Smackdown.  When Vince won total control of WWE by beating Flair (The night Austin walked out), Flair went back to being just a wrestler, and for a while HHH would ridicule him, which led to Flair's heel turn (after a very short run as a face) and siding with HHH.  McMahon introduced the GM's after winning 100% back and for Raw it was Bischoff, for Smackdown it was Stephanie McMahon.  Since then, Smackdown has had Paul Heyman, Kurt Angle and Teddy Long as GM's, and Bischoff has stayed the entire time.  And I'm not considering guest GM weeks, like Coach and those that won Survivor Series.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You forgot the Co-GM era of Austin and Bischoff.

[razazteca 0]

Nah, I think the original plan was for the two beer-drinking Texans to squash the nWo, with Bradshaw turning on Austin and adopting his JBL character which would then lead to Austin/JBL at Wrestlemania... whatever the fuck year that was.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

2001 or 2002?

[Zack Malibu 0]

They should have Bischoff snap about how it's pointed out that he and WCW were "such a failure" and Bischoff "single handedly" killed the company. Have him not show up for a few RAW's and leave the brand in total anarchy for a few weeks, with no authority on making certain matches/decisions stand, etc. During this period, he'll be secretly courting superstars for a stable to take down the WWE. Upon his return to television, he can talk about his accomplishments, and how Vince McMahon can't stand that someone was better than him, and now he's done towing the company line. Even exclaim that Vince cares soooo much about the company that he had to put GM's on the shows so that he didn't have to oversee things, and could just sit in his office tower all day and collect the residuals. Have him tell The Hurricane that he could have been huge, but then Vince McMahon hid the face of a superstar behind a stupid black and green mask. Have him talk to Edge about how Vince McMahon put him in an unsafe work enviroment by bringing his personal life out in the open and rehiring Matt Hardy. The group can run amuck on RAW first, and I'd even stick a WWE "loyalist" (say Angle) in the group. Then extend things to Smackdown, and Vince can show up there to tell Teddy Long that this is a red alert not just for the RAW brand, but for his company. That way both brands can have something going on, and it's a reason to get some more interpromotional matches going on.

[Dangerous A 0]

Broken record time...

 

 

Can anyone possibly fathom a show WITHOUT a GM/Authority figure pushing the action? Just sort of a thinking outside the box deal. To me, the GM role is a creative crutch and holdover from the Russo/Attitude era that is no longer relevant IMO. I wouldn't mind a person like Vince, Shane, Linda, Bischoff, or whoever very occasionally (like once every 3-5 months) showing up to announce something big, but the role of the every week authority figure is done for me. My thing is why are they needed? Again, is it so ingrained in fans heads that you can't possibly have a show without a GM?

[Silence 0]

2001 or 2002?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The NWO debuted at No Way Out (NWO) 2002, coincidentally enough, so Austin and Bradshaw feuded with the NWO (the Nash, Hall, X-Pac, Big Show, Booker T, Shawn Michaels version) in 2002.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Yeah, I'd prefer if they'd go back to the days when the guys just came out for their scheduled matches, and there wasn't any need for an "authority figure" unless it was Jack Tunney making an announcement about an upcoming match or something. Also, they should stop doing 95% of their backstage angles because they come off as fake and stupid. It should be like the old days where interviews are done in front of the crowd, and angles occur there if necessary.

[razazteca 0]

Broken record time...

 

 

Can anyone possibly fathom a show WITHOUT a GM/Authority figure pushing the action? Just sort of a thinking outside the box deal. To me, the GM role is a creative crutch and holdover from the Russo/Attitude era that is no longer relevant IMO. I wouldn't mind a person like Vince, Shane, Linda, Bischoff, or whoever very occasionally (like once every 3-5 months) showing up to announce something big, but the role of the every week authority figure is done for me. My thing is why are they needed? Again, is it so ingrained in fans heads that you can't possibly have a show without a GM?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Remeber when the only time the authority figure would show up was to set up tournments for championship belts or to come out to enforce the 30 day defense rule? There is no need for the GM/Owner/President to be a featured player every week. If the authority figure would show up once every 5 months or so it would be something special but to have the GM around only to make trouble for the champion is just tiresome and boring. Eric Bishoff would be better used as a manager or announcer not as the evil GM which is a dead gimmick from the past glory days. Vince showing up at random to say YOUR FIRED is entertaining but nobody wants to see that ever week.

[Zack Malibu 0]

That's why my idea transitioned Bischoff into more of an evil manager role. They should do away with the GMship of both shows and have Vince "regain total control" of his company. Once the angle is played out, it can go to the whole "authority figure only shows up for major things" way again.

[The Niggardly King 0]

Bischoff will be around with the company till the day Vince McMahon dies I'd say.

[Dandy 0]

This is totally from memory, but Flair was only owner of Raw.  Vince owned Smackdown.  When Vince won total control of WWE by beating Flair (The night Austin walked out), Flair went back to being just a wrestler, and for a while HHH would ridicule him, which led to Flair's heel turn (after a very short run as a face) and siding with HHH.  McMahon introduced the GM's after winning 100% back and for Raw it was Bischoff, for Smackdown it was Stephanie McMahon.  Since then, Smackdown has had Paul Heyman, Kurt Angle and Teddy Long as GM's, and Bischoff has stayed the entire time.  And I'm not considering guest GM weeks, like Coach and those that won Survivor Series.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You forgot the Co-GM era of Austin and Bischoff.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I didn't put it in the post, but Bischoff never stopped being GM during that time. He has been there since he was first named. Smackdown has had several replacements. That was my point.

[King Cucaracha 0]

Problem is, if they get rid of Bischoff, whoever replaces him will be a cookie cutter, carbon copy of the Heel GM because it's a reliable crutch for WWE booking. Same gimmick, different player.

 

At least if it's Bischoff, he's a decent and believeable enough GM. Alternative is maybe Coach as GM, or I guess Shane O and then maybe turning Long heel if Shane doesn't. I can't see them without one Face Authority Figure and one Heel Authority Figure. As I said, they're booking crutches. Sure, they could do without the crutches...but it's easier and safer with them.

[Darthtiki 0]

WWE GM Role = Kermit the Frog's role as show director on the Muppet Show

[Fro 0]

Bischoff's fine. He doesn't come off like a Vince McMahon imitation like everyone else.

 

It's the writing, and the overuse of the authority figure the past eight fricking years in wrestling that sucks. Oh, and the rehash of Vince/Austin with Bischoff/Cena.

[Gary Floyd 0]

I miss him as a tweener. At least then, he didn't have to play the asshole general manager character that got old a long time ago. Though he does do a good job with that.