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Author Topic: WWF/E 1998 to 2001  (Read 500 times)

Offline Gnrfan

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WWF/E 1998 to 2001
« on: July 28, 2009, 08:40:51 pm »
I just have to say how amazing this period of wrestling was for me. I've been looking through YouTube a bit and i can remember where i was when 90% of matches in this period happened..... In front of my TV! It was without a doubt the most entertaining period that wrestling had seen.

Coming off the Amazing Iron Man Match between Bret & HBK @ Mania 12 wrestling seemed to lose its way to me culminating IMO of a terrible WM main event of Sid vs Taker the following year. Obviously it didn't help that HBK was injured but if you look at that WM card really only Bret vs Austin gave it much credibility.

But fast forward 8 months and HBK takes the title from Bret in the "Screwjob" match. Also HBK's injury problems failed to go away so in 12 months from Sid vs Taker.... HBK and Bret were out of the picture and needing new stars.

For me Austin & The Rock are simply the most important thing to happen to Wrestling (They had a great supporting cast too). They made the show so fun to watch. There was nothing both couldn't do. They could make you laugh and equally you enjoyed their matches.

I tihnk wrestling still struggles to recover from their loss.

Does anyone else have an opinion on the best years of wrestling?

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Offline BlowUpYourVideo

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Re: WWF/E 1998 to 2001
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2009, 08:53:18 pm »
I've said it before, but I wish I'd been around to see that period as it happened. Well, I was around, just too young really. :P I began watching wrestling mid-2001, when both Rock and Austin were nearing the end of their full-time in-ring careers. Watching PPVs from that time period, it does seem like the best time to have been a fan. Austin, Rock, Foley (both wrestling and as the Commissioner :D), Bikertaker, masked Kane, Kurt Angle with hair..... seemed fun. 8)
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Offline Hammy

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Re: WWF/E 1998 to 2001
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2009, 08:54:04 pm »
Entertaining television, yes, but when I look back a lot of it for me has a, you had to be there feel, watching some of the matches of television it was the era of the 2 minute television match and a lot of the PPVs were weak, I do enjoy a lot but I also think a fair bit was overated some storylines looking back are goofy, no doubt promos and gimmick matches were fun but sometimes I like the more traditional thing.  Looking back my favourite year is....

1992:

Royal Rumble: Ric Flair's glorious win....

Wrestlemania: Bret vs. Piper & Flair vs. Savage

Summerslam: Bret vs. Bulldog & Savage vs. Warrior

SNME: Shawn Michaels vs. British Bulldog

Survivor Series: Shawn Michaels vs. Bret & Flair/Ramon vs. Savage/Perfect

It was a year where the steroid guys were ushered out and Flair shined, Bret was elevated to the top, Shawn broke out as a singles star and little favourites of mine like Repo Man, Papa Shango and Crush were featured.  It's quite ironic then that they followed this up with one of their worst years, 1993.
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Offline BlowUpYourVideo

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Re: WWF/E 1998 to 2001
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2009, 08:56:11 pm »
^No love for Giant Gonzalez??
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Offline Hammy

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Re: WWF/E 1998 to 2001
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2009, 08:59:13 pm »
Quote from: BlowUpYourVideo on July 28, 2009, 08:56:11 pm
^No love for Giant Gonzalez??
...The Great Khali's skinny brother, no!
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Offline Izzy

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Re: WWF/E 1998 to 2001
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2009, 09:34:03 pm »
A golden era - but didnt it begin 1997 and end early 2003?

I missed the bulk of '98 and '99 being, at best a casual fan, started watching religioulsy mid 2000 (almost exactly with Austin's return, coincidence? Perhaps - but the hype was HUGE)

The WWE was blessed with talent - but it was Vince's madness that really brought it all together - he HAD to beat WCW and was up for anything no matter how stupid (that Mark Henry angle...) or dangerous (Mick Foley all but killed in no fewer than three HIAC stunts). That crazed energy made everything, no matter how daft it seems now, so exciting - what were they going to do next? Seemed every week someone dropped an anvil on someone else and how many times did someone pay another to run yet another over??

Then WCW began to struggle (though check the ratings - it was doing better than current WWE even right towards the end....) WWE realised it didnt need to try so hard....and so it didnt.

Strange that WWE's direction has been so largely shaped by external factors - if Owen could do a piledriver yesterdays RAW would have featured a violent red neck stunning everything in sight and being dragged out by the Ministry. If the Rock had a little less ambition he'd be the champ and if Bischoff had bought WCW we'd be watching Nitro recordings now...

I miss the fun, I miss the way not even a single match ended cleanly and I miss the WWF logo....

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Offline Hammy

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Re: WWF/E 1998 to 2001
« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2009, 12:29:48 am »
It started properly with Wrestlemania 14.  Austin finally won the belt and his popularity really kicked off and D-X transformed the next night and became babyfaces and huge, most forget D-X really became popular AFTER HBK.  I'd say it ended with Wrestlemania X-7, one of the best Wrestlemania's EVER.  After that it was the Invasion....  But I'd say those are the timelines for the Attitude Era proper.  Some say it started with Wrestlemania 13 though and Austin vs. Bret, but the "boom" business wise didn't get rolling 'til '98 for sure.
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Offline Gnrfan

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Re: WWF/E 1998 to 2001
« Reply #7 on: July 30, 2009, 05:31:31 pm »
Quote from: Hammy on July 29, 2009, 12:29:48 am
Some say it started with Wrestlemania 13 though and Austin vs. Bret, but the "boom" business wise didn't get rolling 'til '98 for sure.

For me thats when the seed was set for sure. That iconic moment of Austin in the Sharpshooter. I just don't think WWE knew what to do with it for another 3 to 4 months. It and by that i mean Austin just snowballed and the rest is history.

Just an Incredible period for me.
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This is how it works, You're young until you're not
You love until you don't, You try until you can't
You laugh until you cry, You cry until you laugh
And everyone must breathe, Until their dying breath

"Give Youth A Chance"

Offline Izzy

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Re: WWF/E 1998 to 2001
« Reply #8 on: August 01, 2009, 01:37:47 pm »
an era shaped by Vince Russo :clap:

Strange what made WWF great is now viewed with such suspicion

...bring back Katie Vick!
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Offline Gnrfan

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Re: WWF/E 1998 to 2001
« Reply #9 on: August 01, 2009, 04:08:10 pm »
Quote from: Izzy on August 01, 2009, 01:37:47 pm
an era shaped by Vince Russo :clap:

Strange what made WWF great is now viewed with such suspicion

...bring back Katie Vick!

He was part of it. But a blind Monkey could have done a decent job with the talent that exsisted in that era. I mean they did hardly any writing such was the talent of the main guys who took the mic.

Vince Russo also brought us the 3 years previous that was horrible. Its funnt that he left for WCW in 1999 an for the next 3 years was probally the best WWF/E has ever been. Coincidence...hmmm maybe.

But he certainly helped to start the ball rolling on a golden era
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This is how it works, You're young until you're not
You love until you don't, You try until you can't
You laugh until you cry, You cry until you laugh
And everyone must breathe, Until their dying breath

"Give Youth A Chance"

Offline Hammy

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Re: WWF/E 1998 to 2001
« Reply #10 on: August 07, 2009, 12:55:25 am »
I've been watching the RAWs from 1999 and there is so much fun yet goofy stuff.  I mean the matches are alarmingly short.  3 minute Title matches.  Established midcarders losing 30 second squashes.  I suppose the theory is the viewer never has a chance to get bored.

One thing I found very amusing was a backstage segment with Vince when The Ministry were at his house and Vince was on the phone to the police trying to get them round to his house.  You are set there thinking, bs, as if he'd have a camera backstage filiming his conversation with the police, then you hear him say...

"Publicity stunt?  What do you mean publicity stunt?  This is not a publicity stunt.  My families in trouble.  Your watching me on tv."  :rofl:

I just found it hilarious after all the goofyness they still acknowledged the camera was there...
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