The 1999 Chronicles

[Gnrfan]

Ok for those of you who don't know i have just managed to recieve via Hammy every RAW from 1999 (my favourite year in wrestling) and i thought as i go through it all it might be worth sharing some thoughts and letting people remember and discuss things from that period. I'll just post in this thread everytime something takes my interest and see if you guys remember it or on why its better than the product we have these days.

First of all i have to say the first thing that strikes me from minute one is how much better it was to have a "heel" commentator. The King manages to save certain situations just by being there.

For example at the moment the storyline is that Sexual Chocolate Mark Henry has a thing for Chyna..... Chyna is basically teasing Henry by telling him she has friends who would be up for a threesome. Boring stuff.... but then King perks up and says to Michael Cole "I know your idea of group sex is when someone else turns up" hahaha. Classic stuff that you dont get all that much anymore.

Billy Gunn / Shamrock feud is looking sweet. HBK as commisioner (and good at it), Simmering tensions between Corporation & D-X, Mankind holding Shane Hostage for a title shot and winning on RAW & Vince doing what he does best.

And if any superstar has ever been as over SCSA.... i'm yet to see it. Simply stunning (get it?)

More to follow....

[BlowUpYourVideo]

First of all i have to say the first thing that strikes me from minute one is how much better it was to have a "heel" commentator. The King manages to save certain situations just by being there.

Definitely agree. When The Coach joined the announcing team, he was the heel, Lawler gradually turned face, Coach left and Lawler never really went back. He does make some heel-sympathetic references at times; defending Matt Hardy's "injured hand" and saying positive things about Randy Orton (I think.... I can't remember exactly) recently.


Anyway, the only stuff from 1998 I've seen are the Rumble, WM14, KOTR, Summerslam and IYH: Rock Bottom plus one or two Raw matches on the Foley DVD. I'd like to see more from that year and 1999 at some point....

[Hammy]

I skimmed through those before I sent them to you, probably watched about 5 in there entirety, mainly the Billy Gunn does something cool ones (and yes there are more than five that he does something cool in).

Watching them they were a lot of fun, it was hilarious how short some matches were.

Hey its Test vs. Big Show, big boot, chokeslam, match over.

[BlowUpYourVideo]

Bollocks, it appears I thought the title of this thread was "the 1998 chronicles". What a fool.

[Gnrfan]

Watched a bit more today.

Another thing that really stands out is the amount of air times fueds used to get even if they weren't main event feuds. There is a very strong Face/Heel divide.... even though the good guys are DX & Austin. There is no Cena Charecter. The Rock gets booed quite bad.

I have to say starting the year with Mankind w/ DX feuding with the Rock & the corporation is brilliant. Austin just runs around causing havoc for anything that Vince wants and really doesn't have a feud (although you can tell they are building to a Rock vs Austin match) aside from McMahon. Then on top of that you have the Ministry of Darkness doing Demonic things. Its all so watchable and obviously a lot less scripted.

Lawler's heel commentry is brilliant and funny as hell and also helps the heels look alot more nasty as he always sympathises with them.

Oh and Hammy..... Billy Gunn had me laughing all over the place tonight. Calling Shamrock "Kenneth" haha. Awesome.

Only one more RAW of January left. Loving it.

[Hammy]

One thing I noticed watching it was how much of a smark I've become since, so many plot holes and hidden cameras that I never even remotely questioned at the time.

I still feel watching it Gunn had Main Event potential, he was tremendously over with the fans.

A lot of the stuff I'd argue wasn't that well scripted, but the guys delivering the lines, Austin, Rock were just damn good at it, admittedly there were some well written bits, but they were also blessed to have very talented guys and they gave them freedom...

[Gnrfan]

One thing I noticed watching it was how much of a smark I've become since, so many plot holes and hidden cameras that I never even remotely questioned at the time.

I still feel watching it Gunn had Main Event potential, he was tremendously over with the fans.

A lot of the stuff I'd argue wasn't that well scripted, but the guys delivering the lines, Austin, Rock were just damn good at it, admittedly there were some well written bits, but they were also blessed to have very talented guys and they gave them freedom...

Yeah not to mention Mankind, Vince, Shane & HHH in the mix as well. The Mic Standard was incredible and then you throw in Undertaker's promo ability and you realise that 20 minutes of talking at the start of the show has flown by coz its just that good.

I could not care less about plot holes and all that ****.... the product was great and entertaining.

[Hammy]

I could not care less about plot holes and all that ****.... the product was great and entertaining.

But thats the point a lot of the criticisms of todays product - like that - existed then but nobody cared because it was so entertaining.

[Gnrfan]

I could not care less about plot holes and all that ****.... the product was great and entertaining.

But thats the point a lot of the criticisms of todays product - like that - existed then but nobody cared because it was so entertaining.

Yeah, but then they gave the fans what they wanted now they hold off and hold off and then by the time they execute it everyone is close to being over the idea. Thats why CM Punk's run is so good to me its broken up the monopoly of the same old champions.

At the end of the day millions watch and buy Harry Potter films & books.... you know its all bullshit but it entertains people. WWE's aim should be to create a sustained period of Entertainment and thats what we had in 1999 and a bit after. It was the making of many of the biggest names in wrestling history and the more i watch the 1999 year the more i think WWE still has not moved on to try and create another period of history.

[Gnrfan]

Ok i've just seen my favourite episode of RAW so far. And believe it or not Austin wasn't on it. the 22nd of Feburary edition was great.

They used their charecters so well. And the Rock was even better than i remember 1st time round. Basically Big Show (called Paul Wight) has just arrived and alligned himself with the corporation.... and last week he cost Mankind the WWF Title.

They basically tease tension between The Rock and Wight with Vince trying to stop their fighting, but the crowd are so into it coz they think there is a chance that the Rock is gonna turn on the Corporation. Obviously it turns out that its all a plan to batter Mankind who sensing the tension puts himself forward as a Ref for the Rock vs Wight match..... Its done brilliantly. Rock, Wight & Vince are sensational.

Its a brilliant episode coz it also has the inferno match with Undertaker vs Kane (masked and cool Kane) and other highlights include a blue meanie DDT to Val Venis on the outside, a really nice IC feud between Billy Gunn, Venis & Shamrock, Lawler crying with laughter during the Bob Holly vs Bart Gunn **** match "Possibly the Fruit Vendor" haha Classic!

Its also a brilliant period for HHH as he is far more slender and is brimming with potential... both in the ring and on the mic. Not sure what happened to him but he certainly isn't the same these days. Also X-Pac is rubbish.... whenever he comes out he gets no reaction... positive or negative.

The Ministry has also started their push with the mind games and the brood has just joined them. So you have D-X, the Corporation, The Ministry & then Austin & Mankind out on their own. Nearly all other midcarders are entertainment based i.e. Godfather, Goldust, Gillberg, DLo & "Sexual Chocolate".

I'd also like to say that Jarrett and Owen were a great tag team..... Debra however was **** and, yeah i'm gonna say Ugly.... seriously makes me ill thinking i used to think she was hot.

Anyway great episode! Really feels like a great Road to Wrestlemania!

[Hammy]

Also X-Pac is rubbish.... whenever he comes out he gets no reaction... positive or negative.

Really?  We must of watched different episodes, ones I saw he was way OVER back then, outside of D-X, yeah, but then he always seemed way popular.

[Gnrfan]

Also X-Pac is rubbish.... whenever he comes out he gets no reaction... positive or negative.

Really?  We must of watched different episodes, ones I saw he was way OVER back then, outside of D-X, yeah, but then he always seemed way popular.

Well from what i've seen when he comes out on his for singles matches he gets nothing. If he comes out with other members of D-X then yeah. I watched one where people were actually cheering for Shane McMahon (and thats when Shane was the devils son).