Should Goldberg have stayed in the WWE longer?

[Savio]

He did absolutely nothing after he departed. I feel he still could have been used. Heck he probably would have won the belt again instead of having it go to JBL.

[Savio]

Although I did like JBL later in his title run.

[RP]

no

Next question

[Jeritron]

He did just about everything he's any good for. The only thing they never did with him was send him over to Smackdown to have matches with Taker and Angle.
That would have been pretty good, but lasted all of 6 months before getting old. It wasn't really worth signing a new contract.

[Hanso Amore]

Im torn. I think his name alone would have been good, but he was kind of at the end of any momentum. The WWE pretty much only brought him in to get built up and fed to HHH

[Rammsteinmad]

It's a shame Goldbergs WWE run went the way it did. Judging by his WCW run, and how big a name he was back then, his stay in the WWE SHOULD have been legendary. But Hanso nailed it, he was pretty much built up to put over Triple H. :nono:

[BigDaddyCool]

He was a limited performer. Besides for his destroying everything in front of him, he wasn't good for much else.

[Ultra Mantis]

The biggest problem with Goldberg was that when he started to lose matches he didn't look anywhere near as good. He needed the whole "who's next?" unbeatable gimmick to keep his momentum, so as a long term investment he was pointless.

[MoFo]

Goldberg v Cena would of been a mega match, as would Taker. I still voted no though, after that horrible Lesnar match he would of got ruined by fans every week.

[The Pope]

Nah, They fucked him up.

[Jeritron]

Im torn. I think his name alone would have been good, but he was kind of at the end of any momentum. The WWE pretty much only brought him in to get built up and fed to HHH

I would agree with this if he ever lost to HHH. He didn't. They fed HHH to Goldberg. HHH got his title back by pinning Kane in a triple threat while Evolution ganged up on Golberg to keep him out of the ring.
Hardly a feeding.

[Jeritron]

HHH did beat Golberg at Summerslam, but it was far from clean and was really just to build up to Goldberg beating HHH cleanly for the title at two straight PPVs

WWE also debuted Goldberg against the Rock and put him over, and then had him work a long awaited program with Jericho where he went over.
They built him up as nearly unstoppable before taking the title from HHH (who was himself unstoppable), and then had him do a dream feud with Brock.
I can't really think of a better way to use him in 1 year. I don't subscribe to the idea that WWE "dropped the ball" on him, but more that he is one dimensional.

[Swiss Ultimate]

Goldberg v Cena would of been a mega match, as would Taker. I still voted no though, after that horrible Lesnar match he would of got ruined by fans every week.

It was horrible because the fans knew both he and Brock were out of the company after it was over. They shat on the match so bad that both Goldberg and Brock just gave up and put on some bullshit.

Goldberg still had some mileage in my opinion. Would have been cool to see him feud with Big Show and a few others before having him lose to Angle, Taker and Cena.

[Hanso Amore]

Shit, good call. I mixed up his title loss.

[Jeritron]

I can see how people were underwhelmed by Goldberg's WWE run but I honestly think the only way they could have booked him any better would be if they made him the top guy like he was in 1998 WCW. I'm not sure he had any business being that in 2003 WWE.
I felt it was more than fair use of him. I wish Golberg was better at developing a character and playing roles different than just being a monster chasing the title. Or at least more open to trying.
That can only go so far since you eventually have to win the title, or people will get sick of it. And when the monster does win the title, people ask what's next.
I feel characters like Goldberg, Batista, Ultimate Warrior etc. need to change or they will get stale just as fast as they got popular. That type of angle is on a timetable.

[Swiss Ultimate]

I can see how people were underwhelmed by Goldberg's WWE run but I honestly think the only way they could have booked him any better would be if they made him the top guy like he was in 1998 WCW. I'm not sure he had any business being that in 2003 WWE.
I felt it was more than fair use of him. I wish Golberg was better at developing a character and playing roles different than just being a monster chasing the title. Or at least more open to trying.
That can only go so far since you eventually have to win the title, or people will get sick of it. And when the monster does win the title, people ask what's next.
I feel characters like Goldberg, Batista, Ultimate Warrior etc. need to change or they will get stale just as fast as they got popular. That type of angle is on a timetable.

It's true but, I think it's more than possible. Look at Undertaker for instance. And I don't feel that Undertaker has any more depth of character than Goldberg circa 1998. They just needed to tone Goldberg down a bit and make him slightly weaker. I think the trick is having their push in a cycle of peaks and meadows.

[Jeritron]

Undertaker is a phenomenon. Not to even make a pun on his nickname. He had no business getting over and staying over the way he has.
It's a credit to Mark Calloway, but it's also because of the character having a supernatural, almost superhero, type mythology and aura to it. Also, they've changed the character over the years. Every few years there's a new incarnation of The Undertaker. That has certainly helped.
Undertaker also works as a heel, although not nearly as well because of people's love for him. He still has been able to play the heel and offer changes in his character far beyond what Golberg is willing to do.
I don't think Goldberg and Undertaker are very similar characters outside of being unbeatable really, and I do think Undertaker has some more depth of character.

[Jeritron]

Undertaker can also get it done in the ring, and tell some incredible stories. He can make others look good as well.
I do think Goldberg is better in-ring than he may get credit for, but he's not in Undertaker's league, and he doesn't really make others look good.
He also doesn't connect with the audience much more than getting them amped up for a big slam. His most effective matches are squashes. Taker has managed to keep the element of being unstoppable and intimidating, but will engage in long battles.
I think Undertaker has the ability to make more of a human connection, ironically.

[Hanso Amore]

Here is how you do it. Change the WM Lesnar matcvh to a win.

Turn him heel as a monster who takes out taker, and others. There is your top smackdown star of the year.

[Swiss Ultimate]

Here is how you do it. Change the WM Lesnar matcvh to a win.

Turn him heel as a monster who takes out taker, and others. There is your top smackdown star of the year.

Goldberg won that match...and then Austin stunned them both.

[BigDaddyCool]

It might have to do with Goldberg's matches he never takes damage or gets attacked, he just steam rolls people. Undertaker on the other hand eats damage like it is nothing, sits back up, and it is more of a "I have given everything I have and he is still coming." Goldbergs matches are more of, "Uh, he hit me and started his unstoppable chain attack, guess I'll lose now."

[#BROKEN Hasney]

Is his life comfortable and is he happier? If so, he left correctly. If not, he didn't.

[Savio]

Maybe he was, but he didnt really do anything for the next 2 years until he became a commentator for MMA

[Jeritron]

Between WWE and Time Warner (WCW) contracts, I'm sure he made enough money so that he never had to work again, nor has to. As long as he isn't an idiot with his money.
Not to mention he can still make money from a potential return, or even just a merchandising deal with WWE. He probably still makes some coin on merchandise and appearances as it is.

[TheAdamEvansFan]

Goldberg did nothing after WWE?

Ever turn your TV on?

He made himself known with men other than the wrestling fans due to his presence on TV.

He now has a stronger audience and still has his capital from the past to be a superior being like The Rock has.

[Jeritron]

They should have kept Golberg around and undefeated so Adam Evans could go over him

[TheAdamEvansFan]

He hasn't wasted his stock like Jericho.

Dude takes a Hiatus every 3 years so he can focus on his lifelong rock band that'll amount to nothing.

I think we will see Adam Evans on Raw before we see Fozzy on MTV.

[The Naitch]

it was doomed from the get go

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[dhellova guy]

He had other things he wanted to do. His heart wouldnt have been in it, so no, he shouldnt have come back.

I never really cared for Goldberg, but he could have been big if built right. However, he was another case of WWE putting themselves over and burying WCW talent (and yes, I realize he won the title, but still).

[Brigstocke]

They should bring him back and have Miz spear him for a squash win.

[Jeritron]

Why is that Goldust segment always exhibit A-Z for why WWE misused Goldberg? If he can't survive one minor segment then he doesn't deserve a bigger push

[DLVH84]

Between WWE and Time Warner (WCW) contracts, I'm sure he made enough money so that he never had to work again, nor has to. As long as he isn't an idiot with his money.
Not to mention he can still make money from a potential return, or even just a merchandising deal with WWE. He probably still makes some coin on merchandise and appearances as it is.

Not only that, you got to add the money he earned playing in the NFL for many years prior to wrestling.

[Jeritron]

I don't think a player of his caliber really made much money in the NFL, tbh. Not compared to wrestling.
NFL football isn't nearly as high paying a sport as others, and he was a second or third string defensive end for the Falcons before being cut.
He also only played a few seasons and was only on the practice squad (no games) for a couple of them. Don't let WCW's promotion of his NFL career fool you

[Emperor Smeat]

Money-wise, he made enough money and saved it well enough that he felt it was much better leaving the WWE at the time than sticking around to make even more money.

There was reports at the time how he was upset over the direction of his character but that was because WWE didn't just want to make him with another 100+ win streak and his matches required more effort than he was used to in WCW. Once you take away his streak and require him to wrestle more, his character didn't seem as amazing as it was in WCW.

The bigger problem for the WWE at the time was Brock leaving since they invested a lot into him as a future star and he ends up leaving the same time as Goldberg. Also bad was putting Goldberg on RAW instead of Smackdown since the main event was already crowded and stale during the time he was there unlike Heyman's era on Smackdown.

[DLVH84]

Money-wise, he made enough money and saved it well enough that he felt it was much better leaving the WWE at the time than sticking around to make even more money.

There was reports at the time how he was upset over the direction of his character but that was because WWE didn't just want to make him with another 100+ win streak and his matches required more effort than he was used to in WCW. Once you take away his streak and require him to wrestle more, his character didn't seem as amazing as it was in WCW.

The bigger problem for the WWE at the time was Brock leaving since they invested a lot into him as a future star and he ends up leaving the same time as Goldberg. Also bad was putting Goldberg on RAW instead of Smackdown since the main event was already crowded and stale during the time he was there unlike Heyman's era on Smackdown.

Plus, the extra money for going over his number of dates on his WWE contract.

[Nark Order]

You can only go so far with a guy who's gimmick is beating people.

[Fox]

The thing is that people wanted to see Goldberg beat people back when he debuted. Whatever Bill Goldberg has that made him such a huge star in WCW, he still had it in 2003, and people wanted to see him return to the WWE and run motherfuckers over. But what people say is true: Goldberg is about beating the crap out of people; he's not about deep storylines or mic skills or backstage segments - Goldberg is about the match. Because he usually wins in dominating fashion. What's interesting about a Goldberg match though, is that because he usually wins in dominating fashion, when someone DOES come along and challenge him in the ring, it makes for a very interesting match. See his matches against DDP and Sting from WCW.

WWE should have dedicated that whole year of RAW to making Goldberg THE guy. With both Rock and Austin gone, it's not as if they had much else really going on aside from Triple H's strangle hold on the main event scene and the World Heavyweight Title. Goldberg beat The Rock out of the WWE at Backlash. After that he should have won the World Heavyweight Championship and gone on a tear through the entire roster, beating people in bigger and bigger matches. Goldberg vs. Mick Foley in some kind of hardcore match would've been amazing, with Foley saying he can beat Goldberg if there are no rules. Matches against Triple H, Kane, Shawn Michaels, Undertaker, Big Show, Chris Jericho, a rematch with Kevin Nash, Booker T, Ric Flair, Rob Van Dam, Kurt Freaking Angle... easily a full year of WWE booking, all leading up to the ultimate showdown: Lesnar versus Goldberg. And you wouldn't book angles WITH Goldberg - angles should be booked AROUND Goldberg. Everyone arguing and scrambling for their title shot against the monster - feuds based around getting that shot, who deserves it, etc. Yes, it would've meant making Goldberg look better than the rest of the roster, but this isn't just anyone - this is fucking Goldberg! It would've worked.

You can't book Goldberg the way they did in WWE. He's not a promo guy, he's not a talker - he's violence.

[Savio]

I never really cared for Goldberg, but he could have been big if built right. However, he was another case of WWE putting themselves over and burying WCW talent (and yes, I realize he won the title, but still).
Goldberg was not burried at all....who beat him? HHH? anyone else?

[MoFo]

Goldberg looked awesome in the Summerslam Chamber match. Not sure why anyone would think he was 'buried' at all.

[dronepool]

How long was he there? He was there around the time I stopped watching WWE.

[Testicle]

He was there for one year, from WM19 to WM20.

No, he should not have stayed any longer, the ship had sailed, his name did not draw like it once did. IMO he should not have signed to join the WWE at all.