Who WCW could've pushed to save the company...

[PullMyFinger]

Ok...I think this is a pretty cool thread...

Basically, WCW had a problem pushing talent...which ultimately in my opinion...doomed the company.

Now, here's the question...

If there was ONE guy who WCW could've pushed to turn the company around....who would it have been? (Note: you can choose ANY wrestler from when WWF started to beat WCW in the ratings till it's doom).

Personally...my answer is Chris Jericho. He was so entertaining as a cruiserweight champ/TV title champ, but he was never pushed for the Championship. I liked his character a lot better in WCW too as the crybaby heel.

A close second is Raven though.

[Mr. JL]

I read a rumour that RVD pretty much had a contract finalized in early 2001 with WCW but the WWF bought them out so it never happened.

If RVD would have showed up it could have been pretty HUGE for WCW, in myopinion. We all saw the splash that RVD made when he first debut in the WWF. I think he could have made and even bigger splash in WCW.

[James Steele]

I actually think WCW could have bounced back, but they gave up on it too early. They had the talent, but WCW could have bounced back and they were semi-pushing the future. However, Russo and Jarrett were going to kill WCW eventually.

[PullMyFinger]

I actually think WCW could have bounced back, but they gave up on it too early. They had the talent, but WCW could have bounced back and they were semi-pushing the future. However, Russo and Jarrett were going to kill WCW eventually.
Yeah...it seemed toward the end that they started to get somewhere....but the whole Jarret being champ thing killed it, and some of Russo's ideas were just ridiculous. The shoots were just stupid and only made the company look worse.

[Mr. JL]

Scott Steiner was doing a pretty solid job as champion too.

[Kane Knight]

Goldberg.

[MVP]

Goldberg was the #1 guy WCW knew could save them when they were losing to WWF in mid 98. He was easily the most over worker in the company. The problem was that his push was rushed, and when ratings weren't improving by the end of the year Nash and Hogan were quick to put the blame on Goldberg, and he was forced to job to Nash at Starrcade and became another midcarder.

In my opinion: if Goldberg had some bigger feuds in the summer like against Giant, Nash, etc, and his title win against Hogan was pushed til Starrcade the buyrates would have been through the roof like the year before.

[Marcyo]

They should've pushed Benoit.

-edit-

or Goldberg, yeah.

[John la Rock]

the only way WCW would have been saved is if they stole Rock or Stone Cold

[Shaggy]

If they wouldnt of done the whole "Powers That Be" then something good couldve happened. And if they didnt go and do the thing where they buried Flair in the desert.

[Zen v.W.o.]

If they would have used Bret properly they would have been better off.

I dont see Bret joining guys like the nwo or whomever..and I dont see Bret having to stay around the US title for so long level.

Bret easily could have helped guys like Jericho or Lance. He could have been used in better programs with some of the top stars, and they should have kept Goldberg's boot far away from Brets head, thank you very much.

[MVP]

Bret Hart's storylines in WCW were an absolute insult to him.

[Flair1672]

Filthy Animals, they were very entertaining in my opinion, if they would have gotton bigger pushes they could have been one of the all time great factions in wrestling.

Also,i think lance storm could have been used better.

[Mr. JL]

What was it that Bobby Heenan said? Something along the lines that he would have let Goldberg go 2 million-0 for his streak.

[PullMyFinger]

Bret Hart's storylines in WCW were an absolute insult to him.
Yeah seriously. They didn't use Bret for jackshit till it was too late.

[diamondcutter]

WCW needed at least 4 or 5 talents to carry the company into the future, and they should've started in 1998.

Scott Steiner--Immediately following his heel turn at Superbrawl.

Chris Jericho--Like others said, he did his best material in WCW, like finding loopholes in the rulebooks to get the cruiserweight title back all the time. He could've had the spot that Jarrett eventually got when he returned in October '99. Did Eric ever regret letting him go? If not, he probably didn't watch the RAW in August of that year.

Chris Benoit---Should've moved on to the U.S. Title following the Best Of 7 series.

Booker T. ---See Chris Benoit. He also should not have had to turn into The Rock in order to win the World Title, his "street-smart" character was just fine.

Goldberg---Keep him champion at Starrcade.

Diamond Dallas Page---Maybe have him win the World Title a little earlier than he did, as by Spring '99, he got a little stale in the eyes of some fans.

Buff Bagwell----Let's pretend that he never involved his mother in any storylines, or a tag team title reign with Rick Steiner. He was great as a heel in the nWo, he just needed more than one catchphrase.

[mrslackalack]

1. Chris Benoit- he did not have a title for 2 and a half years after he entered WCW and the ship was sinking when he finally won the World Title.

2. Chris Jericho- He should have been prevailed all the way up to the U.S. title if he had chose to stay with WCW his charisma was great and his talent and comedy in defending the T.V. and Cruiserweight titles were priceless. He should have been World Champion one day

3. William Regal- just because he roughed up Goldberg he was fired he held the T.V. title on numerous occasions and deserved the U.S. title

4. Eddie- He had a good run in WCW and WCW should have pushed him to a World Title contender by 98-99 with the LWO angle if not for his car wreck and arguments with Bischoff.

5. Booker T- Booker was pushed great but sadly when WCW was dying if around 98 made him U.S. or World champion he could have helped WCW get better ratings.

[srnrew]

Well first off, I loved the cruiserweight matches, especially involving guys, like Kidman, Mysterio, Jericho, and Malenko. I also think at one point WCW had the more powerful and cohesivie tag teams like Harlem Heat, Steiners, The Outsiders, etc. It's a damn shame people like Bischoff, Russo/Ferrera never considered the outstanding talent like Benoit, Jericho, Saturn, Raven, Eddie and Chavo Guerrero, Alex Wright, and more to give them the push they deserved.

[KingofOldSchool]

Yeah... Alex Wright and "outstanding talent" don't really mix.

[PullMyFinger]

Speaking of Wright..I remember when they worked on his Berlin gimmick so much and it fell flat.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I never watched WCW. Wasn't a fan then. But I really think they could have survived. If they cut down on Nash, Hall and Hogan, and started with guys like Jericho, Booker T and DDP, they could have kept going.

They seemed to have killed the Goldberg streak too early as well. Have Scott Hall come in and try and take out Goldberg, but Willie hangs on, battles back and gets the win. Goldberg then goes over Scott Hall pretty soon after that. That's 175-0, and I'm sure they had other guys that could have fuelled Goldberg's streak.

[Dave Youell]

2 words

Tank Abbott!