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WWF 1999


tiger_rick

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I was going to reply in the Podcast thread having listened to SCG's first MNW timeline of 1999 but it became more of a general post on 1999 so I thought I'd start a new thread.

 

What do you think of the WWF product in 1999?

 

Just listening to the podcast on January and I'm already remembering how much I hate it. If I'm honest, I would have said the same about 1998 until a few months ago. Not "hate" so much but I really thought it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. However, listening to the timeline and being inspired to watch it back, it felt as great as it did at the time. It's often a letdown on PPV but week-to-week, it's got so much energy and everyone is so over that things feel so consequential.

 

That, I'm absolutely certain, is not going to happen with 1999. The roster is still thin, the Russorific writing is all over the place, Austin vs. McMahon drags on way too long, The Undertaker's ministry stuff is absolutely bollocks, The Big Show is a huge disappointment and the headline matches have been done to death. WrestleMania 15 is one of my least favourites. I've not watched it back for years. Even then it was only the main event.

 

There are some fun Rock promos throughout the year but nothing that particularly stands out. Otherwise, I can't think of anything redeeming. KOTR was awful. SummerSlam was shit. The Rumble was terrible.

 

What's funny is recalling the WCW TV ratings from Jan 1999. They're fucking sensational. Because they had the unopposed third hour, although they are losing handily to Raw, they're doing 5.0 some weeks. Yet within weeks, their TV would be absolutely dogshit. Why on earth did they implode so spectacularly. If they'd stayed competitive, the WWF were burning themselves out creatively just like WCW had done previously. So who knows?

 

I missed a fair bit of WWF 1999 at the time, but looking back i definitely dislike much of the years output.

 

There was a common opinion on a thread here a few years ago that that Raw in 1998 was much better overall that the PPV's of that year. Whether true or not, i'd say that both the television and PPV product in 1998 is miles better than in 1999.

 

I'd say month-by-month only three PPV's in 1999 may have been better than the corresponding event in 1998 (September, October & December), although May is obviously an unfair comparison. If WCW hadn't been so awful itself in 1999 then it could have eventually turned the momentum and ratings back in their favour.

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One of the big things in the WWF's favour was the ability, despite how awful the product is at times, to keep the vibe that the WWF and the top guys were cool. Rewatching WCW in February and March is so sad to see this once glorious organisation fall apart at the seems and lose any shred of dignity with awful television show after awful television show. They feel like the uncool show as soon as the nWo reunites.

 

Funnily enough, rewatching the March shows now, and WWE is, to be quite honest, all over the place. The build to WrestleMania 15 is far more disjointed that I remembered, with Rock/Austin especially having a build where you're dying for Raw to focus on that match rather than drama with Mankind and Big Show, and Undertaker's obsession with the McMahons.

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One of the big things in the WWF's favour was the ability, despite how awful the product is at times, to keep the vibe that the WWF and the top guys were cool. Rewatching WCW in February and March is so sad to see this once glorious organisation fall apart at the seems and lose any shred of dignity with awful television show after awful television show. They feel like the uncool show as soon as the nWo reunites.

 

Funnily enough, rewatching the March shows now, and WWE is, to be quite honest, all over the place. The build to WrestleMania 15 is far more disjointed that I remembered, with Rock/Austin especially having a build where you're dying for Raw to focus on that match rather than drama with Mankind and Big Show, and Undertaker's obsession with the McMahons.

 

To be fair Spring Stampede '99 was the last great show WCW did.

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One of the big things in the WWF's favour was the ability, despite how awful the product is at times, to keep the vibe that the WWF and the top guys were cool. Rewatching WCW in February and March is so sad to see this once glorious organisation fall apart at the seems and lose any shred of dignity with awful television show after awful television show. They feel like the uncool show as soon as the nWo reunites.

 

Funnily enough, rewatching the March shows now, and WWE is, to be quite honest, all over the place. The build to WrestleMania 15 is far more disjointed that I remembered, with Rock/Austin especially having a build where you're dying for Raw to focus on that match rather than drama with Mankind and Big Show, and Undertaker's obsession with the McMahons.

 

To be fair Spring Stampede '99 was the last great show WCW did.

 

 

I loved that show then and I think I will now, but I've always had the same problem with it, which is that the show is so fun, and comes to a screeching halt in the main event. By April, the dynamic of the top mix is just completely wrong, and damaged beyond repair. Savage being back doesn't help.

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The main event scene was dodgy from the fingerpoke really but by Spring Stampede we've sat through enough Hogan, Flair and Savage. Onwards they should have had a straight focus on DDP, Nash and Goldberg and build up some new guys to be in the fold by the end of the year. Instead we got bizzare matches and feuds, a return of Hulkamania and by the end of the year another NWO return!

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I generally like the main event stuff in 1999 with the likes of Austin,Rock,Taker,Foley and later on down the line HHH. But the mid card is pretty rough even worse than what it had been in 1997 and 1998. Maybe I am a little more nostalgic for the year than the majority since its the year I started watching so I tend to view a lot of it in that mindset. But I can admit a lot of the in-ring work is pretty trash

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