So me and a couple of friends were discussing this over the weekend - pointing out the terrible things Vince Russo has inflicted upon wrestling fans is like shooting barracuda in a teeny tiny barrel. But the guy HAS known success, be it on his own or as part of a larger force. Admittedly he's pretty much spent the last ten years riding on the coat tails of an industry realignment that he only played a small role in, but there has to be SOME good stuff on his resume....right?
These are the thing we cam up with, angles and feuds that we know Russo either booked himself or played a significant part in creating:
-Survivor Series '98 -Recognising AJ Styles and Booker T as main events and booking them as such -Indirectly being responsible for the Radicals jumping ship -Uhhhh.calling Hogan bald?
Yeah, we struggled. There's gotta be more that we're forgetting, right? What *is* Vince Russo's lasting contribution to our so-called sport?
I would say The Attitude era is something he deserves credit for. He pushed Vince McMahon to become a heel authority figure and he was the booker when Austin and The Rock became two of the biggest stars in Wrestling history.
On the list of those who deserve credit for the Attitude era, Russo is way down there beneath Rock, Austin, Vince McMahon and Paul Heyman. I think maybe he pushed for more edginess and realism, but nobody knows which specific angle/sfeuds he was the driving force behind.
I always had the impression that Russo had a lot of control over the mid- and lower-card antics in the late 90s WWF and was only one of many people behind the main event decisions.
If true, then the New Age Outlaws were by and far my favorite of his creations. They were the coolest thing to happen in 8th grade.
(edited by samoflange on 7.2.11 1040) Lloyd: When I met Mary, I got that old fashioned romantic feeling, where I'd do anything to bone her. Harry: That's a special feeling.
Originally posted by Amos Cochran but nobody knows which specific angle/sfeuds he was the driving force behind.
That's a strange thing to write for someone who created this thread. You could use that argument for anything that has appeared on TV while he's been head writer, in that case, couldn't you?
Originally posted by samoflangeI always had the impression that Russo had a lot of control over the mid- and lower-card antics in the late 90s WWF and was only one of many people behind the main event decisions.
If true, then the New Age Outlaws were by and far my favorite of his creations. They were the coolest thing to happen in 8th grade.
(edited by samoflange on 7.2.11 1040)
The NAO was a huge feather in his cap. He took two midcarders with horrible gimmicks and made them into the most popular tag team in the company. Plus, looking back, you can say he did it with two MEDIOCRE midcarders.
I liked the Mark Henry Sexual Chocolate stuff when he was reading poems and flirting with Chyna, but not all the ridiculous Transvestite/Incest/Mae Young stuff that followed.
Its hard to know what to give Russo credit for in WWE since there seems to be a lot of hands in the soup. If you watch the Legends panel when they talk about Russo, they give the impression, he just happened to be a guy in the room. Of course, this could be typical WWE PR since it was JR and Hayes pushing the idea. If even a quarter of the ideas that he had went into Austin/McMahon, Kane, DX and pushing the tag teams as well as factions then I would consider him a successful individual during his tenure.
Its easier to judge him in WCW and TNA since he has been in almost full control til Hogan and Bischoff arrived. Pushing Booker to the title as well as pushing the younger talent were good ideas. His giant mistake well, his second giant mistake besides making himself the star of the show was making the young guys heels and the older talent as faces. If he went with that idea it might have made WCW's last days seem a little more dignified. WCW was going to be sold due to AOL being classy something Huffington Post will soon realize this time next year. Russo was never going to save WCW even if he was sane during his time.
In TNA, its been a mix bag. AJ, Daniels, the tag teams, KO and X-Divisions evolved under him. However, keeping JJ as a main eventer and de-valuing Joe were dumb ass moves. Probably pushing Kurt to the moon was a bad idea and to some extent MEM started off ok, but it need a clear end. Yet, thats the story of Russo, he has some good ideas and it might start off good, but he has no middle or endgame. He thinks swerve after swerve is going to lead to something great when in actuality, it just diminishes the story. The juror is going always to go against Russo and a lot of his fault. If he just kept in the back and not decided to book himself a star then he would be fine. Yet, he did and will always pay the price for that. Maybe if he went back to WWE, he would be great in the IWC's eyes since that seems to clear all wounds like Booker T and Nash.
Originally posted by lotjxWCW was going to be sold due to AOL being classy something Huffington Post will soon realize this time next year.
I love how you bury the really crazy shit deep into your screeds thinking people might end up missing it because they're barely glancing at the complete paragraphs.
In TNA, its been a mix bag.
A lot of people seem to have forgotten that Russo has inexplicably been there a lot longer than they remember. "MR. WRESTLING III" comes to mind. The mix has mostly been a mix of shit and awful.
Maybe if he went back to WWE, he would be great in the IWC's eyes since that seems to clear all wounds like Booker T and Nash.
This was tried and it failed so quickly you seem unaware it's already happened, but rail on, Mr. Anti-IWC! Boy, we're falling all over ourselves talking about that Diesel renaissance in the WWE and dare I say, the amount of people on here comparing Booker T's commentary to the late, great Gordon Solie is approaching one.
I'm a little surprised this thread was even started and had a few ideas on who might have started it, but I was surprised to find it was
Originally posted by Amos CochranSo me and a couple of friends were discussing this over the weekend
Man, you need to consider hanging out with some better friends.
Originally posted by lotjxWCW was going to be sold due to AOL being classy something Huffington Post will soon realize this time next year.
I love how you bury the really crazy shit deep into your screeds thinking people might end up missing it because they're barely glancing at the complete paragraphs.
In TNA, its been a mix bag.
A lot of people seem to have forgotten that Russo has inexplicably been there a lot longer than they remember. "MR. WRESTLING III" comes to mind. The mix has mostly been a mix of shit and awful.
Maybe if he went back to WWE, he would be great in the IWC's eyes since that seems to clear all wounds like Booker T and Nash.
This was tried and it failed so quickly you seem unaware it's already happened, but rail on, Mr. Anti-IWC! Boy, we're falling all over ourselves talking about that Diesel renaissance in the WWE and dare I say, the amount of people on here comparing Booker T's commentary to the late, great Gordon Solie is approaching one.
I'm a little surprised this thread was even started and had a few ideas on who might have started it, but I was surprised to find it was
Originally posted by Amos CochranSo me and a couple of friends were discussing this over the weekend
Man, you need to consider hanging out with some better friends.
AOL did not want wrestling on their network even though as bad as WCW's were near the end, it was still one of their top rated shows. Granted, the millions, it was losing didn't help any either, but the reality is once Time Warner was sold, WCW was dead. Time Warner didn't want something that was perceived as garbage TV on their new networks. If you look at TNT especially its Law and Order, Closer and Men of a certain age, all geared to an older more sophisticated audience. Time Warner did want to class things up and wrestling is never has, is or will be classy to the executives in corporate America.
TNA was a start-up indy fed throwing shit against the wall. Yes, early TNA was pretty shitty even compared to today's Hogan Era TNA. Yet, they have been around for probably twice or three times as long as people thought when it first started. You have to give Russo credit for at least putting in a few good storylines during his tenure or they wouldn't be here today.
Read the 411 comment section as well as this own website for the love fest that was Booker and Nash's return to the Rumble. The moment they walked out, they got giant pops and everyone was fantasy booking them into Mania after seeing two minutes worth a work. Its like fairy tale land where if you belong to the bumbling evil TNA, you are old and decrypted, but as soon as you go to goody gumdrop land of good that is WWE, you are awesome again. Its really just WWE biased. I love Booker and I do hope he gets one more run. Yet, its due to the fact that I saw him as a decent to good worker in TNA. I don't want to see Nash, because I saw how fucking terrible he was in TNA.
Originally posted by lotjxRead the 411 comment section
I believe we have located the issue.
...as well as this own website for the love fest that was Booker and Nash's return to the Rumble. The moment they walked out, they got giant pops and everyone was fantasy booking them into Mania after seeing two minutes worth a work.
Bull. Shit. Nobody did ANY such thing like that here.
decrypted
"Decrepit" - that's one of your better misspellings, though. Kevin Nash was decrypted into DIESEL.
I dunno maybe he should get credit for AMW? It was Jarrett's idea to pair up Roode and Storm , so you can't give Russo credit for Beer Money. It really is futile to try and think of good things Russo's done.
That Nash/Goldberg/Steiner three-way where Goldberg walked out and the announcers talked about how Nash and Steiner would have to improvise a new finish sure was something.
( *IF* he is to be believed) He was responsible for the Montreal Screwjob, which created the evil Mr McMahon, gave rise to the Attitude Era, and forced WCW to step up their product (albeit for a short time) and wrestling overall was better off.
Originally posted by StaggerLeeIF...He was responsible for the Montreal Screwjob.
He wasn't.
It is the policy of the documentary crew to remain true observers and not interfere with its subjects. "Well. Shit." -hansen9j Go Pack Go! (Champs!) Let's Go Riders!
As soon as I get concrete intel on what exactly the man was responsible for approx. between 13 and 10 years ago, I'll be more than happy to chime in on the good that Vince Russo has accomplished.
He has kids, right? Good for him.
I liked TNA for a little while, but that was when Jarrett wasn't on TV so much and the heels lost now and again rather than just 'here's ya swerve'. Now they just build up to the next swerve. Whenever I hear swerve, I think of Back To the Future when Biff swerved into a manure truck.
"Laugh and the world laughs with you. Frown and the world laughs at you." -Me.
The higher power angle was great television till the reveal I always thought. Don't know if it's was Russo's idea for it to be Vince or what, but that was bad.
Originally posted by cenamark21The higher power angle was great television till the reveal I always thought. Don't know if it's was Russo's idea for it to be Vince or what, but that was bad.
The ending to the angle ruined the entire angle. I guess you could agree the buildup was so good, but that's negated by the horrible ending to it.
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