The latest SCG Radio is now online, as we return this week to the Monday Night War Timeline, covering September 1999! Running down every Raw, Nitro and PPV of the month with backstage news notes from the Observer and Torch newsletters of the time, we tackle every major story, including the firing of Eric Bischoff as Executive Vice President, Vince McMahon returning from a six week retirement to become WWF World Champion, the shocking signing of Taz to the WWF, the heel turn of Sting, Shawn Michaels being sent home for pissing off the wrong guy, Chris Jericho runs into problems, Bret Hart returns to WCW to stand around, Triple H being booked shockingly poorly, illogical booking, nonsensical television, crazy backstage politics and tons more. As always, we have all the facts, figures and ratings to provide the ultimate insight on a fascinating period - check it out!

https://squaredcirclegazette.podbean.com/mf/download/brj6uq/SCG_Radio_137_-_The_Monday_Night_War_in_September_1999.mp3

Nitro having higher ratings in the UK is something I'd mainly credit/blame to Worldwide being on Channel 5, also Nitro always started on time whereas with Raw you had a 50/50 chance at 10pm of seeing either Stone Cold or Eddie and Stevo on your TV.

I don't know why, but Kieran's suggestion of Nash's suggestion regarding long-term planning--"Let's do long-term planning, but quicker"--gave me the biggest laugh listening to a podcast in a long time.

Love these shows. The chemistry among your crew is outstanding & endlessly entertaining.

 

Haven't gotten to this one just yet, but the August show was a blast.

Great show. Having made the mistake of watching that 2nd Georgia Dome Nitro in 1999, terrible Rick Steiner also beat the crap out of Vampiro there in an extended squash. I think Vampiro must've had heat for his sloppy work and other things for a going back into 1999.

 

I personally think WCW was salvageble, but you would've had to fire a number of pain in the ass, overpaid talent to get things more in line, and at least 1 top tier guy.

 

This is my hypothetical: If you were allowed to fire/send home Scott Hall and Hulk Hogan indefinitely, is WCW salvageable? I suspect doing both those things would put a ton of rebellious talent in line. And I'd throw in getting a worthless, pain in the ass talent like a Buff Bagwell, Rick Steiner, or Scott Norton to hit the bricks. I don't think it'd be hard because any of them would probably refuse to job to Eddie or Benoit when asked, and if they refuse enough times that's a breach. Making an example out of them would help clear the books and bring things in line.

 

I think those moves might've ended up as potential poison pill moves for the WWF. Austin was clearly still the man, but he needed time on the shelf. Vince definitely would've signed him around Survivor Series of that year. You throw old Terry over there, you're not going to tell me he totally mucks up that WCW-esque WWF environment backstage and it doesn't become even more WCW? It'd also be interesting to see how Hogan coming over would've impacted HHH or the Rock politically.

Final bonus to this scenario: If Nash does get pissed and quits because Hall got axed, and WWE grabs up Nash, do they pick up Hall? If they've got Hall, Nash, Hogan, WCW has still got the rights to the NWO and can sue WWF for anything that brings them together or even hints at an alliance. That's easy revenue because any attempt to integrate those guys into the company before the radicals or alongside them would probably shit the bed quickly, and you've still got plenty of talent depth and effectively made the WWF need to go even more plodding and poor brawling with their in-ring. But hey at least Kieran might get his wet dream since HHH, Nash, and Hall all being in the WWF might've gotten Shawn off his ass and will to come back.

Firing Hall is something I'm sure WCW would have loved to do but they felt they couldn't because of the WWF lawsuit.

 

Hogan showing up in 99 WWF as a heel is HHH's worst nightmare.

Firing Hall is something I'm sure WCW would have loved to do but they felt they couldn't because of the WWF lawsuit.

 

Hogan showing up in 99 WWF as a heel is HHH's worst nightmare.

 

It's impossible to say without knowing more about the legal proceedings and where they were at by October 1999, but they should've not given him those raises in the first place, and if Hall had already done his depositions, there's really only so much he could do to hurt them, I'd guess.

 

True. But there's the curveball of WWF fan nostalgia for Hogan, Hogan's obsession with being a babyface, and how when Austin goes, does Hogan get the urge to go back to the red and yellow. Maybe HHH plays it like 2002 and does the job so Hogan turns faces as becomes The Rock's nightmare. I'd bet his kliq buddies might give him that advice.