the-w.com/2015.02.the-w.com.tar/the-w.com/pub/users/chris/98awards.txt

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Copyright

This document is compilation copyright (c) 1998 by Christopher Robin Zimmerman.
It may be freely copied and/or distributed in its entirety as long as this
copyright notice is not removed.  It may not be sold for profit or
incorporated into commercial products without the editor's written
permission.  [Compilation copyright means that you can freely use individual
sections of this document, but any significant collection of sections is
subject to the copyright.]

Editor/Compiler/Supreme Dictator: Christopher Robin Zimmerman

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Man, this year's Awards textfile is a MUTHA.  Over half a meg of chunky
goodness (and some creamy badness) makes up *THE* only definitive Year in
Review document that rec.sport.pro-wrestling is probably going to churn up
because I'm pretty sure I'm the only person dumb enough to continue to
volunteer to run these things.  :)

This was a banner year for the Awards - at 490 ballots, this was the highest
turnout ever!  This was probably helped by better Web advertising than in the
past - thanks to the many sites that put up notices and pointers!

Big thanks go to all who voted, all who nominated, all who read and followed
the instructions :) and especially to whoever runs the Wrestling Supercards and
Tournaments page <http://hometown.aol.com/wsandt/cards/index.html> for
providing invaluable data for me to research.

Check out previous years' awards at Herb Kunze's r.s.p-w Awards page Archive
<http://www.twc-online.com/herb/Awards.html>.  Hopefully a copy of these
awards will end up there later for you to look at.

This document should be available via ftp at
<ftp://ftp.ncal.verio.com/pub/users/kzim/98awards.txt>.

This is the 9th Annual Rec.Sport.Pro-Wrestling Year-end Achievement Awards -
r.s.p-w.*'s look at the best and the worst of the previous year.  These awards
cover the period from 11/2/97 to 11/1/98.  A two month nomination and voting
process is distilled down to the results below.  Any typos are probably mine
and mine alone, please point them out and I can correct them for later releases
of this document.  A HTML-ized version of these awards will probably make it's
way to the World Wide Web, stay tuned for details.

MODO(tm) means "My Own Damn Opinon."  It's a little acronym I cooked something
like five years ago on r.s.p-w and it grew into common parlance.  I'm very
proud to say that these awards continue in the spirit of MODO, but you have to
remember in the end that YOUR Own Damn Opinion is the only opinion that counts!

Strap on and hold tight, this is about ten times longer than one of my Nitro
reports...

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Best Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the athlete who was the best overall wrestler of the year.
This includes all facets of wrestling: workrate, technical ability,
interviews, charisma, value to his/her promotion, etc. In 1994, this award
was split into three: North American, Non-North American, and overall. In
1998, it was recombined into one.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Curt Hennig
  1991: Ric Flair
  1992: Ric Flair
  1993: Big Van Vader
  1994: Bret Hart
  1994: (NA)         Sabu
  1994: (non-NA)     Chris Benoit
  1995: (overall/NA) Shawn Michaels
  1995: (non-NA)     Chris Benoit
  1996: (overall/NA) Shawn Michaels
  1996: (non-NA)     Jushin Liger
  1997: (overall/NA) Shawn Michaels
  1997: (non-NA)     Taka Michinoku

**1998**: Stone Cold Steve Austin

478 first place votes
467 second place votes
462 third place votes

 133  51  35   888   Steve Austin
  71  64  51   649   Mankind
  48  59  63   543   Chris Jericho
  47  59  49   510   Rock
  31  37  39   344   Rob Van Dam
  31  25  20   270   Bret Hart
  27  29  21   264   Chris Benoit
  20  26  15   208   Shawn Michaels
  16  11  23   159   Kidman
   3  15  16    92   Goldberg
   6   6  13    74   Juventud Guerrera
   5   8  11    71   Dean Malenko
   2   8  17    68   X-Pac
   4   5   8    51   Owen Hart
   1   6   8    39   Taz
   3   4   5    37   Eddie Guerrero
   4   2   4    34   Jushin Liger
   3   5   2    34   Toshiaki Kawada
   0   4   9    30   Diamond Dallas Page
   0   1  10    23   Undertaker
   2   4   0    22   Hayabusa
   2   3   1    21   Kevin Nash
   2   3   0    19   Raven
   1   3   2    18   Mitsuharu Misawa
   2   1   2    17   D'Lo Brown
   1   2   3    17   Booker T.
   2   0   3    16   Sabu
   1   1   4    16   Al Snow
   2   0   2    14   Candy Okutsu
   0   2   4    14   Great Sasuke
   1   2   0    11   Sting
   0   1   4    11   Rey Mysterio Jr.
   0   3   0     9   Ken Shamrock
   0   2   1     8   Saturn
   0   2   1     8   Kane
   1   0   1     7   Kanyon
   0   2   0     6   Kenta Kobashi
   1   0   0     5   Tenryu
   1   0   0     5   Scoot Andrew
   1   0   0     5   Reese
   1   0   0     5   Norman Smiley
   1   0   0     5   Fit Finlay
   1   0   0     5   Dr. Wagner
   0   1   1     5   Silver King
   0   1   1     5   Koji Kanemoto
   0   1   1     5   Disco Inferno
   0   1   0     3   Wrath
   0   1   0     3   Val Venis
   0   1   0     3   Taka Michinoku
   0   1   0     3   Scott Steiner
   0   1   0     3   Rick Steiner
   0   1   0     3   Mike Awesome
   0   1   0     3   Masato Tanaka
   0   1   0     3   Chris Meniot
   0   0   1     2   Super Nova
   0   0   1     2   Shinobu Kandori
   0   0   1     2   Ric Flair
   0   0   1     2   Lenny Lane
   0   0   1     2   Jerry Lynn
   0   0   1     2   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
   0   0   1     2   Goldust
   0   0   1     2   Gangrel
   0   0   1     2   Edge
   0   0   1     2   Black Warrior
   0   0   1     2   Billy Gunn

REJECTED

   0   0   1         Guerrero (which one?)

SHAWN MULLIN: Foley has been the real show stopper in the WWF so far this year.
He was in matches that stole the show at Unforgiven, Over the Edge, King of the
Ring and Breakdown.  He's put on a good show all year on PPV and on TV.  He's
provided the WWF with 3 distinct characters they can use that all have
guarenteed heat.  The man is invaluable.

NEIL MURPHY: The lack of a healthy/working Flair, Michaels, and Beniot all
killed this.  Kidman was excellent but he was working with incredibly talented
wrestlers mostly, Foley actually dragged some good matches out of the world's
biggest lugs.

SVEN MASCARENHAS: No wrestler has had a consistently better year than Owen
Hart, from dragging good matches out of Helmsley in the first half of the year
to a great, stiff feud with Shamrock. Dean Malenko and Rob Van Dam are models
or remarkable consistency in the chaos that are their federations.

CHRIS DILLON: It's a hard choice for best wrestler this year, as no-one has
really stood out. But of the Arsion tapes I have seen Candy has shown great
workrate and her psychology and heat are growing. Liger and Kawada are also
nominted due to some routinley great performances, especially Kawada who
carried a near crippled Misawa to a great **** match at the Dome.

MIKE SONBY: In 1998, several wrestlers moved forward (Austin, The Rock, HHH)
into superstar status.  But two wrestlers stood out, going from "mildly
interesting" into becoming the two wrestlers I enjoy watching the most.  Both
Mick Foley and Chris Jericho combine great in-ring talent (although different
styles) with tremendous personalities.  Foley has the most complex,
three-dimensional gimmick in wrestling.  He's managed to make angles work that
no one else could have (Honestly:  how many other wrestlers could have gotten
away with 'Socko'?).  And Jericho has constantly left me in stitches with his
interviews, often being the only part of WCW worth watching.

VINCE MORALES: Rob Van Dam is what he says the whole fuckin show. While Steve
Austin has abanndoned his technical wrestling background his matches still
create much heat.

MIKE SPOOG368: Although Mankind may not be the greatest wrestler on the list I
chose him as the best because IMO he has been the most entertaining wrestler to
watch all year. Simple as that.

STONE COLD JAK: In the past 18 months, Steve Austin has become the MVP of
American wrestling, say what you want about the influence of the nWo, but
Austin has brought wrestling back into the mainstream.  His personality,
interviews, character, matches all have made him what he is today. Say what you
want about Austin's in-ring abilities, he's what people go to WWF shows for.
He truly has earned the monicker of "Most popular wrestler ever".   Goldberg is
DAMAN~!, and has managed to become a different type of star, in a promotion
full of forty year olds, in a world full of Austins, he is a refreshing change.
Mick Foley is without a doubt, the worlds most loyal son of a b**ch. He does
jobs all the times, he practically kills himself on a regular basis, and he has
provided us with three of the most enjoyable characters in wrestling today.
And of course, he gave us Socko.

PHIL PRZYBYLO: It's obvious Austin, The Rock, and Mankind take top honors. They
constantly fought long, hardcore matches throughout the year practically
non-stop. They easily entertained all when they wrestled and left us with
plenty of memories.

KEVIN PODSIADLIK: Interesting how all three of my votes here are wrestlers from
what I consider the clearly inferior organization.

RYAN S.: I don't want to tell you how to run your awards or anything, but
shouldn't Favorite and Least Favorite categories be an open ballot to chose any
wrestler who is currently wreslting or employed? I mean, in the Least Category
I'd like to vote for Steve Austin (I'm probably the only one), but he's not a
nominee.

GEORGE CARTER: In my mind the best wrestler this year was clearly Chris
Jericho. On  the mic, he delivered. On the mat, he was great. No one was better
this  year than the "Lion Heart". In second comes the Rock. He didn't win as
many matches during his tenure as I-C Champ, compared to Austin or DDP,  but he
was always enteraining to watch on all the levels. And in 3rd  place, Steve
Ausin. I don't like him, but he's entertaining.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: His workrate wasn't there after the neck injury, but can
anyone doubt Austin was most the valuable to his company this year than anyone
else in the business? I thought not. Who was second? Maybe the Rock or D-X or
even Goldberg, I suppose, but I'll have to go with Misawa over in AJ. Other
than him, Kobashi, Hansen, and a couple other guys, All Japan has nothing. I'll
give the third place nod to Shinobu Kandori as she is virtually the lifeblood
of LLPW.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Well, let's see... Steve Austin held the WWF, IC and Tag Titles
within the voting year... he's been at the top of the card or in the top feud
most of that time. He gets bigger pops than anyone--even Hulk Hogan in his
prime. He sells many millions of dollars in merchandise. He's a great
interview. And he's a damn good worker to boot. If that don't make him number
one, nothing does. The Rock has gone in one year from 'Rocky Sucks' to just
plain 'Rocky', and from midcard to heel to the second biggest babyface in the
WWF. Oh, and he's great on the mic and a pretty good worker too. Finally, Mick
Foley gets third, if only for Hell in a Cell. Well, and for Mr. Socko. Can't
forget Mr. Socko, now can we? ;)

MIKE CHAPMAN: Mankind is the most entertaining wrestler in the world, Rob Van
Dam is the whole F'n show and if you don't like Jericho, you don't like
wrestling.

JON WHITE: Foley had a break out year for him.  He had some great brawls and
some some funny interviews.  That leaves Austin at #2.  He may not be as good
of a wrestler as he used to be, but he can still gets incredible heat.  With a
strong late push, Kidman earns #3.

CLINT MAYHER: Rob Van Dam is the whole f'n show, baby!

JM SANTOS:  Chris Jericho almost made it on here.  He is a versatile wrestler
who can overwhelm smaller wrestlers with his strength and frustrate larger
wrestlers with his quickness.

TOM ROBSON: Van Dam really came into his own this year in ECW.  His TV title
reign and tag title reign established him as one of the top stars of the
promotion, and for most of the year he managed to be incredibly respected while
universally hated by ECW fans.  His workrate is high, and he has tremendous
flying ability. Benoit was just Benoit, meaning that he is still one of the top
three wrestlers in the country.  Booker T showed the world that he has what it
takes to be a major singles star in the US.  Having to take time off this
summer hurt, but he put on a series of classic matches with Benoit and with
Perry Saturn.

SUPERFAN SAM: First has to go to Mankind. Workrate, spots, interviews, and he
was great in any position he was put into. He also carried and elevated the
wrestlers of the WWF. Second should go to Austin because of his exposure
everywhere (try to go out and NOT see an Austin T-Shirt.) DDP gets third. He
tried all year to elevate himself and ayone he was with, he actually had a good
match with Goldberg, and he made the "Celebrity Matches" in the Summer
half-watchable.

RYAN GRANT:  Austin was the WWF in 1998, and the WWF was Steve Austin.  The WWF
needed him more than ever in the wake of the Bret fiasco, and he delivered.
Mankind had something like 5 main events this year, kept working even after
taking the most brutal beating I've ever seen (At the KOTR), and has played his
part superbly.  The buildup to the Goldberg/Hogan match was excellent enough to
get even me hooked, and he's clearly the biggest name in the WCW right now,
thus he gets third.

K. CANZANELLA: The best wrestler this year was Chris Benoit. Why? Well, first
of all, he is a phenomenal worker, who put his all into every match. Secondly,
he makes those around him look very much greater than they actually are. Third,
his natural charisma and intensity electricfy the crowd in all his matches. If
you want anymore proof, lets put it this way: Diamond SCUM Page, who irritates
me immensly, was actually made interesting by Benoit. Liger takes second, for
posessing the same qualities that benoit has, however, he is in with people
that are closer to his level and thus doesn't have to do much carrying. Kawada
is three, because he is a charismatic, stiff-as-fuck working, stoic beyond
stoic great wrestler.

A. WADE:  By best wrestler, I assume you mean overall skills.

MICHAEL NAIMARK: As the 'Wrestler of the Year' equivalent for the RSPW awards,
I've ignored the top-flight workers, who have their own award.  In my mind, no
one wrestler has done more for his promotion than Mick Foley.  As an interview,
Foley knows no peers.  In the ring under nearly half-a-dozen personnas, Foley
continues to do things that no one else in the WWF would dare, and does so
despite being used to put other wrestlers over with his bump insanity.  Nearly
every top-carder in the WWF owes his best match of the year to Mick Foley.

SEAN SHANNON: There's no getting around the crystal clear fact that this was
the year of Steve Austin.  He had to battle a career-threatening neck injury, a
promotion that was a little too slow to change with the times and the wave of
anti-WWF sentiment that followed Survivor Series, but he simply appeals on too
many levels, for smarts, marks and people who aren't even wrestling fans alike,
to be held down.  Austin is only second to Hogan in terms of name recognition
now, and that will evaporate with time especially with pro wrestling's new
boom.  Rob van Dam's rise to the top of ECW this year was to be expected, but
Rob still found a way to make it memorable.  He's improved in every facet of
his performance, and he was already one of the best in the business to start
with; he could very well carry ECW by himself.  Third goes to the Undertaker
for continuing to improve his in-ring performances, as well as having two great
feuds with Kane and Steve Austin before the WWF screwed him up by unnecessarily
turning him heel.

JASON ROBAR: This year was easily the year of Steve Austin.  From Survivor
Series 1997, which officially began his run as the only top dog in the WWF
(Shawn Michaels notwithstanding), to now, when he carries the federation
without the World title.  Considering he's doing it at less than 100%, it's
amazing.  Mick Foley enjoyed the spotlight for most of the year, and used it to
have some of the greatest performances of the year, and possibly of his career.
Chris Jericho was given the ball, and ran with it.  Good to great matches
combined with one of the most entertaining gimmicks in the "Paragon of Virtue"
allowed him to be with belt for most of the year. [1. Steve Austin  2. Mankind
3. Chris Jericho]

JASON LANGIN: Steve Austin - He stayed on top no matter what McMahon threw at
him.

MDB: Never confuse "most" with "best."  Austin is the most popular, most
valuable, most important, wrestlert, but Benoit is the best westler. Whether it
was a 60 squash against Sickboy or an 8 match best of seven with Booker T,
whether it was trading blows with Finlay, beating up Raven, or making Page look
good, Benoit excelled in every situation. Foley was the WWF's secret weapon
this year.  Who did Austin have his best matches against this year?  Foley.
Who'd Undertaker have his best matches against this year?  Foley.  Who'd the
New Age Outlaws have their best match against this year?  Foley and Funk.
Who'd Shamrock have his best match against this yeat?  Owen Hart, but he's
retired now.  After that it was Foley.  And who will Miavia have his best match
against this year?  Foley.

RICK SCAIA: Steve Austin is easily THE MAN right now....  he's talented enough
in the ring to produce memorable matches.  He's gold on the mic.  And nobody is
more important to his company than Austin is to the WWF.  That makes him the
easy call for Wrestler of the Year.  Runners-up have got to be Mankind (who may
never be the WWF top dog, but was the #2 man for much of the year, providing
memorable moments all along the way) and Rob Van Dam (who is the sport's Next
Big Thing, and may be single handedly keeping ECW afloat amidst all the recent
talent defections).

ROBERT EVANS: RVD "Is the F'n Show."  Shawn missed half the year otherwise he's
a lock for number 1, even if he has a bad attitude.  Bret could contend to but
WCW has completely wasted him.

TOM CRUZ: There are men, there are gods, and then there's Sabu. The guy can fly
like no one I've seen, plus he's frickin hardcore! What more do you want?
Benoit deserves a title, but we've all heard that before. Jericho is
significant if merely for the fact that he is the only guy in WCW to get
himself over as a heel WITHOUT joining the nWo.

DEAN RASMUSSEN: It was a weird year for wrestling.  EVERYBODY was hurt or
sucking it for some part of the year.  Still, it was a GREAT year for wrestling
because all these people were at their normal level for at least half a year.
If it was the last half of the year only, I'd give it to Shinjiro Ohtani- as he
pulled himself back to his former glory and was white hot from Junish to now,
surpassing his former work in lot of matches of late.  Kanemoto was too
inconsistent this year, Misawa was out for too long and he was crippled for the
big match.  Benoit was out for a couple of months or he gets the nod easily and
his Raven match was enough to get him second place in my little universe of
grappling. Anyway, Juventud Guerrera had mountains of great matches on free TV
and I saw him deliver the goods the most of anybody so he was the best this
year simply by having the most cumulative amount of time engaged in good to
great wrestling.  Mr Niebla was probably the best in Mexico this year (Hell! He
had a great match against Universo 200.), but the tapes are just starting to
pour in, so I couldn't judge how much Wagner was still but the tapes are just
starting to pour in, so I couldn't judge how much Wagner was still ruling it.
Liger was too consistent AGAIN to get knocked off the Japanese perch-
especially with the usual pretenders to the crown being hurt, being reamed by
Misawa the Bookerman, or having some kind of confidence crisis.  Hikari Fukuoka
began her reign as Best Woman Wrestler In The World carrying anyone and
everyone she was in the ring with to a good to great match- and that's what I'm
going by.

GARETH THOMAS: Steve Austin has been the #1 arena, TV, pay-per-view and
merchandise draw in the business, and has gave good effort in the ring on every
occasion.  Kawada has been one of the best workers in Japan this year, and won
the Triple Crown on the biggest card of the year in Japan, while Kanemoto earns
third place just for being the best worker in the world this year.

JONATHAN SNOWDEN: Tenryu single-handedly made New Japan's heavyweight division
spirited and exciting. Mankind and his alter-egos made the WWF's uppercard
worth watching.  Tamura has revolutionized shoot style wrestling.

HEATM: If Shawn Michaels is healthy, he wins this award 9 times out of
10. Unfortunately, he was not this year, and having only wrestled for only four
months out of the nomination period, he just does not deserve it. In this
category, the Rock is my pick.  He had terrific matches with Ken Shamrock at
Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania.  He had the best match at SummerSlam against
HHH.  Most importantly, there's an intangible the Rock brings to the ring every
time he fights.  This intangible is present for two wrestlers - Rock, and my
second pick, Steve Austin.  And though the intangible doesn't seem to be there
for Mankind, Mick is my #3 pick for everything he has done for wrestling and
the many times he's made me laugh when he's in and out of the ring.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Tag Team

Award Description:

To be given to the tag team who were the best overall team of the year.  This
includes all facets of wrestling: workrate, technical ability, interviews,
charisma, hot team moves, value to their promotion, etc. In 1994, this award
was split into three: North American, Non-North American, and overall. In
1998, it was recombined into one.

Previous Winners:

  1990: The Steiners: Rick & Scott
  1991: The Steiners: Rick & Scott
  1992: Terry Gordy & Steve Williams
  1993: The Hollywood Blonds: Brian Pillman & Steve Austin
  1994: (overall/non-NA) The Steiners: Rick & Scott
  1994: (NA)             Eddy Guerrero & Love Machine
  1995: (overall/NA)     Public Enemy: Flyboy Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge
  1995: (non-NA)         Mitsuhara Misawa & Kenta Kobashi
  1996: (overall/NA)     Harlem Heat: Booker T & Stevie Ray
  1996: (non-NA)         Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat
  1997: (overall/NA)     The Eliminators: John Kronus & Perry Saturn
  1997: (non-NA)         NWO: Masahiro Chono & Great Muta

**1998**: New Age Outlaws: Road Dogg Jesse James & Badd Ass Billy Gunn

478 first place votes
453 second place votes
416 third place votes

 251  59  45  1522   New Age Outlaws - Jesse James & Billy Gunn
  61  57  43   562   Sabu & Rob Van Dam
  17  49  38   308   Head Bangers - Mosh & Thrasher
  17  33  36   256   Dudley Boys - Buh Buh Ray & D-Von
  14  40  27   244   Horsemen - Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko
  14  36  23   224   Outsiders - Scott Hall & Kevin Nash
  12  26  34   206   Too Much - Brian Christopher & Scott Taylor
  12  25  24   183   Cactus Jack & Chainsaw Charlie
   6  21  22   137   Al Snow & Mankind
  12  12  20   136   Alex Wright & Disco Inferno
  13   8  15   119   Eddie Guerrero & Chris Jericho
   7  11  24   116   Hardy Boyz - Matt & Jeff
   5  20  10   105   Chris Candido & Lance Storm
   7   7   1    58   Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue
   1   9  12    56   Nation - D'Lo Brown & Mark Henry
   3   3   3    30   Psychosis & La Parka
   3   3   1    26   Genichiro Tenryu & Shiro Koshinaka
   1   4   2    21   Undertaker & Kane
   0   4   4    20   Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama
   3   0   0    15   Steve Austin & Undertaker
   3   0   0    15   Michiko Omukai & Yumi Fukawa
   1   2   2    15   Kane & Mankind
   1   2   1    13   Blue Meanie & Super Nova
   1   1   2    12   Legion of Doom 2000 - Animal & Hawk & Droz
   1   2   0    11   Brood - Gangrel & Edge & Christian
   0   1   4    11   Los Villanos - IV & V
   1   0   2     9   Harlem Heat - Stevie Ray & Booker T.
   1   0   1     7   Steiner Brothers - Rick & Scott
   1   0   1     7   Sonoko Kato & Meiko Satomura
   0   1   2     7   Raven & Kanyon
   0   2   0     6   Southern Justice - Dennis Knight & Mark Cantebury
   0   2   0     6   Kodo Fuyuki & Yukihiro Kanemura
   1   0   0     5   Shinjiro Otani & Tatsuhito Takaiwa
   1   0   0     5   Scott Steiner & Buff Bagwell
   1   0   0     5   Sable & Edge
   1   0   0     5   PhiDeKappa U - Bif & Chaz Wentworth
   1   0   0     5   Insane Clown Posse - Violent J. & Shaggy 2 Dope
   1   0   0     5   Godfather & Val Venis
   0   1   1     5   Hayabusa & Jinsei Shinzaki
   0   1   1     5   Disciples of Apocalypse - Skull & 8-Ball
   0   1   0     3   Scott Hall & Giant
   0   1   0     3   Rick Steiner & Kenny Kaos
   0   1   0     3   Oz Academy - ?
   0   1   0     3   Oddities - Kurrgan & Golga & Giant Silva & Princess Luna
   0   1   0     3   Kevin Nash & Sting
   0   1   0     3   Kanemoto & Wagner Jr.
   0   1   0     3   Kaientai - Dick Togo & Mens Teoh & Sho Funaki & Taka
                     Michinoku
   0   1   0     3   Chavo Jr. & Eddie Guerrero
   0   1   0     3   Cat & Sonny Onno
   0   0   1     2   Yukihiro Kanemura & Mr. Gannosuke
   0   0   1     2   Sting & Bret Hart
   0   0   1     2   Shinjiro Otani & Koji Kanemoto
   0   0   1     2   Pentagon & Abismo Negro
   0   0   1     2   New Midnight Express - Bombastic Bob & Bodacious Bart
   0   0   1     2   Nation - Rock & Owen Hart
   0   0   1     2   Masato Tanaka & Balls Mahoney
   0   0   1     2   Lance Storm & Chris Candido
   0   0   1     2   Hollywood Hogan & Karl Malone
   0   0   1     2   High Voltage - Robbie Rage & Kenny Kaos
   0   0   1     2   Full Blooded Italians - Tracy Smothers & Little Guido
   0   0   1     2   Disorderly Conduct - Mean Mike & Tough Tom
   0   0   1     2   Buff Bagwell & Scott Steiner
   0   0   1     2   Axl Rotten & Balls Mahoney

REJECTED

   1   0   0         Eliminators (time)
   1   0   0         Degeneration X (not a tag team)
   1   0   0         British Bulldog & Owen Hart (time)
   0   1   0         J.O.B. Squad (time)
   0   1   0         Eddie Guerrero
   0   0   1         Rick Steiner & Judy Bagwell

SVEN MASCARENHAS: Chris Candido and Lace Storm, when the angle wasn't taking
over, were a clean, smooth team with a host of great tag spots, could very well
have been the next Midnight Express. Too Much really had some fine stuff that
never made it into a mass market, and Alex and Disco rose above the usual WCW
tag team cesspool to have a very solid year.

CHRIS DILLON: Although Too Much have been totally jobbed 85% of the time, they
have made squash matches on shotgun a real treat - carrying talented indy high
spot machines to fun Saturday morning matches, taking great bumps, working the
crowd perfectly and being hilarious while doing it. Kawada and Taue also
deserve mention for the brilliant performance in the 97 tag leage. Koshinaka
and Tenryu were also awesome, by heavyweight stanards, this year.

VINCE MORALES: Candido & Storm were one of the best tag teams in 1998 because
they could go from fighting eachother in the match at one second and then doing
an amazing double team maneuver the next. Their wrestling skills can only be
matched by Sabu & Van Dam. The New Age Outlaws are just too over to ignore.

STONE COLD JAK: Tag team wrestling in America has become a pretty much dead
thing.  WCW has broken up the three most significant tag teams it had in the
last 18 months.  NAO has become the lone interesting team in wrestling. Yeah,
their workrate isnt the greatest, but that schtick rules.  Second was
Candido/Storm, one of the few highlights of ECW. Third, Sabu/Van Dam for being
one of the few teams that actually work together.

PHIL PRZYBYLO: The Outlaws take the top spot without a doubt. The only team
that people bothered to see and wanted to see every time out. The only tag team
worthy to be put on a PPV. Headbangers also did well, and showed that they
deserved their recent push and can only get better.

BEN MILLER: Anyone but the New Age Outlaws!

KEVIN PODSIADLIK: I disqualified all WCW tag teams since WCW has effectively
destroyed the concept of the tag team in their federation.

RYAN S.: I voted Goldberg as the Most Overated because he only has two moves,
but I didn't vote him as the worst wrestler because his matches are more
watchable than the Warriors (thanks to how short they are!). :)

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Their interviews lack, and their value to Biscoff is
questionable, but as wrestlers Benoit/Malenko ROCK! With Ozaki, Sato, and
Nagashima in the Oz Academy you can be assured of a great match. GAEA is lucky
to have them as a heel team to work off of. Third spot, I'll grudgingly give to
NAO, despite being way too over-rated.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Oh, you didn't know? The New Age Outlaws are *the* team in
Professional Wrestling. Period. They're the most popular tag team of the
decade, possibly ever. And I think they're pretty good workers too, despite
what certain people--you know who you are ;)--say. I'll give the Headbangers
second, since I like 'em and since they've *finally* gotten a push towards the
end of the year. I'd want to give three to Al Snow and Mankind, if only for the
concept alone, but seeing as they didn't team until just before the end of the
voting period, I'll give to, oh, Too Much. Just because. ;)

MIKE CHAPMAN:  Not a good year for tag-teams.

JON DENSEM: Not much choice here.  In North America anyway.  Bleah

JON WHITE: I'm probally the only not voting for the Outlaws, buy the only thing
they did was their entrance, and then the crowd went dead.

TOM ROBSON: The Dudleys were the best tag team this year.  That's really sad.
D-Von is pretty good in the ring and Buh Buh has his moments, but overall they
are only passable.  Sabu and Van Dam were good, but didn't team together nearly
enough. Steiner & Bagwell are the current WCW tag team champions, apparently,
so they MUST be good.

SUPERFAN SAM: The Worst part about this category was the lack of WCW
Nominees. With all of the great wrestlers in WCW it's sad to see Disorderly
Conduct as the only team nominated that regularly tags.

BRAVO SIERRA: The most difficult part of these decisions were remembering
enough candidates to fill in.

RYAN GRANT:  The New Age Outlaws aren't the most technically sound tag team
there has ever been, but I find their ringwork solid enough, and they
single-handedly picked a nearly dead division up out of the ashes.  Candido and
Storm were excellent together, with one of the better breakups I've seen in the
past few years.  The Headbangers consistently put on watchable matches, and are
one of the few tag teams left that actually use, like, Tag Team moves--props to
them for doing so.

K. CANZANELLA: The only real place to find good men's tag wrestling anymore is
in All Japan. So that's why my #1 and #2 votes, Kawada/Taue and Misawa/Akiyama,
are where they are. Both teams are great. Other than that, the only tag team I
recognize that comes close is the Hardy Boyz. They are the next Rockers.

A. WADE: Not a lot to pick from here...

LORIE: Tag teams don't stay together as long as they used to!

CHUY: Tag teams are almost dead now, but the NAO could be considered as the
most popular team ever in the WWF (take that Hart Foundation!!!)

JEREMY SORIA: There are so few tag teams that actually deserve the title of
Best Tag Team. Headbangers and Too Much deserves to be higher on the list, but
the NAO are the most visible, not to mention they were tag team titlists.

DANNY PORTER: New Age Outlaws were the only team in WWF or WCW to stand out at
all. It looks like WWF tag scene may improve next year, though.

SEAN SHANNON: In the wake of Stevie Richards' departure from ECW, Blue Meanie
and Super Nova should have just become a pure jobber tag team.  Instead they
first became the funniest tag team in the business, and then slowly gained the
talent to truly become the best tag team in the business.  They can play the
slapstick well, but when they want to wrestle, few teams can match their pure
ability.  New Age Outlaws take second place - who could have guessed that
they'd ever be a legitimate tag team one year ago, much less the heat magnets
that they've become?  Third goes to the team I consider the best of all time,
Harlem Heat - damn you to hell for breaking them up, Eric Bischoff.

JASON ROBAR: Does anybody else remember 10 years ago, when the tag team scene
was about a gazillion times better than it is now? [1. New Age Outlaws  2. Too
Much  3. Alex Wright and Disco Inferno]

JASON LANGIN: New Age Outlaws - They've beaten everyone, but I'm looking
forward to see them against the Brood and J.O.B. Squad.

MDB: In all truth, there should be no tag team of the year for 98.

RICK SCAIA: Tag team wrestling is a lost art, no dobut about it.  In the "Big
Two," the New Age Outlaws stand alone as the "trademark" team of the late 90's
(what the Road Warriors were for the late 80's and what the Steiners were for
the early 90's).  They're alright in the ring, but have a chemistry that really
distinguishes them above and beyond anyone else competing the the tag ranks,
IMODO.  For other worthy tag teams, you're pretty much limited to the WWF's
midcard ranks or ECW; personally, I think runner-up positions this year belong
to the under-rated Dudley Boys and the always entertaining Sabu and Rob Van Dam
(this is the first time I've ever voted for the same guy for both singles
wrestler of the year and best tag team!  Maybe RVD really is the whole fuckin'
show?).

ROBERT EVANS: Not much to choose from here, but NAO are waaaay over.

TOM CRUZ: Sabu and RVD are simply awesome in singles, but this doesn't
necessarily guarantee a good tag team. However these two have managed to pull
it off, as well as consistently hit the most spots of any team I've ever
seen. Meanie and Super Nova have turned themselves into a great wrestling tag
team, along with being a great team on the mic.

DEAN RASMUSSEN: Sonoko Kato & Meiko Satomura were absolutely fabulous against
EVERYONE and their girlish spunkiness became sheer womanly violence as they
both matured into total wrestling ass-kicking grapple vixens.  When they
decided to beat the fudge out of each, it got even better.  They get the major
assist from the brilliant booking of Chigusa and the guiding hands of KAORU and
Yamada who helped serve up three of the best tag matches I've seen in a while.
Akira Taue was the best wrestler in All Japan this year as he was the only one
wrestling with REAL spirit- despite getting reamed by Baba and Misawa as hard
as Kawada, Mossman and Akiyama were.  Kawada was weirdly inconsistent and
almost listless at times this year, but Taue always inspired him to deliver the
goods in tag matches.  The Hardys had some of the coolest matches I saw live in
the Indies and they rule. So there.

I. C. MICHAEL: As a huge fan of N.A. tag-team wrestling this category depresses
the Hell out of me.  I -really- miss the 80's and the Harts/Bulldogs,
Midnights/R&R, Warriors/Horsemen, and on and on... Tag wrestling is dead in
N.A.   1st: Alex Wright & Disco Inferno would have made pretty good U.S. Tag
Champs back in the day, but now they're the best tag team in N.A. almost  by
default. 2nd: Hardy Boyz - Matt & Jeff are actually quite the solid tag team,
but I don't think that the WWF will let them anywhere near the straps. 3rd:New
Age Outlaws - Jesse James & Billy Gunn are mediocre at best, but at least they
keep a minimal level of visibility for WWF tag team wrestling.

GARETH THOMAS: While none stand out, Kawada and Taue were awesome in the Real
World Tag League, and no other team this year could match their performances.
Tenryu and Koshinaka have been the best team in New Japan, and Chris Candido
and Lance Storm are the only American team to catch my attention.  Based on
interviews/charisma, the New Age Outlaws are here, but for in-ring work, they
don't make it.

HEATM: "Tag teams?  What are tag teams?" -- Eric Bischoff New Age Outlaws win
by default.  If the Hardy Boyz ever get a push, they will win this award next
year!  The Headbangers are the only true tag team in either division, so
they'll get the second place vote, despite the fact they didn't have too many
classics this year.  Eddie and Chris managed to entertain us with their antics
a few times on Nitro, so I'll give them the nod for third.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Heel

Award Description:

To be given to the person who was the best villain this past year. This
person should bring out the fans' wrath. Match quality is not paramount
here; this award should be based primarily on how over the wrestler was in
the past year.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Ted DiBiase
  1991: Cactus Jack
  1992: Jake Roberts
  1993: Big Van Vader
  1994: Bob Backlund
  1995: Big Van Vader
  1996: Steve Austin (Ring Master)
  1997: Shawn Michaels

**1998**: Mr. McMahon (Vince McMahon)

480 first place votes
462 second place votes
444 third place votes

 276  41  27  1557   Mr. McMahon
  64 106  76   790   Chris Jericho
  48  92  51   618   Rock
  40  77  46   523   Bret Hart
   4  17  35   141   D'Lo Brown
   7  10  17    99   Hollywood Hogan
   3  15  19    98   Shawn Michaels
   6   6  21    90   Shane Douglas
   3   9  20    82   Kane
   3  11   9    66   Justin Credible
   1   9  16    64   Buff Bagwell
   3   7  12    60   Raven
   3   5  14    58   Eddie Guerrero
   3  10   5    55   Buh Buh Ray Dudley
   2   7   8    47   Eric Bischoff
   1   6  12    47   Owen Hart
   1   4  15    47   Scott Steiner
   2   4   5    32   Undertaker
   1   5   5    30   Koji Kanemoto
   0   8   3    30   Ken Shamrock
   3   3   2    28   Scott Hall
   3   0   2    19   Mayumi Ozaki
   0   3   3    15   Alex Wright
   0   1   2     7   Curt Hennig
   0   2   0     6   Don Frye
   1   0   0     5   Mankind
   1   0   0     5   Fit Finlay
   0   0   2     4   Toshiaki Kawada
   0   0   2     4   Lance Storm
   0   1   0     3   Dudley Dudley
   0   1   0     3   Disco Inferno
   0   1   0     3   Brian Christopher
   0   0   1     2   Val Venis
   0   0   1     2   Tiger Ali Singh
   0   0   1     2   Shinjiro Ohtani
   0   0   1     2   Paul Bearer
   0   0   1     2   Ms. B. Haven (AWF)
   0   0   1     2   Mike Tyson
   0   0   1     2   Masahiro Chono
   0   0   1     2   Marc Mero
   0   0   1     2   Kevin Nash
   0   0   1     2   Kanyon
   0   0   1     2   Jeff Jarrett
   0   0   1     2   Hater
   0   0   1     2   Cat

REJECTED - not an individual
   1   1   2         Dudley Boys

NEIL MURPHY: Vince was the only heel worth a damn who stayed a heel for the
majority of the year.  Had Bret not turned face then heel and back a dozen
times, he might be worthy of a vote.

SVEN MASCARENHAS: The two former Nation members were easily the most hated
people in wrestling over the past year, combining good interviewing skills with
the physical mannerisms needed to get a live crowd on your case. Eddie was
nasty at times, particularly during the "Cheat to win" period.

KEITH WATANABE: Best heel should go to Mayumi Ozaki for her excellent efforts.
Most people might nominate the Rock just for his mic skills.  However, he
doesn't TEACH people wrestling and psychology.  Want proof?  Just look at the
Oz Academy.

CHRIS DILLON: Jericho has been a great heel, perfectly playing the role of the
guy the fans love to hate (as apposed to just hate, like Hogan and Jarrett)
with witty interviews, reasonably consistant ring work with geat matches vs
Prince, Dean, Rey and even most recently Raven and always bundles of heat. Koji
Kanemoto took his total heel bastard act up a few notches this year, and comes
second. Rock is a close third, as even as I think he's a very mediocre worker,
he really antagonised the crowd and really improved his ring presance and
persona.

VINCE MORALES: If I had a dollar for every time Buh Buh Ray Dudley incited a
riot I'd be a rich man.

STONE COLD JAK: Is there any doubt that with his Mr McMahon persona that Vince
McMahon has become the best heel wrestling has seen in the last decade.  As
opposed to his WCW counterpart, he's doing his part to get people over as
faces.  Without McMahon, Austin isnt the most over wrestler since the heyday of
Hulkamania. McMahon is evil personified.  In a year in which WCW shoved Hogan
even more down our throats, Chris Jericho became a major player in WCW without
even locking up with any nWo members.  His loopholes, speeches and antics are
easily the highlight every week of Nitro.   Bret Hart though he was wasted for
the first 9 months of his WCW career has become a true evil heel.

PHIL PRZYBYLO: The Rock and McMahon played upon people's pre-determined
emotions and catapulted themselves into stardom. The Rock's one year rise to
stardom is amazing. I came to believe that "Rocky Sucks" was part of his theme
song. And he never tried to be anyone but himself. McMahon was great the first
couple of months and last couple of months of his heel turn, but got stale in
the summer. Jericho rose above all to make Juventud Guerrera and Dean Malenko
interesting. He put out some hilarious interviews, but most of all, no matter
what he said, his confidence sky rocketed.

CAPTAIN FUMBLE: The Rock was, in my opinion, one of the most hate-able heels
until Summerslam. I totally marked out when he turned face immediately
afterward. NEVER BEFORE, since 1986, have I been so captured by face turn and
followed EXACTLY as the company played me for a mark.

RYAN S.: What's with Austin pulling a gun on Vince as a worst angle? Didn't you
find that entertaining and amusing? Besides it was downright funny!

GEORGE CARTER: Were thre any heels better than McMahon, Jericho or the Rock ? I
don't think so. McMahon wins it for me. Clearly the best actor in the
biz. Only if he didn't spend the past 15 years behind the mic annoying  us with
stupid comments such as "What a move !" and "1-2-3 !! He won !!  He won !! No
wait that was a 2 count", and didn't play the "evil  promoter" angle, I might
like even more now. I liked Jericho when he was  "collecting" things from all
his opponents, but the Rock that I want to  see is the one that was plotting to
overthrow Faarooq as the leader of  the Nation and the guy who gives his views
on the homeless, that was  classic Rock.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Despite some bouts of over-acting, Vince is far and away the
winner here. Ohtani was really shining this whole year in his feud with
Liger. And ya gotta love that smarmy grin on that bastard's face. Third was
tough; I was thinking either Lioness Asuka or Carol Midori in LLPW. But I
thought back to a few NJ matches earlier in the voting period-- Don Frye was a
man possessed. I thought the crowd in Fukuoka Dome was going to jump the
railings and kill the guy. He got *that* much heel heat. So he got the second
spot over Ohtani instead.

STEPHEN TISZENKEL: Rob Van Dam can say whatever he wants, but in WCW, Chris
Jericho really IS the F'N show.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Just listen to the pure hatred that just *glows* from the TV
screen whenever Mr. McMahon shows his face... that, ladies and gentlemen is a
heel. People will argue that he's stale and/or overacted but I think the first
is just plain *not* true and the second may be, but I think it's necessary for
the role he's playing. The Rock gets second--and I put him third for Best
Babyface too...--cause a few months ago the man was getting 'Rocky Sucks'
chants before he showed his face in the arena. He wasn't just oe of the best
heels of the year, he was one of the best heels of all time. The face turn
changes nothing. Oh, and you've gotta love, 'Vince, the Rock thinks you should
fire him.' And since I'm running long here, I'll just say that Chris Jericho
gets third for being a great, hilarious old style heel.

TOMMY-O: Everybody HATES Hogan, right?  Probably worse than anyone.    That
makes him the "best" heel

MIKE CHAPMAN:  People seem to really want Chris Jericho dead, and Shawn has
always been one of the best heels ever.

JON WHITE: Not a good year for heels.  Except for McMahon.

ADAM BONIN: Wow, was this tough to call.  Eddy gets a mention for his work in
the first half of the year, with the great Malenko and Chavo feuds.  Great mike
work, great wrestling.  Michaels?  Even for a partial year, he still deserves
credit for building that Wrestlemania fight into a must-see, even when we all
knew the result in advance.  But Jericho -- o captain, my captain! -- man of
1004 holds, legal eagle extraordinary, tormentor of Joe Joe Dillon, I promise
that ignoring your abilities will never . . . . EVER happen again.

CLINT MAYHER: I personally think McMahon missed his true calling in the world
of wrestling. Imagine some of the great angles that could've happened in the
big 80's between McMahon the evil tyrant and "The Hulkster"!

TOM ROBSON: McMahon wins this one hands down.  This year he has trumped any
other performance by a heel I have ever seen in my six years or so of watching
wrestling, and in my tape collection.  He was just downright nasty and the fans
really wanted to kill him.  VINCE made Raw the show to watch, not Steve Austin.
Jericho proved that a smaller wrestler can draw big heat in WCW, as he may be
the most unpopular person in the federation not named Hogan.  (But Hogan is
unpopular for so many more reasons).  D-Lo is a talented young superstar who
developed a cocky attitude and fans started to take notice. They just don't
like him, and he plays off them well.

SUPERFAN SAM: Bret Hart was an absolute heat machine the entire year.

RYAN GRANT:  Vince wins this one running away.  From his "I didn't want to
knock him out!" interview before Wrestlemania to his firing of Steve Austin and
feuding with his son, McMahon was absolute, diabolical gold.  The Rock did the
arrogance thing better than Rick Martel ever could have dreamed, and the heat
he drew with those "ROCKY SUCKS!" chants was just plain fun to listen to.  D-Lo
really started to come into his own after Farooq got turfed out (and after the
DX parody), and I loved his Champion of Europe gimick.

K. CANZANELLA: Eddy frickin' Guerrero is the bestest heel, senor. EDDY SUCKS!
EDDY SUCKS! Hogan can run for president, rip out Nash's vocal cords and poop on
Goldberg after a squash win and he'll never draw heat like that, no matter how
much piping heel heat or propaganda they spread. Bret hart is number two. He is
a great dick heel, and will break your leg if you don't agree. I chose D'Lo
third, because he draws great heat for his push, and is a good worker to boot.

A. WADE:  Vince is the story of the year in wrestling.

CHUY: At least, Vince was there in the ring for a couple of times... almost
twice the workload Sting had last year!!

JEREMY SORIA: Chris Jericho and Buff Bagwell have made it a lot of fun to be
the bad guy. I must say Buff's fake-out at Fall Brawl knocked him down on the
list a notch.

DANNY PORTER: You would think that wrestlers should make the best
heels. Unfortunately, most heel wrestlers are tweeners and the actual heels are
bad ones.  The promoters take it here.

SHANE ANDERSON: McMahon is the ultimate prick boss, people start to cheer
Jericho and he can turn them on him in a second, Dudley Boyz give new meaning
to riot squad

SEAN SHANNON: Can there be any doubt that Vince McMahon had this award sealed
up months ago?  People who got a chance to see McMahon play a heel in the USWA
said that McMahon was perfect at it; now all of us know how true that is.  Buh
Buh Ray Dudley places a solid second, and in a way almost plays a heel TOO
well, given what's been happening this past year at ECW shows.  Rocky Maivia is
solid in third place for playing off his old super-push so well in making us
hate him ... at least until SummerSlam, when his ability won us all
over. Who'da thunk of that one last year?

JASON LANGIN: The Rock - He was so hated that he started to be liked for a bit
and then when he turned on the fans, they hated him more!

MDB: Austin v. Undertaker now is showing how good Vince's heel made Austin's
face.  Though Vince doesn't really deserve accolades for being a prick.
Jericho and Bret, now there were great guys playing heels we could love to
hate.

RICK SCAIA: In an age where shades of grey are dominant and the "bad" guy is
more likely to get cheered than booed, being a great heel is next to
impossible.  Vince McMahon, however, has made it look easy.  He knew he was the
"bad guy" after screwing Bret Hart and just took it from there.  The
storytelling that makes Vince the heel has been great, and so has his level of
performance.  For runners-up, only Rocky Maivia and Shane Douglas stand out in
my mind as guys really likely to get booed and who actually have a sense of how
to make a crowd hate them without resorting exclusively to cheap heat tactics
(though both are also very good at knowing when it's right to grab some cheap
heat!).

TOM CRUZ: Jericho is the only real heel in WCW without an organization to lean
on like the LWO or the NWO. As for MR McMahon, his heel turn (stemming from a
real-life incident) was the impetus for the WWF to begin winning the ratings
wars again. Vince is a genius, that's all there is to it. Bret, after a few
months of doing nothing in WCW, managed to finally get some direction, and has
become a mega-dick heel in WCW.

DEAN RASMUSSEN: I voted for Koji Kanemoto, Alex Wright,Mayumi Ozaki because
Kanemoto and Ozaki are just great farking workers who happen to be heels and
because Alex Wright had a post-broken leg Kanemotoesque comeback from brain
surgery to become a really top flight North American worker and he also happens
to be a GREAT heel.

GARETH THOMAS: Best Heel Vince isn't even a wrestler, but became the most hated
man in wrestling in '98, so takes thie.  Rocky Maivia was a great heel for the
first eight months, improving on interviews, charisma, mannerisms and workrate,
and after becoming a heel again, is continuing to improve.  Now looking to
Japan, Kanemoto has been my favourite heel this year.

JONATHAN SNOWDEN: Vince McMahon has made himself the best heel in the
business.

HEATM: Rock gets my vote, just because for the last eight months, he has been
the best damn heel there ever was.  Mr. McMahon was great as a heel too, but a
lot of the people just hate him in the same way they hate Hollywood Hogan and
Eric Bischoff -- that is not a true heel.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Babyface

Award Description:

To be given to the person who best portrayed the hero this past year. This
person should get lots of fan support. Match quality is not paramount here;
this award should be based primarily on how over the wrestler was in the
past year.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Hulk Hogan
  1991: Brian Pillman
  1992: Sting
  1993: Bret Hart
  1994: Bret Hart
  1995: Shawn Michaels
  1996: Shawn Michaels
  1997: Steve Austin

**1998**: Stone Cold Steve Austin

472 first place votes
446 second place votes
432 third place votes

 309  48  20  1729   Steve Austin
  35  80  51   517   Rock
  13  99  46   454   Goldberg
  20  31  49   291   Diamond Dallas Page
  17  18  28   195   Sting
  17  17  29   194   Dude Love
   4  26  32   162   Sable
   9  22  17   145   X-Pac
   6  19  11   109   Rey Mysterio Jr.
  11   6  14   101   Ric Flair
   2  14  16    84   Tommy Dreamer
   4   7  14    69   Kevin Nash
   2   8  14    62   Juventud Guerrera
   0   9  12    51   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
   2   6   6    40   Al Snow
   2   1  10    33   Jushin Liger
   2   3   4    27   Mitsuharu Misawa
   1   2   6    23   Perry Saturn
   2   2   2    20   Kidman
   0   3   4    17   Dean Malenko
   1   1   4    16   Undertaker
   3   0   0    15   Manami Toyota
   2   1   1    15   Shawn Michaels
   0   2   3    12   Taz
   0   2   3    12   Ken Shamrock
   0   2   3    12   Booker T.
   0   3   1    11   Bret Hart
   0   1   4    11   Val Venis
   1   0   2     9   Owen Hart
   1   1   0     8   Chris Jericho
   1   1   0     8   Chris Benoit
   0   2   1     8   Hayabusa
   0   2   1     8   Blue Meanie
   1   0   1     7   Taka Michinoku
   0   1   2     7   Sandman
   0   0   3     6   Lex Luger
   1   0   0     5   PrimeTime (PWA)
   1   0   0     5   Norman Smiley
   1   0   0     5   La Parka
   1   0   0     5   Chaos (IPW)
   0   1   1     5   Terry Funk
   0   0   2     4   Chavo Guerrero Jr.
   0   1   0     3   Ultimo Dragon
   0   1   0     3   Silver King
   0   1   0     3   Mikey Whipwreck
   0   1   0     3   Masato Tanaka
   0   0   1     2   Warrior
   0   0   1     2   Tiger Dream (Candy Okutsu)
   0   0   1     2   Spike Dudley
   0   0   1     2   Shane McMahon
   0   0   1     2   Sabu
   0   0   1     2   Patriot
   0   0   1     2   New Jack
   0   0   1     2   Konnan
   0   0   1     2   Kaz Hayashi
   0   0   1     2   Jesse James
   0   0   1     2   Jerry Lynn
   0   0   1     2   Golga
   0   0   1     2   Alda Moreno

REJECTED - not individuals

   0   1   1         D-generation X
   0   0   1         New Age Outlaws

SHAWN MULLIN: Dean Malenko is in at #3 because he was the truest face this year
in his feud with Jericho.

SVEN MASCARENHAS: Austin and X-Pac should be obvious; Saturn did a good job of
getting the fans behind him once the turn finally happened.

KEITH WATANABE: Best Babyface should go to Manami Toyota.  She's consistent to
say the least, but I think she deserves this award just for sticking with AJW
against a tide of terrible economics.  Tell any other wrestler who perceives
themselves as a babyface to sacrifice money and body for some cause and maybe
I'll lend my ears to them.

CHRIS DILLON: If you've ever seen any of La Parka's Mexican matches, you'll
know why I voted for him #1. He's really funny, an awesome worker and the fans
absolutely love him. A close 2nd is Rey Jr, although he was out for most of the
year, he is still really over and a joy to watch. #3 is Steve Austin - sure he
doesn't do rana's or fly through tables, but for pure entertainment to sit back
and relax to it doesn't come much more fun than Austin vs Dude Love.

STONE COLD JAK: The days of the baby hugging face are over. All 3 of my choices
dont slap hands and do what Hogan used to.  Austin has managed to make every
single WWF crowd end up totally at his feet, begging for more of his antics.
What person cant identify with his fight against his boss, his desire to kick
some ass and down a few beers.  He's the American Dream, not Dusty.  Kevin Nash
is one of the coolest people in wrestling.  His turn against Hogan has brought
him huge popularity without the benefit of a main event push.   The People's
champion managed to make the transition from despised heel to main event
babyface in about 3 months.  He really is the People's champ.

RYAN S.: What's with Mark Henry's poems and sexual harassment suit as a worst
angle? The angle hasn't completely worked and even if it makes little since
right now it'll all fall into place. Besides, I think it makes perfect since,
cuz he's got something for her. This is a killer angle and very funny.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Austin is starting to get old and stale, but that bastard is
OVER. Misawa? Number 2? Yep. I saw him live twice this year, and NO ONE gets a
bigger face pop than Misawa. Even when he loses. And with Candy Okutsu coming
out of retirement and shocking the hell out of everyone with her newly healed
back, she showed a lot of guts, and put on some damn hot matches.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Kee-rash. 'Nuff said. You haven't seen a face pop until you've
seen a Steve Austin entrance. It's that simple. And the merchandise sales
certainly help. (Bill) Goldberg gets second. Say what you will about the man's
lack of wrestling ability and charisma, but he's easily the most viable
babyface in WCW today. Not that that's saying much... And third goes to the
Rock. I figure anyone who goes from just about the biggest heel reception in
the fed to Austinesque face pops within weeks deserves it. And ain't it
interesting that none of these guys are classic hand-slapping faces? Times they
are a-changin', methinks.

DAVID SPENCER: Sting as best babyface applies only to the "Crow" sting.

JON WHITE: Even though I hate Nash and Goldberg, they got a lot of heat.

TOM ROBSON: Austin and Maivia don't fit the classic babyface definition, but
they knew exactly how to get the fans to love them.  They played off their
energy so well that they energized the entire federation.  Spike is just great,
because he's so little and so insane, the fans love him.  He stomps around and
they eat it up.

RYAN GRANT:  Where the WWF had all the good heels, the WCW has the market
cornered on faces.  Goldberg harkens back to the days of lore when there was
only black and white, and he's decidedly in the white.  Flair may well be the
dirtiest player in the game, but his situation with Bischoff made him a
babyface to me and many others--additionally, he's done a great job in the past
year of putting folks like Hennig and Syxx over.  DDP is the logical choice for
third, for making fun of Hollywood Scum Hogan every chance he gets.

K. CANZANELLA: Misawa is the best babyface. Not only does he draw the
neccescary heat to prove, but he also draws big crowds too. Juvy is second,
because he managed to get over big as a face, despite his effeminite looks,
small size, and crappy non-Kidman fueds and booking. FOr the sake of it, Austin
gets three, for carrying the WWF into beating WCW over hte Summer andbeing
there top draw.

KEVIN WONG: I know Survivor Series doesn't really count, but the facts are that
The Rock was  _way_ over as a face.  Goldberg's on by virtue of his popularity
with almost zero mic time

A. WADE:  Not a lot of true babyfaces left, really.

CHUY: Stone Cold should be considered a Heel but I think my vote would be
rejected... everyone loves him so he is the ultimate face... Ultimo is the
classic face... Alda is the small inocent girl who is the face by default in
any match she is in...

JEREMY SORIA: Whether SCSA likes it or not, he is the hottest face in the
business. Goldberg doesn't come close in this aspect.

SHANE ANDERSON: I hate Austin, Goldberg & DDP but they keep getting HUGE
pops,so I guess they're doing something right

SEAN SHANNON: Last year it was questionable whether or not Steve Austin was a
babyface; with Vince McMahon becoming the "evil boss," Austin was clearly a
good guy now, and he played the "common man" role to perfection.  Terry Funk
gets second place for his simple elegance and playing up to his legend so
well. Tommy Dreamer takes third for being such a good guy without running into
the typical good guy cliches (see: Diamond Dallas Page).

JASON LANGIN: Steve Austin - It's hard calling "Stone Cold" a babyface but he
got the biggest pops all year.

MDB: Babyfaces should be heroes, not asskickers or 'good' guys who are just
looking out for themselves.  Rey Misterio Jr. was the only guy that played a
classic good guy this year.

RICK SCAIA: Austin and Goldberg.  Goldberg and Austin.  It's a toss up as to
who gets bigger crowd responses, who sells more t-shirts, who is more popular.
But Austin never had canned heat helping him out, so I go with him this year.
Both guys are amazing, though.  In third place, I gotta go with the Rock.
Without a real effort to turn him on the part of the WWF, the fans really
forced Titan's hand.  From the company's best heel to it's second biggest
babyface at the end of the voting year?  That's impressive.

ROBERT EVANS: Remember when everyone thought Val Venis was a terrible gimmick?
How come he's so over?

I. C. MICHAEL: 1st:Steve Austin - Who else? I'm going to wait a couple of years
before I'll join in the chorus proclaiming he's eclipsed Hogan's 80's run, but
in terms of [current] fan support there's no one better. 2nd:Kevin Nash -
Really sucks in the ring, but has the most personality of any WCW
headliner. 3rd:Val Venis - Maybe not an obvious choice, but this guy is
incredible. I -hate- the gimmick, but  the harder the WWF tries to make him a
heel the more over he becomes as a face.

GARETH THOMAS: Steve Austin and Bill Goldberg are #1 and #2, because they get
the loudest pops, and sell the most tickets.  Then it comes down to the top
face in All Japan and New Japan, who are Misawa and probably Hashimoto.  Hash
didn't have a dominant year, but Misawa has had two Triple Crown reigns.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Worker

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler with, on average, the best workrate. In 1994,
this award was split into three: North American, Non-North American, and
overall.  In 1998, it was recombined into one.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Ric Flair / Randy Savage (tie)
  1991: Jushin Liger
  1992: Jushin Liger
  1993: Bret Hart
  1994: (overall/NA) Sabu
  1994: (non-NA)     Chris Benoit
  1995: (overall/NA) Shawn Michaels
  1995: (non-NA)     Chris Benoit
  1996: (overall/NA) Rey Mysterio, Jr.
  1996: (non-NA)     Jushin Liger
  1997: (overall/NA) Shawn Michaels
  1997: (non-NA)     Taka Michinoku

**1998**: Mankind (Cactus Jack / Dude Love / Mick Foley)

469 first place votes
445 second place votes
434 third place votes

 158  54  30  1012   Mankind
  64  45  33   521   Chris Benoit
  29  29  38   308   Chris Jericho
  27  24  44   295   Kidman
  25  28  27   263   Rob Van Dam
  26  29  19   255   Shawn Michaels
  11  28  34   207   X-Pac
  10  23  17   153   Juventud Guerrera
  13  12  21   143   Steve Austin
   7  16  20   123   Booker T.
  10  17   9   119   Dean Malenko
   5  14  11    89   Al Snow
   6  15   5    85   Diamond Dallas Page
   8   6  13    84   Owen Hart
   4  10  12    74   D'Lo Brown
   3  10  14    73   Rey Mysterio Jr.
   7   5   2    54   Jushin Liger
   1  10   8    51   Rock
   3   2  14    49   Perry Saturn
   3   6   5    43   Bret Hart
   4   6   0    38   Taka Michinoku
   4   5   1    37   Jerry Lynn
   4   3   3    35   Mitsuharu Misawa
   4   2   4    34   Fit Finlay
   5   2   0    31   Disco Inferno
   2   3   5    29   Eddie Guerrero
   2   1   6    25   Masato Tanaka
   2   4   0    22   Sabu
   0   4   5    22   Chris Candido
   3   0   1    17   Toshiaki Kawada
   1   2   3    17   Bam Bam Bigelow
   2   1   1    15   Raven
   1   2   2    15   Psychosis
   2   0   2    14   Hikari Fukuoka
   2   1   0    13   Kenta Kobashi
   1   2   1    13   Jun Akiyama
   0   2   2    10   Hayabusa
   1   0   2     9   Kanyon
   0   1   3     9   Ken Shamrock
   1   1   0     8   Tommy Dreamer
   0   2   1     8   Val Venis
   1   0   1     7   La Parka
   0   2   0     6   Randy Savage
   0   2   0     6   Lance Storm
   1   0   0     5   Vader
   1   0   0     5   Terrance Black
   1   0   0     5   Reese
   1   0   0     5   Norman Smiley
   1   0   0     5   Lex Luger
   1   0   0     5   Koji Kanemoto
   1   0   0     5   Jason Kidman
   0   1   1     5   Terry Funk
   0   1   1     5   Kiyoshi Tamura
   0   0   2     4   Jeff Jarrett
   0   1   0     3   Taz
   0   1   0     3   Silver King
   0   1   0     3   Lenny Lane
   0   1   0     3   Kevin Nash
   0   1   0     3   Hijo del Santo
   0   1   0     3   Hacksaw Jim Duggan
   0   1   0     3   Goldust
   0   1   0     3   Goldberg
   0   1   0     3   Brian Christopher
   0   0   1     2   Violent J
   0   0   1     2   Spike Dudley
   0   0   1     2   Shane Douglas
   0   0   1     2   Sandman
   0   0   1     2   Mayumi Ozaki
   0   0   1     2   Edge
   0   0   1     2   Cat

REJECTED

   0   3   3         Mankind (duplicate votes)
   1   0   0         Guerrero (which one?)
   0   0   1         Chris Benoit (duplicate vote)

SVEN MASCARENHAS: I didn't see a bad match out of Kidman this year. Taka, when
he actually did wrestle, was much better than average, and Booker T forced me
to like him... not an easy task.

KEITH WATANABE: Best Worker at the moment should go to Hikari Fukuoka.  She
isn't at Manami Toyota's level during Toyota's prime, but Hikari probably is
the best female worker out there now.  She has an incredible array of finishers
to boast.  Shawn Michaels has what?  A back kick?  What kind of finisher is
that?

CHRIS DILLON: The top worker in the world in my opinion is Chris Benoit. He
always gives it his all every match, no matter who his opponent is. Second and
third are Akiyama and Psicosis, respectively, who both really impressed me with
their workrate this year.

VINCE MORALES: Nothing in the world can compare to what Mankind went through at
King of the RIng and I dont think nothing ever will.

PHIL PRZYBYLO: It should simply be called "The Mick Foley Award". Enough
said. Although Savage has been out, he put on some decent matches with one leg
for a couple of months. Benoit is a given among best workers are concerned.

RYAN S.: Once again, what's up with nomination Val Venis stealing anyone's
wives as a worst angle? What's with all of the 'Worsts' for Val? He's some
funny. I know, you'll probably ask, do you think wrestling is funny or
something, but yeah I do. I love wrestling, but comedy has a place in wrestling
and WWF is pulling all of these stunts perfectly. It's all funny. Besides, if
he were to steal Yamaguchi-San's wife, then why wouldn't it make since for him
to wanna steal Runnels' wife? It makes sense, so why the worst angle nominee?
This is all comic stuff here, and it all kicks @$$.

GEORGE CARTER: Is there anyone who works harder than Mic Foley ??? Kidman has
always  been impressive, but now he's finally getting the recognition that he
deserves.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Austin and Michaels were injured for too much of the voting
period, and I don't consider getting thrown off of a cage "workrate". It's
tough for me to pick, but I'll say Jericho takes top spot, but the other 2 are
tossups. Ozaki and especially Kobashi put together some fantastic matches this
year, so I'll pick them.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: See Mankind. See Mankind fly off cage. See Mankind fly *through*
cage. See Mankind get up! He's not as well-rounded as, well, a lot of other
people, but the man's earned it. Steve Austin gets second. The fact that the
minute he disappears from the top match, its quality decreases dramatically has
gotta mean *something*... Finally, I figure that any man that can work a ****
or thereabouts match with his back completely screwed up like Shawn Michaels
did at WMXIV deserves *some* mention. Oh, and there is the fact that may be the
last time I ever get to vote for him helps. I realize that Rey Mysterio and
Billy Kidman and whatnot oughta be in here somewhere... but, well, none of
their matches are really gonna stick in my mind in a few months
time. Austin-Michaels, or Austin-Taker, or HitC2 or even the three-way from
Breakdown will. Kidman probably gets fourth though...

OTTO "HACK-MAN" HEUER: It was hard to narrow this one down to the best three,
as there are a lot of guys that work their assess off out there just about
every night.  Well, actually, picking #1 wasn't hard, as there is no one in the
ring today that puts more into it than Chris Benoit.  I feel really bad about
leaving Cactus Jack, Kidman, Gutz and PrimeTime (both from PWA), Lenny Lane,
Jerry Lynn, LaParka, and Taka off th list, but I ended up giving the final two
slots to Psychosis and X-Pac for the insane bumps they take and the fact that
they seem to love the biz so much that they'd work their asses off even if
there were only 100 people in the crowd.

TOMMY-O: The man went off the top of a cage into a table, and    not a few
minutes later goes through the cage and THEN    gets slammed onto thumbtacks
--- if that ain't work, nothin' is

MIKE CHAPMAN:  I'd like to fit Kidman on here too, since his matches with Juvi
were some of the best action this year.

JON DENSEM: I only vote for Misawa by word of mouth.

JON WHITE: Xpac was the most consistant in the WWF so he gets #3.  Juvi and
Kidman were just great for the whole year.

JM SANTOS:  No one has given us more interesting, quality matches in the past
few months than Kidman and Juvi.

TOM ROBSON: Foley redefined hard work this year, as he carried the WWF's main
events from WrestleMania through King of the Ring.  He took the hardcore bumps,
but he also knew how to pace the matches with Austin and how to make sure both
guys looked good.  Benoit and Booker T deserve any awards they can get for that
series of matches this spring.  Those recalled some of my favorite Flair-
Steamboat matches in terms of workrate.

SUPERFAN SAM: Jun Akiyama was amazing this past year and should get the Triple
Crown in 1999. I wondered if anyone in WCW noticed Benoit, although having to
job in 5 consecutive PPV's, was still wrestling circles around everyone else in
the federation.

RYAN GRANT:  Does anyone in the sport today work harder than Mick Foley?  Has
anyone EVER worked harder than Mick Foley?  To the first I give a definite "Oh,
HELL NO!", and that's why Mick makes the top of the list.  Lenny had the
brilliant summer series with Justin Credible, worked a great PPV match with
Lance Storm, and also had (IMO) the best free TV match of the year when he took
on Rob Van Dam.  Booker T had the guttiest single-night performance I've ever
seen when he took on Rick Martel and Saturn in consecutive matches at
SuperBrawl, both of which were at least ***.

K. CANZANELLA: My #1 and 2 best workers are the same as my #1 and 2 best
wrestler picks. Juventud Guerrera gets number three, because he basically makes
everyone around him look GREAT in the WCW cruiser division.

A. WADE:  Dean gets the nod because he does it with so little fanfare.

CHUY: Kidman and Juvi worked hard all around the year, in Nitro, Thunder and
PPVs, while Hijo del Santo, as in every year, was all around Mexico getting
into feuds and exposing his mask as a madman.

JEREMY SORIA: I still maintain that Ken Shamrock carried SCSA that one time
they met on Raw/War Zone back in September.

SEAN SHANNON: There's no better total package in active competition right now
than Rob van Dam; even if he half-assed it in the ring he'd still be
incredible, but he's constantly turning it up to 11 every time he goes out
there.  Shawn Michaels is the best ever, and always gives 100% in the ring; he
only gets second this year because he was out half the year.  Shawn should get
a special award for his performance at WrestleMania when he was obviously in so
much pain.  Masato Tanaka took ECW by storm with his pure effort in the ring,
and should get a badge of courage for all those insane chairshots he takes.

JASON LANGIN: Mick Foley - All his matches are fun to watch.

GARETH THOMAS: Kanemoto has consistently been the best worker in the world, in
numerous tags and six mans with Otani and Takaiwa, and in singles matches
including the Best of Super Junior Tournament.  Kiyoshi Tamura is the best in
the business at making a work look like a shoot.  And while Misawa was injured
and Kobashi gained more and more weight, Akiyama shone as the best worker in
All Japan this year.

HEATM: Lots to choose from here.  Chris Benoit will forever and always be the
king of workrate.  From there it gets interesting.  There's a whole bunch of
names to choose from.  I'll give the nod to Mankind for second place.  This
isn't a category for best *workrate* -- it's a category for best *worker*.  No
one works harder in wrestling than Mankind.  Look at KOTR for proof.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Jobber

Award Description:

To be given to the Professional Loser that does an incredible job of putting
his name opponent over. Maybe the bumps that this person takes are just that
much more spectacular than other PLs. After seeing a match with this person,
you feel sorry about the punishment he/she took and realize how good it made
his/her name opponent look.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Barry Horowitz
  1991: Rip Rogers
  1992: Barry Horowitz
  1993: Barry Horowitz
  1994: Barry Horowitz
  1995: Barry Horowitz
  1996: Barry Horowitz
  1997: Spike Dudley

**1998**: Lenny Lane

435 first place votes
387 second place votes
357 third place votes

 130  64  25   892   Lenny Lane
 105  61  51   810   Barry Horowitz
  26  29  27   271   Brooklyn Brawler (possibly ineligible)
  19  30  25   235   Scott Putski
  11  21  25   168   Johnny Swinger
  13  14   2   111   Norman Smiley *
  12  10  10   110   Evan Karagias
   5  13  18   100   Scott Armstrong
  11   8   8    95   Fallen Angel Chris Daniels
   4  10  15    80   Steve Armstrong
   3   9   9    60   Gambler
   1   8  13    55   Johnny Attitude
   6   4   2    46   Jerry Flynn *
   2   5   9    43   Road Block
   2   6   7    42   Hardbody Harrison
   4   3   4    37   Horshu
   4   3   3    35   Jason Arndht
   0   5  10    35   David Jericho
   3   3   5    34   Scorpio *
   5   0   3    31   La Parka *
   4   3   1    31   Disco Inferno *
   4   1   3    29   Marc Mero *
   3   2   4    29   Reno Riggins
   2   2   6    28   Lodi *
   3   2   2    25   Al Snow
   1   5   1    22   Barry Houston
   1   4   2    21   Brad Armstrong *
   1   2   3    17   Jeff Hardy
   2   1   1    15   Lou Marconi
   1   3   0    14   Rick Fuller
   1   1   1    10   Matt Hardy
   1   1   1    10   Danny Doring
   0   2   2    10   Tom Brandi
   1   0   0     5   Super Crazzy
   1   0   0     5   G. I. Bro
   1   0   0     5   Dark Angel
   1   0   0     5   C. G. Afi
   1   0   0     5   Billy Pearl
   0   1   1     5   Steve Corino
   0   0   2     4   Dr. X
   0   1   0     3   Wayne Bloom
   0   1   0     3   Steve Armstorng
   0   1   0     3   Stan Lane (eligible?)
   0   1   0     3   Spike Dudley
   0   1   0     3   Nick Dinsmore
   0   1   0     3   Kazayuki Fujita
   0   0   1     2   Steve Boz
   0   0   1     2   Johny Swinger
   0   0   1     2   Frankie Lancaster
   0   0   1     2   Doc Dean
   0   0   1     2   Dale Torborg
   0   0   1     2   Bryan Walsh
   0   0   1     2   Big Sal E. Graziano

REJECTED

   too many to list - mostly non-jobbers and Jtts's, some
   tag teams, a few "tie" votes, and even some titleholders.
   This category is a pain in the ass and I might just do away
   with it next year.

* = nominated in Jobber to the Stars category but received
    significant votes here (>20 points) so I left 'em in



SVEN MASCARENHAS: Surprisingly, Shotgun doesn't sweep, as it's ARNDHT~!, Lane
and ANGEL~! here.

CHRIS DILLON: Fallen Angel, David Jericho and Steve Boz have all had memorable
matches against TAKA and/or KDX this year on Shotgun. For workrate, these
matches far excede 95% of what the WWF has on it's Pay Per View shows - it's a
darn shame they totally messed up the Jr division.

VINCE MORALES: Anyone who jobs to Goldberg I feel bad for.

TODD GERTH: I voted for Barry Houston and almost voted for Johnny Swinger based
solely on their matches with Norman Smiley.  Maybe 'Black Magic' is the demonic
art of making jobbers look good.

GEORGE CARTER: Lenny Lane is one of the most entertaining jobber I have ever
seen  in my life ! His "People's Legdrop" is classic ! Give this man a push so
I can vote for him next year as "Best Jobber ot the Stars". Also Barry
Horowitz alsways got my vote as either "best" or "runner-up" as Jobber  of the
year. Then Johnny Swinger is OK, so I decided t ovote for him.

JAMES FABIANO: Lenny Lane gets first for being entertaining.  Fallen Angel and
David Jericho had some good light heavyweight matches with the WWF regulars on
Shotgun.

OTTO "HACK-MAN" HEUER: I have a problem with Lenny Lane being a jobber but
Jerry Flynn being a jobber to the stars.  I sent in nominations for Lane as
JTTS and Flynn for J but I guess my opinions were outvoted. :-/ [I tried to
keep each guy in only one category and made a judgment call - I remembered
Flynn getting actual WINS and Lane not, although Lane WAS in a PPV - tough call
but heavy lies the head and all that. - CRZ]

BRAVO SIERRA: The most difficult part of these decisions were remembering
enough candidates to fill in.

RYAN GRANT:  Lane could pull a good match out of a corpse, and whenever I see
Attitude and Swinger I always wish I could see more of them.

A. WADE:  I'd vote for someone other than Horowitz, but he's a man doomed to
live without a push so this is the best recognition he can get.

CHUY: The good old jober job (glup!) is in extintion with the uprising card
quality b/c the monday night wars... if not for Goldberg, Jobers would be
unemployed!! I really wanted to include Micheal Myers here... I mean, he did
the job to Jamie for the third time... and Jamie is a star, isn't she?

JEREMY SORIA: Lenny Lane has made his job a lot of fun. Gotta love some of the
ways he poked fun at some of the folks he lost to. Bryan Walsh is an underrated
and little-known jobber out of New England... he always puts forth a nice
effort whenever he has to go on Shotgun to job.

MICHAEL NAIMARK: In terms of 'true' jobrones, WCW's Jerry Flynn can be counted
on to work a solid match with almost any style, and works shootstyle better
than anyone else in North America.

SEAN SHANNON: There's probably going to be a lot of conflict over who's a
jobber and who's a JTTS, but for my sake I boiled it down to one thing: did
this person win a match during the year to my recollection?  And surprise
surprise, take a look at the WWF's horribly misbooked lightheavyweight
division, and three great high-flyers by the names of Super Loco, Mens Teioh
and Shoichi Funaki have been losing their little asses off.  They're terrific
wrestlers, but the WWF just got totally off the ball with them, especially
after Taka Michinoku's heel turn.

REV. RAY DUFFY: Barry Horowitz is the undisputed King of Jobbers, so  there.
Lenny Lane was good this year.  Johnny Swinger isn't the best, but  he gets on
the list for taking the infamous "WCW Saturday Night" Fit Finlay  knee drop
where Fit tells the ref to "watch this" right before trying to  cave in
Swinger's nose.

JASON LANGIN: Barry Horowitz - I don't think anyone is truly deserving this
year, go with the old mainstay.

MDB: HAIL ROADBLOCK~!

HEATM: Lenny Lane always has a smile on his face despite never winning and
taking hard bumps for his opponent.  Definitely my first choice.  Barry
Horowitz invented the term jobber so he's #2.  Horshu has a hilarious gimmick,
so he's #3.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Jobber to the Stars

To be given to the "Superstar" who has no problem defeating "real" jobbers,
but for some reason can't score the victory when facing comparable opposition.
This award should recognise performers who manage to look good both in
victory AND defeat, as well as helping their opponents look good while
jobbing, and may or may not represent a wrestler deserving of a push (that is
better reflected in the "Most Underrated" category).

**1998**: Chris Benoit

452 first place votes
423 second place votes
405 third place votes

  67  21  13   424   Chris Benoit
  41  37  36   388   Scorpio
  37  28  30   329   Vader
  34  21  23   279   Disco Inferno
  27  23  17   238   Marc Mero
  22  23  26   231   Raven
  22  16  11   180   Chavo Guerrero Jr.
  22   8   8   150   Dick Togo
  10  18  13   130   Owen Hart
  19   4   4   125   Mankind
  11  14  13   123   Brian Christopher
   5  23  10   114   Dustin Runnels
  12   8  10   104   Psychosis
   7  14  11    99   Steve Blackman
   7  10  14    93   Jeff Jarrett
  11   9   4    90   Norman Smiley
  10   6  11    90   Jerry Flynn
   4  10  16    82   Lodi
   8   6   9    76   Jerry Lynn
   4   7  10    63   Brad Armstrong
   5  10   3    61   Dean Malenko
   2  14   4    60   Kaz Hayashi
   2   8  10    54   Curt Hennig
   4   8   4    52   Konnan
   3   5   3    36   Al Snow
   3   3   6    36   Hacksaw Jim Duggan
   4   3   2    33   Taka Michinoku
   2   3   6    31   Papi Chulo (Aguila)
   2   4   2    26   Barry Darsow
   1   2   6    23   Darren Drozdov
   4   0   1    22   Giant
   3   2   0    21   Scott Hall
   0   3   6    21   Vincent
   4   0   0    20   Hollywood Hogan
   2   2   2    20   Fit Finlay
   2   3   0    19   X-Pac
   3   0   0    15   Kane
   0   3   3    15   Riggs
   0   2   4    14   Glacier
   2   1   0    13   Lenny Lane
   2   1   0    13   Barry Horowitz
   1   2   1    13   Faarooq
   1   2   1    13   D'Lo Brown
   0   3   2    13   Prince Iaukea
   1   1   2    12   Sick Boy
   0   4   0    12   Meng
   1   2   0    11   Chris Adams
   0   3   1    11   Ray Traylor
   0   3   1    11   Alex Wright
   1   1   1    10   Kanyon
   1   1   1    10   Brian Adams
   0   0   5    10   Bob Holly
   1   0   2     9   La Parka
   1   0   1     7   Mike Enos
   1   0   1     7   Chris Jericho
   1   0   1     7   Bobby Eaton
   0   1   2     7   Mens Teoh
   0   2   0     6   Gangrel
   0   2   0     6   Bradshaw
   0   0   3     6   Stevie Ray
   1   0   0     5   Van Hammer
   1   0   0     5   Terry Funk
   1   0   0     5   Stephen Regal
   1   0   0     5   Marty Janetty
   1   0   0     5   Jim Niedhart
   1   0   0     5   Fallen Angel
   0   1   1     5   Godfather
   0   1   1     5   Eddie Guerrero
   0   0   2     4   Randy Savage
   0   0   2     4   Kendell Windham
   0   1   0     3   Yuji Nagata
   0   1   0     3   Tommy Dreamer
   0   1   0     3   Steve Armstrong
   0   1   0     3   Sho Funaki
   0   1   0     3   Shane Douglas
   0   1   0     3   Reese
   0   1   0     3   Mark Henry
   0   1   0     3   Juventud Guerrera
   0   1   0     3   Bart Gunn
   0   0   1     2   Val Venis
   0   0   1     2   Undertaker
   0   0   1     2   Tom Brandi
   0   0   1     2   Spike Dudley
   0   0   1     2   Sgt. Slaughter
   0   0   1     2   Savio Vega
   0   0   1     2   Rick Fuller
   0   0   1     2   Mikey Whipwreck
   0   0   1     2   Mike Awesome
   0   0   1     2   Miguel Perez Jr.
   0   0   1     2   Lance Storm
   0   0   1     2   Kidman
   0   0   1     2   Disciple
   0   0   1     2   Bryan Walsh
   0   0   1     2   Bryan Adams
   0   0   1     2   Brooklyn Brawler (possibly ineligible)
   0   0   1     2   Blue Meanie
   0   0   1     2   Amish Roadkill

(non-jobbers left in because I'm lazy)

REJECTED

   4   1   1         Kaientai (not an individual)
   1   0   0         Mr. McMahon (did not wrestle)
   1   0   0         Hart (which one?)
   0   1   0         Judy Bagwell (did not wrestle)
   0   0   1         Oddities (not an individual)
   0   0   1         Head Bangers (not an individual)
   0   0   1         All of WCW (not an individual)

SVEN MASCARENHAS: Flynn made Goldberg look good. 'Nuff said.

CHRIS DILLON: Brian Christopher is totually misused as a jobber/JTTS, but this
year he really made the most of his silly role, and really entertained me. I
just fear now that he will never be able to assend this position, but then
maybe that isn't a bad thing after all. Chavo Jr and Dave Finlay were good in
the JTTS role in WCW.

VINCE MORALES: Underrated isnt close to what Jerry Lynn is.

TODD GERTH: Some folks say Scorpio is deteriorating.  Maybe so, but his match
against Gangrel on Shotgun was happenin'.  And he showed up to work at Living
Dangerously, too...what more do you want from a JTTS?

GEORGE CARTER: Scorpio wins hands down. No one is more underused than him. Then
in  2nd place, I give it to Brad Armstrong. I think he's a solid wrestler  who
needs a push. Then my third vote goes to Owen Hart, wasn't he  supposed to be
WWF Champion by now (remember all the rumors when he  returned at IYH : DX, 11
months ago ?)

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Gotta love this category. OK Vader makes the list after
shaming himself for the entire year, and Benoit makes the list after being
screwed time and time again, but do either take top spot? No. Just watch the
Val Venis v. Kaientai Gauntlet match to see this year's winners. Kaientai.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: First, Chris Benoit for reasons that should be obvious. Give him
a damn belt already, Eric! Second, Owen Hart, for reasons that should be
*equally* obvious. Third... saaaay, Scorpio. I think he's overrated, but the
450 splash is way cool. And I ain't voting for Vader! The man's been past his
prime since '95...

LYNXX: I think Scorpio is a great star. He deserves better then jobber to the
stars. Scorpio has the best 450 splash in the business and considering his size
(compared to people juve) its amazing of his skills.

JON DENSEM: Why wasn't D'Lo nominated?  I know he's too good to be considered a
JTTS, but we have to be realistic here! :) [Well, he DID have two title reigns
- CRZ]

ADAM BONIN: Disco's development has been one of the quiet joys of this year.  I
wish they'd settle on his being face or heel, but he's always a ton of fun to
watch.

CLINT MAYHER: I never thought I would see the day where I would rank Norman
Smiley (better known to most wrestling fans, smarts and marks alike, as "that
black guy") above Vader in anything.

SUPERFAN SAM: It's tough to judge this category because the guidelines are so
vague. I suppose RSPW needs a 5 month debate on the difference between a
jobber, a JTTS, and a Superstar.

BRAVO SIERRA: Foley earns his place mainly on his ppv record.

CUBS FAN: The JTTS category is screwed up.  Isn't there something called the
midcard, where guys like Benoit, Konnan, Owen, Raven and other nominated people
for JTTS, should be? How Disco Inferno, been on at least 3 PPVs I can think off
of the top of my head (Road Wild vs TPE, Superbrawl vs La Parka, Halloween
Havoc vs Juvie, Kidman), is considered a JTTS, is beyond me, but he must be a
good one to do all that.  Meanwhile, Lodi, while totally funny and I guy I
enjoy seeing, is just a jobber with a gimmick, as much as Lenny Lane (and his
People's Legdrop) is.  Anyways, since they're there, Disco, Lodi and Scorpio
(who should be here), get my votes.

TREVOR BARRIE: It's a bit arbitrary, but I decided to ignore the guys who don't
deserve to be JTTSes (Chris Benoit, Owen Hart etc) and vote for the people whom
I actually enjoy seeing in this role.  Consequently, Disco Inferno, Steve
Blackman and Jeff Jarrett get the nod.

RYAN GRANT:  Benoit, Owen, and Malenko are my top three, though their order is
virtually interchangable.  I'll give Chris top billing, though, because of the
three I see him as being the most deserving of more.

A. WADE:  Poor Mick..

SEAN SHANNON: Taka Michinoku took the WWF by storm last year, but this year
he's been all but forgotten, a shame considering how great he was and how much
potential he was showing.  Marc Mero couldn't get over with his gimmicks, but
his in-ring ability used to get him over when he first arrived in the WWF; even
though his wrestling is slowly returning to its old high quality, he's still
not getting the push he needs to get over.  Chris Benoit ... sad, just sad.

REV. RAY DUFFY: Flynn pulled a good match out of Goldberg?  What  more can you
ask for... ok, for him not to kick like a sissy.

JASON LANGIN: Chris Benoit - Matches against Booker T, DDP and Raven this year.
Godd stuff.

MDB: Jerry Flynn deserves the space people like Horace and Bryan Adams are
taking up.  Psicosis should be a real player in the cruiser division.  And Rick
Fuller is one of the 5 best big men in the big 2 today.

TOM CRUZ: Vader. Once a world champ, the best of the super-heavyweights. By the
middle of 1998, he was a glorified JTTS. As of his WWF departure, he wasn't
even that, jobbing to Marc Mero (!), D'Lo Brown and others. How the mighty have
fallen. Raven has done nothing BUT job in WCW, and there's no reason to expect
that to change. Scorpio is, for some reason, in this category. These two guys
both need a push. Bad.

HEATM: Scorpio has such talent that it's really sad to see it go to
waste. Chris Benoit got a mediocre push and got a US Title shot this year, but
the fact he didn't win a title makes him my #2 pick.  Brad Armstrong gets my
vote for third based on his outstanding sell job for Goldberg at Uncensored.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Flyer

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler who did the most and the best high-flying
maneuvers throughout the year. In 1994, this award was split into two: North
American and Non-North American.  In 1998, it was recombined.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Jushin Liger
  1992: Jushin Liger
  1993: 1-2-3 Kid (Lightning Kid)
  1994: (NA)     1-2-3 Kid
  1994: (non-NA) Jushin Liger
  1995: (NA)     Sabu
  1995: (non-NA) Jushin Liger
  1996: (NA)     Rey Mysterio, Jr.
  1996: (non-NA) Jushin Liger
  1997: (NA)     Rey Mysterio, Jr.
  1997: (non-NA) Taka Michinoku

**1998**: (Billy) Kidman

468 first place votes
450 second place votes
436 third place votes

  81  84  55   767   Kidman
  82  66  57   722   Juventud Guerrera
  78  51  61   665   Rey Mysterio Jr.
  60  37  22   455   Rob Van Dam
  33  54  55   437   Taka Michinoku
  41  46  37   417   Sabu
   7  19  19   130   Psychosis
  15   9  12   126   Hayabusa
  10  12  14   114   X-Pac
   7  11  21   110   Edge
   8   9  14    95   Eddie Guerrero
   8   8   9    82   Great Sasuke
   4   8   8    60   Dick Togo
   4   3  11    51   Scorpio
   7   3   3    50   Ultimo Dragon
   4   6   6    50   Papi Chulo (Aguila)
   1   5   6    32   Chavo Guerrero Jr.
   4   2   1    28   Mankind
   2   2   2    20   Christian
   2   0   3    16   Little Dragon (Dragon Kid)
   1   1   4    16   D'Lo Brown
   2   0   0    10   Super Calo
   0   2   1     8   Kaz Hayashi
   0   2   1     8   Jerry Lynn
   0   1   2     7   Chris Jericho
   0   2   0     6   Jushin Liger
   1   0   0     5   Shawn Michaels
   1   0   0     5   Rocco Rock
   1   0   0     5   Mike Quakenbush
   1   0   0     5   Kane
   1   0   0     5   Hikari Fukuoka
   1   0   0     5   Alex Wright
   0   1   1     5   Hector Garza
   0   1   1     5   Brian Christopher
   0   1   0     3   Shinjiro Otani
   0   1   0     3   Mens Teoh
   0   1   0     3   Matt Hardy
   0   1   0     3   Al Snow
   0   0   1     2   Val Venis
   0   0   1     2   Tony Stanley
   0   0   1     2   Tokyo Magnum
   0   0   1     2   Super Nova
   0   0   1     2   Super Crazzy
   0   0   1     2   New Jack
   0   0   1     2   Max Mini
   0   0   1     2   Marc Mero
   0   0   1     2   La Parka

REJECTED

   1   0   0         Guerrero (which one?)
   0   1   0         Any of the LWO (not an individual)
   0   0   1         Blue Blazer (did not wrestle)

SVEN MASCARENHAS: If I could have called this a three-way tie, I would have,
but I'm forced to put Chulo above Juvy and Taka because of his sheer hangtime,
and great suff like his somersault plancha con hilo over the ringpost.

KEITH WATANABE:  Hikari gets my vote for best high flyer.  Ever see a
somersault missile drop kick?  How about a moonsault footstomp?  And I'm
talking with grace.

CHRIS DILLON: Sasuke is still one of the craziest daredevils in wrestling today
- as his large inury stint this year proves. He still does some of the
prettiest moves in wrestling such as the space flying tiger drop and his Sasuke
special's. Psicosis is probabley just as crazy - those legdrops from the ring
to the floor look hip shattering. Hayabusa also deserves mention for his
incredible Stardust Press.

BRAD JOHNSON: Dick Togo is sorely underused.

TODD GERTH: Say what you want about RVD's lack of psychology/transitions...it's
all true. But when I saw his TV title rematch with Bigelow, his somersault
plancha from the top rope made me mark out like a 13 year old girl at a 1989
New Kids on the Block concert.

DOUG CORTI: Little Dragon is going to rule the world in a few years. He is
sloppy  right now, but the potential for an insane flyer is there.

CLINT MAYHER: Sasuke has the best moonsault ever!

TOM ROBSON: Van Dam gets the most amazing height on his leaps of anyone I see.
Kidman has perfected the shooting star press, and Taka is still simply amazing.


CUBS FAN: Last year, to me at least, Juvie was just another Luchador.  This has
been his year, so I gave him 1st place.  In the last three months, Kidman's
done the same, so he's second.  I like what I've seen of Edge to give him #3,
but he could really benfit from more TV time.

RYAN GRANT:  Hayabusa is the best thing since beer in a can, and I'd sell my
left testicle to be able to see him on a regular basis.  I've been saying for a
while now that I thought Kidman had the stuff to be the champion, and I'm glad
to see I was right.  TAKA spent the first 4 months of the voting period showing
Vince what an orgasmically beautiful thing the Light Heavyweight division could
be, and the next 8 months teaming with Bradshaw/feuding with a porn
star/sitting on his thumbs.  The waste is sad, but the wrestler still kicks
ass.

SEAN SHANNON: Even though he seems to miss at least one move every match, when
Sabu hits with his aerial repetoire, it is simply breath-taking.  Not only is
his hangtime miraculous, but he constantly comes up with new moves to pull off
in the air, making him that much more amazing.  Rob van Dam is starting to
challenge Sabu for the regularity of "OH MY GOD!" spots, as well as innovation
of aerial wrestling.  Third place I have to give to one of the most underused
stars in the WWF today, Super Loco, for amazing twisting spots that would do
the Great Sasuke and Hayabusa proud.

REV. RAY DUFFY: Dragon Kid is doing things I've only seen Rey Jr. do  prior to
blowning out his knee and beyond.  See him before he kills himself.

JASON LANGIN: Psicosis - Guillotine legdrop on the floor from the top
rope. Nuff said!

DEAN RASMUSSEN: Tory-mon's Dragon Kid blows a lot of stuff but he also hits a
LOT of stuff that Misterio would have trouble topping, and since this isn't
Best High-flying Wrestler- the young punk gets the nod.  His five highspots in
the Elimination match in September were TO DIE FOR.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Technical Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler who has the most technical ability. The number
of holds and moves you see this person do and the crispness with which the
moves are executed makes his/her matches a pleasure to watch. In 1994, this
award was split into three: North American, Non-North American, and overall.
In 1998, it was recombined into one.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Bret Hart
  1992: Bret Hart
  1993: Bret Hart
  1994: (overall/NA) Bret Hart
  1994: (non-NA)     Chris Benoit
  1995: (overall/NA) Dean Malenko
  1995: (non-NA)     Chris Benoit
  1996: (sweep)      Dean Malenko
  1997: (overall/NA) Dean Malenko
  1997: (non-NA)     Jushin Liger

**1998**: Dean Malenko

468 first place votes
442 second place votes
432 third place votes

 119  92  61   993   Dean Malenko
 101  79  53   848   Chris Benoit
 103  64  52   811   Bret Hart
  19  35  41   282   Owen Hart
  28  27  29   279   Chris Jericho
  23  27  28   252   Ken Shamrock
  10  12  21   128   Perry Saturn
  13  10  16   127   Dan Severn
   4  13  14    87   Kanyon
   4  10  11    72   Chris Candido
   5   4  11    59   Taz
   2   9   8    53   Fit Finlay
   2   8   7    48   Stephen Regal
   1   4   8    33   X-Pac
   1   6   4    31   Eddie Guerrero
   1   2   9    29   Billy Gunn
   2   2   5    26   Norman Smiley
   3   3   0    24   Kiyoshi Tamura
   1   2   6    23   Jerry Lynn
   1   4   2    21   Toshiaki Kawada
   3   0   2    19   Mariko Yoshida
   3   0   2    19   D'Lo Brown
   2   1   3    19   Kidman
   2   2   1    18   Volk Han
   2   0   2    14   Jun Akiyama
   1   3   0    14   Curt Hennig
   2   0   1    12   Alex Wright
   0   3   1    11   Rey Mysterio Jr.
   0   1   4    11   Shinjiro Otani
   1   1   1    10   Shawn Michaels
   1   0   2     9   Ric Flair
   0   2   1     8   Rock
   0   2   1     8   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
   0   2   1     8   Daisuke Ikeda
   1   0   1     7   Rob Van Dam
   1   0   1     7   Jushin Liger
   0   1   2     7   Lenny Lane
   0   0   3     6   Kane
   1   0   0     5   Kenta Kobashi
   1   0   0     5   Goldberg
   1   0   0     5   Blue Panther
   1   0   0     5   Blue Meanie
   0   1   1     5   Ultimo Dragon
   0   1   1     5   Christian
   0   1   1     5   Booker T.
   0   1   1     5   Al Snow
   0   0   2     4   Jeff Jarrett
   0   1   0     3   Marc Mero
   0   1   0     3   Lex Luger
   0   1   0     3   Koji Kanemoto
   0   1   0     3   Hayabusa
   0   1   0     3   Danny Doring
   0   1   0     3   Black Warrior
   0   0   1     2   Yuki Kondo
   0   0   1     2   Taka Michinoku
   0   0   1     2   Shane Douglas
   0   0   1     2   Scott Steiner
   0   0   1     2   Mankind
   0   0   1     2   Magnificent Muraco
   0   0   1     2   Juventud Guerrera
   0   0   1     2   Dr. Wagner Jr.
   0   0   1     2   Dr. Wagner (Jr.?)
   0   0   1     2   Balls Mahoney

REJECTED - ambiguous votes

   1   0   0         Tamura
   1   0   0         Hart
   0   1   0         Guerrero
   0   0   1         "Tie" votes

KEITH WATANABE:  Mariko Yoshida should be voted Best Technical wrestler.  Why?
Who trains the entire ARSION group?  Ooops!  I wasn't supposed to say that....

CHRIS DILLON: Tamura and Han are both arguably the best mat wrestler in the
world today, Tamura especially - he makes Dean Malenko look like Jim Duggan -
and constantly put out great matches in RINGS. I was also highly impressed this
year by Jushin Liger's near total evolution from high flyer to technical
wrestler (as has been happening over the last few years). Liger is as good as
any Jr on the mat.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: The Man of 1004 Moves and the Iceman cometh one-two. Who to
put third? Michiko Futagami is billed as Woman of 1000 Holds, but I doubt
it. I'm a little enamoured of Yoshida's style, and she's been hot in the last
couple months, so I'll give her third.

SUPERFAN SAM: I was tempted to vote 3 RINGS guys in this spot but didn't. I
would also give honorable mention to Regal for showing Goldberg what wrestling
really is.

RYAN GRANT:  Malenko is a mat God, Saturn is at least a minor deity, and
Severn's won enough belts to prove his credentials.

SEAN SHANNON: I normally don't go for technical wrestling, but when Taz
wrestles, I stand up and notice.  Taz is able to combine his judo background
with his amateur wrestling background, solid brawling skills and the best damn
suplexes in the business, and produce consistently solid matches.  Taz may not
know more moves than a Dean Malenko, but he is by far the most entertaining
technical wrestler around.  Second place goes to Ken Shamrock, who seemingly
can make any opponent look better.  Owen Hart takes third place for his usual
excellence in this field.

JASON LANGIN: Dean Malenko - There's no one better

ROBERT EVANS: Okay, so I'm really going out on a limb for Kanyon, but I like
the stuff he does.  He is, after all, the Innovator of Offense.

DEAN RASMUSSEN: Volk Han is awesome in his bizarro shootstyle- being so
Stecheresque but never stuffy and pretentious, the key being the appearance of
legit ability to stretch and shoot yet accessible to non-shootstyle freaks
because he's so weird in his shootstylings- I'll find myself saying "This is
like UFC" one second and saying "This is like El Satanico" the next.  Kiyoshi
Tamura is flashy as a shootstyle guy can get without going all pro-style and I
hate him and all but he IS a great technical wrestler and all.  Diasuke Ikeda
gets as many votes in as many categories as I fit him into because he rules the
goddam world.  Here you go.

GARETH THOMAS: Kiyoshi Tamura, for making 15 minutes of mat wrestling interest
me.  #2 and #3 should probably be RINGS wrestlers too, but my exposure to the
promotion is somewhat limited.  On the mat, Koji Kanemoto is as good as any
pro-style worker in NJPW, and third is Dr Wagner Jr., who is one of the best
mat workers around.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Brawler

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler who brawled his/her way through the year most
convincingly. This award would go to Frank "Bruiser Brody" Goodish if he
were still around. In 1994, this award was split into two: North American
and Non-North American.  In 1998, it was recombined.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Stan Hansen
  1992: Cactus Jack
  1993: Big Van Vader
  1994: (NA)     Cactus Jack
  1994: (non-NA) Stan Hansen
  1995: (NA)     Cactus Jack
  1995: (non-NA) Stan Hansen
  1996: (NA)     Mankind (Cactus Jack)
  1996: (non-NA) Terry Funk
  1997: (NA)     Mankind
  1997: (non-NA) Stan Hansen

**1998**: Mankind (Cactus Jack / Mick Foley / Dude Love)

469 first place votes
442 second place votes
424 third place votes

 271  65  28  1606   Mankind
  82 102  63   842   Steve Austin
   4  41  33   209   Terry Funk
   8  33  32   203   Raven
  14  19  20   167   Chris Benoit
  12  15  28   161   Bart Gunn
   8  22  24   154   Fit Finlay
  11  16  13   129   New Jack
   5  14  31   129   Sandman
   9  18   9   117   Goldberg
   5  12  19    99   Tommy Dreamer
   6   9  19    95   Bam Bam Bigelow
   8  12   8    92   Masato Tanaka
   1  10  10    55   Mike Awesome
   2   8  10    54   Undertaker
   2   5   7    39   Bradshaw
   3   1   8    34   Ken Shamrock
   3   2   4    29   Bret Hart
   1   3   5    24   Vader
   4   0   0    20   Aja Kong
   0   1   8    19   Gangrel
   1   3   2    18   Kevin Nash
   0   6   0    18   Meng
   0   5   1    17   Kane
   2   0   3    16   Scott Norton
   1   0   4    13   Atsushi Onita
   0   3   2    13   Buh Buh Ray Dudley
   0   1   4    11   Giant
   0   1   3     9   Taz
   1   0   1     7   Scott Steiner
   1   0   1     7   Owen Hart
   0   1   2     7   Stephen Regal
   0   1   2     7   Sabu
   0   1   2     7   Rock
   0   2   0     6   Stan Hansen
   0   2   0     6   Godfather
   0   0   3     6   Balls Mahoney
   1   0   0     5   Perry Saturn
   1   0   0     5   Konnan
   1   0   0     5   Chaos (IPW)
   1   0   0     5   Abismo Negro
   0   1   1     5   Shawn Michaels
   0   0   2     4   Darren Drozdov
   0   1   0     3   Wrath
   0   1   0     3   Scott Hall
   0   1   0     3   Justin Credible
   0   1   0     3   Big Boss Man
   0   0   1     2   Shaggy 2 Dope
   0   0   1     2   Roddy Piper
   0   0   1     2   Randy Savage
   0   0   1     2   Golga
   0   0   1     2   Fuerza Guerrera
   0   0   1     2   Disco Inferno
   0   0   1     2   Diasuke Ikeda
   0   0   1     2   Diamond Dallas Page
   0   0   1     2   Al Snow

REJECTED - duplicate votes

   0   3   3         Mankind(NO)

SVEN MASCARENHAS: No one else in the world was in Mankind's class as far as
brawling was concerned.

CHRIS DILLON: Bigelow and Finlay are both great brawlers, but neither could
compare this year to Chris Benoit. A lot of people I talk to wish Benoit would
use his Japanese style in America, instead of the brawler but I believe it is
this style that has helped get him over - and let's face it, he does it better
than anyone. His stiff chops and great no bullshit character help keep the fans
interested in his match - where otherwise they would probabley be groaning at
another weak, fake looking punch. Benoit's ability to always keep a match to
something coherent (as seen in his garbagy brawls with Raven and DDP) is also a
big plus.

VINCE MORALES: Masato Tanaka is one of the few wrestlers who when I watch brawl
I feel like I'm at a bar.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: This one's tough. Aja Kong deserves a mention. Stan Hansen
is getting up there in age, but that's just making him more ornery. I'll give
third to Austin just cause I like his "opening a can of whoop ass" style of
brawling.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: *koff* Hell in the Cell. *koff* Yep, Mrs. Foley's Baby Boy gets
more props. Here's to hoping he'll have won SurSer as you folks read
this... Oh, and the dumpster ride was cool too. I'll give Steve Austin second;
the man hasn't worked a scientific match since the Shoot Tombstone, and all his
major matches this year have been *** or better. Good enough for me... Third?
Well, I haven't seen so much as a minute of ECW, so that's out... and I ain't
votin for Vader... so I'll give it to Terry Funk. He had some nice bits in the
Dumpster Match. Mind you, the vote's probably more cause of residual memories
of '89 than anything else but... *shrug* Why not?

JON WHITE: Benoit was just great in his brawls with DDP and Raven that I had to
vote him 2nd.

TOM ROBSON: Foley simply is THE definition of what a brawling wrestler is.  He
is all-out brawling intensity combined with a great ability to pace the match
and make sure it comes out looking great.  Not only that, he is an innovative
brawler. Austin may not be innovative, but the sheer fire he packs behind his
punches and kicks makes him one of the most believable brawlers out there.  New
Jack isn't much of a wrestler, but he's a damn good brawler.  He's simply
psychotic.

SUPERFAN SAM: I know voting for Bart Gunn is kind of cheating, but he had the
upset of the year when he knocked out Dr. Death.

CUBS FAN: Bart Gunn gets a third place vote based on one match.  Weird.

RYAN GRANT:  Mankind spends most every PPV trying to kill himself for our
viewing pleasure--that needs to be rewarded with a first place vote.  Every
time I see Mike Awesome I have to wonder why neither of the big two has signed
this badass mofo--not only can he take the spots, but he can also dish out the
pain in doses that far excede the RDA.  The knock on Austin from some has been
that all he does is brawl--to that I say "So what?"  He does it well, and he
gets my third place vote.

K. CANZANELLA: Chris Benoit is the best brawler. He works as stiff as crazy,
sells better than pretty much anyone, and manages to do it all at a prefect
pace. Finlay is two. He works stiffer than Benoit, but can be less electrifying
at times. Awesome is three. He plays the Bad Assed monster role perfectly, and
wrestles good/great matches too.

DANNY PORTER: Mick Foley (in whatever persona) and Terry Funk simply cannot be
beat in this category.  No one is close.  New Jack lacks psychology, and you do
need some even when brawling, but he is crazy and creative with the weapons.

MICHAEL NAIMARK: Nobody has given more of his body in 1998 than Foley.

SEAN SHANNON: Whatever name he uses, Mick Foley remains the best brawler in the
industry, combining fisticuffs with weapon spots with crazy bumps in a way that
never fails to entertain.  New Jack's weaponfests are always good for an
adrenaline rush, and the El Kabong always draws a massive pop.  Tommy Dreamer
has learned brawling well from Terry Funk, and he's only going to improve as he
gets more years of experience under his belt.

JASON LANGIN: Mick Foley - There's no one better

MDB: Benoit's intensity makes every blow he hits count.  Foley's hardcore!  And
Fit Finlay, my God did you SEE what Finlay did to Johhny Swinger's nose?

DEAN RASMUSSEN: Chris Benoit wins it in a walk by beating the shit out of
Raven, DDP, Booker T and Fit Finlay in GREAT brawls that he disguised as
wrestling matches.  Fit Finlay gets it for hanging with Frickin Benoit in terms
of stiffness and for the two fabulous Greatest Moments In Worldwide EVER by
annihilating Lorenzo and killing the living hell out of Johnny Swinger in such
an old school and interesting way. Diasuke Ikeda beat the hell out of wads of
folks and is right there with Benoit in terms of brilliantly mixing in
technically perfect wrestling with totally State-Of-The-Art Ass-kicking.  His
match where he beat the hell out of Tigermask 4 was Tigermask 4's first step
out of my doghouse because ANYBODY who can take a caustic beating of THAT
proportion is tough as mother fu**ing nails.

JONATHAN SNOWDEN: Chris Benoit has become the best brawler in the business.
Leave it to Chris to make lemonade out of the lemons WCW has handed him.

HEATM: Mankind would be my first, second and third picks if it were possible.
Anyone that has watched wrestling this past year knows Mankind has had the best
brawls.  He sells moves, takes bumps and yet he's able to keep the flow of his
spots going and keep up with the psychology of the match.  Chris Benoit had
some great brawls this year as well, including one with Raven and one in a
triple threat US Title match with DDP and Raven.  He's a distant #2.  I like
Steve Austin for #3.  Austin fights on the outside in basically every title
defense. He's worked well in brawls with Foley on a couple of occasions, Shawn
at WM 14, Kane and others.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Most Favourite Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler you like the most, regardless of the reason.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Ric Flair
  1992: Ric Flair
  1993: Ric Flair
  1994: Ric Flair
  1995: Shawn Michaels
  1996: Stone Cold Steve Austin
  1997: Stone Cold Steve Austin


**1998**: Mankind (Cactus Jack / Dude Love / Mick Foley)

474 first place votes
463 second place votes
454 third place votes

  84  78  48   750   Mankind
  71  70  46   657   Rock
  88  52  27   650   Steve Austin
  48  64  59   550   Chris Jericho
  23  18  17   203   Ric Flair
  23  17  15   196   Chris Benoit
  16  24  18   188   Shawn Michaels
  11  14  21   139   Bret Hart
  14  16  10   138   Al Snow
   6  10  19    98   D'Lo Brown
   6   9  15    87   Rob Van Dam
   4   8  10    64   Undertaker
   3   8  11    61   Goldberg
   5   4   4    45   Booker T.
   4   2   9    44   Kidman
   3   2   9    39   La Parka
   5   3   2    38   Owen Hart
   5   1   2    32   Raven
   3   3   4    32   Disco Inferno
   2   2   7    30   X-Pac
   2   3   4    27   Scott Hall
   2   3   4    27   Eddie Guerrero
   1   5   3    26   Kevin Nash
   2   1   5    23   Sting
   2   2   3    22   Sabu
   0   4   4    20   Taka Michinoku
   2   1   3    19   Ken Shamrock
   2   1   2    17   Gangrel
   3   0   0    15   Manami Toyota
   2   1   1    15   Shane Douglas
   1   2   2    15   Hayabusa
   1   0   5    15   Kane
   2   0   2    14   Dean Malenko
   0   3   2    13   Val Venis
   2   0   1    12   Jesse James
   0   2   3    12   Chavo Guerrero Jr.
   1   2   0    11   Tommy Dreamer
   0   1   4    11   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
   1   1   1    10   Jushin Liger
   1   1   1    10   Fit Finlay
   0   2   2    10   Edge
   1   0   2     9   Mike Awesome
   1   0   2     9   Lenny Lane
   1   0   2     9   Diamond Dallas Page
   0   1   3     9   Psychosis
   1   1   0     8   Chris Candido
   1   1   0     8   Alex Wright
   0   2   1     8   Brian Christopher
   0   0   4     8   Perry Saturn
   1   0   1     7   Mitsuharu Misawa
   1   0   1     7   Masato Tanaka
   1   0   1     7   Lance Storm
   1   0   1     7   Justin Credible
   1   0   1     7   Hollywood Hogan
   1   0   1     7   Buff Bagwell
   0   2   0     6   Koji Kanemoto
   0   2   0     6   Juventud Guerrera
   1   0   0     5   Toshiaki Kawada
   1   0   0     5   Tiger Dream (Candy Okutsu)
   1   0   0     5   Terrance Black
   1   0   0     5   Savio Vega
   1   0   0     5   Sable
   1   0   0     5   Reese
   1   0   0     5   Norman Smiley
   1   0   0     5   Great Sasuke
   1   0   0     5   Bob Backlund
   1   0   0     5   Black Warrior
   1   0   0     5   Big Boss Man
   0   1   1     5   Shinya Hashimoto
   0   1   1     5   Curt Hennig
   0   0   2     4   Terry Funk
   0   0   2     4   Taz
   0   1   0     3   Wrath
   0   1   0     3   Shinjiro Ohtani
   0   1   0     3   Scoot Andrew
   0   1   0     3   Sandman
   0   1   0     3   Mike Enos
   0   1   0     3   Marc Mero
   0   1   0     3   Kurrgan
   0   1   0     3   Kenta Kobashi
   0   1   0     3   Kanyon
   0   1   0     3   Giant
   0   1   0     3   Dr. Wagner
   0   1   0     3   Bart Gunn
   0   0   1     2   Tudor the Turtle
   0   0   1     2   Silver King
   0   0   1     2   Scott Steiner
   0   0   1     2   Scott Norton
   0   0   1     2   Scorpio
   0   0   1     2   Roddy Piper
   0   0   1     2   Rick Steiner
   0   0   1     2   Prince Iaukea
   0   0   1     2   Pete Madden (MO Indy)
   0   0   1     2   Louie Spicolli
   0   0   1     2   Jerry Law
   0   0   1     2   Jeff Jarrett
   0   0   1     2   Jeff Hardy
   0   0   1     2   Goldust
   0   0   1     2   Godfather
   0   0   1     2   Dick Togo
   0   0   1     2   Charly Manson
   0   0   1     2   Chaos (IPW)
   0   0   1     2   Carol Midori
   0   0   1     2   Blue Meanie
   0   0   1     2   Billy Boogie (AWF)

REJECTED

   1   0   0         Vince McMahon (not a wrestler)
   0   0   1         Guerrero (which one?)
   0   0   1         "Tie" votes

SHAWN MULLIN: This was a tough choice.  Ric Flair and Steve Austin got left
out, and they are definately up there on my personal list of wrestlers.  The
Rock always entertains me.  His workrate is way up now, and he has a fantastic
character that he always plays to perfection.

SVEN MASCARENHAS: For the first time ever, someone bumps Owen to #2. Al Snow
just has *it* :-). Taka's in there just because of hhis spaceman plancha.

CHRIS DILLON: Benoit is my favourite wrestler for pure wrestling - as nobody
can work an American pro-style match better. Foley is a great comedian, a cool
brawler and does amazing stunts, La Parka is similar, but I find him just a
little funnier than Foley (in the ring), while Foley's interviews make me love
him just that little bit more :)

VINCE MORALES: Whats not to like about Chris Jericho? He's smart, he's funny,
he's talented. Hes the kind of guy your moms says "why cant you be more like
him?"

MR. BEAVIS: For most favorite wrestler I used the criteria of who do I most
want to see on tv.

BEN MILLER: Even though he was out most of the year, he was the innovator of
Suck it, which is 90% of the reason DX is over.

GEORGE CARTER: Chris Jericho is my favorite wrestler. No other wrestler an make
me  laugh as much as he does. I'm a Jerichoholic 4 Life (or until Bischoff
turns him into a face). I'm one of the few who rather see Jericho in WCW  than
in the WWF, because if he goes to the WWF (as a heel), he'll become  popular,
and Vince will turn him into a face (like he did with Austin,  DX, Rock
...). Then the Rock and Mankind gets my vote. There is no other  wrestler whom
I respect more than Mic. Now only if Vince could give him  the WWF Title.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Candy has supplanted my perennial favourite Kyoko Inoue this
year. And those people I love to jeer, Ohtani and Midori; damn, but Carol
surprised me. She has one hell of a heel persona, and can she ever work
acrowd. I cheered her heel work as much as I booed her antics. Surprisingly
great!

JAMES FABIANO: I voted for Jericho, Foley, and Benoit, but I have a lot of
favorites, including: Kidman, Booker T, Malenko, Guerrero, the Dancing Fools,
Juvi, Psicosis, La Parka, Snow, Austin, Rock, Headbangers, New Age Outlaws,
X-Pac, Kaientai, and D-Lo.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Shawn Michaels always has been and always will be my favourite
wrestler. It's that simple. I doubt I'll *not* vote for him even if he wrestles
only a single match in the year. Unless he decides to go the route of so many
before him and *completely* suck, of course. Mick Foley gets second, for being
incredibly funny, for the 'Sugar-coated testes' Breakfast cereal, for Corporate
Mankind and Dude Love, the surprisingly good dancer, for Mr. Socko... Oh, and
for Hell in a Cell. Minor detail, that. ;) Steve Austin really oughta get
third, but I wanna mention my favourite WCW wrestler, so third goes to the
Paragon of Virtue, everybody's role model, the Master of the Loophole, Chris
Jericho!

MARK POLISHUK: Will there be anyone who WON'T vote for Austin?

TOMMY-O: First time I think I've ever put someone ahead of Flair and that's
the bottom line

MIKE CHAPMAN: What can I say? I'm a Jerichoholic.

JEFF BELL: Mickey Foley is plain, simply GOD!!!

JON WHITE: I about cried when I heard Benoit was out.  I fell in love with
Gangrel the 1st time I saw him.  And how could you not like the Rock?

CLINT MAYHER: Mankind wins this one because he could work a program with
Disciple and still make it worth watching.

TOM ROBSON: Anyone who doesn't want to cheer Foley after the job he does in the
ring AND on the mic just isn't human.  If I could meet one wrestler, it would
be him, just to say how much I admire the devotion he has to his sport.  Van
Dam is such an ass (at least his character is, and from what I've heard of him
personally it is true out of the ring as well) but still, DAMN he's good.  As
for Flair, well he's still a sentimental favorite.  Sure he can't really cut it
in the ring much anymore, but the man has EARNED my cheers with 25 years of
working his ass off.

DON DEL GRANDE: It seemed that Mankind / Cactus Jack / Dude Love / Mick Foley
were used pretty much interchangably - and in one case, I had to choose what I
thought was an "inferior" character (I wanted Cactus Jack as my #2 Most
Favorite, but the choice was "Mankind")

RYAN GRANT:  Boy or girl, I intend to name my first child Hayabusa Grant.
Anyone who doesn't love Mick Foley HAS NO HEART.  Lenny Lane combines nifty,
keen, and spiffy in one compact package of kickassedness.

K. CANZANELLA: Eddy Guerrero is my favorite wrestler because not only is he one
of the best workers in the world, he is also the best heel too. His act is
hilarious. Benoit is two, for basically continuing to get more heat than some
of the pushed guys at top, while wrestling infinitley better matches too. Mic
Foley is three. He is a great brawler, the best mic worker, a funny guy, and
has the "magic" that makes all his matches that much more memorable.

A. WADE:  The Rock made me enjoy wrestling this year, more so than Austin.

JEREMY SORIA: I *have* to pick exactly three?

SHANE ANDERSON: I think I'm the only person who thought Avatar and Lief were
cool gimmicks but everyone needs HEAD; FOLEY IS GOD; Who sucks now?!?!?!

SEAN SHANNON: Well, the description of this award says these picks should be
"regardless of reason," but I'm going to give my reasons anyway, so there,
nyah.  The Undertaker was the reason I got back into pro wrestling back in
1991, and despite what seems like a deliberate attempt by the WWF late in the
year to diminish his legacy, his gimmick still hooks me like nothing else ever
has - plus his workrate has drastically improved over the past few years.
Shawn Michaels is the best wrestler of all time, period, and even though he
took half the year off he still remains near and dear in my heart. Hopefully
this won't be his last year of in-ring competition.  Sabu's in-ring displays
are still mindboggling after all this time, and with the Sandman now gone
hopefully Sabu will become the new "Extreme Icon."

JASON LANGIN: Rob Van Dam - He's the whole f'n show!

RICK SCAIA: This is as tough a call as I've ever had to make on my year-end
ballot. Wrestling's more fun than ever to watch because there are so many
entertaining guys out there now.  But if I apply the "if I was on a desert
island and could only have tapes of one guy's matches and interviews, who would
it be?" algorithm, I guess I can get down to a list of three. Leading the way
is Mankind... great interviews, super matches, and really, picking Mick Foley
is like picking three wrestlers in one!  Rob Van Dam is #2, Steve Austin is
#3.

GARETH THOMAS: Chris Benoit is my favourite wrestler, despite his JTTS role in
WCW.  Mick Foley is second for hilarious interviews, and amazing bumps, most
notably at Hell In The Cell.  3rd is Tudor The Turtle of IWA Japan.   Cool
gimmick ;)

JONATHAN SNOWDEN: Koji Kanemoto is the cockiest bastard alive.  And I love him!

HEATM: Favourite wrestler in my mind means wrestler I'd most like to watch
given the choice.  I know I'm going to get killed for saying this, but Goldberg
was the best reason to watch WCW this year.  They didn't give him the world
title for nothing.  All you have to do is listen to a Nitro crowd before a
Goldberg match, and then during a Goldberg match. Most would concede that the
July 12 edition of Nitro with Goldberg winning the title was the best Nitro of
the year.  Maybe I'm way off base, but I mark out for Goldberg every time.  I
can't help it.  After Goldberg, Rock keeps me entertained always.  Even when he
fought stiffs, he made it interesting.  Plus, in stark contrast to Goldberg,
Rocky sells like a mad man which only adds to his character IMO.  Steve Austin
is #3, just because Steve is either wrestling his heart out or talking his
mouth off.  I admire him for those reasons alone.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Most Improved Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler who most improved himself/herself in all facets
of the sport in the past year.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Lex Luger
  1991: Ron Simmons
  1992: Steve Austin
  1993: Marcus Alexander Bagwell
  1994: Diesel
  1995: Johnny B. Badd
  1996: Wildman Marc Mero (Johnny B. Badd)
  1997: Ken Shamrock

**1998**: The Rock

468 first place votes
445 second place votes
427 third place votes

 135  62  45   951   Rock
  80  65  48   691   D'Lo Brown
  41  39  32   386   Booker T.
  38  35  27   349   Chris Jericho
  30  34  28   308   Kidman
  19  25  26   222   Ken Shamrock
  14  25  28   201   Billy Gunn
   9  22  17   145   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  10  16  19   136   X-Pac
   9  15  17   124   Goldberg
  10  12   9   104   Justin Credible
   8  13   4    87   Jesse James
   3   6  26    85   Mark Henry
   5   6  18    79   Kanyon
   8   5  10    75   Chavo Guerrero Jr.
   7   3   6    56   Kane
   3   6   9    51   Disco Inferno
   3   5   4    38   Diamond Dallas Page
   2   4   7    36   Perry Saturn
   4   3   2    33   Edge
   1   5   6    32   Wrath
   5   1   0    28   Alex Wright
   3   3   1    26   Val Venis
   2   2   5    26   Al Snow
   2   2   2    20   Steve Blackman
   2   2   2    20   Gangrel
   1   3   0    14   Scott Taylor
   0   3   2    13   Buff Bagwell
   2   0   1    12   Emi Motokawa
   1   2   0    11   Yumi Fukawa
   1   1   1    10   Steve Austin
   1   1   1    10   Jerry Lynn
   0   1   3     9   Lance Storm
   1   1   0     8   Sable
   1   1   0     8   Jeff Jarrett
   0   2   1     8   Godfather
   1   0   1     7   Hayabusa
   1   0   0     5   Tiger Dream (Candy Okutsu)
   1   0   0     5   Norman Smiley
   1   0   0     5   Mankind
   1   0   0     5   Golga
   1   0   0     5   Dr. Wagner (Jr.?)
   1   0   0     5   Cat
   0   1   1     5   Scott Norton
   0   1   1     5   Big Bossman
   0   1   1     5   Bart Gunn
   0   0   2     4   Mariko Yoshida
   0   0   2     4   Bam Bam Bigelow
   0   1   0     3   Toshie Uematsu
   0   1   0     3   Scorpio
   0   1   0     3   Rob Van Dam
   0   1   0     3   Raven
   0   1   0     3   Kumiko Maekawa
   0   1   0     3   Koji Kanemoto
   0   1   0     3   Kenny Kaos
   0   0   1     2   Zumbido
   0   0   1     2   Wolf Hawkfield
   0   0   1     2   Tatsuhito Takaiwa
   0   0   1     2   Mike Quakenbush
   0   0   1     2   Masahito Kakihara
   0   0   1     2   Marc Mero
   0   0   1     2   Lenny Lane
   0   0   1     2   Juventud Guerrera
   0   0   1     2   Giant
   0   0   1     2   Dr. Wagner Jr.
   0   0   1     2   Bret Hart
   0   0   1     2   Bob Holly

REJECTED

   0   2   0         New Age Outlaws (not an individual)
   0   1   0         Ultimo Guerrero (who?)
   0   1   0         Too Much (not an individual)

SHAWN MULLIN: Jericho went from pretty boy that pissed everyone off to an
internet cult hero and a perfect upper-midcard heel.

SVEN MASCARENHAS: Jericho: From whiny face to cocky heel. Billy used to be
Rockabilly, and D-Lo was getting the living hell beaten out of him by Ahmed
every week. Now look at them.

KEITH WATANABE: Most Improvd Wrestler should be Yumi Fukawa.  Some people will
say the Rock, but he has no psychology, no transitions, and no moves.  Yumi
went  from AJW squash material to someone with a very credible offense.  She
knows how to block kicks, her transitions into her submissions are superb, and
she can move in between lucha and shoot.

BRIAN SCALA: The Rock is only the second most improved because he was pretty
damn good to begin with.

CHRIS DILLON: Booker T is probabley the most improved wrestler this year -
mainly thanks to the gripping best of 7 series he had with Chris Benoit. T has
evolved from a great athlete with a few decent spots to a great wrestler I
enjoy watching on TV. Dr Wagner Jr deserves mention, as he has adapted to the
NJPW style well. Koji Kanemoto is another bone bender that has improved his
game this year - really improving his execution of moves, his character and
most importantly, his psychology.

VINCE MORALES: Aldo Montoya to PJ Walker to PG 187 to Justin Credible. Right
now nobody in ECW has more going for them than Justin Credible and its well
deserved.

BRAD JOHNSON: At points I was unsure of Billy, now, I think he is ready

PHIL PRZYBYLO: The Rock had the most improved personality, but he also started
to put out some matches that flowed and were the best of the night.  Triple H
was placed with good workers and some of it rubbed off on him. He was also one
of the funniest, creative men in the business. D' Lo Brown snuck up on everyone
and proved himself to be a solid, high mid-carder. He put on some great matches
with X-Pac and Val Venis.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Candy Okutsu gets top spot easily. After a back injury put
her on the retirement shelf, she comes back last February and put on shows
heads and above her pre-retirement matches. Simply incredible. Remember when
Rocky used to suck? He's not Liger yet, but he's shown that he's willing to
improve. And who the hell is Wolf Hawkfield? Jungle Jim Steele?!? Yeah, I
couldn't believe it either.

JAMES FABIANO: Maybe this year we should call this the Most Improved
Personalities award.  The Rock went from being a failure as a babyface and a
heel (when he first joined the NOD) to doing quite well as both and improving
his ringwork. D-Lo went from being a faceless Nation jobber to a standout both
as a worker and as a personality.  And I always liked Chris Jericho, but he got
even better after the heel turn and gimmick change.

STEPHEN TISZENKEL:A lot of wrestlers really improved this year, but none were
more surprising than Mark Henry. Over the course of the year, he went from an
awful, awful wrestler with a huge contract and no skills of any kind to a guy
who was genuinely interesting to watch. Hard to believe it was the same guy.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: D'lo's gone from a complete nobody to one of the more
entertaining wrestlers in the World. I think that's a pretty significant
improvement, folks... X-Pac gets second, for apparently remembering how to
wrestle as soon as he left WCW. He's probably wrestling the best matches of his
career, and the vastly improved gimmick helps... 1-2-3 Kid indeed! No, I've
never seen the Lightning Kid, and for all I know, so he may have been the best
heel of all time. ;) I'll give the Rock third. I know *I* wouldn't have
expected him to be able to work something as good as the Summerslam Ladder
Match a year ago.

OTTO "HACK-MAN" HEUER: The Most Improved Wrestler category is the one I usually
have fun watching each year.  It was especially fun to watch a few years back
when DDP and Johnny B Badd had both improved by leaps and bounds after each had
been stagnating in WCW for a few years.  This year, I don't think we had anyone
who improved by that great a margin, but I still gotta give props to Chavo
Guerrero Jr., Chris Jericho, and Booker T.  Chavo has been taking more to the
air, Jericho (while he was sound in the ring) improved vastly on the mic (to
the point where he's one of the best in the biz on the stick), and Booker T
came out on his own when his brother was injured.  I also give Benoit props for
helping showcase Booker in a great series of matches.

JEFF BELL: The Rock is of course the most improved, but X-Pac has really took
it up a notch since coming back to WWF.

JON WHITE: When did D-Lo get good?  I always knew Kidman had the talent.
Shamrock has made the transition well from UFC to WWF.

ADAM BONIN: Jericho and the Rock developed their mike skills, and both became
showed greater wrestling ability than we had seen before.  I'm sure Vince never
anticipated that he might have to turn Maivia face, if only for a few months.
But Mark Henry deserves a mention -- he's funny.  He can sorta wrestle.  And,
frankly, given where he started, -anything- is an improvement.

CLINT MAYHER: Talk about coming a long way...the one man who has taken
advantage of the opportunity afforded by Bischoff's mistake to break up the tag
team division.

TOM ROBSON: Saturn was once great, then he went down because of his injury.
Now that he's back, it's amazing.  In only a few months he has rebounded from a
truly devastating interview.  This time last year he was pretty painful to
watch, but now he's back to close to his old self.  Credible has finally
developed into a top-of-the-card wrestler.  Ditto D-Lo.

ASHLEY RALEY: Benoit and Finlay beat Booker T into a pretty good wrestler this
year.  I guess we know where all the talent in the Harlem Heat     household
went.

CUBS FAN: One year ago, Justin Credible and D'Lo Brown were JTTS Heels.  Now,
Justin has (maybe still is) in the second biggest angle in the company, and
D'Lo found a personality and two European Title reigns.  Meanwhile, whatever
you think of Chavo's gimmick and Pepe, you've got admit that it helped
distungish him from the rest of the Lucha's in WCW, in the non-hardcore
(softcore?) fans.  Now, if they could just let Psicosis do the same...

RYAN GRANT:  Chavo and Jericho have both been good wrestlers for a long time,
but this year they both improved from smiling nobodies to become definite
presences.  Mark Henry is the true surprise, to me--instead of being the black
Bill Kazmaier, he instead decided to be a rather enjoyable power wrestler with
a great personality.

K. CANZANELLA: Alex Wright gets my vote for most improved. He went from being a
respectably decent worker, then became an above average worker who could work
the europeon style of mat-wrestling and stiff hitting very well. His pal Disco
gets two, for basically going from mediocre to above average, his nitch being
able to sell incredibly well. Ken Shamrock gets my third vote. Ken came into
the WWF, adjusted from the shoot fighting style to an american heavyweight
quite nicely, and became an above average worker, by american standards, as
well.

A. WADE:  Booker T came into his own as a face this year.

JEREMY SORIA: It's so nice to see XPac in good form again!

DANNY PORTER: I never found Shamrock to be nearly as bad as most people did,
but he looks really comfortable in the ring now.

SEAN SHANNON: I don't know what X-Pac did during his layoff before returning to
the WWF, but it's worked miracles.  His workrate is back up to its old 1-2-3
Kid highs after his lacklustre year in WCW, and he's still improving on
that. D-Lo Brown has gone from Nation flunky to proven commodity this past
year, and has positioned himself well to be next year's Rocky Maivia-type
breakout.  Third place was a tossup between either New Age Outlaw, but in the
end Billy Gunn's comeback from the lame Rockabilly gimmick puts him over the
top.

REV. RAY DUFFY: There were so many guys who should be on this  list.  Alex
Wright is turning into a real good worker, plus the rubes hate his  schitck.
Disco Inferno is not afraid to take a mansized beating and is now  work than
someone with a goofy gimmick.  X-Pac got on here because he's back  with
avengence after being injured all the time in WCW.  It seems like he  actually
cares now about putting on good matches so he's off my shit list.

JASON LANGIN: Billy Kidman - This guy should kiss Saturn's butt the rest of his
life!

MDB: Remember when Jericho was just another guy lost in WCW's midcard shuffle?
It was less than a year ago.  Remember when it was hard to tell the difference
between the two members of Harlem Heat?  It was less than a year ago.  Remember
when DLo was just another tag along in the Nation?  It was less than a year
ago.  (I saw it suggested Miavia would get this, again, he's more popular now,
higher on the card now, but he's not much better.)

RICK SCAIA: Big props to D-Lo Brown this year.  He went from a guy with
potential to a man realzing that potential in just the first 6 months of '98.
He polished his in-ring work and added some charisma and mic skills, and viola,
he's a guy we all think should be wearing gold (be it Euro or Tag gold). Gotta
go with Booker T at #2; he's made the transition from so-so tag wrestler to one
of the better singles talents in WCW.  And Billy Kidman gets my #3 slot; he's
always been a great high-flyer, but it seems that he's learned a lot about how
to pace a match and tell a story in the last year.

TOM CRUZ: The Rock has improved both on the mic and in the ring to the point
where he is a credible champion. This despite not cleanly defending his IC
title in how many months? He didn't win a clean match for something like 4 or 5
months, but as soon as he turned face (following a great job as SummerSlam) he
couldn't lose. Go figure. Billy Kidman turned up his game and became
cruiserweight champ, consistently giving us some of the best matches of the
second half of the year. Booker T. gained a lot of respect as TV Champ,
wrestling Chris Benoit in an 8 match series where each match got better and
better. Taken collectively, the matches would be my match of the year. Not bad
for a guy who spent a career as a tag team wrestler.

DEAN RASMUSSEN: Alex Wright went from listless also-ran to really good stiff
worker.  I'm thinking part of it was the fact that his successful recovery from
the aneurism gave him a fresh start and I also think that Fit Finlay hanging
around and reminding him of how REAL Eurowrestlers wrestle kickstarted him to
more than he was gonna be.  Toshie Uematsu is the same, as she worked her way
out of oblivion as the aging GAEA youngster who couldn't get over the hump to
the world of the big girls-as Satomura and Sugar Sato blew past her in 1997.
In 1998, Uematsu started to resemble another resurgent youngster- Yumi Fukawa-
who decided fix her little problems and get back over with wrestling. Emi
Motokawa went from weird cult figure from IWA to good little worker with a whip
ass suplex.  Plus she lost the hideous cocktail dress.

HEATM: Last year, Rocky Maivia garnered 13 first place votes for Worst
Babyface.  The improvement on his character, his wrestling skill and his entire
persona makes him the most improved wrestler by far.  Rock was on a downward
spiral to nowhere in November of 1997, and now in November of 1998 he is not
only the WWF champ, but he is poised to be the future of wrestling in 2000 and
beyond.  Saturn is not far behind the Rock in this category; he is my #2 pick.
Saturn at this time last year was going nowhere.  Now, without any mic work, he
gets one of the loudest mid-card pops in WCW.  He does suplexes, high flying
moves, submission moves and a variety of martial arts stuff to boot.  Plus, the
flow of his matches have been much better than before.  #3 choice is D-Lo
Brown.  D-Lo is just incredible for a guy his size.  He's added the moonsault,
frog splash, cannonball and a running powerbomb to what already was an
impressive arsenal for him last year.  If I had a 4th selection, I'd go with
Kanyon, who has changed his character 180 but for the better.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Most Overrated Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler who really has little talent, but has a large
place in the spotlight nonetheless. This is a measure of how undeserved a
wrestler's push is.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Hulk Hogan
  1991: Hulk Hogan
  1992: Ultimate Warrior
  1993: Hulk Hogan
  1994: Hulk Hogan
  1995: Hulk Hogan
  1996: Hulk Hogan
  1997: Hulk Hogan

**1998**: Hollywood Hogan

477 first place votes
459 second place votes
446 third place votes

 124  97  32   975   Hollywood Hogan
 144  48  24   912   Goldberg
  44  55  51   487   Warrior
  24  23  31   251   Diamond Dallas Page
  14  24  44   230   Lex Luger
  18  14  12   156   Steve Austin
  12  14  21   144   Kevin Nash
  12  11  10   113   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
   7  11   8    84   Bret Hart
   4   6  19    76   Kane
   5   8   8    65   Taz
   4   7  12    65   Jeff Jarrett
   1  12   9    59   Sting
   3   9   8    58   Giant
   5   6   7    57   Undertaker
   3   7  10    56   Shane Douglas
   2   6  12    52   Dan Severn
   4   6   6    50   Disciple
   2  10   5    50   Ric Flair
   3   6   8    49   Rock
   6   4   3    48   Chris Benoit
   4   6   5    48   Sandman
   0   7  11    43   Roddy Piper
   0   8   9    42   Meng
   4   5   3    41   Billy Gunn
   1   7   3    32   Sabu
   4   2   2    30   Rob Van Dam
   1   3   5    24   Wrath
   1   1   8    24   Steve McMichael
   1   3   3    20   Konnan
   1   2   4    19   Scott Hall
   2   1   2    17   Curt Hennig
   0   3   4    17   Stevie Ray
   0   3   4    17   Jesse James
   0   2   5    16   Ken Shamrock
   1   2   1    13   Dean Malenko
   0   4   0    12   Scott Steiner
   1   0   3    11   Vader
   0   3   1    11   X-Pac
   2   0   0    10   Stephen Regal
   2   0   0    10   Chris Jericho
   2   0   0    10   Cat
   0   2   2    10   Raven
   1   1   0     8   Fit Finlay
   0   2   1     8   New Age Outlaws
   1   0   1     7   Mankind
   0   2   0     6   Taka Michinoku
   1   0   0     5   Val Venis
   1   0   0     5   Savio Vega
   1   0   0     5   Owen Hart
   1   0   0     5   Kyoko Inoue
   1   0   0     5   Kidman
   1   0   0     5   Eddie Guerrero
   1   0   0     5   Blood (PWA)
   0   1   1     5   Shawn Michaels
   0   1   1     5   Hollywood Hogan(NO)
   0   1   1     5   Goldberg(NO)
   0   1   1     5   Brian Adams
   0   0   2     4   Scott Norton
   0   0   2     4   Kanyon
   0   0   2     4   Buff Bagwell
   0   1   0     3   Octagon
   0   1   0     3   Juventud Guerrera
   0   0   1     2   Super Delphin
   0   0   1     2   Spike Dudley
   0   0   1     2   Shinya Hashimoto
   0   0   1     2   Rick Steiner
   0   0   1     2   Rey Mysterio Jr.
   0   0   1     2   Legion of Doom 2000
   0   0   1     2   Lance Storm
   0   0   1     2   Jay Leno
   0   0   1     2   Hugh Morrus
   0   0   1     2   Glacier
   0   0   1     2   Gangrel
   0   0   1     2   Ernest Miller
   0   0   1     2   Eric Bischoff(NO)
   0   0   1     2   Bradshaw
   0   0   1     2   Big Bossman
   0   0   1     2   Bert Hart
   0   0   1     2   Bam Bam Bigelow
   0   0   1     2   Atlantis
   0   0   1     2   Any member of the Wolfpac(NO)

SVEN MASCARENHAS: I still don't get what Taz's appeal is: he's the Warrior with
a few suplexes that only look good because he doesn't bridge. Severn wasn't
worth it, and Raven's a sloppy DDT without the innovation that he used to
have.

CHRIS DILLON: I feel HHH is a really bad Shawn Michaels wannabe, with not much
skill or real charisma, who has a main event position thanks to who he
knows. Billy Gunn is similar in his push, I didn't mind him so much when he was
first getting the push, but now people are starting to say he is the next Shawn
Michaels.. Please. The Undertaker also fit's in in this cateogory, as although
no-one with an IQ over 7 thinks he is a good wrestler, he is always well
overhyped by the commentators and continues to recieve a huge push despite the
character obviously losing steam.

VINCE MORALES: 2 words for Hogan. Retire already.

BEN MILLER: Rob Van Dam & Sabu are way too one-dimensional.  Their match on
5/2/98 was a total waste of a half an hour.

KEVIN PODSIADLIK: Quite a crop of overratedness when Hogan only makes 3rd on my
ballot.

TODD GERTH: He moves around the ring with all the grace and speed of Dusty
Rhodes walking the ocean floor wearing 50 lb boots, he's old and he's already
picked out his new knees from the latest DuPont catalog, he knows no wrestling
moves except a horrible version of a powerbomb, he selfishly tried to protect
this one move by making sure that none of the wrestlers in his fed who can do
it properly are allowed to, his mic skills amount to a humorless smarminess
that *might* be enough to get him an overnight show on CNBC, yet he's extremely
popular, even with a lot of Hogan-haters, and ladies and gentlemen, he's YOUR
next WCW Heavyweight Champion of the World -- Kevin Nash!

GEORGE CARTER: Steve Austin is probably the Hogan of the 90's. Even Hogan has
more  technical moves than Austin. All Austin does is punch, give the finger,
kick, stunner. 1-2-3. Lame. Sure he takes more bumps than Hogan ever  did, but
still, wrestling wise he's even worse than Hogan.  Goldberg and Hogan are
runner-ups.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: What's Bret done of any worth in WCW? Nothing. What  do the
NAO do worth anything (besides their intro)? Nothing. And what's Goldberg up to
now? 200-0? Please.

STEPHEN TISZENKEL: This just in: DDP still sucks. A lot.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: How much was it that WCW was paying the Roider? Several million
a year or thereabouts? Money well spent, that. Hogan's Hogan, so he gets second
easily. And Goldberg may get huge pops, but he can't wrestle or interview,
hasn't paid his dues and has the personality of a wet mop. If he weren't
World's champion, he wouldn't be here... but he is, so he is. He gets third.

OTTO "HACK-MAN" HEUER: The Most Overrated Wrestler category is another one that
is usually fun to watch.  I expect Warrior to run away with this one by a
landslide, with various NWO figures getting spots 2 through 12. Personally, I
have to cast my votes for Shane Douglas (who couldn't wrestle his way out of a
wet paper bag), Roddy Piper (who seems to Hogan-itis in not putting anyone
over), and Kane (which was a bad angle Vince just refused to drop).  Other
runner-ups include "no-sell" Meng, local boy Scott Norton, Disciple, Taz (who
is just now learning to execute moves other than suplexes), Ken Shamrock (who
looks old enough to be Flair's father), Jeff Jarrett (before the haircut),
Steve Austin, Sting, Curt Hennig, Rick Rude, and all the celebs that have been
in the Big Two over the past year (including, but not limited to Jay Leno, Mike
Tyson, Dennis Rodman, and Karl Malone).

TOMMY-O: Warrior shouldn't even be rated.  Anyone that has trouble with an
interview after running to the ring is WORTHLESS! He's the only thing keeping
that WORTHLESS piece of garbarge, Goldielocks, from #1

JON WHITE: Clean sweep for ECW.

CLINT MAYHER: How the hell can Net Marks say "Dumbass" is a future main
eventer. His wrestling skills aren't that great, and his showmanship and mic
skills consists of two words. As far as I'm concerned, the real talent in NAO
is Roaddog.

MATT DEBARGER: Sorry about this, but theres no one else in his league [voted
for Goldberg in all three spots]

TOM ROBSON: You could really interchange these three guys in any order.  Nash
still only has about four or five moves, but everyone loves him and thinks he's
great. Sting is just a shell of the youngster who went 45 minutes with Flair at
the inaugural Clash of the Champions.  DDP gets credit for working with
Goldberg in what I hear was a good match, but still, he's nothing special.

CHRIS BIRD: I picked HHH for most overrated. He may not be the wrestler I hate
the most, he may not get the most undeserved push, but by god, he's got a
larger fanbase than Hulk Hogan with little more skill. That *defines*
overrated. At least people recognize that Hogan is lousy.

ASHLEY RALEY: Triple H used his dazzling array of kneelifts to propel himself
to the IC title, but he didn't impress me.  I find it ironic that
someone named "Mr. Ass" can't seem to take a decent bump on his ass.

SUPERFAN SAM: Only in America can a worthless schitzophrenic get over a million
dollars for 15 appearances and then get an extended contract. The buyrate at
Fall Brawl and Havoc say it all for the Warrior.

JEREMY SINGER: Most overrated wrestler - so many choices, so few slots on the
ballot!

CUBS FAN: It takes three good matches to convince me off someone...Goldberg's
still at 1.  Bob Holly does a better Meltdown than Wrath.

RYAN GRANT:  I have never, ever seen anything in Fit Finlay to justify the
joygasms that the smarts go into whenever he steps into the ring.  At the other
end of the extreme, the rabble who cheer for Sabu simply because he goes
through a table and jumps off of things really need to pay more attention to
the fact that he is nothing but the spots, and lately everyone is doing the
spots, so what's special about him any more?  Shane Douglas has the mouth of a
champion--unfortunately, he has the workrate of a kumquat.  No insult either
intended or implied to the gentle kumquat.

K. CANZANELLA: Triple H is SO overrated. He once had potential? Uh, no. He was
all hype from day one. Somehow he got lucky enough to be friends with Shawn and
they formed DX, a stable that Shawn carried all the work and heat and fun
of. Lets put it this way: HHH is lucky he's allowed to do dick jokes, cause if
the WWF didn't allow that, he'd be jobbing to Bob Holly on Shotgun. RVD is
#2. I see alot of potential, marred by ECW's "Every match must have 238932980
chair shots and table spots" philosiphy. Mind you, he never lived up to the
potential. Finally, if we are talking unearned push, we get the Warrior. How
much crack were they smoking when Hogan convinced them to sign this heatkilling
sack of poo?

KEVIN WONG: Steve Austin's skilled have deteriorated immensely as a
"wrestler". He's now primarily a brawler.  Goldberg can't wrestle a match
believably unless he practices it heavily (a la Haloween Havoc).  And Benoit,
quite simply, just kicks, stomps, chops, and _then_ throws in the occaisional
wrestling move.  How is this considered technical wrestling??

A. WADE:  Ernest deserves all the bad things he gets.

JEREMY SORIA: Why is Savio Vega most overrated? Three words: Brawl For
All. DDP's actually not at #1, or even #2 this year; Jeff Jarrett still proves
again that he can't back up his grand claims of being a good wrestler, even
with a haircut and a wardrobe change.

DANNY PORTER: Goldberg, Hogan, and Piper.  I'm not sure overrated is the word
for these guys, we already know they're bad.  But I'll vote on it based on how
they're pushed.

SHANE ANDERSON: If you use three letters instead of a name....YOU SUCK

SEAN SHANNON: I can just imagine poor CRZ tallying the first-places for this
category; he must have his own piped-in chant going on in his head: "Goldberg
... Goldberg ... Goldberg."  Bill Goldberg is the quintessential example of too
much too soon, and what it can do to a wrestler and his promotion.  Shane
Douglas has been living off his past accomplishments for too long now, and it's
about time Paul Heyman wisened up to that fact.  Buff Bagwell's in-ring skills
are notoriously overhyped, and his personality is so horrid it defies
description.

JASON ROBAR: Why either Big 2 federation would sign the Sandman to a contract
is beyond me. [1. The Sandman  2. Diamond Dallas Page  3. Taz]

JASON LANGIN: Meng - Since when did he become such a force?

MDB: Warrior, well we all know how Warrior went.  Kevin Nash thinks he's so
darn cool.  You know what would be really cool, Nash?  Wrestle a *** match!
That'd be cool.  And you can't just book yourself stars. Jesse James has
15,000+ people singing along with his catchphrase everywhere he goes.  Guess
what, doesn't mean a damn thing if the best you've got is a stupid wiggle
kneedrop.

RICK SCAIA: I'll never understand how Lex Luger gets the push he does.  He's
anything but a "total package":  deficient in ring skills AND verbal ability,
he's not at all fun to watch.  Dallas Page gets on the over-rated list this
year, though for different reasons; he's worked very hard to become a good (but
not great) worker, and I still give him great credit for that.  However, his
interviews have suffered badly in the last year ("scum" this and "bang" that),
but for whatever behind the scenes reasons, his position in the company has
improved immensely.  DDP's a perfect US Title level guy, but he headlined on 4
or 5 PPVs this year.  That just doesn't work for me.  Billy Gunn at #3 on this
list is a cautionary warning from me:  just because the guy does have the
"look" doesn't mean Titan should be looking for a way to split him off as a
singles wrestler.  Anyone who says Billy would take off as a singles star is
deluding themselves.  Give it time... and maybe he WILL be ready.  But not
now.

DEAN RASMUSSEN: Scott Hall STINKS.  People say he is a good worker.  I'd like
proof.  Rock I got no beef with, but he's not a great wrestler, or even a
really good wrestler.  He's better than Konnan but not as good as Scotty Riggs
in the ring.  He's got that charisma though....yep.  Taz SUCKS.  Does anyone
still take this choade seriously as a Pro wrestler? Put your pants on and get
the hell off Pay Per View.

GARETH THOMAS: REALLY don't like Triple H, never will.  Boring, lazy,
unoriginal, way overpushed.  Undertaker is seem as some as being one of the
best big men around, making him pretty over-rated in my book.  Ric Flair, I
feel should retire.

JONATHAN SNOWDEN: Sabu is a joke.  He misses spot after spot, stands around
between spots, and basically wastes my time.

HEATM: I get the feeling Goldberg is going to run away with this category, but
my #1 pick is HHH.  The guy has been carried all of this year by Owen Hart and
Rock, which were his two major feuds before blowing his knees out.  HHH has
shown that he can work a mic, but only when he's doing the toilet schtik.  A
legdrop and a suplex is not good enough for an upper-card level performer.  My
#2 pick is Billy Gunn.  When picking future stars, they always look at Billy
Gunn as the next big thing, but I can't see it at all.  He has not worked a
mic, he has very little charisma and he isn't funny.  If anything, Jesse Jammes
carries the NAO in the performance department.  Wrestling wise, he's above
average but nothing to write home about.  #3 is Steve McMichael because I keep
hearing about him improving from when he started.  McMichael reminds me of Lex
Luger without the good physique.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Wrestling Gimmick

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler who had the best character gimmick in the past
year.

Previous Winners:

  1991: The Undertaker
  1992: The Undertaker
  1993: The Undertaker
  1994: Bob Backlund as the real WWF champ
  1995: Goldust
  1996: NWO
  1997: Mick Foley's multiple personalities

**1998**: Lionheart Chris Jericho as a Paragon of Virtue

471 first place votes
449 second place votes
435 third place votes

  76  74  59   717   Chris Jericho as Our Role Model (Conspiracy Victim / Man
                     of 1004 Holds / holder of 3-0 Record against Goldberg)
  78  61  39   649   Mankind (Cactus Jack / Dude Love / Mr. Socko)
  83  46  23   599   Vince McMahon as "Mr." McMahon
  47  40  32   419   Rock as "People's Champion"
  39  41  29   376   Al Snow & Head
  35  24  17   281   Steve Austin's refusal to be a "Corporate Champion"
  27  20  24   243   D-Generation X
  13  23  30   194   Val Venis as a porn star
  10  21  23   159   Hell in the Cell match (technically ineligible)
   9  14  14   115   Chavo Guerrero Jr. as a psycho talking to a stick horse
   8   8  18   100   Godfather as a pimp
   6   7  13    77   Gangrel as a vampire
   7   3  10    64   Kane
   5   3  12    58   Bret Hart as the Master Manipulator
   3   8   8    55   The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust mimicking other
                     wrestlers
   3   7   8    52   Undertaker
   3   8   4    47   Alex Wright & Disco Inferno & Tokyo Magnum
   0   6  11    40   Rob Van Dam - "I'm the Fucking Show"
   4   1   8    39   NWO Wolfpack
   1   7   2    30   Latino World Order
   1   3   6    26   Brisco, Patterson, and Slaugter as Vince's Inner Circle
                     Henchmen
   2   1   4    21   Koji Kanemoto as megadick heel
   1   3   1    16   Sandman
   1   1   1    10   New Age Outlaws
   1   1   1    10   J.O.B. Squad
   0   2   2    10   Parade of Human Oddities
   0   2   2    10   Goldberg
   0   0   5    10   Spike Dudley as a giant killer
   1   0   2     9   Michiko Ohmukai as a shoot kicker
   1   0   2     9   D'Lo Brown as the Champion of Europe
   0   2   1     8   Four Horsemen
   1   0   1     7   La Parka
   0   0   3     6   Disco Inferno
   1   0   0     5   Team No Respect
   1   0   0     5   Royal Rumble (technically ineligible)
   1   0   0     5   Mitsuhara Misawa's no gimmick Tough as nails wrestling
   1   0   0     5   Full Blooded Italians
   0   1   1     5   Mike Tyson as an enforcer
   0   0   2     4   Tiger Ali Singh
   0   0   2     4   Kanyon "anywhere, any time, as anybody"
   0   0   2     4   Edge
   0   1   0     3   War Games (technically ineligible)
   0   1   0     3   Too Much
   0   1   0     3   Stephen Regal - a Real Man's Man
   0   1   0     3   Sable
   0   1   0     3   Reese
   0   1   0     3   Norman Smiley
   0   1   0     3   NWO Hollywood
   0   1   0     3   Konnan
   0   1   0     3   Jushin Liger
   0   1   0     3   Joel Gertner as "The Quintessential Studmuffin"
   0   1   0     3   Huicho Dominguez
   0   1   0     3   Dudleys
   0   0   1     2   Warrior
   0   0   1     2   WCW parejas inceible matches (technically ineligible)
   0   0   1     2   Taz
   0   0   1     2   Scotty Steiner as Big Poppa Pump
   0   0   1     2   Ric Flair
   0   0   1     2   Raven
   0   0   1     2   Marlena
   0   0   1     2   Justin Credible
   0   0   1     2   Falls Count anywhere matches (technically ineligible)
   0   0   1     2   ECW's Triple Threat vs. Triple Threat
   0   0   1     2   Destroying the flock
   0   0   1     2   Candy Okutsu becomes Tiger Mask's protege
   0   0   1     2   Buff Bagwell
   0   0   1     2   Barry Darsow - Pro-Golfer

REJECTED

   1   0   0         "Tie" votes

ANDY JUDGE: Val Venis: what wrestling fan doesn't daydream of being a porn
star?  No one that watches the Nitro girls!

SVEN MASCARENHAS: Foley and Jericho both re-defined themselves in everyone's
eyes, largely because of great gimmicks. Kanyon's sneak attacks were really
cool for the three weeks they lasted.

KEITH WATANABE: Best Wrestling Gimmick goes to Michiko Ohmukai's shooter
gimmick.  What separates a WRESTLING gimmick from an image is that WRESTLING is
involved.   Ohmukai has used her shooter gimmick to increase her offense.
Though lanky Michiko can deliver stiff kicks that matches the shoot style
wrestling of ARSION. That's a WRESTLING gimmick.

CHRIS DILLON: Mick Foley's gimmick this year has been incredibley enoyable. On
a more serious note, Liger's gimmick has always been interesting to me, and
although the man behind the mask doesn't need it, it adds a certain flair to
him. Which brings me onto Ric Flair! Another great gimmick, the fans are really
behind too, and which is a joy to listen to/watch.

VINCE MORALES: Head is the best gimmick. On one hand you got a crazy man with
loads of wrestling talent. On the other you have loads of sexual
innuendos. Where can you go wrong?

GEORGE CARTER: I LOVED the Mr. McMahon gimmick. He is perfect for that role. I
hope  he gets nominated for an Emmy next year, he deserves it.

JAMES FABIANO: Chris Jericho is the Stevie Richards of 1998: the goofy,
annoying heel you can't help but love.  Foley is great too, whoever he is.  And
my vote for DX only counts for Shawn and HHH.  I like the Outlaws and X-Pac,
but the newer DX can't touch the originals IMO.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Whoo boy... Wrestlers I considered for this category: Al Snow,
Chavo, Jericho, DX, Edge, Gangrel, Godfather, Kane, Mick Foley, Mr. McMahon,
Rock, Austin, t.a.f.k.a. Goldust, UT and Val Venis. Yep, I like all of
'em... My choices? Mick Foley first for All three faces, though especially
Corporate Mankind and Dude. Val Venis second, as the funniest gimmick in recent
history and for those great one-liners. Kane third for *actually* managing to
make me like Isaac Yankem.

MARK POLISHUK: Screw the original Goldust!  You can't beat insulting
impersonations.

CLINT MAYHER: Hell in the Cell forever changed the way cage matches are
booked.

TOM ROBSON: Are you noticing a pattern?  The most overrated wrestlers and the
worst wrestlers seem to be WCW main eventers.  Again, you could probably
interchange these three.  All three of them suck, and the ratings are finally
starting to show that people don't want to watch them wrestle.  The scary thing
is, between the three of them, Hogan has the most moves.

ASHLEY RALEY: Like it or not, the Godfather's pimp gimmick is a really great
idea     to get over with the new breed of WWF fans.

R. MILLER: This character turned everything around in this voting
period. Mr. McMahon showed Eric how the evil boss gimmick ought to work.

RYAN GRANT:  Mr. McMahon has done the Evil Owner gimick better than it has ever
been done before, period, and as a result became one of the most hated men in
wrestling today.  Absolute genius.  Mick Foley has been been gold all year, in
any one of his personas.  Chris Jericho is one of the best and funniest things
the WCW has going for them--his feud with Malenko was particularly worth of
praise, IMO.

K. CANZANELLA: Foley's multiple personalities do a lot for him. He can be
hardcore as Cactus Jack, he can be goofy and great as Dude Love, he can be
fucking sick and humourous as Mankind. It don't matter. He's Foley, and he's
70% of the joy in "sports entertainment". LWO is a good gimmick that allows
otherwise heatless good/great wrestlers to recieve a uppercard push and some
free heat off of Eddy F'n Guerrero. Jericho's goofiness heel stuff earned him
HUGE heat and made him one of the most entertaining people in wrestling.

JEREMY SORIA: Gotta admit; a stupid gimmick like Al Snow & Head has taken off
like gangbusters... also the DeGeneration X thing had its ups and downs over
the course of the year, but their thing in Southeast VA (to "fire the first
shot" against WCW in Norfolk) made me laugh out loud.

VINCENT VERHEI: The Brood also have an excellent gimmick/angle. I wish they
would explore it further.

SHANE ANDERSON: There's more of US (JOB) then YOU (PUSH); One of the funniest
moments of the year was Jericho listing 1004 moves; A good little man will
always beat a shitty big man

SEAN SHANNON: Al Snow's Head gimmick combines everything that's necessary for a
blockbuster gimmick, chanting and physical identification and all that, with a
tactile element, namely the free styrofoam heads, and makes for a truly
surrealistic experience.  Watching thousands of styrofoam heads bob up and down
to techno music is so bizarre I can't see how anyone couldn't love it; too bad
the WWF had to mess it up.  Silver medal goes to the Undertaker; it doesn't
matter how bad the WWF tries to mess his gimmick up, I'm still going to love
it.  Vince McMahon's evil boss thing gets the bronze, because it's the perfect
foil for Steve Austin, and McMahon pulls it off so well.

REV. RAY DUFFY: I got the Artist Formerly Known as Goldust  the 3rd spot based
on one of the greatest moments of the year... Dusty-Dust.

JASON LANGIN: Mr. McMahon - Since when did he stop liking the good guys? It
never got old, it was always fun to watch.

MDB: JERICHO~!  My rolemodel, my champ, master of 1004 holds.  C'mon baby!
Foley is likewise always on, except when he's Dude Love.  And Bret Hart, yeah
it makes no sense, but it was damn fun to watch.

JONATHAN SNOWDEN: Foley made sure the WWF was always entertaining and
unpredictable.

HEATM: I'm going to go with Chavo Guerrero Jr.  Before the Pepe gimmick, people
only knew him as Eddie's nephew.  The psycho gimmick has given him sufficient
heat, and with the right push, Chavo could be getting massive pops.  He's
definitely a sound wrestler in the ring.  Chris Jericho also broke free of a
terrible face gimmick with a creative, interesting heel gimmick that worked
wonders for him this year.  #3 is Val Venis.  Nobody likes this guy because of
his in-ring talent, which is a shame because there definitely is a good
workrate in Val. Amazingly enough, he's over as a face more than anyone could
imagine. Honourable mentions to D-X, who have revolutionized high schools
around the country with the D-X chop.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Wrestling Move

Award Description:

To be given to the move that is just the damn best thing you've seen this
past year. This should probably be a "finishing" move or something really
spectacular.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Scott Steiner's Frankensteiner
  1991: Scott Steiner's Frankensteiner
  1992: Jushin Liger's moonsault off the second ropes to floor
  1993: Big Van Vader's moonsault
  1994: Vader's moonsault
  1995: Hakushi's Space Flying Tiger Drop
  1996: Wildman Marc Mero's Wild Thing shooting star press
  1997: Bret Hart's figure four leglock around the ringpost

**1998**: The Rock's People's Elbow elbowdrop

462 first place votes
458 second place votes
440 third place votes

 101  45  47   734   Rock's People's Elbow elbowdrop
  54  62  40   536   Kidman's shooting star press
  27  29  22   266   Steve Austin's Stone Cold Stunner neckbreaker
  29  15  14   218   Chris Benoit's Triple Rolling German suplex
  18  21  14   181   D'Lo Brown's Sky-Hi running Ligerbomb
  13  12   9   119   Bret Hart's figure four around the ringpost
  13  10  11   117   Goldberg's Jackhammer vertical suplex/powerslam combo
  11  12  11   113   Al Snow's Snowplow vertical suplex piledriver
  11  10  14   113   Juventud Guerrera's 450 firebird splash
  11  13   9   112   D'Lo Brown's 'Lo-down frog splash
   5  17  15   106   Rob Van Dam's somersault plancha
  12  10   7   104   Chavo Guerrero Jr.'s Tornado DDT
   8   8  18   100   Chris Jericho's Liontamer
   5  13  10    84   Diamond Dallas Page's Diamond Cutter neckbreaker
   9   8   4    77   Goldberg's spear tackle
  10   3   8    75   Rey Mysterio Jr.'s top rope huracanrana
   9   6   5    73   Perry Saturn's Death Valley Driver
   7   8   7    73   Wrath's Meltdown pumphandle powerslam
   9   5   5    70   Christian's Tomikaze DDT
   0  11  17    67   Dick Togo's sentonbomb
   6   4   7    56   Edge's Downward Spiral
   5   3   7    48   Taka Michinoku's Asai Moonsault
   2   6   7    42   Marc Mero's Marvelosity shooting star press
   3   4   7    41   Hunter Hearst Helmsley's Pedigree
   3   5   5    40   Mankind's Mandible Claw (Mandible Socko)
   6   2   1    38   Manami Toyota's Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex
   4   4   3    38   Gangrel's DDT
   3   7   1    38   Rock's Rock Bottom uranage
   3   5   3    36   Tommy Rogers' Tomikaze
   2   4   5    32   Chris Benoit's Crippler Crossface
   2   2   8    32   Masato Tanaka's Tornado DDT into a pile of chairs
   3   4   2    31   Mankind's fall off the Hell in a Cell cage
   3   1   5    28   Tatsuhito Takaiwa's triple powerbomb
   3   4   0    27   Psychosis' top rope guillotine legdrop
   2   3   2    23   Mr. Aguila's Corkscrew Quebrada
   1   5   1    22   Hayabusa's Falcon Arrow
   2   2   2    20   Undertaker's Tombstone piledriver
   2   2   2    20   Sasuke's Sasuke Special
   2   3   0    19   Hikari Fukuoka's Moonsault Stomp
   2   2   1    18   Taka Michinoku's Michinoku Driver
   1   3   2    18   Dean Malenko's Texas cloverleaf leglock
   1   1   5    18   Disco Inferno's Macarenadriver Piledriver
   2   1   2    17   Lenny Lane's People's Legdrop
   2   1   2    17   Dudleys' 3D Dudley Death Drop
   0   3   4    17   Kevin Nash's Jackknife powerbomb
   2   1   1    15   Ric Flair's figure four leglock
   0   5   0    15   Head Bangers' Stagedive
   1   2   1    13   Rock's floatover DDT
   1   2   1    13   Rob Van Dam & Sabu's Rolling Thunder/Arabian Facebuster
                     Combo
   1   2   1    13   Raven's Evenflow DDT
   2   0   0    10   Sting's Scorpion Deathlock leglock
   2   0   0    10   Louie Spicolli's Death Valley Driver
   1   1   1    10   Sho Funaki's Fishermanbuster
   1   1   1    10   Scott Hall's Outsider's Edge crucifix powerbomb
   0   2   2    10   Norman Smiley's rolling reverse russian leg sweep into
                     anklelock
   1   0   2     9   Damien's upside-down neckbreaker
   0   3   0     9   Mike Awesome's Awesome Bomb
   0   1   3     9   X-Pac's Bronco Buster
   1   1   0     8   Sable's Sablebomb powerbomb
   1   1   0     8   Bret Hart's Sharpshooter leglock
   0   2   1     8   Kanyon's hanging neckbreaker
   0   0   4     8   Headbangers' Stage Dive
   1   0   1     7   Goldust's Shattered Dreams kick
   0   2   0     6   Scott Steiner's Steiner Screwdriver (eligible?)
   0   2   0     6   Juventud Guerrera's Juvi driver
   0   0   3     6   Taz' T-bone Suplex
   0   0   3     6   Spike Dudley's Acid Drop
   1   0   0     5   Sable's huracanrana (does she have one?)
   1   0   0     5   Raady Savage's flying elbowdrop
   1   0   0     5   RVD and Sabu's double legdrop off the top rope through a
                     table
   1   0   0     5   Perry Saturn's Rings of Saturn
   1   0   0     5   Lex Luger's Torture Rack backbreaker
   1   0   0     5   Kobashi's Torture Rack Driver
   1   0   0     5   Kenta Kobashi's Orange Bomb vertical suplex powerbomb
   1   0   0     5   Kanyon's face-first powerbomb
   1   0   0     5   Juventud Guerrera's Air Juvi
   1   0   0     5   Justin Credible's Top Rope Tombstone
   1   0   0     5   Hayabusa's corkscrew 450
   1   0   0     5   Dr. Wagner's Wagner Driver 98
   1   0   0     5   Booker T.'s Harlem Hangover
   1   0   0     5   Al Snow's Head shot
   0   1   1     5   Sabu's Arabian Facebuster
   0   1   1     5   Rob Van Dam's Van Daminator chair dropkicking into
                     opponent's face
   0   1   1     5   Marc Mero's TKO neckbreaker
   0   0   2     4   Undertaker's chokeslam through roof of cage
   0   0   2     4   Shawn Michaels' Sweet Chin Music superkick
   0   0   2     4   Giant's chokeslam
   0   1   0     3   Undertaker's no-hands tope
   0   1   0     3   Taz' Tazmission
   0   1   0     3   Taka Michinoku's Top-Rope Plancha
   0   1   0     3   Sweet Chin Music
   0   1   0     3   Super Nova's Novacane
   0   1   0     3   Shinya Hashimoto's Brainbuster DDT
   0   1   0     3   Rock's Hurricane (?)
   0   1   0     3   Rob Van Dam's Split-legged moonsault
   0   1   0     3   New Jack's Balcony Dive
   0   1   0     3   Masato Tanaka's Roaring Elbow
   0   1   0     3   Manukea Mossman's Hawaiian Crusher
   0   1   0     3   Jesse James' Funky Kneedrop
   0   1   0     3   Hardy Boyz' finisher (?)
   0   1   0     3   Dean Malenko's Top Turnbuckle Gutbuster
   0   1   0     3   Chris Jericho's "C'mon Baby!" arrogant cover
   0   1   0     3   Bret Hart's top rope Superplex
   0   1   0     3   Blue Panther/Black Warrior's nudo lagunero
   0   0   1     2   Sting's Rappel from Rafters
   0   0   1     2   Steve Austin's Stone Cold Stunner neckbreaker (NO)
   0   0   1     2   Spike Dudley's Tornado DDT
   0   0   1     2   Shinjiro Ohtani's Swandive DDT
   0   0   1     2   Sabu's triple jump moonsault
   0   0   1     2   Owen Hart's Enziguiri kick
   0   0   1     2   Mitsuharu Misawa's Dangerous Tiger Driver
   0   0   1     2   Lenny Lane's carom out of corner into bulldog
   0   0   1     2   Konnan's fisherman brainbuster
   0   0   1     2   Kaoru's Excalibur Michinoku Driver
   0   0   1     2   Jushin Liger's top rope fishermanbuster
   0   0   1     2   Jerry Lynn huracanrana off the top rope, outside the
                     ring, though a table
   0   0   1     2   Fit Finlay's Tombstone piledriver
   0   0   1     2   Edge's Suicide Tope
   0   0   1     2   Chris Benoit's dragon suplex
   0   0   1     2   Charly Manson's Killer tope
   0   0   1     2   Booker T.'s Spinerooni breakdance
   0   0   1     2   Blue Light Special (Super Nova?)

REJECTED - either no wrestler named, or no move named, or duplicate

   2   1   1         Huracanrana
   1   0   0         Tiger Driver/Tiger Driver 91
   1   0   0         Space Flying Tiger Drop
   1   0   0         Side Russian Leg Sweep
   1   0   0         ECW Chairshot
   0   1   1         Powerbomb
   0   1   1         Rock's People's Elbow
   0   0   2         Dragon Suplex
   0   1   0         Paul Orndorff's piledriver (ineligible)
   0   1   0         Springboard legdrop
   0   1   0         Shooting Star Press
   0   1   0         Super Fisherman's Buster Suplex
   0   1   0         Reverse DDT
   0   1   0         From Atlanta to Stanford (ha ha)
   0   1   0         Frankensteiner
   0   1   0         Faceslam
   0   0   1         Tornado DDT
   0   0   1         Tombstone piledriver
   0   0   1         Bret Hart's Sharpshooter
   0   0   1         Sable
   0   0   1         Release Dragon Suplex
   0   0   1         Falcon Arrow
   0   0   1         Dragon Sleeper
   0   0   1         Disco Inferno's finisher (which one?)
   0   0   1         Cross Face Chicken Wing
   0   0   1         Cross Armbar DDT
   0   0   1         Chokeslam
   0   0   1         Bret Hart
   0   0   1         Asai Moonsault

GIANT AL: I voted for the people's elbow 1 in the best move catagory and 2 in
the worst because the actual move sucks, but it's so fun that I mark out when I
see it.

SVEN MASCARENHAS: Kidman's SSP, the Benoit TRGS~! are both great moves... but
nothing gets me up like D'Lo's short-arm into that Sky-Hi (and it's only a
setup move!)

KEITH WATANABE: Best Wrestling Move must consistently go to Manami Toyota's
Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex Hold.  I can't give Saturn credit for the Death
Valley BOMB because Etusko Mita pretty much has credit for doing it first.  But
Manami's move is awesome since she locks her opponents hands while hoisting
them on her  back and bridging into the suplex.  It's dangerous and very
credible.

SEAN LEE: I can't remember if the Mandible Socko was on the Best Finisher list
or not, but dammit, it needs to be!

CHRIS DILLON: I'm a total mark for neckbreaking moves, so my fave moves this
year have been the Tomikaze, Hash's brainbuster DDT and Dave Finlay's Tombstone
- all of which I have rewound and watched over and over loads of times :)

VINCE MORALES: Lets face it. The Peoples Elbow doesnt hurt. It just looks
cool. And thats all that matters.

BEN MILLER: Anyone who has seen Kobahi's Torture Rack Driver, or whatever it's
called, would pick it in a heartbeat.  He only debuted it in late October, but
it is the most wicked bump imaginiable.  How Misawa survives that move is a
mystery to me.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Kobashi, Hayabusa, and KAORU took the top 3. Honourable
mentions: Al Snow's second-rate version of Akira Hokuto's Northern Lights Bomb,
Mark Cantebury's face-first powerbomb, Dick Togo's toprope senton bomb, and
Tatsuhito Takaiwa's triple powerbomb & Death Valley Bomb. Sorry, but Mick's
suicidal tendencies are not wrestling moves, and I so refuse to vote them as
such. Mick, get yourself some professional help. Seriously.

JAMES FABIANO:  Christian's off to a good start with me for bringing the
Tomikaze to the WWF.  I've loved that move since first seeing Tommy Rogers use
it in ECW. Kidman's SSP is one of my favorite high-flying moves, and I like how
he can do it both inside the ring and off the apron.   Finally, I was kind of
bummed when Disco had to give up the Chartbuster just so Ed Leslie could get
over, but the Macarena Driver (TM me, yes ME, dammit! :-)) is so hilarious I
can't help but mark out.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Well, the first two were pretty easy... Christian's tomikaze is
the coolest wrestling move I've *ever* seen. Bar none. If I were a wrestler,
I'd wanna use it as *my* finisher! Kidman's SSP (insert nWWWo joke here. ;) is
the best in the world at the moment, with apologies to Marc Mero. Third
though... let's see, Snow Plow, Tornado DDT, Lo-Down, Sky-hi, Stage Dive,
pedigree, firebird, Marvelocity (Oh, and CRZ, I think that spelling makes more
sense. That's just me, though... ;), Taka's Asai Moonsault... *sigh* I'll give
it to the People's Elbow, the most over move in the World. I probably should
give it to something else instead, though...

OTTO "HACK-MAN" HEUER: People may mock my choices for Best Wrestling Move
(well, not as much as if I picked the Diamond Cutter or Jackhammer), but I had
to go with 1st:Chris Benoit's Triple Rolling German Suplex, 2nd:Psychosis' top
rope guillotine legdrop, 3rd:Lenny Lane's carom out of corner into bulldog
(because I mark out each time I see any of them).  It was hard to leave out
Kidman's Shooting Star Press but you can't sneak in that 4th vote no matter how
much you want to. :-)

JM SANTOS:  Lenny Lane's People's Legdrop was barely edged out by the Rock's
People's Elbow only because the elbow received more heat.

MATT DEBARGER: Not sure about the spelling of Tomakazi, its Tommy Roger's
finisher

ASHLEY RALEY: Togo's senton would be great if Vince would actually let him USE
THE DAMN THING!

TREVOR BARRIE: My conscience is telling me to vote for a cruiserweight, but I'm
afraid D-Lo's running ligerbomb has to get my top vote.  (And while it's
probably too late to be saying anything, what's up with the nomination list?
The Sky-Hi and the running 'bomb are too totally different moves.)

RYAN GRANT:  This one was close, but the spear/jackhammer combo electrified
crowds like no other move during the past year.  The People's Elbow places a
close second, and was another move crowds around the nation absolutely adored.
The Stunner has been with us for better than two years now, but the pops that
it receives are enormous still.  These are the three moves that personify
wrestling today, IMO.

A. WADE:  Sorry, it's a stupid move but I mark out when I see it.

CHUY: Nudo Lagunero is the standing four figure leglock with double armlock.

JEREMY SORIA: I assume "best move" as in "best-looking" or "coolest-looking"
move. I don't even know if Chris Benoit still does his dragon suplex, but it
still looks cool.

DANNY PORTER: Kidman, Taka's Asai, then the Snowplow.  Yeah, I'm a sucker for a
highspot, especially since the Snowplow barely beats out Togo's Senton Bomb in
my book.

SHANE ANDERSON: RVD's somersault is the single most impressive move I have ever
seen; Just if Rogers could invent a personality;

SEAN SHANNON: He only did it once, but damn it, Mick Foley doing a sixteen-foot
header off the Hell in a Cell cage was one of those moments where you have to
check your underwear after you see it.  When Mick Foley does the most insane
spot of his career, that's saying something.  The Undertaker's "Leap of Faith"
tope is a solid second, simply because it's Undie at his physics-defying best -
it's still amazing every time he does it.  Third goes to Rob van Dam for his
plancha where he somehow starts - and completes - a somersault in mid-air.
Human bodies were not meant to travel like that.

JASON LANGIN: Chris Candido's "Blonde bombshell" - Power bomb off the top rope?
Sick!!!

MDB: No words can express Benoit's triple rolling german suplex, though I
suppose Holy F***~! comes closest.  Kidman's Shooting Star Press is perhaps the
true Best Wrestling Move, especially the apron to floor variant as you can't
even get past "Holy" to "F***" when he does it, but Benoit's is the bit more
revolutionary in NA and so it gets the nod.  Konnan's 187 shouldn't get my vote
as he's all but dropped it

RICK SCAIA: Without a doubt, the People's Elbow is the best move in pro
wrestling today.  It really is electrifying.

ROBERT EVANS: Foley is God.  I can't believe this wasn't in the list of
nominees.

DEAN RASMUSSEN: Hikari Fukuoka's Moonsault Stomp is absolutely perfect- big,
dangerous, spectacular and it looks like it REALLY sucks to get it put on you.
The triumph of the will to allow yourself to take that bump is what gets
Fukuoka's opponents over as she kills the hell out of them with it.  It got
Boirshoi over with me after she took a FAT ASS Moonsault Stomp like a queen.
Fukuoka RULES.

HEATM: Nothing, and the Rock means NOTHING, gets a bigger pop in wrestling
these days than the People's Elbow.  For goodness sakes, there were three guys
in an ECW PPV who all tried variations of the move!  For me, wrestling moves
are measured by how popular they are at school.  That means my three choices
are The Elbow, Goldberg's spear, and the Stone Cold Stunner.  Since there's so
many to choose from, it's worth mentioning these moves:  D-Lo's running
powerbomb, Liontamer, Bret's ringpost figure four, DDP's Diamond Cutter, and
Wrath's pumphandle slam.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Match

Award Description:

To be given to the best wrestling match you've seen this year, either live,
on TV, PPV, or in an arena, or on tape. If it took place in the past year,
it is eligible. In 1994, this award was split into three: North American,
Non-North American, and overall.  In 1997, due to lack of participation on
both the NA and non-NA sides, it was recombined.

Previous Winners:

  1990: 04/22/90: Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart vs. Marty Janetty & Shawn
                  Michaels (SNME)
  1991: 03/21/91: Steiners vs. Kensuke Sasaki & Hiroshi Hase (Tokyo, aired
                  on taped PPV)
  1992: 01/18/92: Royal Rumble (Royal Rumble)
  1993: 10/24/93: Cactus Jack vs. Big Van Vader (Halloween Havoc)
  1994: (overall/NA) 03/20/94: Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (WrestleMania)
  1994: (non-NA)     04/16/94: Chris Benoit vs. Great Sasuke (Super J Cup)
  1995: (overall/NA) 08/27/95: Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (SummerSlam)
  1995: (non-NA)     11/20/94: Aja Kong vs. Manami Toyota (AJW V*TOP Tourney)
  1996: (overall/NA) 03/31/96: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania)
  1996: (non-NA)     03/17/96: Jushin Liger vs. Shinjiro Otani
  1997: 10/05/97: Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker (Hell in the Cell cage, IYH:
        Badd Blood)

**1998**: 06/28/98: Undertaker vs. Mankind (Hell in the Cell cage, King of the
          Ring)

451 first place votes
425 second place votes
388 third place votes

 229  46  31  1345   06/28/98  Undertaker v. Mankind (Hell in the Cell)
  36  66  36   450   08/30/98  Hunter Hearst Helmsley v. Rock (IC ladder)
  24  43  27   303   03/29/98  Shawn Michaels v. Steve Austin (WWF)
  32  25  19   273   05/31/98  Steve Austin v. Dude Love (WWF)
  10  25  20   165   09/27/98  Rock v. Ken Shamrock v. Mankind
  13  17  19   154   11/09/97  Bret Hart v. Shawn Michaels (WWF)
  11  12  16   123   06/11/98  Chris Benoit v. Booker T. (Thunder, Match 7)
   4  19  16   109   03/29/98  New Age Outlaws v. Cactus Jack & Terry Funk (Tag
                               dumpster)
   6  18  12   108   09/14/98  Juventud Guerrera v. Kidman (Nitro Cruiser)
   4  13  24   107   10/25/98  Goldberg v. Diamond Dallas Page (WCW)
  13   9   7   106   08/02/98  Masato Tanaka v. Mike Awesome
   4  14  13    88   03/15/98  Raven v. Chris Benoit v. Diamond Dallas Page (US
                               triangle)
   6   9   6    69   06/14/98  Chris Benoit v. Booker T. (Match 8)
   2  10   9    58   06/22/98  Bret Hart v. Chris Benoit (Nitro)
   4   6   5    48   08/02/98  Jerry Lynn v. Justin Credible
   2   7   7    45   01/24/98  Rey Mysterio Jr. v. Chris Jericho (Cruiser)
   3   7   4    44   12/15/97  Rey Mysterio Jr. & Juventud Guerrera
                               v. Psychosis & La Parka (Nitro)
   3   3   8    40   01/18/98  Shawn Michaels v. Undertaker (WWF casket)
   5   1   4    36   05/03/98  Mitsuharu Misawa v. Toshikai Kawada (Triple
                               Crown)
   2   4   6    34   02/22/98  Chris Jericho v. Juventud Guerrera (Cruiser
                               v. mask)
   2   1   9    31   04/26/98  Steve Austin v. Dude Love (WWF)
   1   4   7    31   05/25/98  Juventud Guerrera v. Kidman (Nitro)
   1   4   5    27   04/04/98  Bam Bam Bigelow v. Rob Van Dam (TV)
   5   0   0    25   06/12/98  Toshiaki Kawada v. Kenta Kobashi
   2   2   3    22   07/06/98  Hollywood Hogan v. Goldberg (Nitro WCW)
   1   3   4    22   03/24/98  Sting v. Diamond Dallas Page (Nitro WCW)
   1   1   6    20   10/05/98  Sting v. Bret Hart (Nitro US)
   1   1   5    18   10/15/98  Kidman v. Kaz Hayashi (Thunder Cruiser)
   0   6   0    18   05/03/98  Rob Van Dam v. Sabu
   0   3   4    17   05/04/98  Mick Foley v. Terry Funk (RAW falls count
                               anywhere)
   0   4   2    16   12/05/97  Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama v. Toshiaki
                               Kawada & Akira Taue
   3   0   0    15   08/23/98  Shinobu Kandori v. Manami Toyota
   2   1   1    15   08/01/98  Genichiro Tenryu v. Shinya Hashimoto
   1   0   5    15   09/13/98  Raven v. Saturn
   1   1   3    14   08/17/98  D-Generation X v. Nation (RAW Street Fight)
   1   1   2    12   06/27/98  Kiyoshi Tamura v. Tsuyoshi Kousaka
   0   4   0    12   08/02/98  Sabu & Van Dam v. Hayabusa & Jinsei Shinzaki
   0   1   4    11   06/28/98  Val Venis v. D'Lo Brown
   2   0   0    10   11/16/98  Kidman v. Juventud Guerrera (Nitro Cruiser)
   1   1   1    10   06/28/98  Rock v. Ken Shamrock (KotR Final)
   1   0   2     9   07/20/98  Rock v. X-Pac (RAW IC)
   1   0   2     9   06/03/98  Koji Kanemoto v. Dr. Wagner Jr.
   1   1   0     8             Lance Storm & Rob Van Dam v. Chris Candido &
                               Sabu
   1   1   0     8   12/28/97  Hollywood Hogan v. Sting (WCW)
   1   0   1     7   10/31/98  Mitsuharu Misawa v. Kenta Kobashi (Budokan)
   1   0   1     7   05/17/98  Diamond Dallas Page v. Raven (bowery death)
   0   1   2     7   08/08/98  Koji Kanemoto & Dr. Wagner Jr. v. Shinjiro
                               Ohtani & Tatsuhito Takaiwa
   0   2   0     6   03/15/98  Chris Jericho v. Dean Malenko (Cruiser)
   0   2   0     6   03/01/98  Taz v. Bam Bam Bigelow (TV)
   0   0   3     6   08/30/98  Steve Austin v. Undertaker (WWF)
   1   0   0     5   09/14/98  Goldberg v. Sting (Nitro WCW)
   1   0   0     5   09/04/98  Freedom Ryder v. Terrance Black (ladder) Crystal
                               Rivers, FL
   1   0   0     5   03/29/98  Undertaker v. Kane
   1   0   0     5   01/24/98  Ric Flair v. Bret Hart
   0   1   1     5   01/24/98  Chris Benoit v. Raven
   1   0   0     5             Al Snow v. Shane Douglas (prior to the PPV -
                               televised)
   0   1   0     3             Stairway to Hell match (?)
   0   1   0     3             Sabu v. Sandman (House Party)
   0   1   0     3             Reese v. Diamond Dallas Page
   0   1   0     3             Mr. Aguila v. Ultimo Guerrero (mask)
   0   1   0     3             Kidman v. Juventud Guerrera (Thunder)
   0   1   0     3   12/  /97  Mitusuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama v. Johnny Ace &
                               Kenta Kobashi (AJ Tag Tourney)
   0   1   0     3   11/30/97  Sabu v. Sandman (Tables & Ladders)
   0   1   0     3   11/01/98  Jerry Lynn v. Lance Storm
   0   1   0     3   09/21/98  Kidman v. Disco Inferno (Nitro Cruiser)
   0   1   0     3   08/10/98  Steve Austin & Undertaker v. Mankind & Kane
                               v. New Age Outlaws v. Rock & D'Lo Brown (RAW WWF
                               Tag 4 corners)
   0   1   0     3   07/24/98  Kenta Kobashi v. Jun Akiyama
   0   1   0     3   06/28/98  Steve Austin v. Kane (WWF first blood)
   0   1   0     3   05/05/98  Mitsuhara Misawa v. Toshiaki Kawada
   0   1   0     3   05/03/98  Shane Douglas v. Al Snow (ECW)
   0   1   0     3   04/30/98  Jushin Liger & El Samurai & Norio Honaga
                               v. Shinjiro Otani & Koji Kanemoto & Tatsuhito
                               Takaiwa
   0   1   0     3   01/15/98  Rey Mysterio Jr. v. Juventud Guerrera (Thunder?)
   0   1   0     3   01/12/98  Dean Malenko v. Chris Benoit (Nitro)
   0   0   1     2             Chris Jericho & Eddie Guerrero v. Chris Benoit &
                               Dean Malenko (Thunder?)
   0   0   1     2             Balls Mahoney v. Masato Tanaka
   0   0   1     2   10/25/98  Wrath v. Meng
   0   0   1     2   10/25/98  Scott Hall v. Kevin Nash
   0   0   1     2   09/28/98  Bret Hart v. Hollywood Hogan (Nitro US)
   0   0   1     2   09/14/98  Steve Austin v. Ken Shamrock (RAW WWF)
   0   0   1     2   09/14/98  Jackie v. Sable (RAW Evening Gown)
   0   0   1     2   08/30/98  Owen Hart v. Ken Shamrock (Lion's Den)
   0   0   1     2   08/10/98  Stevie Ray v. Chris Jericho (Nitro TV)
   0   0   1     2   06/22/98  Goldberg v. Rick Fuller (Nitro US)
   0   0   1     2   06/14/98  Eddie Guerrero v. Chavo Guerrero Jr.
   0   0   1     2   06/05/98  Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan v. Genichiro
                               Tenryu & Shiro Koshinaka
   0   0   1     2   05/25/98  Taka Michinoku v. Dick Togo (Light Heavyweight)
   0   0   1     2   05/25/98  Chris Benoit v. Booker T. (Nitro, Match 1)
   0   0   1     2   04/30/98  El Samurai & Kendo Ka Shin v. Shinjiro Ohtani &
                               Koji Kanemoto
   0   0   1     2   03/29/98  Marc Mero & Sable v. Goldust & Luna (Mixed tag)
   0   0   1     2   03/01/98  Rob Van Dam v. 2 Cold Scorpio
   0   0   1     2   02/22/98  Rick Martel v. Booker T. v. Saturn (TV triangle)
   0   0   1     2   02/15/98  Steve Austin & Owen Hart & Cactus Jack &
                               Chainsaw Charlie v. Hunter Hearst Helmsley &
                               Jesse James & Billy Gunn & Savio Vega (no DQ)
   0   0   1     2   02/  /98  Felino v. Pantera

REJECTED

   0   2   2                   "Tie" votes ("Any match between x and y")
   0   2   2         06/28/98  Undertaker v. Mankind (Hell in the Cell)
                               (duplicated votes)
   0   2   0                   Kidman v. Juventud Guerrera (Which one?)
   1   0   0                   Anyone v. Mankind
   1   0   0         11/16/98  Rock v. Steve Austin (RAW WWF) (ineligible date)
   0   1   0         11/16/98  Juventud Guerrera v. Kidman (Nitro Cruiser)
   0   1   0         11/  /98  Rey Mysterio Jr. v. Eddie Guerrero (ineligible
                               date)
   0   0   1         11/25/98  Mike Mercury v. Nature (MN Indy) (ineligible
                               date)
   0   0   1         05/31/98  (No match listed)

JAMES KALYN: I really really really wanted to give the Hell In A Cell match top
honours for the year but since Bret/Shawn from Survivor Series is in the same
voting period, I just can't do it.  Bret/Shawn is a much better match (up until
the ending, of course) and it has a must-see element to it, like Hell In The
Cell.  Actually, it's "must-see" in a completely different way, but you know
what I mean.  I think.

ANDY JUDGE: What a push for Jericho: to so utterly destroy Pro Wrestling
Illustrated's #1 rated rated wrestler, that he takes time of to think about
retirement.  Hogan / Goldberg wasn't necassarily a good match, but it was good
to see Hogan job!

SHAWN MULLIN: I had to stick to ones I remembered here.  The triple threat
cage match from Breakdown is the match that had me on the edge of my seat the
whole time, so it was the best match I'd seen.

SVEN MASCARENHAS: That lucha tag match from the December Nitro will get
overlooked, but it deserves to win because everything hit, to quote Scott
Keith, to within two decimal places. Unfortunately, in a year when nothing else
really stood out, an 'average' ladder match and a fun but confusing triple
threat cage match also make the top 3.

CHRIS DILLON: Undertaker vs Mankind, hell in the cell, was technically quite a
mediocre match, but it was an icredible spectacle. Misawa vs Kawada, while
nowhere near as good as their amazing June '94 collision was really, really
enjoyable. Tamura vs Kousaka was a ***** shoot style match, so while it
wouldn't appeal to everyone, it was by far the best of that genre this year,
and my second fave worked shoot next to Vader vs Takada.

VINCE MORALES: Tough choice, but I chose Justin Credible vs. Jerry Lynn because
its 2 guys who came out of nowhere in 98 to have a great feud on the mat.

MICHAEL JAVORNIK: The Undertaker/Mankind Hell in the Cell was not really a
WRESTLING match, but I had to include it on the strength of those insane bumps
by our friend Mick Foley.  The Shawn Michaels/Bret Hart Survivor Series match
was not great per se, although it had some good brawling at the beginning.
However, the heat leading up to it, during and especially after the screwjob
make it a match that will never be forgotten.

BEN MILLER: Austin vs. Love 5/31/98 was the best 37 minutes of PPV television
I've ever seen.  Everything from the introductions, from the stooges' parts, to
the Undertaker's re-emergence as a title contender was handled perfectly.

GEORGE CARTER: Mankind. Undertaker. Hell in a Cell. Nuff said. Runner-up is
Shawn-Austin from WrestleMania. Shawn gave it his all here, while  injured and
it showed.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: No, Mick's bumpfests are not matches. They're just further
documenta- tion that the man needs professional help. After seeing it live the
top spot is a no-brainer: Misawa re-capturing the Triple Crown from Kobashi on
Oct.31. The "impromptu" 6-man match marking Norio Honaga's retirement was
superb. Third? *shrug* I'd like to say Kawada's kicking Misawa's ass for the
Triple Crown on 5/1, but the Kobashi/Misawa match way overs- hadows it, so I'll
fall back on another NJ Jr. match from the Honaga retirement card:
Ohtani/Kanemoto v. Samurai/Kendo Ka Shin

JAMES FABIANO: Mankind/UT (Hell in a Cell) has to go first for those "Oh my
God" moments Mick Foley gave us.  The ladder match, while no Shawn vs. Razor,
was still very good, and it was great to see Kidman finally win the
cruiserweight title.  Honorable mention BTW goes to the Breakdown three-way,
which was pretty good and was preceded by some great interviews.

STEPHEN TISZENKEL: Mick Foley deserves the Congressional Medal of Honor. I
never, not in a million years, thought I'd ever see a thumbtack spot in a WWF
show. I probably don't even have to manage the falls off the top -- or through
the top -- of the cage. Wow.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Ah yes... this was annoying. I never saw Austin vs. Love from
Over the Edge. This is bad because judging from descriptions, I'd probably have
put it up top. Anyhoo... Hell in a Cell 2 gets tops. Objectively, it was crap,
but the chokeslam through the *bloody* CAGE makes up for *that*. The Ladder
Match from Summerslam gets second. It wasn't Shawn-Razor, sure, but then again,
nothing is. It *was* a very entertaining match though, and that's good enough
for me. Oh, and it literally *made* the Rock. Third... it's *very* debatable,
but seeing as I was there live, I'll give it to Mankind-Shamrock-Rock from
Breakdown. Here's to hoping Shawn comes back so that I can find easier choice
here! ;)

OTTO "HACK-MAN" HEUER: It was hard to narrow the Best Match votes to three.  I
decided that the Cactus hiptoss off the top of the cage would get enough votes
to make it #1, so that freed up all three spots for other votes.  I really
wanted to vote for all seen (eight) of the "best of seven" series that Benoit
and Booker T had, but even using a small font I could only fit three votes
in. :-)  I ended up giving the top honor to the 03/15/98  Raven v. Chris Benoit
v. Diamond Dallas Page (US triangle), followed by the 06/11/98  Chris Benoit
v. Booker T (Thunder, Match 7), and the final coveted spot going to 12/15/97
Rey Mysterio Jr. & Juventud Guerrera v. Psychosis & La Parka (Nitro)

MARK POLISHUK: The only reason the lucha tag match isn't #1 is because it
didn't  really happen in 1998, and I'm a stickler.

MIKE CHAPMAN:  How are you supposed to keep track of all those incredible
Kidman-Juvi matches?

DOUG CORTI: Felino vs. Pantera was the best match on Shotgun all year. As Head
Priest of the cult, I had to include at least one match from the show. As for
#1, the peak of the McMahon/Austin feud took place only two months into it, as
Dude Love and Steve Austin engaged in a believable and intense brawl around the
arena. A great main event that won't be duplicated in terms of intensity in the
feud. La Parka/Psicosis vs. Rey/Juventud was the best match on free TV this
year.

 JON WHITE: There weren't a lot of good wrestling matches this year.  Austin
vs. Love was the best of the bunch, and Misterio and Juvi had a match on
Thunder that was great.

CLINT MAYHER: That powerbomb through the table still frightens the hell out of
me!

ASHLEY RALEY: Misawa, Kawada, and the rest of the AJ gang could sing showtunes
in     the ring for 30 minutes and still beat any U.S. match this past
year.  The awesome Nitro lucha tag match from last December was,     I believe,
about 8 minutes...and it was still better than anything     I saw on PPV this
year.

RYAN GRANT:  Lynn v. Credible was a masterpiece to the point that even my mama
was marking out on the couch next to me--the two showcased their talents
exceptionally well.  Scott Keith said it best--the laddermatch will make the
careers of HHH and Rocky.  While perhaps not the masterpiece that the first one
was, the raw emotion and red-hot crowd more than helped to carry the day.  I
hate myself for not having brought it up during the Call for Nominations, but
Booker T. deserves credit for his performance at Superbrawl.  He was good
during the Benoit feud, but that night he was *great*.

K. CANZANELLA: Misawa/Kawada for the triple crown is what is good about
wrestling: Heat, Stiffness, drama, in-ring storylines, and a Kawada win to boot
:) Juvy/Kidman on Nitro where Kidman won was a terrific match of plenty of near
falls and awesome sequences. benoit/Raven at Souled Out was STIFF as FREAK. It
was the perfect way to end a fued.

A. WADE:  Austin-Michaels gets best match mainly because of the signifigance of
the Austin title reign to the WWF and wrestling in general.

CHUY: Hell in the Cell was impressive, but not the match of the year b/c it was
more a stunt work than a wrestling match, instead, I chose Wrestlemania main
event, not only  for its importance in the evolution of WWF, but because it
might be the last match in the HBK career (hope not).

SHANE ANDERSON: Foley=God; I was three ft. away when Awesome went through the
ringside table; HHH v Rock wasn't the typical ladder match but it ruled in its
own way

SEAN SHANNON: Herb Kunze and his ilk can blather about "transitions and
psychology" all they want, in the end everyone is entitled to their own
opinions about what constitutes an entertaining wrestling match, and everyone's
opinion in that regard is just as valid as anyone else's.  Hell in a Cell from
King of the Ring could arguably be called a spotfest, but they were the most
jaw-dropping spots in the world, done in a succession that really made you
wonder if Mick Foley was alive.  The Helmsley/Maivia ladder match didn't live
up to the Shawn Michaels standard, but it came damn close and was still a
five-star affair.  Third place on my ballot goes to Rob van Dam winning the
Television title from Bam Bam Bigelow in dramatic fashion, putting on an
absolute clinic of all his best aerial moves.

JASON LANGIN: Rob Van Dam & Sabu beating Lance Storm & Chris Candido for the
ECW Tag Team Titles. - Just an awesome match all around!

MDB: If you overlook WCW's greed in making this match insignificant by booking
an 8th match, the first Match 7 was everything you could want for a blowoff
match.  I saw Rey/Juvy v. LaParka/Psicosis live.  The fans booed earlier in the
night when Pinzer told them during a commercial break that a lucha match was up
next.  A few minutes into the match they wised up.  (If only Bischoff would)

RICK SCAIA: Not a good year for great matches.  For a match to be truly great,
not only does it have to be well-worked, but for me, it's got to be played out
on a big stage.  Preferably ss a PPV main event or an important title match.
Rey Jr. vs. Juvi may be technically awesome, but I'm not keeping it on video to
replay it 5 years from now.  With that in mind, I'm saying the Mankind
vs. Undertaker "Hell in the Cell" match is the Match of the Year.  Talk about
unforgettable!  In at #2 is a more conventional choice: the amazing Rob Van Dam
ECW TV Title win over Bam Bam Bigelow that aired on TV in early April.  That
was good stuff.  Real good.  For some reason, I really liked the September
Mankind/Shamrock/Maivia cage match, and am putting it in at #3.

DEAN RASMUSSEN: Genichiro Tenryu vs Shinya Hashimoto was just REALLY great- a
beautiful,simple story of two guys beating the living shit out of each other.
Hash brings it like a MUTHA and Tenryu takes a GIANT ass-stomping and then
dishes out a GIANT ass-stomping.  This year, Tenryu had one of the greatest
late-career rallies ever witnessed - and this match and the CHOICE tag match
with Chono and Tenzan were the centerpieces.   Koji Kanemoto/ Dr. Wagner
Jr. taking on Shinjiro Ohtani and Tatsuhito Takaiwa had a whole lot of great
points- too many to expound on here.  This was the match that sealed the fact
that Ohtani was back and BETTER than he was before.  Wagner controlled the
crappiness of Takaiwa and Koji Kanemoto was suitably stormy and dicklike.  Koji
Kanemoto vs Dr. Wagner Jr. was a great synthesis of TOTAL assholishness from
too different cultural perspectives and the winner was the viewing public.
Wagner was the glue that held the insane wildness of Kanemoto together in this
and the fact that Wagner made sense of all the products of the physical prowess
that Kanemoto can off-handedly dole out made for a very special match of
magnificently dickish proportions.

GARETH THOMAS: The Super Jr final between Kanemoto and Wagner featured flawless
execution, great build and good psychology.  To me, the best junior match since
Otani vs Dragon at J-Crown 96.  The awesome RWTL final is the second best match
I've seen, and although I'm not a huge fan of the RINGS style, Tamura vs
Kohsaka from June deserves a spot.

JONATHAN SNOWDEN: The half-dead Misawa still manages to perform in two of the
best matches of the year.

HEATM: Undertaker/Mankind will be the match that people will remember 1998 by.
It just set a new standard for violence in mainstream wrestling, and the amount
of injuries sustained in that match was unreal.  The drama leading to the final
pinfall was incredible.  Mick Foley deserves a world title for his work in this
match.  I don't think I've ever had my heart beat that fast for a wrestling
match.  My #2 choice goes to Bret/Shawn at Survivor Series.  It was marred by
the infamous McMahon double cross, but it too had my heart in knots.  Knowing
the real life hatred between Shawn and Bret made me watch every punch and kick
twice as closely.  #3 would be the workrate match of the year: Rey Mysterio
Jr. & Juventud Guerrera v. Psychosis & La Parka from Nitro.  Some might not
remember this, but this was without question the reason I still watch WCW.  The
number of near falls and incredible reversals made this one the best match I
have ever seen from the luchadores and from WCW. Honourable mention goes to
Steve Austin, who despite all of his great matches, didn't make my top 3.  Give
him credit for his work in matches with both Foley and Michaels.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Feud

Award Description:

To be given to the feud that gave us the most heated and best wrestling
match(es) of the year. In 1994, this award was split into two: North
American and Non-North American.  In 1996, due to lack of participation on
the non-NA side, it was recombined.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Doom: Ron Simmons & Butch Reed vs. Horsemen: Arn Anderson & Barry
        Windham
  1991: Doom: Ron Simmons & Butch Reed vs. Steiners
  1992: Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage
  1993: Big Van Vader vs. Cactus Jack
  1994: (NA)     Cactus Jack & partner vs. Nasty Boys
  1994: (non-NA) All Japan Women vs. JWP (& other outside women)
  1995: (NA)     Dean Malenko vs. Eddy Guerrero
  1995: (non-NA) Aja Kong vs. Manami Toyota
  1996: NWO vs. WCW
  1997: Bret Hart / Hart Foundation vs. Steve Austin

**1998**: Mr. McMahon vs. Steve Austin

476 first place votes
426 second place votes
412 third place votes

 356  41  16  1935   Steve Austin v. Mr. McMahon
  19  72  51   413   D-Generation X v. Nation (Hunter Hearst Helmsley v. Rock)
  21  58  45   369   Chris Jericho v. Dean Malenko
  13  37  35   246   Chris Benoit v. Booker T.
   7  21  29   156   Ric Flair v. Eric Bischoff
   4  27  26   153   Undertaker v. Kane
   6  20  18   126   New Age Outlaws v. Cactus Jack & Chainsaw Charlie
   3  29  11   124   Shawn Michaels v. Steve Austin
   6  18  14   112   Bret Hart v. Vince McMahon
   3  17  22   110   Taz (New Triple Threat) v. Shane Douglas (Triple Threat)
   8   3   6    61   Jushin Liger & El Samurai & Kendo Ka Shin v. Koji
                     Kanemoto & Shinjiro Otani & Tatsuhito Takaiwa
   2   6  11    50   Steve Austin v. Rock
   0   8  12    48   NWO Hollywood v. NWO Wolfpack
   2   6   8    44   Diamond Dallas Page v. Raven
   2   7   6    43   Juventud Guerrera v. Kidman
   1   5   9    38   Steve Austin v. Dude Love
   3   6   2    37   Chris Benoit v. Raven
   1   4  10    37   Chavo Guerrero Jr. v. Eddie Guerrero
   3   5   3    36   Chris Jericho v. Goldberg
   1   8   2    33   Mankind v. Undertaker
   1   1   9    26   Scott Hall v. Kevin Nash
   0   2  10    26   Ken Shamrock v. Owen Hart
   1   4   3    23   Diamond Dallas Page v. Randy Savage
   1   3   2    18   Val Venis v. Goldust
   0   4   3    18   WCW luchas v. WCW luchas
   0   2   3    12   Team No Respect v. Phoenix
   1   0   3    11   Raven v. Saturn
   1   1   1    10   Steve Austin v. Undertaker (& Kane)
   1   1   1    10   D-Generation X v. WCW
   1   0   2     9   Manami Toyota v. Shinobu Kandori
   0   1   3     9   Sting v. Hollywood Hogan
   0   0   4     8   Rock v. Ken Shamrock
   0   0   3     6   Chris Jericho v. Juventud Guerrera
   1   0   0     5   X-Pac v. D'Lo Brown
   1   0   0     5   Steve Austin v. Bret Hart
   1   0   0     5   Sonny T. v. Rick Thames
   1   0   0     5   Oddities v. Kaientai
   1   0   0     5   Kidman v. Juventud
   1   0   0     5   Head v. Mr. Socko
   1   0   0     5   Al Snow v. Shane Douglas
   0   1   1     5   Taz v. Bam Bam Bigelow
   0   1   1     5   Bret Hart v. Everybody
   0   0   2     4   WWF v. WCW
   0   0   2     4   Shane McMahon v. Mr. McMahon
   0   0   2     4   Ric Flair v. Bret Hart
   0   0   2     4   Mankind v. Ken Shamrock
   0   1   0     3   Vatos Locos v. Vipers v. Tecnicos (AAA)
   0   1   0     3   Tommy Dreamer v. Justin Credible
   0   1   0     3   Shawn Michaels v. Bret Hart
   0   1   0     3   Sandman v. Justin Credible
   0   1   0     3   Rey Mysterio Jr. v. Juventud Guerrera
   0   1   0     3   Mitsuhara Misawa v. Toshiaki Kawada
   0   1   0     3   Bret Hart v. Four Horsemen
   0   0   1     2   Val Venis v. Yamaguchi-san & Kaientai
   0   0   1     2   Tammy Lynn Sytch v. Tammy Lynn Bytch
   0   0   1     2   Steve Austin v. Mike Tyson
   0   0   1     2   Sable v. Marc Mero
   0   0   1     2   Sable v. Luna
   0   0   1     2   Rick Steiner v. Scott Steiner
   0   0   1     2   Owen Hart v. Hunter Hearst Helmsley
   0   0   1     2   Mark Henry v. Chyna
   0   0   1     2   Justin Credible v. Jerry Lynn
   0   0   1     2   Hollywood Hogan v. Kevin Nash
   0   0   1     2   Eric Bischoff v. Wrestling fans the world over
   0   0   1     2   Dudleys v. Tommy Dreamer & co.
   0   0   1     2   Dudleys v. New Jack & Spike Dudley
   0   0   1     2   Chyna v. Mark Henry
   0   0   1     2   Cactus Jack v. Terry Funk
   0   0   1     2   Brujas-Moreno sisters (?)
   0   0   1     2   Bret Hart v. Sting

REJECTED

   1   0   0         Mankind v. The Corporatation (ineligible time)
   0   0   1         Sabu
   0   0   1         "Tie" votes

ANDY JUDGE: Ernest Miller makes me change the channel every time he's on.

SVEN MASCARENHAS: Austin v. McMahon will be remembered as the feud of the
decade, let alone the feud of the year. Benoit / Booker and Malenko / Jericho
were good enough to win almost every other time in the 1990's, but not this
year.

CHRIS DILLON: There haven't been any classic feuds this year, but the first one
I have to mention is obviously the Vince vs Austin one. So far it has produced
one great match (Austin vs Dude) and a few good-very good matches, and while I
got bored the angle side of it quite a while ago, the majority of the paying
fans are still engrossed with it, it has plenty of heat, and now seems to be
helping push The Rock up to main event level. The Flair vs Eric feud will
probabley not be looked back on in years to come as a classic feud, but so far
I have enjoyed all the Flair comeback interviews, especially the memorable
re-forming of the Horsemen. Unfortunately, the feud doesn't really help out
Chris Benoit or Dean Malenko (as the past few weeks Malenko vs Stevie Rey and
Barbarian matches show), but for sheer entertainment value it is
unbeatable. Finally, the Benoit/Booker feud was my favourite, as, in a shocker
for American wrestling, it was based *soley* on *wrestling* with a little
hatred thrown in along the way for good measure.

VINCE MORALES: Austin is the most beloved man in pro wrestling. McMahon is the
most hated. They can thank eachother.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Liger, Ohtani, et al gave us a year plus of fantastic
singles, tag, and six-man matches. With Ohtani and Takaiwa taking the Jr. tag
titles, this feud won't die soon. Austin/McMahon was getting stale sometimes,
but it was entertaining. Owen helped to show Shamrock is improving
tremendously. The feuds to look for in next year's vote? Tiger Dream v. Mariko
Yoshida is starting to heat up, as is GAEA v. Oz Academy. And who knows what
will happen with the Muta and Chono factions of nWo Japan (other than they'll
handle things 10 times better the WCW).

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Steve Austin vs. Mr. McMahon is such a complete no-brainer, I'll
be *beyond* shocked if it *doesn't* win. I mean, it's only been the top feud in
the WWF for the whole year... DX vs. the Nation gets second, mostly for the DX
parody of the Nation and for the Ladder Match. Probably in that order... Shawn
Michaels v. Steve Austin was a *great* set up for a match... Pity there haven't
been any *re*matches yet. And Shawn in Asshole Heel mode is always fun.

OTTO "HACK-MAN" HEUER: My votes for Best Feud should surprise no one who knows
me.  I had to give #1 to Chris Benoit v. Raven, as both guys make me mark out,
and combined (or in triangle matches) their match usually has more workrate
than the rest of the wrestling card combined.  #2 went to Chris Benoit
v. Booker T.  This one didn't have the heat or storyline as much as Raven's,
but it was still intense.  I really wanted to put WCW luchas v. WCW luchas as
#3 (or maybe the intense Jericho/Malenko feud) but I ended up going with Ric
Flair v. Eric Bischoff, because anyone that was in an arena when Ric came out
to bad-mouth Eric knows that their ears were still ringing the next morning due
to the pop Ric received.

TOMMY-O: I'm ashamed to admit how many times I've marked out.

MIKE CHAPMAN: Juvi-Kidman gave us a great match every single time, even if it
wasn't that heated a feud. Jericho-Malenko didn't have as many matches, but it
did give us Jericho on a D.C. street corner with his "Conspiracy Victim" sign.

DAVID SPENCER: I still can't call Malenko "Dean" -- he's forever "Stinko."

JEFF BELL: I voted all 3 of Austin's Feuds 1,2,3. That shows you what year he
had.

JON WHITE: Austin vs. McMahon was great.  Juvi vs. Kidman was the best
"wrestling" feud, and the Booker T vs. Benoit was booked beautifully.

CLINT MAYHER: It was a tough choice between 1 and 2, but for a feud, great
storyline beats great wrestling by a slim margin.

MATT DEBARGER: TT's = Taz, Sabu, Rob Van Dam vs Shane Douglas, Bam Bam Bigelow,
Chris Candido

ASHLEY RALEY: I don't care for either Rock or Helmsley, but they did a good job
building up their feud by not dragging it out too long and finishing     it
well with the big blow-off match at SummerSlam.

SUPERFAN SAM: The Austin-McMahon feud was the main reason the WWF reclaimed the
spot as the top wrestling organization in the world.

CUBS FAN: Mr. McMahon has been the most compelling angle this year and hasn't
let up.  Chris Benoit vs Booker T gave great matches.  DX vs the Nation
elevated the status of the four major players in it (HHH, X-Pac, D-Lo, Rocky).

RYAN GRANT:  There aren't enough superlatives in the world to describe just how
good McMahon vs. Austin has been.  Incredible heat, great interviews, some
damned fine matches, and more twists and turns than a a Sherlock Holmes
mystery.  Jericho vs. Malenko lead to some great matches, and gave us some
great laughs as Chris advanced his Conspiracy Victim theory.  The Hardcore
Legends vs. The New Age Outlaws feud was rather short, even for these times,
but their match at Wrestlemania was great and all the personalities involved
were enjoyable.

K. CANZANELLA: All the fueds I selected were based on wrestling that delivered
wrestling and raised the stock of new workers under GREAT workers:
Benoit/Booker T., Kidman/Juvy, and the NJPW Juniors fued between Liger and
Kanemoto with the underlings too. All benoit/Booker T. matches were over ***,
and Booker T. got way over and much better because of it. Juventud/Kidman were
mostly all ****, though not as much of a "fued" as Benoit/Booker T., that
helped Kidman increase his ability under the cool wing of Juvy. Liger's
divinity and Kanemoto's surliness helped out the younger Ka Shin and Taikaiwa.

A. WADE:  Vince is the story of the year in wrestling.

SEAN SHANNON: Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon should easily take first place in
the final vote, and for good reason: it's the best feud I can remember in the
fourteen years I've watched professional wrestling.  It appeals on so many
levels, and people can identify with it so easily, that it's truly the perfect
story.  No wonder it helped resurrect a sagging WWF.  Second goes to
Degeneration X's war against WCW, simply because it exposed both sides so well:
DX (and the WWF) are about fun and having a good time, but those commodities
have long since vanished from WCW.  Third place goes to DX vs. the Nation if
only for DX's hilarious parody and the string of good matches that the feud
spawned.

JASON LANGIN: Steve Austin v. Kane v. Undertaker v. Mankind - Good stuff

MDB: Never confuse "best" with "favorite."  Austin v. McMahon wasn't my
favorite feud, but it was the best.  It ran strong for almost a year and was
everything a feud over the heavyweight belt should be, great wrestling, great
interviews, great heat, great booking.

TOM CRUZ: Vince vs. Stone Cold. This feud brought the WWF back from an 80+ week
as number 2 in the ratings. What more can I say. The best part is this feud has
been running for some 9 months now, and shows no signs of cooling off. Sure, we
can call what will happen a week or two down the road, but I don't think anyone
really knows how this feud will end. Chris Benoit vs Booker T. gave us 8
matches, each close to match of the year quality. The thing is, it was for the
TV Title. What do these guys have to do to get a shot at a belt that means
something? Even WCW acknowledges that the TV belt is a minor championship. In
my eyes, it's a King of the Jobbers belt. Maybe that's the one Goldberg should
have, given his 150+ victories over shall we say, less than top quality
competition.

DEAN RASMUSSEN: Jushin Liger/El Samurai/ Kendo Ka Shin vs Koji Kanemoto/
Shinjiro Ohtani/ Tatsuhito Takaiwa and all of its associations and pairings
created the most really great matches of 1998.  Liger showed his love for 70's
US booking by subtly twisting this feud down a myriad of pathes as Ka Shin went
out of control, Kanemoto and Wagner became a great tagteam and Ohtani finally
became a man.  Juventud Guerrera vs Kidman may not have been an actual feud,
but it was a lot of really good matches on TV for free and I'm all about that.
The greater scope of this feud was that it kept the Cruiserweight belt viable
as Guerrerro, Malenko and Jericho graduated to carrying stiffs at the top and
Rey and Ultimo- the ones who REALLY got the division over with Malenko- were
out for the whole year.  Team No Respect vs Phoenix had wads of good wrestling
between all the comedy skits and underwear dancing.  Get White Love and sense
the beauty.

GARETH THOMAS: Austin vs Vince has to take first place.  After this, I can't
really think of a great feud that has been good for its angles and hatred
rather than its matches, so its the juniors from New Japan at #2, and Kidman
and Juvi at #3

HEATM: Not even close.  Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon probably single-handedly
turned the ratings in favour of Titan.  With the thin talent on the WWF roster,
it was this one feud that made WWF what it is today.  After that, #2 is a
write-in: Ken Shamrock vs. Rocky Maivia.  It started at the Royal Rumble in
January, continued at WM 14, and the two had matches at KOTR, IYH: Breakdown
and Survivor Series, as well as some good matches on RAW.  #3 is Steve Austin
vs. Rock.  It started at IYH: D-X with a great match, continued in the Royal
Rumble with those two guys being the last two men in, and picked up again late
this year.  It looks like next year this feud will continue, with a possible WM
main event match.  Honourable mention:  Sable/Mero vs. Luna/Goldust.  The men
put on a great performance, and I don't think anyone will forget Sable's
performance in beating Luna.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the name athlete who was the worst overall wrestler in the
past year. Minimal technical ability, lousy interviews, non-existent
workrate, and the charisma of a rock should describe this person.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Junkyard Dog
  1991: Andre The Giant
  1992: Nailz
  1993: Giant Gonzalez
  1994: Hulk Hogan
  1995: Hulk Hogan
  1996: Hulk Hogan
  1997: Hulk Hogan

**1998**: Hollywood Hogan

472 first place votes
449 second place votes
434 third place votes

 153  76  42  1077   Hollywood Hogan
  93  93  58   860   Warrior
  45  32  24   369   Goldberg
  31  26  22   277   Cat (Ernest Miller)
  17  23  41   236   Disciple
  12  10  29   148   Steve McMichael
  12  13  23   145   Lex Luger
  10  19  19   145   Roddy Piper
  11  17  15   136   Jim Niedhart
  10  14  14   120   Kurrgan
   8  12   4    84   Hacksaw Jim Duggan
   5   6  13    69   Kane
   4   9  10    67   Kevin Nash
   5   4   8    53   Hawk
   1  10   8    51   Brian Adams
   1   6   8    39   Jeff Jarrett
   2   6   4    36   Dan Severn
   4   2   3    32   Stevie Ray
   3   4   1    29   Van Hammer
   2   4   3    28   Scott Steiner
   2   4   2    26   Steve Austin
   1   5   3    26   Dennis Knight (Phineas Godwinn)
   2   3   3    25   Road Block
   2   2   3    22   Sandman
   2   3   1    21   Mark Henry
   1   2   5    21   Giant
   3   1   1    20   Konnan
   2   2   2    20   Meng
   1   2   4    19   Giant Silva
   2   2   1    18   Diamond Dallas Page
   2   0   4    18   Golga
   1   1   5    18   Scott Norton
   2   1   2    17   Shark Tsuchiya
   1   2   3    17   Stephen Regal
   2   0   3    16   Faarooq
   1   3   1    16   Godfather
   1   2   2    15   Tiger Ali Singh
   0   1   6    15   Horace
   1   2   1    13   Shane Douglas
   2   0   0    10   All-American Boy
   1   1   1    10   Jesse James
   0   2   2    10   Mongo McMichael
   0   1   3     9   Curt Hennig
   1   1   0     8   Jack Victory
   0   2   1     8   Vader
   1   0   1     7   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
   1   0   1     7   Glacier
   0   1   2     7   Jay Leno
   0   2   0     6   Kanyon
   0   2   0     6   Ed Leslie
   0   2   0     6   British Bulldog
   0   0   3     6   Scott Hall
   1   0   0     5   Vincent
   1   0   0     5   Shawn Micheals
   1   0   0     5   Owen Hart
   1   0   0     5   Mabel
   1   0   0     5   Duane Gill
   1   0   0     5   Disco Inferno
   1   0   0     5   Chris Benoit
   1   0   0     5   Bradshaw
   1   0   0     5   Balls Mahoney
   0   1   1     5   Undertaker
   0   1   1     5   Sting
   0   1   1     5   Steve Blackman
   0   1   1     5   Rick Steiner
   0   0   2     4   Dennis Rodman
   0   1   0     3   Yoshihiro Takayama
   0   1   0     3   Stephie Ray
   0   1   0     3   Scott Putski
   0   1   0     3   Renegade
   0   1   0     3   Johnny Swinger
   0   1   0     3   Jerry Flynn
   0   1   0     3   Fit Finlay
   0   1   0     3   Barbarian
   0   0   1     2   X-Pac
   0   0   1     2   Val Venis
   0   0   1     2   Taka
   0   0   1     2   Steve Williams
   0   0   1     2   Shohei Baba
   0   0   1     2   Sal E.Graziano
   0   0   1     2   Sable
   0   0   1     2   Riggs
   0   0   1     2   Perro Aguayo
   0   0   1     2   Mark Canterbury (Henry Godwinn)
   0   0   1     2   Disciples of Apocalypse

REJECTED

   0   1   1         Warrior (duplicates)
   0   0   1         The Bald One (which one?)
   0   0   1         Anybody involved in Brawl for all
   0   0   1         "Tie" votes


CHRIS DILLON: Shark Tsuchiya, The Cat and Kurrgan are all dreadfull
representatives of their respective divisions and, frankly, shouldn't have a
job.

KEVIN PODSIADLIK: Again Hogan only makes third on my ballot.  What a wacky
year!

GEORGE CARTER: This year, I decided to be "Hogan friendly" here and decided to
vote  for Warrior, Roddy Piper and Kane. They're all fuck ups in my book.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Mark Henry is a shambling pile of shit and stinks up
EVERYONE you put him in the ring with. I doubt even Michaels can get a 2 star
match out of him. Hawk, one word: Retirement! And Shark Tsuchiya is not that
bad until you have to watch her live and are unable to fast-forward her
match. (Dis)honourable mentions to Marc Mero, Disciple, Kane, and Piper.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: *sigh*. I'm afraid that Bryan Adams, the Cat, Dennis Knight,
Disciple, Faarooq, Godfather, Goldberg, Jesse James, Neidhart, Nash, Kurrgan,
Luger, Hawk, Piper, Norton, McMichael and Hammer don't get a shot at this
prestigious award... Warrior, You Know Who (TM to.. someone. I forget who. ;)
Hogan, in case you don't know. ) and Good ol' Hacksaw have this one *all* tied
up. And yes, I like Kane, dammit!

OTTO "HACK-MAN" HEUER: Worst Wrestler was another one that was hard to narrow
down to three choices (which should say something about the sport today). While
I wanted to recognize such people as Thunderblood "no-sell" Charlie Norris,
Jeff Jarrett, The Cat, Warrior, Hogan, Sting, Hall, Nash, Giant, Piper, Hennig,
Norton, Undertaker, Taz, and others, I believe the three who stunk up the joint
more than any others had to be Kane, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and Disciple.

MARK POLISHUK: Hogan is only third this year.  It's all because of that
huracanrana  he started doing.

MIKE CHAPMAN: Who would have imagined that anyone could challenge Hogan for
this, but it was a tough call between him and Warrior.

CLINT MAYHER: All American Boy deserves this award named after him for
paricipating in that NBC disgrace...and I don't give a damn if Van Hammer can
do a tope, he still sucks!

SUPERFAN SAM: It boggles my mind that Ernest Miller is actually paid for what
he does which by the way is NOT wrestling.

TREVOR BERRIE: I know the Oddities probably deserve this award, but it seems
like a waste to vote for them - it's not like they're _supposed_ to be
wrestlers, after all; they're literally a sideshow. So Hogan, Warrior and
Disciple get my votes.

RYAN GRANT:  YEAH BABY YEAH!  The WWF used Neidhart right in 1997--he basically
stood around and played backup.  Then he goes to the WCW and they try to get
their money's worth out of him--bad, bad mistake.  The WWF did right with
Kurrgan--realizing that he was a less talented, uglier version of El Gigante,
they make him a prancing clown.  It still doesn't change the fact that he spent
most of the first half of the year wrestling like crap.  If it's possible,
Dennis Knight is the bad Godwin.  Mark Canterbury has a move or two that endear
him--Knight is an unintimidating dolt.

K. CANZANELLA: Tiger Ali Singh is what I think is the definition of a terrible
wrestling times 50.  He has no charisma, has about 2 wrestling moves, won't
take bumps, and sells like Paul Wight. He is such a waste of time, and
money. Kevin Nash is number two. He sucks SO bad. I don't even think HBK
bumping like crazy could make him have a match that worth more than a
DUD. Giant Silva is three, for being Tiger ALi Singh with less wrestling
ability but the common decency to stay the fuck off my TV in the ring.

A. WADE:  Mongo really sucks now.

CHUY: I have an almost unlimited endurance to bad wrestling, but DDP makes me
puke, Kanyon and Gberg get there b/c besides their limited skills, they're a
menance to other wrestlers.

MICHAEL NAIMARK: Warrior proved to be incapible of even the most rudimentary
wrestling moves after his 4 year layoff.  If Hogan is carrying you, you'd
better be dead.

SEAN SHANNON: I'm putting Goldberg first here, simply for the fact that his
matches are always so poor.  They're incredibly formulatic, obviously
overchoreographed and even at that Goldberg's greenness/stiffness means his
opponent will be unnecessarily hurt.  Shane Douglas gets second place for
constantly being so lacklustre; it says something when Pitbull #2 has to carry
you in a match.  Hollywood Hogan takes third for being his usual horrible self
this past year.

JASON LANGIN: Ernest Miller - He sucks so bad and I hate when he's on.

GARETH THOMAS: Hawk is beyond terrible.  Kevin Nash just stands around and
throws a few punches and kicks, yet is somehow right near the top of WCW.  As
for Baba, he's perhaps the most feeble, unrealistic wrestler in the sport.  Sad
moment at the Dome show where Shinzaki is doing his rope walk on Baba, and Baba
is looking at him with a huge grin on his face.  There's something wrong when
Cuty Suzuki is retiring before Shohei Baba :b

HEATM: A whole slew of bad wrestlers fit into this category.  I'll give it to
Lex Luger, who might be the worst wrestler I have ever seen in my life.  Roddy
Piper and Warrior round out the top 3.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Tag Team

Award Description:

To be given to the name tag team who were the worst overall wrestlers in the
past year. Minimal technical ability, lousy interviews, non-existent
workrate, the charisma of a rock, and lousy team moves should describe this
pair.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Rhythm & Blues: Greg Valentine & Honky Tonk Man
  1991: The Patriots: Todd Champion & Firebreaker Chip
  1992: Bushwhackers: Luke Williams & Butch Miller
  1993: The Colossal Kongs: Awesome Kong & King Kong
  1994: Bushwhackers: Luke Williams & Butch Miller
  1995: Tekno Team 2000: Travis & Troy
  1996: Godwinns: Henry O. & Phineas I.
  1997: Godwinns: Henry O. & Phineas I.

**1998**: Diamond Dallas Page & Jay Leno

456 first place votes
422 second place votes
405 third place votes

  82  41  32   597   Diamond Dallas Page & Jay Leno
  44  68  30   484   Hollywood Hogan & Dennis Rodman
  53  37  34   444   Disciples of Apocalypse - Skull & 8-Ball (& Crush &
                     Chainz)
  41  25  54   388   British Bulldog & Jim Niedhart
  32  46  31   360   Legion of Doom 2000 - Hawk & Animal & Droz
  28  30  36   302   Oddities - Kurrgan & Golga & Giant Silva
  21  42  27   285   Southern Justice - Mark Cantebury & Dennis Knight
                     (Godwinns)
  22  19  24   215   New Midnight Express - Bombastic Bob & Bodacious Bart
  17  14   9   145   Giant & Scott Hall
  13  11  22   142   Public Enemy - Flyboy Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge
  15  10  10   125   High Voltage - Robbie Rage & Kenny Kaos
  13   8  11   111   Alex Wright & Disco Inferno
  10   7  11    93   Disorderly Conduct - Tough Tom & Mean Mike
   7   5   2    54   New Age Outlaws - Jesse James & Billy Gunn
   3   3   8    40   Sting & Warrior
   1   7   6    38   Head Bangers - Mosh & Thrasher
   4   3   3    35   Rick Steiner & Kenny Kaos
   1   4   5    27   Faarooq & Scorpio
   3   2   2    25   Dudley Boys - Buh Buh Ray & D-Von
   2   3   2    23   Too Much - Brian Christopher & Scott Taylor
   3   1   1    20   Steiner Brothers - Rick & Scott
   2   2   2    20   Sting & Lex Luger
   2   2   2    20   Hardy Boyz - Matt & Jeff
   3   0   2    19   Crusher Maedori & Shark Tsuchiya
   1   4   1    19   Hollywood Hogan & Eric Bischoff
   0   4   3    18   Diamond Dallas Page & Karl Malone
   2   0   3    16   Axl Rotten & Balls Mahoney
   3   0   0    15   Scott Steiner & Buff Bagwell
   2   1   0    13   Horace & Stevie Ray
   1   1   2    12   Insane Clown Posse - Violent J & Shaggy 2 Dope
   1   0   3    11   Full Blooded Italians - Tracy Smothers & Little Guido
   2   0   0    10   Outsiders - Scott Hall & Kevin Nash
   2   0   0    10   Hollywood Hogan & Bret Hart
   1   1   0     8   Raven & Kanyon
   0   1   2     7   Armstrong Brothers - Scott & Steve
   1   0   0     5   John Kronus & New Jack
   1   0   0     5   Faces of Fear - Meng & Barbarian
   1   0   0     5   Brood - Gangrel & Edge & Christian
   0   1   0     3   Undertaker & Kane
   0   1   0     3   Stevie Ray & Scott Hall
   0   1   0     3   Rock 'n' Roll Express - Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson
   0   1   0     3   Rick Steiner & Buff Bagwell (did they team?)
   0   1   0     3   Quebecers - Jacques Rougeau & Pierre-Carl Oulette
   0   1   0     3   Lex Luger & Kevin Nash
   0   1   0     3   Horsemen - Dean Malenko & Steve McMichael
   0   1   0     3   Danny Doring & Roadkill
   0   1   0     3   Cat & Sonny Onoo
   0   1   0     3   Barbarian & Hugh Morrus
   0   0   1     2   Vincent & Stevie Ray
   0   0   1     2   Pitbulls - #1 & #2
   0   0   1     2   Nation - D'Lo Brown & Mark Henry
   0   0   1     2   Lodi & Saturn
   0   0   1     2   Konnan & Lex Luger
   0   0   1     2   Kevin Nash & Sting
   0   0   1     2   Kaientai - Dick Togo & Mens Teoh & Sho Funaki & Taka
                     Michinoku
   0   0   1     2   Head Hunters - A & B
   0   0   1     2   Gary Albright & Yoshihiro Takayama
   0   0   1     2   Bushwackers - Luke & Butch (?)
   0   0   1     2   Al Snow & Head

REJECTED - mostly tie votes

  11   3   4         Rick Steiner & Judy Bagwell (ineligible time)
   1   1   2         Any WCW team
   0   1   3         Any NWO tag team
   1   1   0         Any Rick Steiner Team
   1   0   0         Scott Hall & Any NWO Member
   1   0   0         NWO B-Team (any combo)
   1   0   0         Atlantis-Lizmark (did not team)
   0   1   1         Too Much - Brian Christopher & Scott Taylor (duplicate)
   0   0   2         Other "Tie" votes
   0   1   0         any Wolfpack combo
   0   1   0         Bischoff & a microphone
   0   1   0         Any Scott Steiner Team
   0   0   1         Kevin Nash & Anybody
   0   0   1         Any Nitro Mainevent

ANDY JUDGE: Remember WCW tag team wrestling?  Me neither.

SHAWN MULLIN: Three teams whose mere anouncement makes me cringe.

CHRIS DILLON: The Oddities, Hogan and Rodman, Hall and the Giant, Southern
Justice, the New Midnights - there have been so many terrible teams this year,
but surley the worst has been Davey Boy Smith and Jim Neidhart - NONE of their
matches have had ANY heat, or anything worthwhile.

BRAD JOHNSON: Thank god Vince is giving the DOA/LOD thing a break

BEN MILLER: Every North American tag team is bad, but the Outlaws are the one's
I have to sit through the most, so they get the honor.

TODD GERTH: WCW put together four tag teams that included non-wrestlers and put
them in PPV main events, so some really bad teams made up of pros get spared my
vote. (Jim and Davey Boy, I'm looking in your direction.)

CURTIS DESJARDINS: There are just so many to choose from. "Congrats" to the WWF
for taking the top 3 spots! *clap clap clap* Quite an accomplishment
considering  they had to "compete" against Sting/Warrior, Jado/Gedo, the
Oddities,  Public Enema, and Mari/Fabi Apache.  Three jeers for Vince!...

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Too easy... Just *too* easy. Southern Justice are the
Godwinns. I *do* think that Mark Cantebury is actually rather underrated, but
they're *still* the Godwinns. Always will be. And Dennis Knight
stinks. Bombastic Bob and Bodacious Bart get second for defiling the memory of
Beautiful Bobby and Sweet Stan, or the Real Midnight Express as I call them. No
charisma and no teamwork do not a good tag team make, guys. Third... Did the
Giant and Scott Hall *ever* defend the tag titles? Didn't think so. Pity Kenny
Kaos as one half of the tag champions is past the deadline.

DOUG CORTI: There are teams worse than the Outlaws. But they are not at the top
of their organization. They come out, spew their little catch phrases, and
proceed to stink up the ring. James can't do any moves without breakdancing
beforehand. Gunn had potential. I doubt he will ever get it back. They  haven't
been watchable in a significant match all year. Am I the only one  that can't
stand these guys?

JON WHITE: Tag wrestling in North America sucks right now!

CLINT MAYHER: I could mildly tolerate the celebrity teams because everyone knew
they were gonna suck, but my number 1 severely tarnished the name of one of the
top five tag teams in the history of the sport.

SUPERFAN SAM: If DOA fell off the Earth, would anyone care. My money says
probably not.

BRAVO SIERRA: The most difficult part of these decisions were remembering
enough candidates to fill in.

RYAN GRANT:  I give Vince all the credit in the world for actually trying to do
something with his tag team division this year, and he did do a lot of good,
but some of the blunders were truly legendary.  The DOA couldn't draw heat in
hell, and God only knows why Paul Ellering came back only to align himself with
crap like that.  The LOD were simply painful to watch.  The New Midnights were
a good idea, in principle, but the execution was God awful and the entire angle
ended up a shat upon the legacy of one of the truly great tag teams.

K. CANZANELLA: The Giant and Scott Hall Teaming is like a dream come
true. Yeah, right. Crappy wrestling for a worthless belt. NAO are the second
worst. Billy Gunn has some ability, Road Dog has none. Add that to the fact
that the only reason they are over is for their stupid catchphrase, and that
they haven't had a clean title defense since..... uh.... and you've got a
pretty bad team. DOA are number three for being two different versions of one
shitty, heatless, meaningless wrestler.

A. WADE:  Made easier by WCW gimmick matches.

DANNY PORTER: High Voltage, New MX, Bulldog/Anvil.  This may sound strange, but
HV may be decent someday -- but they aren't now.  The others are dead, and
hopefully buried.

SEAN SHANNON: The big rule in this division is that even though WCW has the
worst ten or twelve tag teams in the world, a mediocre WWF team always wins
this award because they stand out against a more robust WWF tag team division.
But not on my ballot.  First place goes to High Voltage, two Power Plant scrubs
who have been pushed way beyond their talent.  Remember, Kenny Kaos actually
defended half of the tag team titles earlier this year.  Second and third go to
the celebrity-infused tag teams of Hollywood Hogan/Dennis Rodman and Diamond
Dallas Page/Jay Leno for reasons that should be painfully obvious to anyone who
had to watch the celebrities attempt to wrestle.

JASON LANGIN: The Oddities - I like the old Kurrgan

RICK SCAIA: Flip a coin:  Hulk Hogan and Dennis Rodman or DDP and Jay Leno.  I
go with Page and Leno.  God, what a pair of awful ideas those were.
Surprisingly, I'm forgoing the opportunity to put Hogan/Bischoff in at #3 so
that I can give a special mention to the Disciples of Apocolypse, who took the
time to really bore me all year long, instead of to suck intensely for just one
night only.

ROBERT EVANS: LOD 2000 sucks.  All 3 of them should have climbed the TitanTron
and jumped off.

HEATM: Again, lots to choose from.  I'm picking strictly from the true tag
teams.  The DOA has absolutely NO talent.  None.  When they win, it's always
the exact same way -- one twin comes in illegally for the other twin and gets
the roll-up.  Likewise, LOD (Animal and Hawk) are disgustingly bad.  Hawk in
particular needs to retire now.  The Public Enemy is sloppy and horrifyingly
bad, and they just barely beat out The Godwinns for third place.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Heel

Award Description:

To be given to the person whose casting as a bad guy just didn't work well.
Maybe there was just no heel heat drawn or maybe the fans actually cheered
this person, but for whatever reason the heel image just didn't get over.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Rick Martel
  1991: The Mountie Jacques Rougeau
  1992: Razor Ramon
  1993: Giant Gonzalez
  1994: Bastion Booger
  1995: Zodiac (The Butcher/Brutus Beefcake)
  1996: Hulk Hogan
  1997: Ahmed Johnson

**1998**: Hollywood Hogan

462 first place votes
437 second place votes
417 third place votes

 104  41  22   687   Hollywood Hogan
  89  49  35   662   Cat (Ernest Miller)
  58  49  25   487   Eric Bischoff
  15  27  44   244   Glacier
  26  24  17   236   Jeff Jarrett
  18  26  24   216   Scott Steiner
  11  18  30   169   Disciple
   8  26  15   148   Marc Mero
   6  20  24   138   Stevie Ray
  11  16  13   129   Meng
   6  17  23   127   Tiger Ali Singh
  10  12  15   116   Brian Adams
   9  18   5   109   Dustin Runnels
  15   8   4   107   Undertaker
  12   4  12    96   Bret Hart
  10   6   6    80   Alex Wright
   5   8  11    71   Kanyon
   7   4   6    59   British Bulldog
   5   6   3    49   Owen Hart
   2   7   8    47   Raven
   3   4   9    45   Barry Darsow
   1   6   9    41   Kane
   3   5   5    40   Scott Hall
   6   1   2    37   Rock
   1   6   6    35   Mark Henry
   1   5   3    26   Curt Hennig
   0   4   5    22   Horace
   3   0   3    21   Giant
   3   0   2    19   Chris Jericho
   3   1   0    18   Val Venis
   1   2   1    13   Dan Severn
   1   1   1    10   Mr. McMahon
   0   2   2    10   Ken Shamrock
   1   0   1     7   Scott Norton
   0   1   2     7   Bradshaw
   0   2   0     6   Lance Storm
   0   2   0     6   Kurrgan
   1   0   0     5   Sultan (eligible?)
   1   0   0     5   Shark Tsuchiya
   1   0   0     5   Randy Savage
   1   0   0     5   Mabel
   1   0   0     5   Justin Credible
   1   0   0     5   Godfather
   1   0   0     5   El Dandy
   1   0   0     5   Dude Love
   0   1   1     5   Shane Douglas
   0   1   1     5   Lodi
   0   0   2     4   Vincent
   0   0   2     4   Mike Tyson
   0   0   2     4   Jack Victory
   0   0   2     4   Buff Bagwell
   0   1   0     3   Taka
   0   1   0     3   One Man Gang
   0   1   0     3   Jim Niehardt
   0   1   0     3   Jim Cornette
   0   1   0     3   Jackyl
   0   1   0     3   Fit Finlay
   0   1   0     3   Disco Inferno
   0   0   1     2   Stephen Regal
   0   0   1     2   Sonny Onoo
   0   0   1     2   Shane McMahon
   0   0   1     2   Rob Van Dam
   0   0   1     2   John Dalvekio
   0   0   1     2   Great Sasuke
   0   0   1     2   Elizabeth
   0   0   1     2   Eddie Guerrero
   0   0   1     2   D'Lo Brown
   0   0   1     2   Commissioner Slaughter
   0   0   1     2   Atsushi Onita

REJECTED

   0   0   2         NWO Hollywood (not an individual)
   0   0   1         Brian Adams (duplicate)

CHRIS DILLON: Jarrett tops my list. He's been given several opportunites, but
has blown all of them and he does not deserve any more. Kanyon also deserves
mention - a mediocre worker, but an absolutely abysmal heel. Scott Steiner may
be even worse though.

MICHAEL JAVORNIK: A good heel must draw some sort of crowd reaction.  Tiger Ali
Singh does not.  Neither does Jeff Jarrett.

GEORGE CARTER: The Bulldog was a heel ?

JAMES FABIANO: If schools taught Jeff Jarrett Math 101, the first equation
taught would be: 3 gimmicks + 2 managers + 2 bodyguards + 1 valet + 1 new look
+ 1 feud with DX + a couple of guitar shots + a couple of haircuts  = 0
heat. Glacier, no one cares if you want to beat up everyone who uses a
superkick, go away.  Brian Adams takes third, although anyone from the NWO
Hollywood B-team could go here since they ain't over.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: The Cat. I mean does *anyone* care about him? The Undertaker. I
like the guy, but you just *can't* book the man as a heel, cause he'll always
get huge face pops. And bringing back that Fat Tob of Lard Paul Bearer didn't
help. Bret Hart (WCW v. 2.0) gets third. Until he started crippling people, he
really *was* just 'Some Midcarder'. And he didn't get interesting until
recently...

BERT SNOOVEN: No wrestler can be as bad as The Cat. It's probably a conspiracy
by WCW, where they hired Mario Van Peebles to play the role of Ernest
Miller. (My apologies to Mr. Van Peebles.)

MARK POLISHUK: Bischoff is actually an okay heel; he just gets automatically
voted  into any "worst" category

MIKE CHAPMAN: We're supposed to actively hate these guys, not find them so
annoying we flee to another channel.

ADAM BONIN: I shudder whenever Scott Steiner picks up a microphone and pray
that it's after 9, so I can change channels.  He's not funny, and his biceps
scare me.  Marc Mero needs a new feud -- it's been two years, Vince!  And I
can't take Brian Adams seriously.  Yawn.

CLINT MAYHER: Cat and Bischoff are on here because they are lame; Undertaker is
on here for his amazing ability to act really evil, attack fan favorites, and
still get the second or third biggest face pop of the night.

ASHLEY RALEY: Hey Jarrett, I'd be "pissed off" too if I didn't have a hope in
hell     of ever getting over.

RYAN GRANT:  The only heat Eric got from me this year was the friction caused
by my finger changing the channel.  He's a heel to me, but for all the wrong
reasons.  Brian Adams just didn't work.  He's not particularly intimidating,
he's not particularly interesting--he just exists, and no one knows why.  They
tried to make the fans hate Jarrett.  They failed.  The NWA angle was a flop,
and the Aztec Warrior getup was laughable.

K. CANZANELLA: When you need to go through 3 different gimmicks to draw heel
heat, and end up drawing none, despite making a huge paycheck and demanding a
title reign, your name is..... Jeff Jarrett.  Ernest Miller is a bad wrestler
that draws "bad" heat. Embrace the apathy for Hollywood Hogan that echoes
through the arenas he goes to.

KEVIN WONG: Normally I'd put Hogan in here.  But he was a believable heel, at
least.  Miller and Glacier are just dumb as heels, and Tyson looked like he was
having too much fun.

A. WADE:  Ernest deserves all the bad things he gets.

MATT BROWN: It's the old neon, glitzy, "Electric Horseman" rip-off Jarrett I'm
voting for -- the "Don't P*** Me Off" Jarrett is infinitely more interesting
(but that isn't saying much)

SEAN SHANNON: The WWF trying to push the Undertaker as a heel was hands-down
the dumbest decision they made this year.  I realize Austin needs heels to work
against, but the WWF had plenty of heels already; turning their most
consistently over superstar of the past decade into a heel was stupid, and WWF
TV has been suffering for it ever since.  Hollywood Hogan and Raven get second
and third in my ballot because both of their routines are so clichΘ that
nobody can care about them, not even WCW fans.

JASON LANGIN: Horace - And why do we care about this guy?

RYAN BASSLER: Poor JJ ... even Vince admits, in a roundabout way, that while
he's a great techinical wrestler, there really doesn't seem to be a way to make
JJ interesting.  Maybe a total psychotic loose cannon, but we saw hints of that
this year, and didn't really raise the bar level that much higher.

HEATM: Eric Bischoff is not a heel.  He is just terrible.  IMO, the definition
of a heel is someone that you love to hate.  Shawn Michaels is a heel.  Rock
was a heel before SummerSlam.  Eric's attempts to be a heel fall incredibly
short.  He is without question the worst heel. Ernest Miller would be #2, but
he gained some points with me late this year.  I'll give my second place vote
to Hollywood Hogan, who is in the same boat with Bischoff.  I'm not even sure
what Glacier is, but they tried to make him a heel, so he's #3.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Babyface

Award Description:

To be given to the person whose casting as a good guy just didn't work well.
Maybe there was just no face heat drawn or maybe the fans actually booed
this person, but for whatever reason the face image just didn't get over.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Dusty Rhodes
  1991: P.N. News
  1992: Sid Justice
  1993: Lex Luger
  1994: Hulk Hogan
  1995: Hulk Hogan
  1996: John Tenta
  1997: Rocky Maivia

**1998**: Warrior

458 first place votes
428 second place votes
405 third place votes

 112  50  35   780   Warrior
  36  41  19   341   Disciple
  20  34  16   234   Lex Luger
  23  16  32   227   Konnan
  30  15  11   217   Bret Hart
  15  23  31   206   Steve McMichael
  27  14   9   195   Goldberg
  20  18   9   172   Ken Shamrock
  18  15  13   161   Diamond Dallas Page
  11  21  16   150   Dan Severn
   8  19  15   127   Faarooq
   9  12  21   123   Roddy Piper
  10  12  18   122   Owen Hart
  13  12  10   121   Dustin Runnels
   8  12  22   120   Bradshaw
   8  15  12   109   Vader
   7  10  12    89   Ray Traylor
   3  14  13    83   Tom Brandi
   7   9   9    80   Prince Iaukea
   6   8  13    80   Rick Steiner
   6  11   7    77   Jeff Jarrett
   7   8   7    73   Larry Zbyszko
   5   1   5    38   Chris Jericho
   4   3   1    31   Sting
   5   1   1    30   Rock
   4   2   2    30   X-Pac
   3   2   4    29   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
   3   2   3    27   Kane
   2   2   2    20   Saturn
   2   1   3    19   Kevin Nash
   2   2   0    16   Steve Austin
   1   2   1    13   Scorpio
   2   0   0    10   Juventud Guerrera
   1   1   1    10   Val Venis
   1   1   1    10   Undertaker
   1   1   1    10   Taz
   1   0   2     9   Jim Niedhart
   1   0   2     9   Eric Watts
   1   1   0     8   Kyoko Inoue
   1   1   0     8   Darren Drozdov
   0   0   4     8   Steve Blackman
   1   0   1     7   Hacksaw Jim Duggan
   1   0   0     5   Rob Van Dam
   1   0   0     5   Mankind
   1   0   0     5   Lance Storm
   1   0   0     5   Glacier
   1   0   0     5   Emilio Charles Jr.
   1   0   0     5   Duane Gill
   1   0   0     5   Chavo Guerrero Jr.
   1   0   0     5   Cat (Ernest Miller)
   1   0   0     5   Brian Adams
   1   0   0     5   Ahmed Johnson
   0   1   1     5   Jesse James
   0   1   1     5   Eddie Guerrero
   0   0   2     4   Wrath
   0   0   2     4   Dean Malenko
   0   1   0     3   Tommy Dreamer
   0   1   0     3   Steve Williams
   0   1   0     3   Scott Putski
   0   1   0     3   Sable
   0   1   0     3   Meng
   0   1   0     3   Kanyon
   0   1   0     3   Golga
   0   1   0     3   Godfather
   0   1   0     3   Giant Silva
   0   1   0     3   Davey Boy Smith
   0   1   0     3   Alex Wright
   0   0   1     2   Stevie Ray
   0   0   1     2   Shane McMahon
   0   0   1     2   Kurrgan
   0   0   1     2   Kaz Hayashi
   0   0   1     2   Karl Malone
   0   0   1     2   Jay Leno
   0   0   1     2   Horace
   0   0   1     2   Edge
   0   0   1     2   Curt Hennig
   0   0   1     2   Billy Gunn
   0   0   1     2   Barry Darsow

REJECTED - not individuals, mostly

   1   0   1         Head Bangers
   1   0   0         LOD 2000
   1   0   0         "Tie" votes
   0   1   1         Warrior (duplicates)
   0   1   0         Oddities
   0   1   0         Brian Adams (duplicates)
   0   0   1         Public Enemy
   0   0   1         Motley Crue

ANDY JUDGE: You know pro wrestling's changed over the years when a flaming
homosexual is pushed as a face.

SHAWN MULLIN: Bret, Owen and the Warrior all thought they could be "old style"
faces in a wrestling world that has rejected that style of face.  Therefor,
they all failed.  The only one that has yet to turn heel and capatilize on the
fans new hatred of that kind of character is the Warrior.  Hopefully he'll just
go away.

CHRIS DILLON: Bret Hart, Disciple and the Warrior. Three guys this year that
were supposed to be babyfaces but recieved heel responses. That isn't good :)

MICHAEL JAVORNIK: A good babyface must draw babyface heat.  Faarooq does not
(come to think of it, he didn't draw any heat as a heel either).

GEORGE CARTER: The Warrior is back. Who cares ?? Dan Severn was pretty bad in
his  own right. And Bret Hart was just plain horrible in his first few months
in WCW.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Apologies to my (former)favourite, Kyoko, but this year I
just can't make myself give a damn about her "matches". Neither can I care
about Page. Beat the shit out of him, repeatedly and often, and maybe I'll
change my mind.

JAMES FABIANO: Hey, don't you need charisma to be a babyface?  You do?  OK,
then, Disciple and Faarooq, you can go away.  Owen can stay, but he has to
promise to stay a heel :-)

S. FRIESEN: Ray Traylor, in my mind, got over once in his whole career
convincingly as a face as the Big Bossman in WWF, and this face heat was mild
at best. I think he's always been best as a heel, and I'm glad to seem him in
that position in the WWF as a corporate puppet of Mr. McMahon's.

DOUG CORTI: "Speak to me Warriors!" BOOOOOOOOO! That moment made me forgive
Chicago after the Cubs contributed to the Mets not making the playoffs.

CLINT MAYHER: HAHAHAHAHA!! Lenny Lane got a bigger pop than the Disciple in
their match together! And Luger desperately needs to turn heel quickly in order
to save any points with me.

RYAN GRANT:  YEAH BABY YEAH!  Absolutely pitiful.  "From this day on, Goldust
is no more."  Absolutely pitiful.  "I'm Taz, and I'm the....." Absolutely
pitiful.  Honorable mentions to New Jack, Ray Traylor, and Larry Zydeko.
They're absolutely pitiful, too.

K. CANZANELLA: People hated Bret as a face. So they turned him
heel. Helllllllo, Hitman. Godfather and Konnan are two bad wrestlers that need
trendie-gimmicks and catchphrases to draw heat, respectivly.

A. WADE:  Warrior really, really sucks now.

JEREMY SORIA: DDP and Warrior are way past their prime; if Warrior had stayed
close to his ass-kicking ways and far away from his "destrucity" drivel, he
would probably not be on this list.

MICHAEL NAIMARK: Although this was due to his booking more than anything else,
Bret Hart's heat has increased tenfold since his heel turn.  Hart plays the
'old school' heel better than anyone in North america.

SHANE ANDERSON: Konnan isn't a face he's a catchphrase; some guys weren't made
to be faces and Traylor one of em; DDP just drives me fuckin nuts

SEAN SHANNON: For all that That BH Guy was supposed to have this wave of
sympathy and good emotions from everyone after Survivor Series, even WCW fans
got tired of him as a babyface real quick.  Only WCW could screw that one up so
colossally.  Second place goes to Mr. Anti-NWO himself, Ray Traylor, and
someone should slap whoever it was in WCW who thought anyone would give a rat's
ass about that whole storyline; thankfully the WWF has revived Traylor's career
following that debacle.  Third place goes to the Warrior, who just couldn't
live on his legend anymore in WCW, especially given the horrible angles he was
involved in.

JASON LANGIN: The Disciple - See above.

MDB: Warrior hasn't being paying attention.  What kind of hero lets a bunch of
smoke do the fighting for him?  Even worse, one who gets the Booty Man to do
the fighting for him?  Bret Hart likewise didn't work, but then you bring him
in and have his first feud against Flair?  Not quite Bret's fault.

RICK SCAIA: Warrior was getting booed pretty soundly as his big rematch with
Hogan approached.  The era of good guy superheros is gone, you nutjob.  Seeing
Vader prance around as a babyface didn't really set well with me, so he's in at
a distant #2.  Rounding out the top three:  Bret Hart.  How the hell did WCW
screw that one up?

ROBERT EVANS: I wanted to vote Vader - Best Jobber, instead he gets Worst
Babyface.

TOM CRUZ: Rick Steiner. Can't cut a good interview. Not really anything special
in the ring anymore. Just a dead spot for WCW TV. Get this guy (and his
brother) off my TV, please! Konnan, king of cheap heat, do us all a favor and
go to Mexico, where someone may actually care about you. He too, is lousy on
the mic, with limited ring skills. People make fun of the FIVE MOVES OF DOOM,
but Konnan has his too: rolling clothesline, seated dropkick, cradle DDT,
carpetmuncher (facebuster), and Tequila Sunrise. Get him off my TV! The Warrior
is perhaps the silliest guy in this group though, if only for his truly idiotic
vocabulary. Hey, I can read a dictionary too, but I don't feel the need to
start blathering for no reason, simply to use a word I may have picked up in
there.

HEATM: The worst babyface probably means the guy that falls flat at being a
good guy.  In this respect, Bret Hart -- as much as I love him -- gets the nod
as worst face.  He tried it in WCW, and it just didn't work at all.  In
contrast, Bret is one of the best heels in a long time.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Worker

Award Description:

To be given to the name wrestler whose workrate is so low it's barely
measureable.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Junkyard Dog
  1991: Andre The Giant
  1992: Nailz
  1993: Giant Gonzalez
  1994: Hulk Hogan
  1995: Hulk Hogan
  1996: Hulk Hogan
  1997: Hulk Hogan

**1998**: Hollywood Hogan

453 first place votes
432 second place votes
419 third place votes

 148  85  38  1071   Hollywood Hogan
  95  84  55   837   Warrior
  38  26  13   294   Goldberg
  25  16  24   221   Kevin Nash
  18  17  27   195   Steve McMichael
  11  17  24   154   Lex Luger
   8  14  22   126   Kurrgan
   4  20  23   126   Roddy Piper
  10  13  12   113   Jim Niedhart
  11  12  10   111   Eric Bischoff
  10   8  16   106   Cat (Ernest Miller)
   4  13  14    87   Giant
   5  11  13    84   Stevie Ray
   5  10  11    77   Hawk
   2  11  11    65   Brian Adams
   3   8  10    59   Meng
   4   4  11    54   Tiger Ali Singh
   3   6   8    49   Vader
   4   4   6    44   Golga
   5   4   3    43   Konnan
   2   5   8    41   Kane
   2   6   5    38   Scott Hall
   1   4   6    29   Disciple
   3   0   6    27   Giant Silva
   1   4   1    19   Shane Douglas
   2   2   1    18   Scott Steiner
   1   3   2    18   Hacksaw Jim Duggan
   2   1   1    15   Horace
   2   1   1    15   Faarooq
   2   1   0    13   British Bulldog
   2   0   1    12   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
   0   1   4    11   Sting
   0   2   2    10   Taz
   0   2   2    10   Sandman
   1   0   2     9   Undertaker
   1   0   2     9   Dan Severn
   1   1   0     8   Mark Henry
   1   1   0     8   Bret Hart
   1   0   1     7   Val Venis
   1   0   1     7   Road Block
   1   0   1     7   Mabel
   0   1   2     7   Diamond Dallas Page
   0   1   2     7   Dennis Rodman
   1   0   0     5   Tiny Mouse
   1   0   0     5   Stephen Regal
   1   0   0     5   Shawn Michaels
   1   0   0     5   Scott Putski
   1   0   0     5   Scott Norton
   1   0   0     5   Ric Flair
   1   0   0     5   Raven
   1   0   0     5   Kenny Jay (SPWA)
   1   0   0     5   Jack Victory
   1   0   0     5   ICP
   1   0   0     5   Giant Baba (eligible?)
   1   0   0     5   Dennis Knight (Phineas Godwinn)
   1   0   0     5   Ahmed Johnson
   0   1   1     5   Steve Austin
   0   1   1     5   Jake Roberts
   0   1   0     3   Taka Michinoku
   0   1   0     3   Sid
   0   1   0     3   Scotty Zappa (PWA)
   0   1   0     3   Rick Steiner
   0   1   0     3   Randy Savage
   0   1   0     3   One Man Gang
   0   1   0     3   Giant Kimala 2
   0   1   0     3   Darren Drozdov
   0   1   0     3   Bubba Ray Dudley
   0   1   0     3   Bradshaw
   0   1   0     3   Abdullah the Butcher
   0   0   1     2   Vincent
   0   0   1     2   Perro Aguayo
   0   0   1     2   New Jack
   0   0   1     2   Mr. McMahon (eligible?)
   0   0   1     2   Marc Mero
   0   0   1     2   Lodi
   0   0   1     2   Curt Hennig
   0   0   1     2   Bob Holly
   0   0   1     2   Big Boss Man
   0   0   1     2   Animal
   0   0   1     2   Amish Roadkill
   0   0   1     2   Akira Taue

REJECTED

   0   0   1         Steiner (which one?)
   0   0   1         Oddities (not individual)
   0   0   1         Disciples of Apocalypse (not individual)

CHRIS DILLON: Lex Luger tops my list - why this guy continues to recieve his
'push' and be over with the fans is beyond me. Also worth a mention are Giant
Kimala 2 and Giant Baba. Baba is ancient, so we can allow for him being cack
(he just should not be wrestling) whereas why Kimala 2 has a job is beyond me.

VINCE MORALES: I hate Hogan because he's still wrestling and thats if you can
even call it wrestling.

BRAD JOHNSON: Hogan and Luger seem to be cleaning up in the worst category

J.L. BURT: Write in vote for HHH as worst worker, what has he wrestled this
year?

GEORGE CARTER: Warrior, Piper and Kurrgan were just terrible this year. At
least  Hogan worked more matches this year than he has in the past few years.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Mark Henry! Mark Henry! Rah Rah Rah! Ugh!! Roddy, stick to
your b-grade straight-to-video action movies! Sting, what the HELL are you
DOING?!? It's too bad people are going to vote for Hogan because of a knee-jerk
reaction of loathing. There are *many* more worse than Hogan. Just ask the
Warrior. And Disciple. And Hawk. And Godfather...

S. FRIESEN: I don't understand how Balls Mahoney got left off the worst
wrestler's list.  Aside from his wicked chairshots, which are only equalled by
The Undertaker and Tommy Dreamer, he has no real wrestling moves in his
arsenal.  But he get's over with the fans (despite having to share one man's
charisma with Axl Rotten), and isn't that what really matters?  The answer, is
no.  =]

MIKE CHAPMAN: Hogan can wrestle, he just doesn't, so Warrior wins this one.

JM SANTOS:  All of Gonnad's (oops, Konnan I mean) matches can be summed up like
this:  Orale, Raza, etc.; he takes the early advantage and hits the rolling
lariat; opponent beats the hell outta him; suddenly he reverses a whip to the
ropes and hits a reverse kick (solebut?) followed by a face-slam; Tequila
Sunrise; walk back to the locker room out of breath.

ASHLEY RALEY: I only get to choose three...and there were so many deserving
candidates.  :) Stevie Ray's ineptness is just laughable.  Hasn't     Konnan
wrestled the exact same match for the past 2 years?  Yes, so     has Luger, but
he tries a little bit...unlike the lazy, catchphrase-     ridden turd that is
Konnan.  But they must all bow to the King of      Laziness himself, Kevin
Nash!

SUPERFAN SAM: If there was a worker worse than Warrior this year, I must have
missed it. He is so bad it's beyond description. Remember when Ric Flair could
have wrestled a broom to a 4 star match? I would like to have seen the Flair of
old try to carry Warrior to a 3 star match.

RYAN GRANT:  Scott Norton manages to be so damningly uninteresting to me even
when he's squashing his opposition.  Taz is a one-move wonder with an attitude
problem, and I can't figure out why he manages to stay atop the cards in the
ECW.  The Gaint seems to have forgotten how to try, which is truly a damned
shame.

K. CANZANELLA: Kevin Nash is a beyond-terrible worker. He can't execute his
powerbomb correctly, doesn't bump, has like 2 offensive moves, and sells like
shit. Hawk is just as bad, just on my TV less. Giant is just as bad as well,
except that at least he has 3 moves, and can go to the top rope without having
to take a rest.

A. WADE:  Though I may have to change my answer if Nash wrestles more leading
up to Starrcade.

MICHAEL NAIMARK: In a bizarre fluke of genetic recombination, one of the
Huffman brothers was blessed with speed, balance, flexibility, and agility. The
other was blessed with size.  Stevie Ray can do little other than punch and
kick, and his kicks are pathetic.

SEAN SHANNON: When Shane Douglas first started in the WWF, you could just see
from his in-ring performances what he was thinking: "I'm in the big time now, I
don't have to put effort into my matches anymore."  Flash-forward a few years,
Shane is back in ECW but he's still phoning in each and every match he's in,
yet he still gets a long-term World title run from a promotion supposedly built
on wrestlers who give more in the ring than wrestlers in other promotions.
Goldberg places a solid second for being so green and so unnecessarily stiff,
not to mention his lack of cardiovascular conditioning. Third ... hell, give it
to Eric Bischoff, his "matches" this year were certainly gut-wrenchingly bad.

REV. RAY DUFFY: Kurrgan is the measuring stick of stinky wrestling.   Neidhart
is beyond horrible.  He can't even get turned over into a boston crab  and in
the same week, hurt Luger's shoulder when he got put up in the torture  rack.

JASON LANGIN:  Stevie Ray - He can't sell any moves taking or giving

HEATM: This was impossible to narrow down to three.  Ernest Miller just cannot
work a match at all.  The sight of Lex Luger makes me reach for my remote to
find the Fast Forward button.  Jim Neidhart's finisher is a tackle.  Hogan's
arsenal consists of a belt whip, and a rake of the back.  Meng is beyond
pathetic.  Over in WWF, Kurrgan is a workrate disaster.  Likewise, Hawk bores
me to tears.  Basically, take your pick with any three of these guys...

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Least Favourite Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler you like the least, regardless of the reason.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Hulk Hogan
  1992: Hulk Hogan
  1993: Hulk Hogan
  1994: Hulk Hogan
  1995: Hulk Hogan
  1996: Hulk Hogan
  1997: Hulk Hogan

**1998**: Hollywood Hogan

462 first place votes
439 second place votes
416 third place votes

 139  85  27  1004   Hollywood Hogan
  51  64  43   533   Warrior
  57  34  18   423   Goldberg
  29  25  19   258   Cat (Ernest Miller)
  18  18  23   190   Lex Luger
  22  15  15   185   Eric Bischoff
  20  11  20   173   Diamond Dallas Page
  13  19  20   162   Konnan
  13  15  17   144   Scott Steiner
   7  15  30   140   Disciple
  10  17  17   135   Steve McMichael
   8  10  14    98   Glacier
   7   7  11    78   Kane
   6   5  13    71   Roddy Piper
  11   1   5    68   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
   2   4  15    52   Stevie Ray
   4   7   3    47   Jeff Jarrett
   3   7   3    42   Shane Douglas
   3   1  12    42   Jim Niedhart
   4   6   1    40   Bret Hart
   2   3   3    25   Steve Austin
   1   3   5    24   Taz
   1   4   3    23   Sable
   1   4   3    23   Kevin Nash
   0   6   2    22   Scott Hall
   2   2   2    20   Curt Hennig
   2   1   3    19   Sandman
   0   5   2    19   British Bulldog
   1   3   2    18   Ken Shamrock
   0   4   3    18   Undertaker
   2   1   2    17   Golga
   1   2   3    17   Sting
   1   1   2    12   Bradshaw
   1   2   0    11   Shawn Michaels
   1   2   0    11   Hacksaw Jim Duggan
   1   0   3    11   Vader
   0   1   4    11   Meng
   1   1   1    10   Tiger Ali Singh
   1   1   1    10   Jack Victory
   0   2   2    10   Godfather
   0   2   2    10   Giant
   1   0   2     9   Bart Gunn
   1   1   0     8   Duane Gill
   0   2   1     8   Brian Adams
   0   0   4     8   Kanyon
   1   0   1     7   Raven
   1   0   1     7   Jay Leno
   1   0   1     7   Dustin Runnels
   1   0   1     7   Chris Benoit
   0   1   2     7   Kurrgan
   0   2   0     6   Marc Mero
   1   0   0     5   Ric Flair
   1   0   0     5   Prime Time (PWA)
   1   0   0     5   Owen Hart
   1   0   0     5   Mabel
   1   0   0     5   Kyoko Inoue
   1   0   0     5   Giant Silva
   1   0   0     5   Disco Inferno
   1   0   0     5   Darren Drozdov
   1   0   0     5   Akira Taue
   0   1   1     5   Rock
   0   1   1     5   Juventud Guerrera
   0   1   1     5   Justin Credible
   0   0   2     4   Val Venis
   0   0   2     4   Rick Steiner
   0   0   2     4   Hawk
   0   0   2     4   Chris Jericho
   0   1   0     3   X-Pac
   0   1   0     3   Vincent
   0   1   0     3   Taka Michinoku
   0   1   0     3   Stephen Regal
   0   1   0     3   Skull
   0   1   0     3   Scott Norton
   0   1   0     3   Norman Smiley
   0   1   0     3   Karl Malone
   0   1   0     3   Jerry Flynn
   0   1   0     3   Horace
   0   1   0     3   Eddie Guerrero
   0   1   0     3   Dennis Rodman
   0   0   1     2   Van Hammer
   0   0   1     2   Tokyo Magnum
   0   0   1     2   Steve Blackman
   0   0   1     2   Rayo de Jalisco Jr.
   0   0   1     2   Randy Savage
   0   0   1     2   New Age Outlaws
   0   0   1     2   Mark Henry
   0   0   1     2   Lodi
   0   0   1     2   Hector Garza
   0   0   1     2   Fit Finlay
   0   0   1     2   Dean Malenko
   0   0   1     2   Dan Severn
   0   0   1     2   Chavo Guerrero Jr.
   0   0   1     2   Buff Bagwell
   0   0   1     2   Booker T.
   0   0   1     2   Atsushi Onita
   0   0   1     2   Alex Wright
   0   0   1     2   8-Ball

REJECTED - not individuals (mostly)

   0   2   0         Disciples of Apocalypse
   1   0   0         Oddities
   1   0   0         Steiner (which one?)
   0   1   0         LOD 2000
   0   0   1         "Tie" Votes

CHRIS DILLON: I turn the channel or press fast forward whenever HHH, Kane or
Hogan appear on the screen.

MR. BEAVIS: For least favorite wrestler I used the criteria of who makes me
turn the channel.

TODD GERTH: Yeah, Hogan and Bischoff suck, but you can fast forward past them.
Ernest "The Pussy" Miller managed to poke his no-talent, weak-kicking ass into
a bunch of really good cruiserweight matches and YOU HAD TO WATCH!  Oh, the
horror...

GEORGE CARTER: I can't stand Kane, Piper or the Warrior. They just plain suck.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Warrior easily takes top spot. His ego fills spots 2 and 3.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: You mean you *still* haven't renamed this the 'Hulk Hogan
Memorial Least Favourite Wrestler' award, Chris? ;) Oh, and speaking of da
Huckster... guess who gets my top vote! The man should have retired before he
debuted! I mean, I seriously always preferred the heels to him! Always! Warrior
get second for being an incomprehensible, annoying, crazy, inane, talentless
and just plain stupid freak. And, though he's not on the list, Bret Hart has
always *really* annoyed me... so he gets the third spot. Put it down to being
an HBK mark if you want. ;)

ADAM BONIN: It's hard picking one WCW annoying sloganeer out of the bunch, but
K-Dog takes the cake.  It's so tiresome, and what's worse?  He can't wrestle
worth a damn.

CLINT MAYHER: I got two words for Glacier...Piss Break!

CHRIS BIRD: "Least favourite" is tricky, because a lot of people will just say
"Hogan" and leave it at that, but the fact remains that I've managed to find
wrestlers I hate *more* than Hulk Hogan. Numero Uno on that list is Shane
Douglas, who deserves the "whiny" appelation that's been given (somewhat
unjustly) to Bret Hart more than anybody else in the whole world. You're a
never-was, Shane. Deal with it, you minor-league hack, or shut up and go be a
doctor like you say you want to do. #2 is Scott Steiner. Man, do I hate Scott
Steiner. I really, really hate Scott Steiner. Crappy wrestler, even worse
micworker, and guess which he spends more time doing. The only thing really
saving Scott from the number one slot is that his appearance also means that
Buff Bagwell shows up, and I loves that Buff, so I am mollified somewhat. #3
goes to Ernest "Three-Time Change The Channel To Watch A Sparkling Oddities/DOA
Match On Raw Champion" Miller.

R. MILLER: If WCW is smart, the Warrior has vanished into the mist
forever. This move cemented its second-place status despite a roster of stars.

DON DEL GRANDE: Goldberg reminds me of all the things I couldn't stand about
WWF (my biggest "mark-out" has to be when NWA got the TBS Saturday evening time
slot back from WWF in 1985)

RYAN GRANT:  Who is in my top three?  Yes, he is!  Neidhart only manages to
snag the show position, though, trailing behind Shane "Look at Francine's
Tits!" Douglas and glorified midget Taz.  Many liked Taz's matches with Bam Bam
Bigelow--I found them to be boring tripe.  Shane has killed any heat the ECW
Championship ever had by keeping it around his waste/waist without any
defenses.

K. CANZANELLA: WARRRRRRRRRRRRRRIORS! Boy, I hate that guy. He's a waste of
money, a very bad worker, and a huge egomaniac to boot. Tiger Ali Singh- Why
bother having him on your roster? He DOES NOTHING, and GETS PAID. Kevin nash I
don't like for obvious reasons. People think he's funny and charismatic and
kewl, but he sucks.

A. WADE:  Ernest deserves all the bad things he gets.

SEAN SHANNON: I don't need to give reasons here either, but I'll give them
anyway, in order: That BH Guy deserved to get dumped by Vince McMahon and
company, and his preachiness combined with rampant egotism combined with
deteriorated in-ring performances have made me want to kick my TV in at times.
Shane Douglas has been half-assing it in the ring since he first jumped to the
WWF, and he's got one of the worst egos in the industry, but he still gets
preferential treatment from Paul Heyman and company for pulling a fast one on
Dennis Corraluzo four years ago.  Buff Bagwell is one of the most overhyped
pieces of garbage I've ever layed eyes on, and he can make me want to kill him
just by flashing that dorky smile of his ... to say nothing of his taste in
clothing or dancing.

JASON LANGIN: Bret Hart - Because I hate him

MDB: Kane is everything wrong with pro wrestling.  At least Warrior's past with
Hogan was a previous wrestling match.

HEATM: Lex Luger will have to pay me to watch his matches.  Why Hunter Hearst
Helmsley is even close to cool is beyond me.  And don't get me started on
Hogan...

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Most Deteriorated Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the person whose skill has deteriorated the most over the
past year. This person should be a shadow of his/her former self.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Dusty Rhodes
  1991: Hulk Hogan
  1992: Hulk Hogan
  1993: Hulk Hogan
  1994: Hulk Hogan
  1995: Hulk Hogan
  1996: Hulk Hogan
  1997: Roddy Piper

**1998**: British Bulldog

465 first place votes
442 second place votes
423 third place votes

 125  44  35   827   British Bulldog
  60  53  27   513   Warrior
  61  35  19   448   Hollywood Hogan
  25  33  55   334   Vader
  26  19  16   219   Bret Hart
  18  19  22   191   Roddy Piper
  14  23  22   183   Hawk
   8  20  19   138   Marc Mero
  12  15  16   137   Sting
  11  15  15   130   Kevin Nash
  13  11  15   128   Scott Hall
   8  14  17   116   Curt Hennig
  10  11  14   111   Scott Steiner
   6  15   8    91   Giant
   6   8  12    78   Jim Niedhart
   6   7  11    73   Barry Windham
   6   7   6    63   Randy Savage
   4   6  11    60   Disciple
   2   8  11    56   Lex Luger
   4   7   7    55   Steve Austin
   3   8   8    55   Faarooq
   4   8   4    52   Sargeant Slaughter
   6   1   6    45   Terry Funk
   3   6   5    43   Ric Flair
   4   2   4    34   Undertaker
   2   5   2    29   Marty Jannetty
   3   2   2    25   Stephen Regal
   3   1   2    22   Raven
   0   5   2    19   Shawn Michaels
   1   1   5    18   Jeff Jarrett
   0   6   0    18   Steve Regal
   1   3   1    16   Bobby Eaton
   0   3   3    15   Rey Mysterio Jr.
   2   0   2    14   Kyoko Inoue
   0   3   1    11   Saturn
   1   1   1    10   Owen Hart
   0   2   2    10   Diamond Dallas Page
   0   3   0     9   Steve McMichael
   0   2   1     8   Stevie Ray
   1   0   1     7   Tommy Dreamer
   1   0   0     5   Tatsumi Fujinami
   1   0   0     5   Sergeant Slaughter
   1   0   0     5   Larry Zbyszko
   1   0   0     5   Konnan
   1   0   0     5   Johnny Ace
   1   0   0     5   Buff Bagwell
   0   1   1     5   Sabu
   0   1   1     5   Rick Steiner
   0   1   1     5   Jake Roberts
   0   0   2     4   Goldust
   0   1   0     3   Steve Williams
   0   1   0     3   Stan Hansen
   0   1   0     3   Sandman
   0   1   0     3   Road Warriors
   0   1   0     3   Keiji Muto
   0   1   0     3   Hacksaw Jim Duggan
   0   1   0     3   Animal
   0   1   0     3   Alex Wright
   0   0   1     2   Yokozuna
   0   0   1     2   Steve Richards
   0   0   1     2   One Man Gang
   0   0   1     2   Masato Tanaka
   0   0   1     2   Great Muta
   0   0   1     2   Golga
   0   0   1     2   Barry Darsow

REJECTED

   1   0   0         Steiner (which one?)
   0   0   1         Hart (which one?)
   0   0   1         Any WCW superstar

BRIAN SCALA: Ultimate Warrior is not most deteriorated because he already was
nothing to begin with.

CHRIS DILLON: Davey Boy Smith wins this cateogory by far. It's hard to believe
this is the same guy who had a ****+ classic match with Owen Hart only a year
or so ago. Steve Williams, from what I have seen of him in All Japan, is also
extreamly deteriorated, I doubt even Misawa could get **1/2 out of him these
days - I'm not looking forward to his WWF return. Marty Jannetty also makes the
list - while he is still a pretty competant worker, his heart isn't in it and
it's a shame to see one of my favourite wrestlers as a kid used in such a
degrading manner.

MICHAEL JAVORNIK: While there are a lot of worse wrestlers out there, Bret
Hart, Marc Mero and the Undertaker really went down the tubes this past year.

BEN MILLER: Anyone remember that Warrior had two four star matches with Savage
earlier this decade?  Or his four star classic with Rick Rude at SummerSlam
'89?  I hardly can either, anymore.  Bret Hart's fall is so remarkable it's
worthy of a government-funded study.

GEORGE CARTER: Why do people still vote for Hogan here. He was NEVER a Bret
Hart-Dean malenko type wrestler. Clearly the true winner this year is  the
Bulldog. Come one, two years ago, this guy was getting title shot  against
Shawn Michaels and most of all, he was a solid wrestler, now in  WCW he's
feuding with Brian Adams on Saturday Night, and he can't  wrestle if his life
depended on it. Runner-ups : The Giant (who should  really get back into shape)
and Vader.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Just what the hell is Sting doing besides mailing in his
matches? Can someone please light a fire under his ass? What's  so Marvelous
about Mero? What a change from only a few years ago.  And my baby, Kyoko... you
disappoint me dearly. Try losing about, oh, I don't know, a HUNDRED pounds!!
Jezus!

JAMES FABIANO: It hasn't been a good year for wrestlers with knee injuries.
After the injury and move to WCW, Davey Boy lost his physique, his push, his
heat, and his workrate.  Yep, I'd call that deteriorated.  Mero has gone from
an underrated high-flyer to having no good matches and getting over only
because of his wife or his girlfriend who's feuding with his wife.  As for Rey,
he has been kind of off since his comeback.  Hopefully he can shake off the
rust with time.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Oh man... Too many possibilities! Most everyone on this
list--that I recognize ;)--is truly a mere shadow of their former self. There's
*lots* of people who I could vote for but I'll go with Marc Mero first; the man
was *great* until the knee injury. Barry Windham gets second. I clearly recall
a time when he was one of the best wrestlers on the planet. Seeing him in the
WWF, on the other hand, was just pathetic. Davey Boy gets third\ from somehow
dropping from pretty good main event worker in the WWF to weak, pathetic JTTS
in WCW. Still happy that you followed Bret, Davey? Oh, and Bret, Hennig, Nash,
Luger, Janetty, Savage, Scott Steiner and Vader get (dis)honourable
mentions. Shawn doesn't cause he hasn't actually *wrestled* since that nack
injury and at WM, he was *still* damn good.

S. FRIESEN: Unbelieveable.  This guy [Bret Hart] has dropped about 75% (this
figure not exact, merely an estimate.  =] ) of his technical wrestling ability
since going to WCW, and is STILL the best there is, the best there was, and the
best there ever will be.

TOMMY-O: Sting has succumbed to the Hogan school of wrestling.     Yeah, he's
still better than Hogan, but he's fallen     SO far off from his old self.

JON WHITE: Austin and Hart used to be great, but because of bad booking in
Hart's case, and an injury in Austin's case, they aren't what they used to be
IMO.

CLINT MAYHER: Goddamn Bulldog lost it this year. That last knee injury really
messed him up! He could barely get guys like Mongo up for the, ahem, "running"
powerslam. Piper sucks now, which is a damn shame because he used to be the
best damn interview in the business. Sting is still a great wrestler, but he
just seems to be bored and going through the motions.

JM SANTOS:  Same can be said for Lex Luger:  Lex with the early advantage; pec
flex; gets the crap beat outta him; hits 2 clotheslines and the forearm of doom
(tm); Torture Rack.

TOM ROBSON: OK, I remember when a Steiner Brothers match meant a lot of fun.
Scott Steiner was quick and inventive and he had some great moves.  Now he's
got more steroids running through his body than any wrestler I have ever
seen. He's disgusting to look at, painful to listen to and hard to watch.
Raven and Dreamer both used to be top-notch brawlers, with occasional flashes
of actual wrestling.  Now both are one-dimensional, relying on the same moves
over and over and they are BORING.

ASHLEY RALEY: I saw the British Bulldog at a WWF house show just over a year
ago,     and he looked to be in really great shape.  Now, all of a sudden,
he's waddling around the ring sporting a Homer Simpson-esque beer      belly.
"Woo-hoo!  Look at that blubber fly!"

SUPERFAN SAM: Hey, the Warrior wins this one because of his wrestling AND the
fact that he couldn't take his jacket off half the time because of his
deteriorated physique.

TREVOR BERRIE: Was there even any point in nominating anybody besides Davey Boy
for this award?

RYAN GRANT:  I remember a good Hawk.  I remember him being chiseled, imposing,
a truly awe-inspiring example of humanity.  I remember him having a good
workrate and being a part of great matches.  Now, he's a fat, disgustingly out
of shape shadow of his former self, and it's downright sad.  I've never seen
anyone fall so far, so fast as The British Bulldog.  Just two years ago, he was
main event material--now, he's wretched beyond belief.  Whether the
deterioration of Marc Mero is the fault of Vince McMahon, the injury, or
someone else is a topic of debate, but the fact of the matter is he ain't
anywhere near what he used to be.

K. CANZANELLA: A year ago Britrish Bulldog could work a **** match with Owen
Hart. A year ago Marc Mero could do more than punch. Two years ago Warrior
could walk without blowing up. There's my picks.

KEVIN WONG: Warrior had no skills to begin with, but c'mon, really!  Sting
showed the effects of about 16 months in the rafters, and Austin has lost _all_
of the abilities he had as the Ringmaster

A. WADE:  Except for the Raven/Saturn match and Kidman face turn, nothing worth
noting in Wargames.

DANNY PORTER: Scott Hall, Scott Steiner, Vader.  Hall is still a good
interview, but hopefully he can get over his other problems and get his work
back to a passable level.  Steiner needs to lose some of the muscle.  Maybe it
helps his heel interviews but it's screwing with his work and causing
injuries. Vader may be done.

MICHAEL NAIMARK: Davy Boy Smith.  Wrestling with existing knee injuries is a
very, very bad idea.

CARLOS LAMAR: Steven Regal is on here based on his appearance on Raw before the
"Real Man's Man" gimmick.  He displayed more "flopping" than technical
wrestling.

SEAN SHANNON: The funny thing is, I can remember back in 1994 when Larry
Zbyszko pulled some good matches out of Steve Regal ... but in 1997 and 1998,
Zbyszko is such an eyesore it's not funny.  His "matches" this past year were
atrocities, proving once and for all that Larry Z. should stick to the golf
course.  Steve McMichael gets second for phoning in so many matches after his
long injury layoff and destroying whatever credibility he'd previously built
up.  Third place goes to the Warrior, who's now running on empty after just
WALKING to the ring, let alone running to it.

REV. RAY DUFFY: Terry's a living legend and all.... but  he's in his
fifties.... it's ok to retire Terry.  Bulldog went from having a  few good
matches last year to not even able to do his finisher anymore (it's  now a
walking powerslam, not a running powerslam)  At least Rey can still do  stuff,
Davey's out of luck.  Scott Steiner (or as I like to call him, the  Fountain of
Juice) is so roided up, people are going to have to inject his  remains after
he died because he's used up the world's supply of steroids.

JASON LANGIN: Davey Boy Smith - Like what happened dude?

TOM CRUZ: Kevin Nash, I remember when you actually wrestled! Big Sexy the Giant
Killer? More like Big Lazy the Productivity Killer. I know he has bad knees,
but so does Hart, and he still hops ion the ring and can produce an
entertaining match. Scott Steiner used to be an innovator, now he's a 'roided
up freak. And as for the Warrior, what he gained in superciliousness, he lost
in wrestling ability. Sting lost a lot of his rting rust as the year went on,
but not enough to make up for the fact that he didn't wrestle for, what, 15
months?

DEAN RASMUSSEN: Kyoko Inoue- Lioness carried her to agreat match in may but she
was still too fat to do anything past that and not able to make it up with
psychology or learn anything from what Lioness was showing her.  She's not
adjusting well to her size and her age but at least she's not a total shadow
like Toyota- who sucks as much this year as she sucked last year.  The Giant
went from being a really crappy wrestler to being a really big fat crappy
wrestler.  Kenta Kobashi went from being one of the best workers in the world
to being a big fat crappy wrestler.

I. C. MICHAEL: Hogan takes this  award year in and year out, but to tell you
the truth, I haven't seen any change in his skills since he won his first world
title back in '84. I mean, yes, the man sucks, but he's sucked consistently
ever since he became a star, unlike: 1st:Davey Boy Smith - once a good worker
who could be carried to a great match, injuries have taken their toll on the
Bulldog. 2nd:Marc Mero - Sigh... a few years ago I thought this guy was an
underrated future prospect, but (like Smith) a knee injury has hampered his
skills.  3rd:Curt Hennig - Hart/Hennig produced two of my favorite matches of
all time. That said... Retire Curt... It's over...

HEATM: I used to look forward to watching Warrior.  Now, it is embarrasing to
watch him stumble around in the ring.  #2 goes to Curt Hennig, who was once one
of the best workers in the business.  #3 to Roddy Piper, for not retiring 10
years ago.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Most Underrated Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the person whose ability merits a far greater push than the
person receives. There may be many such people, but the winner of this award
should have the most ability with least push.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Terry Taylor
  1991: Cactus Jack
  1992: Owen Hart
  1993: Chris Benoit
  1994: 1-2-3 Kid
  1995: Barry Horowitz
  1996: Owen Hart
  1997: Chris Benoit

**1998**: Chris Benoit

467 first place votes
444 second place votes
424 third place votes

  82  42  20   576   Chris Benoit
  48  33  33   405   D'Lo Brown
  35  28  17   293   Al Snow
  33  29  17   286   Chris Jericho
  36  19  17   271   Mankind
  15  19  15   162   Kidman
  21  10  13   161   Brian Christopher
  13  12  12   125   Booker T.
  12   9  18   123   Disco Inferno
  11  10  17   119   Owen Hart
  13   8  11   111   Jerry Lynn
  13   9   9   110   Chavo Guerrero Jr.
  11  10  10   105   Dick Togo
   6  11  18    99   Edge
   5  15  12    94   Fit Finlay
   6  15   9    93   X-Pac
  10   6  11    90   Billy Gunn
   6  13   9    87   Lenny Lane
   5  11   9    76   Kanyon
   6   8  10    74   Psychosis
   5  10   7    69   La Parka
   2   5  11    47   Jeff Jarrett
   3   6   6    45   Wrath
   3   5   6    42   Norman Smiley
   4   3   3    35   Scorpio
   5   2   1    33   Kaz Hayashi
   2   6   2    32   Taka Michinoku
   4   1   4    31   Raven
   2   5   2    29   Silver King
   2   3   5    29   Justin Credible
   4   2   1    28   Bob Holly
   2   4   2    26   Bradshaw
   2   2   5    26   Brad Armstrong
   2   3   3    25   Eddie Guerrero
   1   2   6    23   Vader
   3   1   1    20   Kane
   1   4   1    19   Lance Storm
   1   2   4    19   Jesse James
   1   3   2    18   Gangrel
   1   3   2    18   Chris Daniels
   1   2   3    17   Val Venis
   2   2   0    16   Alex Wright
   1   3   1    16   Perry Saturn
   1   2   2    15   Steve Blackman
   1   1   3    14   Marc Mero
   0   4   1    14   Ultimo Dragon
   0   2   4    14   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
   2   1   0    13   Juventud Guerrera
   2   1   0    13   Godfather
   1   2   1    13   Johnny Swinger
   1   2   1    13   Goldberg
   1   2   0    11   Tomoko Kuzumi
   1   2   0    11   Bart Gunn
   0   2   2    10   Jerry Flynn
   1   1   0     8   Mark Cantebury
   1   1   0     8   Ken Shamrock
   1   1   0     8   Kaoru
   1   1   0     8   Dan Severn
   0   2   1     8   Dean Malenko
   1   0   1     7   Jet Jaguar
   1   0   1     7   Hollywood Hogan
   1   0   1     7   Hacksaw Jim Duggan
   1   0   1     7   Buff Bagwell
   0   1   2     7   Mark Henry
   0   2   0     6   Scott Norton
   0   0   3     6   Sick Boy
   1   0   0     5   Sable
   1   0   0     5   Reese
   1   0   0     5   Kenta Kobashi
   1   0   0     5   Horace the Psychopath
   1   0   0     5   Chyna
   1   0   0     5   Cat (Ernest Miller)
   0   1   1     5   Nova
   0   1   1     5   Goldust
   0   1   1     5   Chris Chetti
   0   0   2     4   Sting
   0   0   2     4   Rob Van Dam
   0   0   2     4   Mens Teoh
   0   1   0     3   Tomoko Watanabe
   0   1   0     3   Stephen Regal
   0   1   0     3   Scott Steiner
   0   1   0     3   Rock
   0   1   0     3   Maunekea Mossman
   0   1   0     3   Masato Yakushiji
   0   1   0     3   Manukea Mossman
   0   1   0     3   Kendell Windham
   0   1   0     3   Jeff Hardy
   0   1   0     3   Golga
   0   1   0     3   D-Von Dudley
   0   1   0     3   Bill Goldberg
   0   1   0     3   Barry Horowitz
   0   1   0     3   2 Cold Scorpio
   0   0   1     2   Ulf Hermann
   0   0   1     2   Tokyo Magnum
   0   0   1     2   Tiger Ali Singh
   0   0   1     2   Super Nova
   0   0   1     2   Spike Dudley
   0   0   1     2   Shane Douglas
   0   0   1     2   Scotty Zappa
   0   0   1     2   Scott Hall
   0   0   1     2   Satoshi Kojima
   0   0   1     2   Mikey Whipwreck
   0   0   1     2   Mike Quakenbush
   0   0   1     2   Mike Awesome
   0   0   1     2   Miguel Perez Jr.
   0   0   1     2   Kurrgan
   0   0   1     2   Kenny Kaos
   0   0   1     2   Jesus Castillo
   0   0   1     2   Hiromi Yagi
   0   0   1     2   Giant
   0   0   1     2   Darren Drozdov
   0   0   1     2   Charly Manson
   0   0   1     2   Blue Meanie
   0   0   1     2   Blood (PWA)
   0   0   1     2   Axl Rotten
   0   0   1     2   Arkangel de la Muerte
   0   0   1     2   Adam Peace (Mid-Am Wrestling)

REJECTED - not individuals

   0   3   1         Hardy Boyz
   1   1   0         Too Much
   1   0   1         Kaientai
   1   0   0         All of Kaientai except Taka Michinoku
   0   0   1         Dudley Boys

SHAWN MULLIN: Brian Christopher is a very fine worker and a guy who while
having almost no spotlight still draws good heat in every match that he has.
The WWF seriously has to take advantage of that, and they haven't.

ANDY JUDGE: In Arn Anderson's autobiography, he mentions wrestlers who "move
like Brad Armstrong". I knew what he meant.

SVEN MASCARENHAS: Kidman, not Jericho, is WCW's hottest young property, and
should be signed long-term right now. Wrath may well be the best super-heavy in
the sport, and Fallen Angel is a ***** match waiting to happen.

MARK SIMMS: Where the heck is Marc Mero???

A MAN CALLED ART: Look out for Chavo and Pepe in 99!  Unless WCW messes it all
up.

CHRIS DILLON: I don't think many people realise just how good Brian Christopher
is, and how good he could be. Masato Yakushiji is an amazing young wrestler,
and although he hasn't done much over the last 12 months, he still deserves to
be all over the sheets - and isn't. Hopefully NJPW will pick him up and
cultivate his talent. Mike Awesome is also very underrated - for such a big guy
he has amazing agility and given the right opponent can produce a really
watchable match.

VINCE MORALES: Jerry Lynn is a great wrestler with untapped potential. ECW
doesnt even know how to use him!

GEORGE CARTER: Mankind the most underrated wrestler of all-time. Then Lenny
Lane  and Brad Armstrong are the others that fill out this ballot. Three
entertaining wrestlers without pushes.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Just look at the way Vince has used Kaientai. Not once has
he utilized their capabilities. Free the Michinoku Four! And if only All  Japan
would OPEN THEIR EYES and give Mossman a little room to shine. Time to move out
of the 70's boys. And poor Yagi is overshadowed in Arsion by Aja, Tiger Dream,
and Yoshida. Hopefully next year will be her year (a rekindling of her JWP feud
with Candy? Hint. Hint.)

JAMES FABIANO: Kaz Hayashi deserves better than jobbing to Ernest Friggin'
Miller and Sonny F*cking Onoo.  Disco not only has a great gimmick and a funny
finisher, but he is also a decent worker (well, as long as he stays away from
much smaller luchadors and Public Enemy :-)).  And X-Pac, after coming back
from injury and WCW and getting his work back up to par, deserves more credit.


STEPHEN TISZENKEL: I know Brian Christopher is never going to get a push, but
so what? He's really good! He's a throwback to '80s heels, too -- find someone
else you can say that about amid all the WWF Attitude. He deserves an IC run,
at least.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Again, far too many possibilities. Benoit, Jericho and Kidman
are my votes, and they're pretty much self-explanatory too. These guys should
be on their way to main-eventing, not languishing in the low card. At least
Jericho seems to be getting a heavy push... Until I see him get a *good*
showing in against Goldberg though, he stays on the list. Oh, and a World's
Title would be cool too, though it's probably too much to ask for.

OTTO "HACK-MAN" HEUER: There were just to many people to vote for Most
Underrated Wrestler  and too few slots.  I wanted to recognize such
under-pushed workers as Psychosis, LaParka, Chavo, Jericho, Disco, Edge, Fit,
Jerry Flynn, Jerry Lynn, Kidman, Sean Waltman, Prime Time (PWA), Darrin Davis
(PWA), Mikey Whipwreck, Spike Dudley, and all the WCW luchas in general, but
the three that stood out above and beyond the rest were Chris Benoit, Lenny
Lane, and Blood (PWA).

TOMMY-O: Kidman only gets knocked to 2 because he got a title.     "Jerry's
kid" is a fine wrestler and deserves a push.

MIKE CHAPMAN: At least Taka did get a title.

JEFF BELL: If used properly, Chavo can join, or even pass his uncle Eddy in
terms of all around talent

JON WHITE: I voted for great wrestlers like Benoit, Dragon, and Owen Hart
because we don't understand how great these guys really are.

TOM ROBSON: Chavo rarely gets mentioned among the top cruiserweights in WCW,
but he really is outstanding.  His series of matches with his uncle Eddy this
summer were classics, and he developed into one of the most interesting
characters in WCW this summer.  Of course they quickly buried him, but still he
was fun to watch and never gets enough credit.  D-Von has some good skills that
don't often get recognized because of the kinds of matches that he is in.
Lynn truly is "Dynamic" but is almost always forgotten by fans.

SUPERFAN SAM: Is anyone more misused than Chris Benoit? One would think Terry
Taylor would have some sympathy for a great worker who isn't pushed.

BRAVO SIERRA: Kaos (and his partner) are not that bad. A better gimmick would
serve him well in the eyes of the public.

RYAN GRANT:  I might just be marking for the gimick, but I think the Inferno is
woefully unappreciated by the "smart" fans.  Johnny Swinger is overlooked by
everyone, but he's pretty darned good IMO.  A lot of the fans appreciate Jerry
Lynn for what he is--sadly, the companies don't seem to.

K. CANZANELLA: Jerry Lynn is so underrated by peECW. The crowd chants his name,
pops like mad when he goes to the ring, and yet he still is in stupid fueds
over Tammy Lynn Sytch/Bytch. He should be the ECW TV champ. He's going to be
great if he can ever get out of there. DIck Togo and Kaz Hayashi, both former
K*DXers, put over people that shouldn't be in the ring, just because American
Wrestling promoters suck. At least Kaz has a future in his fed. Hey Dick Togo-
Time to sell Dwayne Gill's lariat!

JEREMY SORIA: I *have* to pick exactly three?

MICHAEL NAIMARK: In terms of booking, no wrestler has a wider gap between
in-ring skill and promotional push than Chris Benoit.  Benoit is so good in the
ring that he will continue to be underrated until he is given main-event
status, something that no other wrestler in North America can claim.

SHANE ANDERSON:  Lynn maybe the most underrated wrestler EVER; Lane is about a
1/2 step from breaking out; Pearce is the best indy worker in the Midwest

SEAN SHANNON: Even after the WWF finally got Al Snow off on the right foot, they still haven't reached anywhere near his full potential.  The reaction to Snow as Lance Storm's mystery tag team partner at Living Dangerously showed that Snow could be the next main eventer in the industry.  I still think the WWF could do that with Snow, if they'd just get him decent opponents, lay out the bucks for "Breathe" and buy about a million styrofoam heads.  Second and third, respectively, are Owen Hart and Chris Benoit, everyone's perennial favourites in this category.  The WWF seemed to be on the right track with Owen up until WrestleMania, but then he died due to lack of a solid push. Benoit ... well, hopefully he'll jump to the WWF this next year and the WWF will make sure he'll never be mentioned in this category again.

JASON LANGIN: PSICOSIS!!!!! - Come on he's the man!!

MDB: Until Benoit is wrestling for the world title, he'll be undervalued.
Finlay deserved a real reign as TV champ and should still be a title contender.
LaParka should get wins *some* of the time.

RICK SCAIA: The Big Two have been doing a better (though far from perfect) job
of showcasing their talented workers.  I really think the most under-utilized
guy in the business is now Jerry Lynn (in ECW).  The guy is amazing, and could
single-handedly DOUBLE the credibility of either of the Big Two's lightweight
divisions.  In at #2 is Al Snow, who really does deserve better than the
kitsch-y JOB Squad.  And for shits and giggles, I'm giving the #3 slot to the
Dudley Boys, who have in the past year developed into a team that deserves MUCH
more respect for their ringwork than they get.  Probably because they are
cheap-heat-getting asshole heels.

TOM CRUZ: Will someone please find a way for Steve Blackman to get over? The
guy has real skills and he's quick as all hell (he showed it in the Brawl for
All). Maybe all he needs is a good finisher, since that front kick of his is
kinda weak. Chavo Jr. has tons of skills, as well as a killer finisher in the
Tornado DDT. D'Lo got two Euro title reigns, but I think he should get more
airtime. He's a great interview, a good mat wrestler, and an aerial fiend. Give
him airtime!

DEAN RASMUSSEN: KAORU once again was the quiet heart and soul of GAEA as she
had the cool as hell feud with Yamada to the great forced tagteam with Yamada
to the ruined-by-Sasaki's Sweetlovin'-feud with Hokuto/Ozaki, to the great
matches with Satomura and Kato.  KAORU rules.  Fit Finlay carried some of the
shittiest wrestlers ALIVE to watchable matches, had GREAT matches with good
workers and people STILL don't realize how great he is.  Go figure.  Arkangel
de la Muerte is the best luchadore that NOBODY ever mentions when talking about
great luchadores.  What's he got to do?
37a. Battle Station BABY!  Big Japan, IWA Restart and the best indie in the
world BATTL-mutha frickin-ARTS!  Battle Station picks up the ball where Champ
Forum left it!  WOO-HOO! Now THAT'S Must See TV!  WCW Monday Nitro produced
HUGE quantities of good to really, really good wrestling between the
wheelbarrows of total shit and I filled up  many a tape with highly watchable
actual wrestling at levels and amounts that I couldn't dream of seeing four
years ago.  Michinoku Pro Lucha is as schizophrenic as Nitro because MP was so
listless this year, but it ALWAYS delivered the good in the second hour with
the CMLL in Japan and the Super SWANKY Toryu-Mon stuff.

I. C. MICHAEL: 1st:X-Pac - Like many a great worker before him (Liger, Owen
Hart, etc.) Waltman has successfully adapted his style to cope with injury. As
a bonus he also sells like a champ.  2nd:Disco Inferno - One of WCW's most
consistently entertaining midcarders, DI is unfortunately stuck in the mid-mid
card 4 life. 3rd:Chavo Guerrero Jr. -  Don't let all that crap with Pepe fool
you, Chavo is a solid worker and deserves a C or TV title run.

GARETH THOMAS: Not quite sure why Vince hasn't pushed Brian Christopher?  Very
strange, he seems to have all the qualities one would need in the WWF.  Manukea
Mossman is an AJ'er that doesn't get a lot of credit despite being very good in
most departments, and was pushed aside as Misawa's partner to make way for
Ogawa this year.  Satoshi Kojima is one of the best heavyweight workers in New
Japan, I'm hoping he gets a big push next year, ahead of Sasaki, Tenzan etc.

HEATM: I'm not sure what this category means.  If it means most underrated by a
fed, Chris Benoit wins by a landslide.  I'll take it to mean the wrestler who
goes unnoticed by anyone despite being able to wrestle well.  No one thinks
Disco Inferno is cool, but I like him a lot.  He sells moves well, he's crisp
on the execution, and he works the crowd just as well as anyone else.  Also,
Mark Cantebury (Henry Godwinn) is actually a pretty good brawler.  Kanyon is a
terrific wrestler just now getting the credit he deserves.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Wrestling Gimmick

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler who had the worst character gimmick in the past
year.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Mike Rotundo as Irwin R. Shyster
  1992: Papa Shango's voodoo
  1993: Doink the Clown
  1994: Doink the Clown
  1995: Dungeon of Doom
  1996: The Leprechaun
  1997: Glacier / Blood Runs Cold

**1998**: Warrior's One Warrior Nation and strange mist

466 first place votes
444 second place votes
427 third place votes

  73  57  57   650   Warrior's One Warrior Nation (smoke)
  90  47  22   632   Eric Bischoff as a talk show host (NWO Nightcap)
  35  26  34   321   Cat - Three-time World Karate Champion
  27  18  15   219   Bret Hart's constant whining about being "screwed"
  16  22  32   210   Latino World Order
  21  18  16   191   Scott Hall as a drunk
  12  25  27   189   Dustin Runnels - born again (Artist Formerly Known as
                     Goldust)
  16  12  12   140   Scott Steiner as "White Thunder" / "Big Poppa Pump"
  12  17   8   127   Jeff Jarrett (Aztec Warrior / NWA / Double J / "Don't
                     Piss me Off" Guitar)
  11  16  11   125   NWO Wolfpack (NWO split)
  12  16   6   120   Buff Bagwell and Scott Steiner as pranksters against Rick
                     Steiner
   5  18   9    97   Hawk as a drunk
   8  12   4    84   Kane
   9   6   8    79   Barry Darsow as a golfer
   9   9   3    78   Stephen Regal - a Real Man's Man
   6   8  12    78   Glacier
   5  10   9    73   Legion of Doom 2000
   6   5  12    69   Oddities
   5   4  13    63   Sting (Wolfpack)
   6   8   4    62   Tiger Ali Singh paying audience members to do gross things
   4   7   8    57   Giant smoking
   5   4   5    47   Darren Drozdov as Puke
   5   5   2    44   Konnan
   3   5   7    44   Van Hammer as a hippie (yippie)
   5   2   4    39   NWO Hollywood
   3   4   6    39   Godfather as a pimp
   2   4   8    38   Golga Loves Cartman
   0   7   8    37   Stevie Ray as Master of the Slapjack
   2   5   4    33   Flock
   3   3   4    32   Val Venis as a pornstar
   4   2   2    30   Hollywood Hogan (Wood)
   3   0   5    25   Disciple (turns)
   2   3   3    25   Gangrel as a vampire
   3   1   3    24   Goldberg unstoppable
   2   3   2    23   Blue Blazer
   3   1   1    20   Kurrgan (the Interrogator)
   1   3   3    20   D-Generation X
   2   1   2    17   Owen Hart (biting ears / joining Nation / Nugget)
   1   2   2    15   Sable
   2   1   0    13   Jay Leno
   2   0   1    12   Disco Inferno
   1   1   2    12   Horshu
   1   1   2    12   Flash Funk
   0   2   2    10   Marc Mero is possessive, jealous of Sable
   1   0   2     9   Meng
   1   0   2     9   Giant Killer Spike Dudley
   1   1   0     8   Wrath
   1   1   0     8   Jackyl
   0   2   1     8   Kanyon
   1   0   1     7   Truth Commission
   1   0   1     7   Steve Austin
   1   0   1     7   Scott Norton
   0   2   0     6   New Age Outlaws
   0   2   0     6   Faarooq
   1   0   0     5   WCW showing Movie Promotions
   1   0   0     5   Terry Funk as a hardcore legend
   1   0   0     5   Raven depressed
   1   0   0     5   Pain Stewart
   1   0   0     5   Nobuhiko Takada as shooter
   1   0   0     5   Mr. McMahon
   1   0   0     5   Lex Luger
   1   0   0     5   Justin Credible's Flock
   1   0   0     5   Horace's Stop-Sign
   1   0   0     5   Hogan & Warrior's 'special effects'
   1   0   0     5   Head Bangers
   1   0   0     5   Disciples of Apocalypse
   1   0   0     5   Chavo Guerrero Jr. & Pepe
   1   0   0     5   Armstrong Curse
   1   0   0     5   AAA's chain matches
   0   1   1     5   New Midnight Express
   0   1   1     5   Judy Bagwell
   0   1   1     5   Alex Wright
   0   0   2     4   Chucky
   0   0   2     4   Al Snow
   0   1   0     3   Too Much's Love for Each Other
   0   1   0     3   Road Block
   0   1   0     3   Reese
   0   1   0     3   Mike Tyson
   0   1   0     3   Kevin Nash
   0   1   0     3   Ken Shamrock "snapping"
   0   1   0     3   Jack Victory as a hired thug
   0   1   0     3   Disorderly Conduct's "Disorderly Conduct"
   0   1   0     3   Celebrity PPV matches
   0   1   0     3   Big Boss Man
   0   1   0     3   Assorted dick jokes
   0   0   1     2   Socko
   0   0   1     2   Scorpio
   0   0   1     2   Perry Saturn
   0   0   1     2   Norman Smiley
   0   0   1     2   NWO Monday Nitro
   0   0   1     2   Mankind
   0   0   1     2   Mabel
   0   0   1     2   Los Boricuas
   0   0   1     2   Inferno Match
   0   0   1     2   4 Horsemen

REJECTED

   1   2   1         "Tie" votes
   0   1   1         Warrior's One Warrior Nation (duplicates)
   0   0   1         Gobbeldygooker (ineligible)

BRIAN SCALA: David Spade might say 'I liked Singh's gimmick the first
time....when it was done by Ted DiBiase!'

CHRIS DILLON: Tiger Ali Singh - that isn't wrestling, it isn't even
fun. Kurrgan - was funny the first week, now is a reason to change the
channel. Jarrett - from one gimmick to another all year, and guess what? They
were all played unbelievably bad.

MR. BEAVIS: I would put Val Venis somewhere on the list, but I don't know if he
was in the time frame.  Stupid idea.  Overall, there about 25 things on the
list that could all tie for first.  Unfortunately, the stupid far outweigh the
good/smart ideas, at least in frequency.

GEORGE CARTER: Eric Bischoff as the next wanna-be King of Late Nite. Nuff said.
What Tiger did is just disgusting and the WWF capitalizing the  popularity of
South Park (most notably Cartman)just to make the crappy  Oddities popular, is
just lame.

BERT SNOOVEN: The Big Two should never revolve a gimmick around wrestlers'
substance abuse problems. For shame.

ADAM BONIN: The Scott Hall thing is just offensive.  Too serious a topic to be
treated so frivolously.

CLINT MAYHER: Even though I never actually saw Nightcap(I was usually too busy
watching the A&E Biography during this segment...the one on William Shatner was
really good!), this still blew big spider monkeys! And Bret...get over it! The
issue is long over; I don't care if you do have a great movie coming out, move
on and make yourself into the future legend you once were.

SUPERFAN SAM: Scott Steiner's movie vingette's have probably been forgotten by
most, but not me. The absurdity of the whole gimmick was amazing.

K. CANZANELLA: Jeff Jarrett's don't piss me off gimmick is stupid. He's such a
lame heel. Godfather's pimp gimmick is both insulting and ridiculous. Tiger Ali
Singh- Not today, kid. Kick a basketball away from a little kid and wrestle a
**** in All Japan and then maybe someone will give a fuck about you.

LORIE: The ONLY Wolfpack was Hall, Nash and Syxx

MATT BROWN: It's the old neon, glitzy, "Electric Horseman" rip-off Jarrett I'm
voting for -- the "Don't P*** Me Off" Jarrett is infinitely more interesting
(but that isn't saying much)

SEAN SHANNON: When That BH Guy came to WCW, he immediately and incessantly
whined about how he got "screwed" by the WWF.  The thought being, there's so
much sympathy built up for That BH Guy, let's play off it.  Wrong answer.
People quickly wisened up that he had no substance, and That BH Guy lost all
his babyface heat so fast it made Bischoff's capped teeth spin.  Second place
goes to the smoke and mirrors of the Warrior, which also killed his heat when
he didn't do anything in the ring to back himself up.  Third place goes to
pretty much everything Eric Bischoff did this past year, because it all sucked,
and the Jay Leno imitation sucked on ice with a cherry on top.

JASON LANGIN: Val Venis - It's honestly appalling and I hate him for it. Why
would a porno star become a wrestler?

HEATM: Glacier should have stayed in Mortal Kombat as Sub-Zero.  Scott Hall's
"I'm drunk" gimmick was pitiful.  Anything with the number 2000 in it has got
to be lame, so LOD 2000 is #3 on my list.  Honourable mention to the One
Warrior Nation, which basically featured One Warrior.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Wrestling Move

Award Description:

To be given to the move that is the worst thing you've seen this year. This
shouldn't be given to a move that was flubbed by a wrestler - the move was
performed correctly, but was just too stupid for words. This move should
probably be a "finishing" move or something that was meant to be
spectacular.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Hulk Hogan's leg drop
  1991: Hulk Hogan's leg drop
  1992: Crush's Compactor head-vise
  1993: Crush's Compactor head-vise
  1994: Hulk Hogan's leg drop
  1995: Hulk Hogan's leg drop
  1996: Hacksaw Jim Duggan's taped fist
  1997: Hulk Hogan's leg drop

**1998**: Hollywood Hogan's leg drop

463 first place votes
426 second place votes
405 third place votes

 111  62  34   809   Hollywood Hogan's legdrop
  31  21  24   266   Meng's Tongan Death Grip nerve pinch
  26  21  16   225   Hollywood Hogan's back rake
  24  22  16   218   Hacksaw Jim Duggan's Old Glory kneedrop
  23  21   6   190   Goldberg's spear tackle
  18  19  15   177   Disciple's Apocalypse neckbreaker
  16  18  20   174   Hollywood Hogan's whip with a workout belt
  18  15  15   165   X-Pac's Bronco Buster
  10  20  24   158   Kurrgan's Paralyzer claw
  16  12  19   154   Lex Luger's Torture Rack backbreaker
  19   6  14   141   Rock's People's Elbow elbowdrop
  12  11  17   127   Scott Steiner's Steiner Recliner camel clutch
  11  12  14   119   Konnan's Tequila Sunrise
  10  13  10   109   Glacier's Cryonic Kick superkick
   6  13  12    93   Stevie Ray's Slapjack reverse slam
   7  10  10    85   British Bulldog's running powerslam
   9   7   5    76   Goldberg's Jackhammer vertical suplex/powerslam combo
   8   7   4    69   Barry Darsow's Barely Legal armbar
   6   7   4    59   Diamond Dallas Page's Diamond Cutter neckbreaker
   7   5   1    52   Steve Austin's Stone Cold Stunner neckbreaker
   3   8   3    45   Jesse James' Staggering kneedrop
   4   4   5    42   Dale Torborg's high kick
   5   3   3    40   Ultimo Dragon's turnbuckle headstand
   5   2   3    37   Giant Baba's chops
   4   5   1    37   Road Block's Dead End body flop
   1   7   5    36   Mankind's mandible claw
   4   3   0    29   Ernest Miller's Feliner spin kick
   4   1   3    29   Wrath's Meltdown pumphandle powerslam
   1   4   5    27   Jeff Jarrett's guitar to the head
   1   5   2    24   Hollywood Hogan's Diamond Cutter neckbreaker
   2   1   5    23   Van Hammer's Flashback spinebuster
   3   1   2    22   Kanyon's Flatliner
   0   4   3    18   Mark Henry's splash
   2   1   2    17   Kane's chokeslam
   0   2   5    16   Kane's Tombstone piledriver
   3   0   0    15   Bret Hart's Sharpshooter
   1   2   2    15   Goldust's Shattered Dreams kick
   1   2   2    15   Edge's Downward Spiral
   0   3   3    15   Marc Mero's TKO neckbreaker
   1   3   0    14   Hunter Hearst Helmsley's Pedigree
   0   2   4    14   Sting's Scorpion Death Drop
   0   3   2    13   Godfather's Pimp Drop Death Valley driver
   2   0   1    12   Steve McMichael's three point stance shouldertackle
   2   0   1    12   Giant Silva's chokeslam
   0   2   3    12   Golga's sitdown splash
   1   2   0    11   Lex Luger's forearm shiver
   2   0   0    10   Curt Hennig's Hennigplex fisherman suplex
   1   1   1    10   X-Pac's X-Factor facebuster
   1   1   1    10   Brian Adams' heart punch
   1   1   1    10   Bradshaw's Clothesline from Hell
   0   3   0     9   Val Venis' Money Shot splash
   1   1   0     8   Al Snow's Head shot
   1   0   1     7   Sick Boy's inverted camel clutch
   1   0   1     7   Saturn's Rings of Saturn
   1   0   1     7   Chris Jericho's Liontamer
   0   1   2     7   Shane Douglas' Belly-to-Belly suplex
   0   2   0     6   Warrior's Splash
   0   2   0     6   Kevin Nash's Jackknife powerbomb
   0   0   3     6   Ken Shamrock's anklelock
   0   0   3     6   Eddie Guerrero's Frog Splash
   1   0   0     5   Warrior's Fog
   1   0   0     5   Tiny Mouse's Tiny Butt
   1   0   0     5   Scott Putski's Polish hammer
   1   0   0     5   Jeff Jarrett's Figure Four leglock
   1   0   0     5   Hollywood Hogan's boot to the face
   1   0   0     5   Goldust's Curtain Call face-first suplex
   1   0   0     5   Godfather's Death Valley Drop
   1   0   0     5   Dennis Rodman's elbowdrop
   0   1   1     5   Roddy Piper's sleeper
   0   1   1     5   Rob Van Dam's Van Daminator chairshot
   0   0   2     4   Vincent's armbar
   0   0   2     4   Rick Steiner's top rope bulldog
   0   0   2     4   Lex Luger's clothesline
   0   0   2     4   Eric Bischoff's karate kicks
   0   0   2     4   Dan Severn's Dragon Sleeper
   0   1   0     3   Warrior's Gorilla Press
   0   1   0     3   Taz' Tazmission kati hajime
   0   1   0     3   Scott Norton's shoulderbreaker
   0   1   0     3   Rock's Rock Bottom uranage
   0   1   0     3   Rick Martel's Quebec Crab Boston crab
   0   1   0     3   Meng & Barbarian's corner beatdown
   0   1   0     3   Legion of Doom's Doomsday Device
   0   1   0     3   Lance Storm's chairshots
   0   1   0     3   Justin Credible's That's Incredible
   0   1   0     3   Hollywood Hogan's eye gouge
   0   1   0     3   Buff Bagwell's Blockbuster
   0   0   1     2   Yoshihiro Takayama's legdrop
   0   0   1     2   Undertaker's ropewalk
   0   0   1     2   Sting's Stinger Splash
   0   0   1     2   Steve McMichael's Tombstone piledriver
   0   0   1     2   Scott Norton's Powerslam
   0   0   1     2   Scorpio's 450 Splash
   0   0   1     2   Sabu's triple jump moonsault
   0   0   1     2   Sable's Sable Bomb powerbomb
   0   0   1     2   Reese's Double Arm chokeslam
   0   0   1     2   Randy Savage's elbowdrop
   0   0   1     2   Mr. McMahon's flipping the bird
   0   0   1     2   Marc Mero's low blow punch
   0   0   1     2   Kane's top rope flying clothesline
   0   0   1     2   Dude Love's Sweet Shin Music
   0   0   1     2   Disco Inferno's Macarena Driver piledriver
   0   0   1     2   Chris Benoit's Swandive Headbutt
   0   0   1     2   Chris Benoit's Crippler Crossface
   0   0   1     2   Bam Bam Bigelow's moonsault
   0   0   1     2   Bam Bam Bigelow's Greetings from Asbury Park

REJECTED - no wrestler named (or no move named)

   2   0   0    10   DDT
   1   1   0     8   Headlock
   1   0   1     7   Tombstone
   0   1   2     7   "Tie" votes
   0   2   0     6   Sleeper
   1   0   0     5   Heart punch
   1   0   0     5   Football tackle
   1   0   0     5   Side headlock
   1   0   0     5   Armdrag
   1   0   0     5   Any submission
   0   1   1     5   Superkick
   0   0   2     4   Chokeslam
   0   0   2     4   Bodyslam
   0   0   2     4   Bearhug
   0   1   0     3   Steel steps slam
   0   1   0     3   Reverse chinlock
   0   1   0     3   Powerbomb
   0   1   0     3   Elbowdrop
   0   0   1     2   Wristlock
   0   0   1     2   Stanford to Atlanta (har har)
   0   0   1     2   Small Package
   0   0   1     2   Lex Luger
   0   0   1     2   Anklelock

JAMES KALYN: The People's Elbow makes both the best and worst move lists. Best
because it's cool and because The Rock has basically built his whole character
around the one move.  Worst because it's retarded.  And yet I like it.  Odd,
that.

ANDY JUDGE: Let's get this straight - Vincent's finishing move is an armbar?
Any wrestler who jobs to that should retire.

CHRIS DILLON: Konnan's 'tequila sunrise' is probabley the worst finisher
around, mainly because he doesn't work a body part up to it and also because he
applies it so weakly. Bulldog's running powerslam has been embarrassing this
year. Scott Steiners camel clucth, while not really a bad move, why is he using
this when he has so many other cool finishers such as the Death driver,
Frankensteiner etc?

BRAD JOHNSON: I notice that no other wrestler will attempt the very challenging
back rake

BEN MILLER: The DDT and powerbomb are so overused they are now laughable as
finishers.  The triple jump moonsault defies so much logic I don't know where
to begin.

KEVIN PODSIADLIK: What _is_ the point of a pumphandle if you're just going to
slam the guy, anyway?

TODD GERTH: Saturn: I hear you're booked to go over Renegade on WCWSN, so what
fnisher are you gonna use?  Sickboy: Pedigree, I guess.  Y'know, I call it 'The
Cure'. Saturn:  No, here's what you do--you get him on his back and sit on his
chest, facing him.  Then you grab behind his head and yank it towards
your...uh...yourself.  Inverted Camel Clutch--cool, eh?  Sickboy: But all four
of his limbs will be free...wont that look a little silly?  Saturn: No, it'll
look good.  It'll look REALLY good...trust me, I'll be taping it!

GEORGE CARTER: I voted for the People's Elbow as best move, and weirdly I voted
it  as the worst move. I HATE X-Pac's bronco buster (it fitted Syxx better
than X-Pac). And I can't stand it when Jesse James does the "Staggering  Knee
Wiggle".

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Diamond Dallas better go back to Japan and take more Diamond
Cutter lessons from Johnny Ace, whose Ace Crusher (and Super Ace Crusher) are
an order of magnitude better. And the Godfather's DVB? A third-rate copy of
Saturn's second-rate copy of Takaiwa's DVB.  Absolutely terrible.

JAMES FABIANO: No Legdrop of Doom this year, folks, since it wasn't really the
"force" it usually was made out to be.  Instead, how about the Tongan Death
Grip?  Sure, let's have everyone be afraid of Meng grabbing their chins.  The
Flashback just looks stupid, and someone should tell Ed Leslie that to get over
by using the Stunner, you have to execute it correctly.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: I was severly tempted to vote for Jesse James' wiggling horror
here.. it's about the only move he has left, and it outright sucks! Is it just
me, or did he use to do *far* more moves back when he was a heel? Anyway, I'm
afraid the good ol' Leg Drop of Doom, the Bulldog's Running (read: crawling)
Powerslam and Disciple's Stone Col--erm, Apocalypse just edged it out. Mind
you, I like the Stone Cold Stunner and Diamond Cutter... but the Apocaylpse is
just *such* a blatant rip-off that it gets the vote.

OTTO "HACK-MAN" HEUER: If I didn't make any comments on any other categories,
this would be the one I'd have to speak out on.  Worst Wrestling Move. NOTHING
is more lame than Ultimo Dragon's turnbuckle handstand.  His opponent has to
look confused, rather than doing something simple like knocking his arm off.
Mankind's Mandible Claw isn't a hell of a lot better.  And Eddie Guerrero's
Frog Splash just looks lame. I'm just sorry there weren't enough slots to vote
for Undertaker's stupid "use my opponent's cooperation to walk the top rope",
BBD's powerslam (that's as lame of a finisher as a dropkick), Jim Duggan's
tackle or kneedrop, Mark Henry's splash, Meng's vulcan nerve pinch, Rock's
People's Elbow, or D-Lo's frog splash.

MARK POLISHUK: I can't belive Disciple ripped off such a well known move.  I
mean,  c'mon, stealing the Disco Inferno's Chartbuster?

MIKE CHAPMAN: Giant Silva only has one move and he can't even do it right.

CLINT MAYHER: One day my back was hurting, so I asked my friend to put the
Tequila Sunrise on me; It stretched out my back muscles and made me feel pretty
damn good! It was way better than a back massage!

JM SANTOS:  Hmm, is having one arm between the legs on the way up supposed to
increase the velocity of the opponent's descent to the canvas?  Uh, no.  Why
not just pick him up normally and put him on your shoulder?  The Meltdown is
just Bulldog's Running Powerslam only the running part was replaced with the
arm thing.

CHRIS BIRD:  There are bad moves, but nothing is quite so pathetic as Hogan
using that goddamned weight belt all the time. It's not as if a belt is
particularly cool or dramatic to begin with (cf. Faarooq), but if you MUST use
this most pathetic of foreign objects, at least put some gusto into your
whipping rather than limp-wristedly smacking the guy with it. It's worse,
because Hogan uses this foam-rubber belt in EVERY GODDAMN MATCH now.

ASHLEY RALEY: IT'S JUST AN ELBOWDROP, PEOPLE!  And now it's the Rock's
finisher?     I think Hackenschmidt was the last one to use an elbowdrop as a
finisher.  And as far as elbowdrops go, I personally prefer Muta's.

CUBS FAN: When people are doing what the cruiserweights have been doing all
year for WCW, the Hogan Back Rake looks that much unrealistic.  I saw the High
Kick of Dale Toleberg in person...he really reallly blew it.  The move and the
knee.  Wrath's Meltdown takes to long to set up, takes to long to do, and I
just don't like it.

TREVOR BERRIE: If Goldberg's supposed to be a major league ass-kicker, how come
one of his big moves is a lamer version of Duggan's flying tackle?  The worst
of it is that most of Goldberg's offense looks pretty cool, so how did _this_
become one of his trademark moves?

RYAN GRANT:  The Downward Spiral doesn't look legitimate, period.  I've heard
that other wrestlers do it extremely well, but as performed by
Edge....phbbbbbbbbt!  The fact that Shane Douglas had managed to pawn off that
Belly-to-Belly of his as a finisher for so long is a disgrace.  Then there was
Kurrgan's claw, discussion of which should be banned under the Communications
Decency Act.

K. CANZANELLA: Konnan's Tequila Sunrise is a bad move, because not only does it
look utterly painless, but he does nothing to set it up. Glacier's Cryonic Kick
would be good if he actually connected with the guy and not thin air. Rick
Stiener's top rope bulldog injured Buff- and that earns it permanent
accomidations on my list.

KEVIN WONG:  I'd like to point out that while I know that the Apocalypse is
really the Stone Cold Stunner/Chartbuster, SCSA and Disco Inferno both manage
to make this move much more convincing than the Disciple.

JEREMY SORIA: I assume "worst" as in "lamest looking" move.

MICHAEL NAIMARK: The People's Elbow has elevated flashy stupidity to a whole
new level.  Dusty Rhodes had this market for oversold elbows cornered 20 years
ago.

SEAN SHANNON: Kanyon's "new" Flatliner was the clear-cut winner for the worst
move of the year.  Kanyon is actually *giving himself a uranage*, and it's
supposed to knock his opponent out?  Whatever.  Buff Bagwell's Blockbuster is
all flash with no basis in reality.  Very rarely does he ever even touch his
opponent with the move, and never has he actually grabbed his opponent
convincingly so that when his opponent falls over, it looks like Bagwell's move
caused it.  Third place goes to Meng's Tongan Death Grip - right pressure
points, insanely stupid grip.  I don't care how strong your hands are, you just
can't hold on to a neck that way if the victim is fighting with any kind of
strength.

REV. RAY DUFFY: There should be a law... you must understand how to do a hold
before it becomes your finisher.  Ed Leslie has no F'n clue on how  to do the
Stunner and as a result, he takes forever to set it up and it looks  SOOOOO
weak when he does it.  It's so bad, Hogan's Diamond Cutter is actually
better....

JASON LANGIN: Stevie Ray's slap jack - He sucks and so does his move

MDB: Flip, flop, and fly, leg drop of doom, torture rack.  They paved the way
for the People's Elbow.  The People's Elbow paved the way for James' kneedrop.
Ultimo was a great wrestler, but his handstand just required too much stupidity
on his opponents' part.

RICK SCAIA: Without a doubt, the People's Elbow is the worst move in pro
wrestling today.  It really is completely ludicrous.

TOM CRUZ: The Meltdown just sucks. Give Wrath a REAL finisher! He's actually
got skills for a big guy, so why saddle him with sucha crappy finisher? It's as
if WCW said "Well Goldberg is popular, and his finisher takes forever, why not
give another big guy another long-time-to-setup finisher?" The Apocalypse is
just a joke. Easy-E's karate kicks are another joke, but at least we don't see
them too much.

GARETH THOMAS: Giant Baba's chops.  Truly the lamest thing in wrestling.
Mankind and Kurrgan also deserve a mention for the mandible claw, and Paralyzer
respectively.  Claw holds are lame and should have gone out with Baron Von
Raschke.

HEATM: Kurrgan had this year's dumbest wrestling move: a Paralyzer claw. Words
can't even express how stupid that is.  Meng's Death Grip is equally stupid.
Hollywood Hogan's legdrop always makes this list.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Match

Award Description:

To be given to the worst wrestling match you've seen this year, either live,
on TV, PPV, or in an arena, or on tape. If it took place in the past year,
it is eligible.

Previous Winners:

  1990: 06/13/90: Ric Flair vs. Junkyard Dog (CoC XI)
  1991: 05/19/91: El Gigante vs. Sid Vicious (SuperBrawl)
  1992: 01/18/92: Beverly Brothers vs. Bushwhackers (Royal Rumble)
  1993: 04/04/93: Hulk Hogan vs. Yokozuna (WrestleMania IX)
  1994: 09/18/94: Jim Duggan vs. Steve Austin (Fall Brawl)
  1995: 03/19/95: Hulk Hogan vs. Vader (Uncensored)
  1996: 03/24/96: Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair & Arn Anderson &
                  Lex Luger & Kevin Sullivan & Meng & Barbarian & Ze Gangsta
                  & Ultimate Solution (Uncensored)
  1997: 10/26/97: Hulk Hogan vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper (cage)

**1998**: 10/25/98: Hollywood Hogan vs. Warrior

441 first place votes
399 second place votes
379 third place votes

 104  38  52   738   10/25/98  Hollywood Hogan v. Warrior
  81  70  38   691   08/08/98  Diamond Dallas Page & Jay Leno v. Hollywood
                               Hogan & Eric Bischoff
  64  74  44   630   07/12/98  Diamond Dallas Page & Karl Malone v. Hollywood
                               Hogan & Dennis Rodman
  34  22  22   280   09/13/98  Diamond Dallas Page & Roddy Piper & Warrior
                               v. Kevin Nash & Sting & Lex Luger v. Hollywood
                               Hogan & Bret Hart & Stevie Ray (WarGames)
  12  11  13   119   12/28/97  Larry Zbyszko v. Eric Bischoff
  10  12   9   104   08/30/98  Oddities v. Kaientai (handicap)
   5  10  16    87   10/12/98  Kendell Windham v. Dale Torborg (Nitro)
   5  13  10    84   09/13/98  Cat v. Norman Smiley
   6  11   8    79   10/18/98  Undertaker v. Kane (WWF)
   5   8   9    67   05/31/98  LOD 2000 v. Disciples of Apocalypse
   4   8   9    62   08/08/98  Steve McMichael v. Brian Adams
  11   0   3    61   11/09/97  Bret Hart v. Shawn Michaels (WWF)
   7   5   5    60   12/28/97  Hollywood Hogan v. Sting (WCW)
   4   7   8    57   12/08/97  Butterbean v. Marc Mero (toughman)
   6   4   7    56   03/15/98  Hollywood Hogan v. Randy Savage (cage)
   7   2   7    55   11/09/97  Truth Commission v. Disciples of Apocalypse
                               (elimination)
   7   0   5    45   07/06/98  Hollywood Hogan v. Goldberg (Nitro WCW)
   6   4   1    44   07/27/98  Brakus v. Jesus (RAW)
   2   7   6    43   03/29/98  Fifteen team battle royal
   1   9   4    40   10/26/98  Kaientai v. Golga & Kurrgan & Insane Clown Posse
                               (RAW)
   3   2   9    39   07/12/98  Giant v. Kevin Greene
   5   1   5    38   11/23/97  Faces of Fear v. Glacier & Ernest Miller
   3   5   3    36   04/19/98  Hulk Hogan & Kevin Nash v. Roddy Piper & Giant
                               (bat)
   3   6   1    35   04/26/98  Undertaker v. Kane (inferno)
   4   0   7    34   05/31/98  Marc Mero v. Sable
   3   2   6    33   08/08/98  Meng v. Barbarian
   1   7   3    32   09/13/98  Scott Steiner v. Rick Steiner
   2   3   5    29   06/28/98  Too Much v. Al Snow & Head
   0   5   6    27   04/26/98  Midnight Express v. Rock'n'Roll Express (NWA
                               Tag)
   0   6   3    24   07/27/98  Scott Norton v. Jim Niedhart (Nitro)
   2   1   4    21   07/06/98  Ken Shamrock v. Mabel (RAW)
   2   1   4    21   06/14/98  Juventud Guerrera v. Reese
   1   4   2    21   08/08/98  Nine man battle royal
   1   3   2    18   09/21/98  Sargeant Slaughter v. Al Snow (RAW Boot Camp)
   1   1   2    12   04/26/98  Sable v. Luna (evening gown)
   0   4   0    12   10/25/98  Kevin Nash v. Scott Hall
   2   0   0    10   06/22/98  Steve McMichael v. Stevie Ray
   1   1   0     8   02/22/98  Outsiders v. Steiner Brothers (WCW Tag)
   0   2   1     8   08/30/98  Steve Austin v. Undertaker (WWF)
   1   0   1     7   09/07/98  Goldberg v. Scott Putski (Nitro WCW)
   1   0   1     7   05/17/98  Diamond Dallas Page v. Raven (bowery death)
   0   1   2     7   03/01/98  Masato Tanaka v. Doug Furnas
   0   2   0     6   01/24/98  Larry Zbyszko v. Scott Hall
   1   0   0     5             Stevie Ray v. Lex Luger
   1   0   0     5             Lex Luger v. Hollywood Hogan (?)
   1   0   0     5             Konnan v. Scott Putski (Nitro) (?)
   1   0   0     5             Bulldog v. Michael (?)
   1   0   0     5   11/23/97  60 man battle royal
   1   0   0     5   10/25/98  Goldberg v. Diamond Dallas Page (WCW)
   1   0   0     5   10/24/98  Dan Severn v. Stephen Regal (NWA)
   1   0   0     5   08/17/98  Val Venis v. Kaientai (RAW Gauntlet)
   1   0   0     5   07/17/98  Alex Wright & Disco Inferno v. Public Enemy
                               (Thunder)
   1   0   0     5   07/12/98  Stevie Ray v. Chavo Guerrero Jr.
   1   0   0     5   06/28/98  Dan Severn v. Rock
   1   0   0     5   06/08/98  Dan Severn v. D'Lo Brown (RAW)
   1   0   0     5   02/22/98  Sting v. Hollywood Hogan (WCW)
   0   1   1     5   10/12/98  Hollywood Hogan & Bret Hart v. Sting & Warrior
                               (Nitro)
   0   0   2     4   07/26/98  Mark Henry v. Vader
   0   0   2     4   05/03/98  Bam Bam Bigelow v. New Jack
   0   1   0     3             Meng v. Giant (Thunder)
   0   1   0     3   11/30/98  Sabu v. Sandman (tables & ladders)
   0   1   0     3   11/30/97  Taz v. Pitbull 2 (TV)
   0   1   0     3   09/28/98  Bret Hart v. Hollywood Hogan (Nitro US)
   0   1   0     3   09/13/98  Chris Jericho v. "Goldberg" (TV)
   0   1   0     3   08/31/98  Goldberg v. Al Green (Nitro WCW)
   0   1   0     3   05/02/98  Rob Van Dam v. Sabu (TV)
   0   1   0     3   04/26/98  New Age Outlaws v. LOD 2000 (Tag)
   0   1   0     3   04/19/98  Diamond Dallas Page v. Raven (US)
   0   1   0     3   03/29/98  Undertaker v. Kane
   0   0   1     2             Stevie, Luger, etc.(?)
   0   0   1     2             Sandman v. Sabu (Stairway to Hell 1)
   0   0   1     2             Road Block v. Hacksaw Jim Duggan (Thunder)
   0   0   1     2             Hollywood Hogan v. Roddy Piper (?)
   0   0   1     2   10/26/98  Godfather v. Tiger Ali Singh
   0   0   1     2   09/27/98  Steve Austin v. Undertaker v. Kane (WWF)
   0   0   1     2   09/14/98  Steve Austin v. Ken Shamrock (WWF)
   0   0   1     2   09/13/98  Konnan v. Scott Hall
   0   0   1     2   09/13/98  Alex Wright & Disco Inferno v. British Bulldog &
                               Jim Niedhart
   0   0   1     2   08/30/98  X-Pac v. Jeff Jarrett (hair)
   0   0   1     2   08/30/98  New Age Outlaws v. Mankind (Tag handicap)
   0   0   1     2   07/13/98  Hollywood Hogan v. Scott Hall (Nitro)
   0   0   1     2   07/06/98  Goldberg v. Scott Hall (Nitro US)
   0   0   1     2   05/31/98  Vader v. Kane (mask)
   0   0   1     2   05/03/98  Shane Doulgas v. Al Snow (ECW)
   0   0   1     2   05/03/98  Blue Meanie & Super Nova v. Full Blooded
                               Italians
   0   0   1     2   04/28/98  Goldberg v. Jerry Flynn (Nitro US)
   0   0   1     2   04/20/98  Raven v. Goldberg (Nitro US)
   0   0   1     2   03/15/98  Bret Hart v. Curt Hennig
   0   0   1     2   01/05/98  John Nord v. Barbarian (Nitro)

REJECTED - ineligible time except where noted

  11  11   7                   "Any match involving X"
   0   1   1         11/02/98  Lex Luger v. Giant (Nitro)
   0   1   1         10/25/98  Hogan/ Warrior (duplicate)
   0   1   0         11/15/98  Stephen Regal v. X-Pac
   0   1   0         11/10/98  Goldberg v. Meng (Nitro WCW)
   0   1   0                   "Tie" votes
   0   0   1         06/28/98  Undertaker v. Kane (did not fight at KotR)
   0   0   1                   Axl Rotten & Balls Mahoney (?)

SHAWN MULLIN: Not only does Bishoff brutally suck, but they flubbed the finish,
it wasn't a clean finish (as if Larry can't beat Bishoff) and it never really
had a reason to be over.  Hart, the ref, punches out Bishoff and somehow
Zybisko is the winner.  Utter crap.

SVEN MASCARENHAS: The WCW summer celebrity matches are there out of principle,
and that opening match from SS '97 was easily the worst opening I've ever seen
(I'm told there's something worse from GAB '91, though...)

CHRIS DILLON: Oddities vs KDX was not only an abysmal "comedy" match, but was a
great waste of 4 of the WWF's finest workers. Adams vs McMichael was
incredibley boring. Hogan vs Warrior was also terrible and had no place on free
TV, nevermind being called the biggest match of the millenium, or whatever...

BEN MILLER: Wargames was almost Doomsday Cage revisited.  Van Dam vs. Sabu was
thirty minutes of missed spots and bad punches.  Hart vs. Henning was like
watching grass grow.

GEORGE CARTER: I saw the Hogan/Rodman-DDP/Malone match on Nitro, and I just
couldn't stand it. I'd rather sit through a Duggan-Ray Traylor hour  marathon
match than watch this crap again. I coudln't even watch it, I  HAD to change
the channel. I didn't see the DOA-LOD match, but I still  voted it for 2nd
place. If you've seen one of those battles, you've seen  them all. And in 3rd,
the "Classic" Butterbean-Mero match has to be  included in this list.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Pornos, and Oddities, and Clowns! Oh my! Free the Michinoku
Four!!

JAMES FABIANO: What else.....why the REMATCH OF THE CENTURY~!, of course.  If
you missed Kaientai vs. ICP/Oddities, here's a summary: Oddities no sell
everything Kaientai do, Kaientai sells everything ICP do, I puke, the end. Hall
vs. Nash at Havoc was like two different plots in one match.  I mean, is Kevin
Nash refusing to fight his ex-friend, or is he brutalizing him?

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Well, I never saw Wargames '98 or the Dud, er, rematch of the
Century, so I, unfortunately, can't vote for them. Boohoo. I *did* however, see
Hogan/Biscoff vs. DDP/Leno, Hogan/Rodman vs. DDP/Malone and Age in the Cage 2,
Hogan vs. Savage--due to morbid curiosity, against my will (Damn you, Nitro!)
and cause the end of it was stuck on the tape I got Summerslam,
respectively--so I figure I'll vote for them instead! I'm curious to see who'll
win out though...

OTTO "HACK-MAN" HEUER: For "Worst Match", I had to go through my archives of
PPV postings to RSPW*.  I may have missed some stinkers, but the three I came
up with in the hour or so of sifting were: 1st:08/30/98 Oddities v. Kaientai
(handicap).  This was the first match I have ever given a $0.00 rating to, and
it made me wish I were allowed to give negative ratings.  It would be bad
enough if it were a bunch of people who can't wrestle, but TAKA was being
jobbed for gh0d's sake! 2nd:10/18/98  Undertaker v. Kane (WWF).  This went on
for like 20 minutes and had zero workrate and zero crowd heat.  3rd:07/26/98
Mark Henry v. Vader (WWF PPV).  No one cared about either of these guys, yet
they stunk up the ring for way too long on a PPV people spent good money on.

S. FRIESEN: The Match Beyond!

SCAVENGER: I was a fan durring Mid south days...When I returned to wrestling, i
wondered what happened to the R&R Express...It was disheartening when I found
out...

CLINT MAYHER: Cat/Smiley on PPV! WTF?!

MATT DEBARGER: Take your pick of the Kane vs Undertaker matches

ASHLEY RALEY: The sight of Hogan selling for Jay Leno is one that will be
burned     into my memory for FAR too long.

SUPERFAN SAM: The Hogan-Warrior match would have gotten worst match of the
decade. I was actually laughing by the end of the match because it was so
bad. It made me yearn to watch the classic Nightstalker-Sid Vicious match from
Clash XIII

RYAN GRANT:  The concept is really fucking easy, Eric--you run a wrestling
promotion.  Thus, let the wrestlers wrestle.  I worked nights during the
summer, and in the beginning I had my family tape Nitro for me, along with RAW.
Once they introduced Karl Malone into the picture, I stopped watching.  I heard
about the junk with Jay Leno in passing, and it made my stomach turn.  In terms
of workrate, I really don't know how good or bad these matches were, because I
didn't watch.  The reason they make my list of the worst matches is because
they very nearly made me ashamed to be a wrestling fan.  Shame on Eric Bischoff
for shafting Rick Flair while he gives a shitload of money to Jay Leno.  Shame
on Eric Bischoff for thinking that Karl Malone vs. Dennis Rodman was a good
idea.  Shame on Eric Bischoff for booking himself onto one of the biggest cards
of the year, Starrcade, ahead of so many more deserving athletes.  Is it my WWF
bias showing in that all three of these matches are from the WCW?  Perhaps, but
at least when the WWF takes a big heaping shit in the ring (see Undertaker/Kane
from IYH: Judgement Day) it involves two WRESTLERS.  I feel better now.

K. CANZANELLA: Hogan versus Warrior is one of the worst matches of all
time. No-selling was rampant. Crowd was either dead or in utter contempt for
both guys. They blew simple spots like belt whips and bodslams. God. That
sucked. The basketball match was almost as bad. It was 40 minutes long, and it
was SO FUCKING BORING. Finally, we have not the WarGames, but the ICP/Kaientai
tradegy. Not only was it a bad match, it was an utter disgrace to 4 or the best
heels in Japan ever.

JEREMY SORIA: I maintain that Ken Shamrock carried SCSA in that Raw match in
September; they could have done so much more.

MATT BROWN: Dishonorable mention also to Rock v. HHH "Ladder Match" .... sorry,
guys, you can't even carry Shawn or Scott's jock (not yet)

SHANE ANDERSON: Hogan/Warrior 2......Late; The birth place of LOD 2000 nuff
said; At least Rodman & Malone were athletes

CARLOS LAMAR: Also of note: Mark Henry and Vader had a PPV match in one of the
PPV's surrounding Summerslam.  This match was pure awful.

SEAN SHANNON: From the anemic pace to the weak kicks to the botched
brick-in-the-foot-protector spot to the lousy ending, Larry Zbyszko vs. Eric
Bischoff from Starrcade is truly the worst match in the history of professional
wrestling.  I'm still trying to shake the image of Bischoff's pasty white
physique out of my head.  Hogan vs. Sting from Starrcade gets second place
because it single-handedly killed the best angle WCW had done in recent memory
on the spot.  Finally, Hogan/Rodman vs. DDP/Malone was too bad for words; I
dislike Dennis Rodman a great deal, but I can't blame him for wanting to be
drunk before participating in the atrocity that was this tag match.

JASON LANGIN: Dennis Rodman & Hulk Hogan v. Diamond Dallas Page & Karl Malone -
We're sick of stars in the ring, why don't they understand?

MDB: At least we knew the Leno match would suck.  Wargames was the Match Beyond
and not even when it was Hulkamanai vs. the Dungeon was it this bad.

RICK SCAIA: If a good match must play out on a large stage, then truly bad
matches must also suck on a truly grand scale.  WCW has excelled in putting on
totally crappy main events and major matches all year long.  I can't really
order 'em, but the three worst, most embarassing matches I saw all year long
had to be: DDP/Leno vs. Hogan/Bishoff, DDP/Malone vs. Hogan/Rodman, and
Hogan/Warrior.  I'm NOT going back and reviewing the video so that I can choose
more precisely which sucked worst.  Special "Honorable Mention" goes to
September's truly awful WarGames match.  If it were possible, I might pick a
four way tie at #1 in this category.

ROBERT EVANS: Every year everyone complains about how bad the WWIII 3-ring
Battle Royal is.  Why should this year be any different?

I. C. MICHAEL: Stiff competition in this one as both feds pulled out all the
stops in delivering some truly awful matches.  1st:Bret Hart v. Shawn Michaels
(WWF) - Strangest match of the year in that a legitimate argument can be made
for it being either among the best or the worst matches of the year. IMO it was
both.  I voted it as the third best match of the year because of the hot crowd,
solid brawling, and historical impact. But at the same time, the screwiness of
the finish made it an easy choice for worst match of the year.  2nd:Diamond
Dallas Page & Jay Leno v. Hollywood Hogan & Eric Bischoff - Was the worst in a
series of media crossover matches presented by WCW.  This one was particularly
bad in that it had no heat, was way too long and featured a flabby talkshow
host.  3rd:Oddities v. Kaientai (handicap) - Broke my heart. I was hoping that
the WWF lightheavy division was just getting off to a slow start (much as WCW's
did) and would develop in time. The dream is dead.

RYAN BASSLER: Hogan v. Hart - worst match simply because of how scores of
people had waited for years for this match-up (well, at one point they cared),
and WCW played it off WAY too nonchalantly.  Please stay retired, Terry.

HEATM: Hollywood Hogan & Dennis Rodman v. Diamond Dallas Page & Karl Malone was
a disgrace to wrestling.   Oddities v. Kaientai at SummerSlam was ridiculous
and just made me cringe.  LOD 2000 v. Disciples of Apocalypse was a match made
in hell.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Feud

Award Description:

To be given to the feud that nobody cared about at all this year. When they
were pushing the feud on TV, you'd go to the fridge for a snack.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Hulk Hogan vs. Earthquake
  1991: Hulk Hogan vs. Sgt. Slaughter
  1992: Ultimate Warrior vs. Papa Shango
  1993: The Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez
  1994: Doink vs. Bam Bam Bigelow
  1995: Hulk Hogan vs. Dungeon of Doom
  1996: Big Bubba vs. John Tenta
  1997: Nation of Domination vs. Disciples of Apocalypse vs. Los Boricuas

**1998**: Warrior v. Hollywood Hogan

448 first place votes
443 second place votes
383 third place votes

 131  61  29   896   Warrior v. Hollywood Hogan
  70  24  32   486   Chucky v. Rick Steiner
  48  39  54   465   Jay Leno v. Eric Bischoff
  23  30  29   263   NWO Hollywood v. NWO Wolfpack
  24  32  22   260   Disciples of Apocalypse v. LOD 2000
  10  29  24   185   Rick Steiner v. Scott Steiner (& Buff Bagwell)
  18  15  11   157   Cat v. Glacier
  13  11  10   118   British Bulldog v. Steve McMichael
   8   6  15    88   Kane v. Undertaker
   7   7  14    84   Sable v. Marc Mero (& Jacqueline)
   7   9   9    80   Disciples of Apocalypse v. Los Boricuas
   7   9   9    80   Diamond Dallas Page v. Hollywood Hogan
  11   4   6    79   Chris Hyatte v. New World Wide Web Order
   1  13  12    68   New Midnight Express v. Rock 'n' Roll Express
   5  10   4    63   Oddities v. Kaientai
   6   3  10    59   Chris Adams v. Glacier
   2   9  10    57   Flock's internal feuding
   4   8   5    54   Ric Flair (Four Horsemen) v. Eric Bischoff
   3   8   4    47   Hacksaw Jim Duggan & Meng v. Barbarian
   3   5   8    46   Goldberg v. Jerry Flynn
   3   4   5    39   Val Venis v. Kaientai (& Yamaguchi-san)
   2   7   4    39   Saturn v. Glacier
   1   4   9    35   Vader v. Mark Henry
   1   5   6    32   Oddities v. Head Bangers
   1   3   9    32   Juventud Guerrera v. Reese
   2   5   3    31   Sting v. Hollywood Hogan
   0   5   5    25   Val Venis v. Dustin Runnels
   2   3   2    23   Godfather v. Tiger Ali Singh
   2   3   1    21   Kanyon v. Raven v. Saturn
   2   2   1    18   Public Enemy v. Alex Wright & Disco Inferno
   2   1   2    17   Diamond Dallas Page v. Raven
   0   3   3    15   Alex Wright v. Fit Finlay v. British Bulldog
   2   1   0    13   Judy Bagwell v. Buff Bagwell
   2   1   0    13   D-Generation X v. Nation
   0   3   2    13   Bret Hart v. Curt Hennig
   2   0   1    12   Scott & Steve Armstrong v. Cat
   1   2   0    11   Vader v. Bradshaw
   1   2   0    11   Eddie Guerrero v. Eric Bischoff
   2   0   0    10   WCW v. NWO
   2   0   0    10   Steve Austin v. Mr. McMahon
   2   0   0    10   Booker T. v. Stevie Ray
   0   2   2    10   Diamond Dallas Page v. Goldberg
   0   1   3     9   Kevin Nash v. Scott Hall
   0   2   1     8   Kaz Hayashi v. Cat
   1   0   1     7   Marc Mero v. Goldust
   1   0   1     7   Karl Malone v. Dennis Rodman
   0   1   2     7   Steve Blackman v. Jeff Jarrett
   0   2   0     6   Sting v. Bret Hart
   0   2   0     6   LOD 2000 v. New Age Outlaws
   0   2   0     6   Chavo Guerrero Jr. v. Eddie Guerrero
   1   0   0     5   Van Hammer v. Flock
   1   0   0     5   Saturn v. Sonny Onoo
   1   0   0     5   Larry Zbyszko v. Eric Bischoff
   1   0   0     5   Jesse James v. Billy Gunn
   1   0   0     5   Jeff Jarrett v. Marc Mero
   1   0   0     5   Goldberg v. Meng
   1   0   0     5   Dan Severn v. Ken Shamrock
   1   0   0     5   Bret Hart v. WWF
   1   0   0     5   Blue Meanie & Super Nova v. Full Blooded Italians
   0   0   2     4   Steve Austin v. Undertaker
   0   1   0     3   Tom Brandi v. Marc Mero
   0   1   0     3   Taz v. Bam Bam Bigelow
   0   1   0     3   Steve Austin v. Chyna
   0   1   0     3   Roddy Piper v. Hollywood Hogan
   0   1   0     3   Owen Hart v. Ken Shamrock
   0   1   0     3   Owen Hart v. Hunter Hearst Helmsley
   0   1   0     3   Los Boricuas v. Mexico (?)
   0   1   0     3   Konnan v. Juventud Guerrera
   0   1   0     3   Ken Shamrock v. Owen Hart
   0   1   0     3   Jeff Jarrett v. X-Pac
   0   1   0     3   Jeff Jarrett v. Goldust
   0   1   0     3   Hawk v. Animal v. Droz
   0   1   0     3   Goldberg v. Giant
   0   1   0     3   Goldberg v. Curt Hennig
   0   1   0     3   Goldberg v. Chris Jericho
   0   1   0     3   Eric Bischoff v. Mr. McMahon
   0   1   0     3   Eddie Guerrero v. Ric Flair
   0   1   0     3   Butterbean v. Marc Mero
   0   0   1     2   WWF v. NWA
   0   0   1     2   Sable v. Luna
   0   0   1     2   Rock v. Ken Shamrock
   0   0   1     2   Rayo v. Cien Caras
   0   0   1     2   New Jack v. Jack Victory
   0   0   1     2   Larry Zbyszko v. Dusty Rhodes
   0   0   1     2   Ken Shamrock v. Shawn Michaels
   0   0   1     2   Justin Credible v. Tommy Dreamer
   0   0   1     2   Jim Carrey v. Jerry Lawler
   0   0   1     2   Insane Clown Posse v. Head Bangers
   0   0   1     2   Herb Kunze v. New World Wide Web Order
   0   0   1     2   Head Bangers v. Godwinns
   0   0   1     2   Goldust v. Marlena
   0   0   1     2   Goldberg v. Raven
   0   0   1     2   Giant v. Kevin Nash
   0   0   1     2   Faarooq v. Rock
   0   0   1     2   Chyna v. Mark Henry (eligible?)
   0   0   1     2   Chris Benoit v. Booker T.
   0   0   1     2   Booker T. v. Bret Hart

REJECTED

   1   0   0         anything wcw cooks up for that week
   1   0   0         Stevie Ray v. anyone from Wolfpack
   1   0   0         Glacier
   1   0   0         "Tie" votes
   0   1   1         Cat v. Anybody
   0   1   0         Steve McMichael v. Jeff Jarrett (ineligible time)
   0   1   0         Al Snow v. anyone
   0   0   1         Shamrock v. Anybody
   0   0   1         Oddities v. Anyone
   0   0   1         Legion of Doom 2000
   0   0   1         Karate Champions (Glacier and Cat) v. various WCW
                     wrestlers

CHRIS DILLON: Chucky vs Rick Steiner was one of the most embarassing moments in
wrestling history - and that IS saying something. Hennig vs Hart was a huge
dissapointment, although who really expected any more these days? 'Taker vs
Kane was terrible, but then again, who expected any less?

KEVIN PODSIADLIK: The doll was insulting, but an feud which gives us main
events featuring Bischoff, Malone, Rodman and Leno has to have special
recognition.

GEORGE CARTER: The DOA-Boricuas, the DOA-LOD and the Glacier-Chris Adams feuds
were  just terrible. The DOA feuds are by far the worst (and most boring) in
this business.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: No one cares about Mero/Jaqueline/Sable, except for Sable's
pontoons. If I want to see tits, I'll go to the corner store and pick up a skin
mag. LOD 2000 and DOA gave us some of the worst wrestling this year. And
because they were feuding, we didn't see it just once, but Vince beat us over
the head with it OVER and OVER and OVER again. And the Venis/Yamaguchi thing
accomplished nothing except  changing the "Free the Michinoku Three!" chant to
a "Free the Michinoku Four!" chant.

STEPHEN TISZENKEL: Here's a great idea: Take one of the only reasons to watch
your pitiful promotion, and end it. That's what WCW did when they broke up the
NWO and ended the "We're taking over" angle, creating the world's most godawful
group of babyfaces in the process.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Hogan/Warrior, Hogan/Sting and Bischoff/Leno, in that order. The
first was just <bleep>ed up from beginning to end and had *no* chance of
providing any good matches. The second was set up beautifully--and then fell
apart at Starrcade badly enough that neither it nor Sting could ever
recover. The third had Jay Leno in it and cause the NWO Nitecap. Good enough
for me. Oh, and dishonourable mentions go to every single brother vs. brother
feud in existence and NWO vs. NWO.

BERT SNOOVEN: WCW bookers broke into WWF headquarters and began booking
Undertaker vs. Kane.

JON WHITE: Rick vs. Scott would never end.  Same with LOD vs. DOA.  Same thing
with Kunze vs. NWWWO.  Maybe that is why they are the worst feud of the year.

ADAM BONIN: The Leno thing was thrown together too quickly and never properly
promoted, not that anyone could take it seriously anyway.

CLINT MAYHER: Let's see we got a feud over a stupid kick, two dummies feuding
with each other, and an Internet flame war that annoys the hell out of me
everytime I go to find out the latest news.

ASHLEY RALEY: Taker/Kane, Steiner brothers, Mero/Sable...will it ever end?  I
would have picked Leno/Bischoff based solely on sheer stupidity,      but at
least it ended fairly quickly, especially compared to these     other three.

CUBS FAN: Hogan vs Warrior was a good idea, but the booking killed it.  Hogan
vs Sting was a good idea, but the booking killed it.  nWo WolfPac vs nWo
Hollywood was a good idea, but the booking killed it. Notice a pattern?

TREVOR BERRIE: Hogan vs Warrior was abysmal of course, but it was still sort of
fascinating to watch in a car-wreck fashion. LOD vs DOA didn't even have that,
so it takes worst.

DON DEL GRANDE: In light of Bret Hart/Shawn Michaels, I'll never be sold on
McMahon acting as if he doesn't have control over the WWF, or that the worst
thing that could happen to him is if when the next time he says "Austin, you're
fired", Austin says "Okay"...

RYAN GRANT:  The LOD v. the DOA had absolutely no redeeming value.  Rarely
would I ever choose interviews over wrestling, but I'd rather have watched Meng
on the mic than any of the matches that made up this dud feud.  Val Venis
vs. KDX was a waste of 5 talented individuals, and the line "CHOOPY CHOOPY YOU
PEEPEE!" still haunts my nightmares.  Then there was Chucky, approximately the
fourth black eye Eric gave the sport this year.

K. CANZANELLA: The Hogan and Warrior fued was one of the worst in a long
time. It dragged down the quality of everything that WCW had to do with. Bad
PPV's, interveiw filled Nitros, and WWFish things like Warrior in the Mirror
and the SMOKE OF DOOM resulted. Bulldog vs. Mongo was not only pointless, but
it led to a bunch of shitty matches. DOA vs. LOD 2000 was basically Vince
forcing LOD down our throats, no matter how much heat they killed and bad
matches they wrestled.

SHANE ANDERSON: The saddest part was Nightcap was supposed to suck but it was
the only entertaining part of this mess; 1 NWO was bad enough; Chucky makes it
the Trifecta for the BIG BOYS

SEAN SHANNON: Listening to That BH Guy rally against the WWF was annoying back
when That BH Guy *was still in the WWF*, using his Calgary Sun column to blast
the WWF's turn towards more mature angles.  After he left, well, it got worse.
Memo to That BH Guy: you were wrong.  You made the wrong decision. You screwed
yourself, whether you choose to admit it or not.  Stop blaming the WWF for the
fact that you just don't fit into the puzzle of late-1990s wrestling.  Second
place goes to the Flock's feuding; if any one angle this year screamed
"bathroom break," this was it.  Third goes to Hollywood Hogan vs. Sting, if
only for the fact that going into Starrcade it looked like WCW was finally
going to run an angle correctly from start to finish; shows what giving WCW the
benefit of the doubt will get you.  And I was honoured that Chris Hyatte v. the
New World Wide Web Order was nominated this year; I promise, next year the
nWWWo will pick a target who doesn't suck as bad as The Man Of A Million Pat
Patterson Jokes.

JASON LANGIN: The Steiner Brothers - They never should have broken them up and
the feud is terrible.

MDB: Hogan v. Warrior didn't work on ANY level.  Talking dolls don't belong in
wrestling, or at least not in WCW.  Still going... UT v. Kane just won't
die. (<-pun!)

ROBERT EVANS: Talk about snooze fest - DOA & LOD must have fought more times
than Kane and Undertaker did this year.

I. C. MICHAEL: There was some mind-blowingly bad stuff in this category as
well. 1st:Chucky v. Rick Steiner - I hesitated to list this as first, because
it had so little overall impact in the overall scheme of WCW programing.  But,
it was just -that- $#@!ing bad. 2nd:Bret Hart v. Curt Hennig - I've got to give
it to WCW, I didn't think that they could mess up their chance to make Bret a
mega-face. But first they book him against Flair and then this dog of a feud
took  care of any heat he might of had left. Dull, dull, dull
feud. 3rd:Hollywood Hogan v. Warrior - WCW has a world of talent and this is
what they put on top.  Wow, that rematch of the century sure got a great
buyrate.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Most Disappointing News item

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestling news item that most disappointed you when heard
of it. When you first learned of this news story, you couldn't believe that
it was true, and when you learned that it was, you were bummed out for a
while.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Scott Steiner gets injured
  1992: Legion of Doom: Hawk & Animal split up
  1993: WWF brings Hulk Hogan back and gives him the title
  1994: WCW signs Hulk Hogan and makes him World champion
  1995: Death of Eddie Gilbert
  1996: Scott Hall and/or Kevin Nash leave WWF and/or join WCW
  1997: Death of Brian Pillman

**1998**: Death of Louie Spicolli

457 first place votes
427 second place votes
402 third place votes

  73  45  28   556   Death of Louie Spicolli
  64  47  34   529   WCW sues Ric Flair, causing disappearance from TV
  55  50  20   465   Death of Junkyard Dog
  40  35  43   391   WCW signs Jay Leno to wrestle
  41  16  12   277   Bret Hart loses WWF title suspiciously days before joining WCW
  23  22  28   237   Hacksaw Jim Duggan has cancer
  15  35  10   200   WCW signs Warrior
  13  22  19   169   Scott Hall continues to have brushes with law /
                     "personal" problems
  18  16  15   168   Mark Curtis has cancer
  10  14  27   146   Eric Bischoff takes over booking from Terry Taylor and
                     company
  14  13  18   145   Sandman leaves ECW / signs with WCW
   9  15  15   120   Ultimo Dragon retires early due to injuries
  12   9   7   101   Shawn Michaels to miss time with back injury
  10   8  13   100   Chris Benoit injured, out of action much of year
   5  12  16    93   WCW gives World Title to Goldberg
   4   7  10    61   WCW fires Syxx to put Hall & Nash in their place
   5   7   7    60   Goldberg injures several wrestlers, then brags about it
   2   6   6    40   Stevie Richards too injured to compete
   0   6  10    38   WCW signs Karl Malone to wrestle
   2   5   5    35   Rock turns face
   3   2   4    29   Buff Bagwell injured on live Thunder
   1   3   6    26   Booker T. injured
   1   2   4    19   WCW ends Orlando tapings, turns Worldwide into a clip show
   3   0   1    17   Giant probably not going to WWF
   1   3   1    16   Vader released from WWF
   1   1   3    14   NBC "Secrets of Pro Wrestling Revealed" airs
   2   0   0    10   Hollywood Hogan extends contract with WCW
   1   1   1    10   Hunter Hearst Helmsley injured shortly after winning IC
                     title
   1   1   0     8   Sunny let go by WWF amid addiction rumours
   0   0   4     8   WWF releases Vader
   1   0   1     7   Chris Jericho to resign with WCW (eligible?)
   0   1   2     7   Bam Bam Bigelow leaving ECW after November to Remember
   0   2   0     6   Taz Arrested
   1   0   0     5   WWF wins ratings war very often
   1   0   0     5   WWF jobs Mick Foley on every PPV
   1   0   0     5   WCW signs Dennis Rodman to wrestle again
   1   0   0     5   WCW Nitro extends ratings winning streak
   1   0   0     5   Vince McMahon suffers ankle injury
   1   0   0     5   Vince McMahon doesn't bid on Vikings
   1   0   0     5   Undertaker turns heel
   1   0   0     5   Todd Gordon is the mole in ECW for WCW
   1   0   0     5   Rodman returns for Bash at the Beach
   1   0   0     5   Rick Rude has cancer
   1   0   0     5   Jackie Chan rumoured to get involved with WCW
   1   0   0     5   Goldberg refuses to work with Chris Jericho
   0   0   2     4   Mitsuharu Misawa injured, has to take time off
   0   0   2     4   ECW not going national
   0   1   0     3   WWF signs X-Pac
   0   1   0     3   WWF changes direction of Light Heavyweight division
   0   1   0     3   WWF RAW goes to live/taped format
   0   1   0     3   WCW creats new team of Horseman
   0   1   0     3   WCW creates Thunder
   0   1   0     3   Stu Hart has problems with Alberta government
   0   1   0     3   Shane McMahon takes a stand
   0   1   0     3   Raven jobs to everyone
   0   1   0     3   Mike Awesome injured
   0   1   0     3   Dustin Runnels becomes "born again"
   0   0   1     2   WWF signs Butterbean to box Marc Mero
   0   0   1     2   WWF resigns Big Boss Man
   0   0   1     2   WWF gives World title to Kane
   0   0   1     2   WCW announces "NITRO Xtra" to air on TNT Tuesdays
   0   0   1     2   T&A photos of Sunny harder to find on the Internet
   0   0   1     2   Steve McMichael still wresting
   0   0   1     2   Steve McMichael rumoured out of Horseman
   0   0   1     2   Shane Douglas decides to keep wrestling despite injury
   0   0   1     2   Nash & Hall stay in WCW
   0   0   1     2   Jim Carrey and Jerry Lawler have "altercation"
   0   0   1     2   Hollywood Hogan rumoured to hand Goldberg historic first
                     loss
   0   0   1     2   Hollywood Hogan may open own promotion (eligible?)
   0   0   1     2   Hollywood Hogan claims big Georgia Dome show gate as his
                     own
   0   0   1     2   Eric Bischoff replaces cheesy haircut with even cheesier
                     haircut
   0   0   1     2   Earl Hebner suffers brain aneurysm
   0   0   1     2   ECW loses New York City affiliate
   0   0   1     2   Dennis Rodman sues WCW
   0   0   1     2   Charles Barkley wants to wrestle
   0   0   1     2   Bash at the Beach main event
   0   0   1     2   Arn Anderson never to wrestle again (eligible?)

REJECTED

   7   2   0         Brian Pillman's death (ineligible time)
   1   4   1         Hollywood Hogan runs for President (ineligible time)
   2   0   0         Rock turns heel (ineligible time)
   1   0   1         Eric Bischoff is still alive
   1   0   0         Networks disrespect Jesse Ventura (ineligible time)
   1   0   0         Micheals, Buff, Ultimo Dragon and Villano IV injuries
                     making them to most likely retire from wrestling
                     (multiple vote)
   1   0   0         Jericho, Benoit, Guerrero, and Malenko still in WCW
                     (multiple vote)
   1   0   0         "Tie" votes
   0   1   0         WCW Nitro moves to 3 hours (ineligible time)
   0   1   0         Rock wins Survivor Series (ineligible time)
   0   1   0         Eric Bischoff is on Nitro tonight
   0   1   0         Duggan/Curtis Cancer (multiple vote)
   0   1   0         Celebrity appearances in WCW (multiple vote)
   0   0   1         any mention anywhere of Hulk Hogan
   0   0   1         Wrestlers getting arrested for out-of-ring crimes (Scott
                     Hall, Taz, Jim Neidhart) (multiple vote)
   0   0   1         WWF releases Insane Clown Posse (ineligible time)
   0   0   1         Duane Gill wins Light Heavyweight title (ineligible time)
   0   0   1         Death of Plum Mariko (ineligible time)
   0   0   1         Brian Pillman still dead

PAUL MORRISON: In this section, you have no mention of Shawn Michaels taking
over a year off.  For me this was the biggest disappointment this year.

ANDY JUDGE: I'm still waiting for all the kids to hurt themselves hitting each
other with chairs because, "it's easy if you know the secret!" Anyone who was
shocked to watch that show and find wrestling is staged, I've got some other
news flashes:  There is no Easter Bunny, Santa Claus was your dad, the Tooth
Fairy was your mother, and Christopher Reeves didn't really fly in those
superman movies -> it was all strings and blue-screens!  (It's easy if you know
the secret!)

SVEN MASCARENHAS: I only put it in second, but WCW can almost directly trace
their ratings downfall to the date that Terry Taylor lost out in the
behind-the-scenes power struggle.

A MAN CALLED ART: What was Jericho thinking?  He let down one of his biggest
Jericho-holics.

CHRIS DILLON: Firstly, the Spicolli death news was terrible. Just as he finally
gets his big-ish beak, too. That should be a notice to any wrestlers who are
taking soma's or similar drugs, but unfortunately probabley wont be. Ultimo
Dragon having to retire is very sad news - Dragon was an incredible worker,
arguabley the best in the world on any given night.  JYD's death was also
saddening.

VINCE MORALES: Louie got over in ECW. Louie even got over in WCW which is not
exactly easy especially for a guy like himself. Then he died right in his
prime. It sucks.

MR. BEAVIS: I don't want to select individual items.  I would rank categories.
1.  Any death in wrestling  2.  Any serious injury or illness  3.  Any
celebrity/athlete from another sport

MICHAEL JAVORNIK: Hacksaw Jim Duggan is a terrible wrestler, but even he
deserves a break.  I don't wish cancer on anyone.

KEVIN PODSIADLIK: I do not want to see Scott Hall's name in this category next
year.

JAMES FABIANO: Spicolli's death was a shock, and it's a bigger tragedy that
someone else (Scott Hall) who is facing the same problems is being ignored.
Richards has been one of my favorites since 1995, and it was sad to see him
forced out of ECW by injury.  Hearing about Taz and Chris Chetti's supposed
involvement made me madder about it.  And DX and the Rock just aren't the same
as faces (and DX really isn't the same without Shawn)

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Well, I completely bypassed the whole Rock-n-Wrestling phase,
but nonetheless, I've gotta vote for JYD's death here. He was probably the most
popular wrestler of that era, other than the obvious. And, workrate be damned,
he will be missed. Louie Spicolli's death gets second. The guy was a good
worker and good on the mic, and worst of all, he was still working his way up
the ladder. He died before he had a chance to do anything great--now *that's*
sad. And, although he sucked in the ring, Jim Duggan's cancer is an easy choice
for third. Mind you, I was tempted to write in Shawn's injury here... why
didn't that get nominated, anyway?

SCAVENGER: Again from mid-south, Duggan was a fan favorite...its sad to see him
down.

TOMMY-O: I hope the fact that this happened at the "start" of     the review
period doesn't cause it to lose points.     This was truly the worst news of
the year

DAVID SPENCER: Buff Bagwell's near-career-ending injury doesn't rate here?

JON WHITE: Bret Hart losing the title and going to WWF was depressing.  But
right now, I'm not really affected by it.  Losing Benoit and HBK just plain
sucked.

CLINT MAYHER: Boy, do I miss Stevie. Even though he'd probably be a Lodi-type
JTTS, I still wish Stevie was with WCW.

CUBS FAN: Louie was just about to get over, you knew it.  Sandman leaving is a
huge blow to ECW, no matter what way you look at it.  Mark Curtis' cancer is
sad, and I feel kinda bad not fitting Junkyard Dog in somehow.  Heck, if I had
2 more votes, I'd thrown the end of Orlando Worldwide Tapings, which kinda hits
home, and Greenberg bragging about taking out La Parka's knee. Bad stuff.

RYAN GRANT:  Everything I've heard about Mark Curtis indicates that he's a good
person, and it's a shame for something like cancer to happen to someone like
that.  Louie was truly coming into his own--I miss him. Asai was one of the
greats, and I miss him too.  Hopefully, his trainees will continue his good
legacy.

A. WADE:  WCW is still paying for it, I think.

MICHAEL NAIMARK: No single news item distressed me as much as Ric Flair's
lawsuit against WCW.  The lack of respect given to this legitimate icon of
professional wrestling embodies everything that is wrong with 'the business'
today.

SEAN SHANNON: Most of us are here in RSPW today because we got turned on to pro
graps during the era of the Rock 'n Wrestling Connection; in those days the
second-biggest babyface in the WWF was the Junkyard Dog, so workrate be damned,
it was a dark day for most of us when we heard JYD had passed on.  A special
Golden Asshole award should be given to Herb Kunze for using JYD's death to go
off on another "this wrestler started to suck when he went to the WWF"
diatribe.  The WWF was terrific this year, but they were missing something
throughout the last six months, and that something was Shawn Michaels.  The
possibility that we may have seen Shawn's last match almost bring a tear to my
eye; I pray it isn't so.  Lastly, I never did get into Louie Spicolli in any of
his various incarnations in the Big Three, but damn it, it still hurt when he
died.

JASON LANGIN: Death of Junkyard Dog - Everyone loved JYD.

MDB: I don't want to pick between deaths, injuries, and life threatening
diseases.  I'll stick to things the promotions had control over.  The end of
Worldwide as we knew it was sad.  WCWSN tries, but it isn't the same.  Suing
Flair and double crossing Bret were understandable actions, but hardly
forgivable.

ROBERT EVANS: First Pillman.  Now Louie.  Louie we'll miss ya.

I. C. MICHAEL: Looking back over the ballot it occurs to me what a depressing
year its been to me as a fan.  There's been far too many low spots and not
enough highs. Generally the competition for the 'negative' awards have offered
me more options than the 'positive awards.'  This award was no exception.
1st:Bret Hart loses WWF title suspiciously days before joining WCW -  One of
the most disappointing incidents in wrestling history. In an orgy of
unprofessional backstabbing, Vince and Bret screwed themselves, each other and
the fans.This mess reflected badly on everyone involved. 2nd:Mark Curtis has
cancer - I've been a fan since his Smokey Mountain days.God Bless,
Brian. 3rd:Eric Bischoff takes over booking from Terry Taylor and company - The
one man in NA who believes in clean finishes is demoted to WCWSN.  Why do the
wrestling gods mock me?

HEATM: Vince McMahon screwing Bret Hart out of the WWF title leaves a bad taste
in my mouth to this very day.  Same goes for Ric Flair taken out of WCW because
of a ridiculous lawsuit.  Scott Hall's personal problems were a disgrace to
wrestling in general, so he gets the nod for #3.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Most Obnoxious Personality

Award Description:

To be given to the person who just rubs you the wrong way. This could be
anybody involved in the wrestling biz.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Dusty Rhodes
  1992: Vince McMahon
  1993: Vince McMahon
  1994: Hulk Hogan
  1995: Eric Bischoff
  1996: Eric Bischoff
  1997: Eric Bischoff

**1998**: Eric Bischoff

458 first place votes
434 second place votes
415 third place votes

 193  75  37  1264   Eric Bischoff
  57  96  46   665   Hollywood Hogan
  55  52  72   575   Tony Schiavone
  28  25  23   261   Cat (Ernest Miller)
   9  24  31   179   Warrior
  16  16  22   172   Scott Steiner
  14  13   9   127   Mr. McMahon
   6  16  10    98   Diamond Dallas Page
  13   5   2    84   Chris Jericho
   5   7  17    80   Lee Marshall
   4   8  16    76   Paul Bearer
   5   8   9    67   Shane McMahon
   5  11   4    66   Alex Wright
   4   9   8    63   Buff Bagwell
   4   3   3    35   Shawn Michaels
   3   3   4    32   Sable
   1   4   7    31   Larry Zbyszko
   3   2   5    31   Jeff Jarrett
   3   1   6    30   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
   3   3   2    28   Konnan
   2   3   4    27   Jerry Lawler
   1   4   4    25   Shane Douglas
   2   2   4    24   Buh Buh Ray Dudley
   1   0   9    23   Roddy Piper
   1   4   2    21   Bret Hart
   1   2   3    17   Curt Hennig
   1   3   1    16   Steve Austin
   0   1   5    13   Jacqueline
   2   0   1    12   Rock
   0   2   3    12   Marc Mero
   1   2   0    11   Raven
   0   1   4    11   Bill Alfonso
   1   1   1    10   Justin Credible
   0   2   2    10   Pat Patterson
   0   1   3     9   Gene Okerlund
   1   1   0     8   Tiger Ali Singh
   0   2   1     8   Val Venis
   0   1   2     7   Tennessee Lee
   0   1   2     7   Luna Vachon
   0   1   2     7   Lodi
   0   1   2     7   Dan Severn
   0   2   0     6   X-Pac
   0   0   3     6   Mike Tenay
   1   0   0     5   Sir Ronald J Neimi IV
   1   0   0     5   Ric Flair
   1   0   0     5   Micheal Cole
   1   0   0     5   Mark Madden
   1   0   0     5   Jackyl
   1   0   0     5   Goldust
   1   0   0     5   Brian Christopher
   1   0   0     5   Bradshaw
   1   0   0     5   Billy Gunn
   1   0   0     5   "Tie" votes
   0   1   1     5   Lex Luger
   0   1   1     5   Kevin Nash
   0   1   1     5   Jim Cornette
   0   0   2     4   Steve McMichael
   0   0   2     4   Owen Hart
   0   1   0     3   Sting
   0   1   0     3   Stevie Richards
   0   1   0     3   Sonny Onoo
   0   1   0     3   Kimberly Page
   0   1   0     3   Joey Styles
   0   1   0     3   Joel Gertner
   0   1   0     3   Hiroyoshi Tenzan
   0   1   0     3   Head Bangers
   0   1   0     3   D'Lo Brown
   0   0   1     2   Taz
   0   0   1     2   Tammy Lynn Sytch
   0   0   1     2   Sandman
   0   0   1     2   Patriot
   0   0   1     2   Michael Buffer
   0   0   1     2   Jim Ross
   0   0   1     2   Gerald Brisco
   0   0   1     2   Full Blooded Italians
   0   0   1     2   Dusty Rhodes
   0   0   1     2   Disco Inferno
   0   0   1     2   Bob Ryder
   0   0   1     2   Al Snow

REJECTED

   3   0   1         "Tie" votes
   0   1   1         Tony Schiavone (duplicate)
   0   1   1         Paul Bearer (duplicate)
   0   1   1         Nitro announcing team (multiple)
   0   1   0         Cat (Ernest Miller) (duplicate)
   0   0   1         Teller (ineligible)

ANDY JUDGE: Vince's angle is that he's obnoxious. Hogan & Warrior just are.

GIANT AL: I had to do a tie between Lee Marshal and Hollywood Hogan for third
because I couldn't leave either of them out. [and I had to disqualify that vote
:) - CRZ]

CHRIS DILLON: Jericho, Hennig and Michels are all great at doing the obnoxious
gimmick - but for the latter two I sometimes wonder how much of a "gimmick" it
really is...

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Will someone PLEASE muzzle Lawler!! Like I really want to
watch the guy masturbate on TV everytime Sable's
onscreen. Shut. The. Fuck. Up. I just hate Tenzan. I look forward to him
getting  punked by Kojima like he was one of Godfather's bitches. When Kojima
went nWo it disappointed me till I realized that Kojima is in Muto's faction
and Tenzan is in Chono's faction, so I can look forward to more punkings. And
the only thing worse than knowing Jacqueline is coming to the ring is knowing
that Sable (and Lawler's masturbation) will soon follow.

S. FRIESEN: [Chris Jericho is] obnoxious, but in a hilarious way!

CLINT MAYHER: Jericho and Buff are on this list because they are obnoxiously
hilarious. Shane is on this list because he is obnoxiously annoying the hell
out of me everytime I turn on WWF TV.

SUPERFAN SAM: The worst part about Bischoff is that he comes across as
obnoxious even when he's out of character. He's a bad used car salesman who
somehow stumbled into one of the best jobs in wrestling.

CUBS FAN: Eric Bischoff doesn't fitting, he was annoying, and doesn't deserve a
vote.  Mr. McMahon for the angle, Chris Jericho for all the stuff he's done
this year, and Buh Buh Ray Dudley for the near riots he causes at ECW shows,
while doing mic work.

RYAN GRANT:  Eric pisses me off.  Shane makes me laugh--at him.  Taz is suck
with a goatee.  They don't draw heat from me--apathy, aversion, and annoyance,
but most certainly no interest.  Would that they all dissapear in a benevolent
cloud of smoke.........

LORIE: WCW dumps women wrestlers so DDP's wife could have a T&A show, so sad!

SHANE ANDERSON: Cornette said it best... Bischoff is a mark for his own face;
DD-SCUM-P SU-SCUM-CKS; Marshall really thinks he knows it all

SEAN SHANNON: Eric Bischoff gets my first place vote, and I think the reasoning
for that should be obvious to anyone who's had to sit through every Nitro of
this past year.  Unreal.  What's worse is that That BH Guy is nipping on his
heels in second place - get over it already, you loser, you screwed yourself
and it doesn't matter if someone can produce a "documentary" of you and your
ugly family weeping about your twisted views of tradition and respect, you're
still a whiny little bitch.  Shane Douglas takes third, as in the few moments
when he removed his mouth from Paul Heyman's cock, he tried to make us all
think he deserved the belt he held all year.  Nice try, dickweed.

JASON LANGIN: Eric Bischoff - No explanation needed

RICK SCAIA: God, Tony Schiavone is bad.  Most of RSPW or readers of pro
wrestling web pages could probably tell WCW's most basic stories much more
cogently than Tony can.  And I bet they wouldn't use such retared hyperbole,
either.  As runners-up, Eric Bischoff and Larry Zybszko really grate on my
nerves.  Both are capable of inducing instaneous channel flipping.

ROBERT EVANS: I hate listening to Fonzie blow that damn whistle.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Second (Manager)

Award Description:

To be given to the manager who outperformed their peers at ringside and behind
the microphone in interviews.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Jim Cornette
  1991: Bobby Heenan
  1992: Mr. Perfect
  1993: Jim Cornette
  1994: Jim Cornette
  1995: Jim Cornette
  1996: Sunny
  1997: Chyna

**1998**: Chyna

410 first place votes
386 second place votes
374 third place votes

  89  54  37   681   Chyna
  45  49  36   444   Jericho Personal Security (Ralphus) / Jerichoholic Ninja
  61  30  20   435   Arn Anderson
  26  43  57   373   Head
  45  25  12   324   Joel Gertner
  27  30  17   259   Sable
  14  27  29   209   Tammy Lynn Sytch (Sunny)
  12  10  16   122   Lodi
  10   8  20   114   Terri Runnels (Marlena)
   5  12  20   101   Pepe
   8   8  12    88   Bill Alfonso
   6  10  11    82   Francine
   6   7   7    65   Elizabeth
   2   7  12    55   Jacqueline
   2  11   5    53   Jackyl
   5   4   5    47   Insane Clown Posse
   6   1   6    45   Debra McMichael
   4   5   5    45   Mr. Socko
   3   4   9    44   Tokyo Magnum
   7   3   0    44   Buff Bagwell
   3   4   5    37   Gerald Brisco
   1   6   6    35   Paul Bearer
   3   2   1    23   Kyoko Yamaguchi
   3   1   1    20   Yamaguchi-san
   2   2   1    18   Jim Cornette
   1   3   1    16   Ted DiBiase
   1   3   1    16   Sonny Onoo
   2   0   2    14   Vincent
   1   2   0    11   Marlena
   0   2   2    10   Tammy Lynn Bytch
   1   0   2     9   Beulah McGillicutty
   1   1   0     8   D'Lo Brown
   0   1   2     7   Rick Rude
   1   0   0     5   Scott Hall
   1   0   0     5   Mr. McMahon
   1   0   0     5   Miss Janeth
   1   0   0     5   Mankind
   1   0   0     5   Madonna Wayne Gacey (NWA)
   1   0   0     5   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
   0   1   1     5   Tennessee Lee
   0   0   2     4   Jimmy Hart
   0   1   0     3   Tommy Rich
   0   1   0     3   Rock
   0   1   0     3   Luna
   0   1   0     3   Kanyon
   0   1   0     3   Edge
   0   1   0     3   Chastity
   0   1   0     3   Billy Gunn
   0   0   1     2   Robbie Rage
   0   0   1     2   Kane
   0   0   1     2   J. J. Dillon
   0   0   1     2   Go Ito (FMW)
   0   0   1     2   Freddie Jacobs
   0   0   1     2   Eric Bischoff
   0   0   1     2   Dawn Marie
   0   0   1     2   Chris Benoit

REJECTED

   1   2   2         Stooges (multiple)
   1   0   1         "Tie" votes
   0   1   0         McMahon family

CHRIS DILLON: Jericho's personal security was hilarious. Lodi was also pretty
funny and got amazing heat for someone so low down on the card. I have to add
Marlena too, as I'm a sucker for big tits (no pun intended ;)

VINCE MORALES: Joel Gertner is one of the funniest people ALIVE.

PHIL PRZYBYLO: Arn Anderson easily became the most likeable person in WCW. The
inspired interviews were awesome. Chyna has always been an underground
following, but being in the spotlight just showed what she could do even
more. And Head will be Head, and was interesting to say the least to round out
my top three.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Where, oh where did all the managers go... I mean, Chyna's
basically a no-brainer for first, as the only WWF
manager/bodyguard/valet/whatever who stands out. And Arn gets second just as
easily... the only diff is that Chyna's been active for more of the year. But
when Head gets my vote for third place, you just *know* something's wrong...

BERT SNOOVEN: An honorable mention goes to Tiger Ali Singh's eunuch, Babu (the
current one). It's hilarious when he is trembling with fear. He's more
watchable than Singh.

CLINT MAYHER: Gertner is the funniest man in wrestling today...Boy do I miss
Sunny...oh well, "thanks for the mammaries!"

SUPERFAN SAM: It's hard to take a category seriously when see that a mannequin
head, a horse head on a stick, and a bad rap act have all been nominated as the
best for the whole year.

CUBS FAN: Wow, this has been a bad year for seconds, hasn't it?  The winner
could very well be an inanimate object.

RYAN GRANT:  Chyna's been involved in some fun angles, and has a great presence
there at ringside.  Paul managed a world champion during the year and was
always in the thick of things.  Lodi is entertaining to me, and deserves to be
included in the top three.

SHANE ANDERSON: I'd kill to see this THREE WAY dance

SEAN SHANNON: If there's one area where ECW can pitch a true shutout, it's in
the area of seconds.  Beulah gets my top vote, just because I have the feeling
that it's the last time we'll get to vote for her.  (Sigh.)  Joel Gertner has
tremendous charisma and does the "guy you love to hate" heel persona so well
it's scary, and gets my second.  Bill Alfonso generates the good kind of heel
heat in amazing proportions, placing him a strong third on my ballot.

REV. RAY DUFFY: It's hard to tell what's worse of in the US, the state  of
managers or the state of tag teams.  Madonna Wayne Gacey from NWA New Jersey
is a great manager.  He works the crowd like a pro and also adds funny stuff
yelling advice to his man in the ring.  Gertner's on here more or less for his
ring intros, which he at least mixes up so they don't get totally stale like
the NAO's has.

JASON LANGIN: Sable - Just because

RICK SCAIA: The era of the manager is dead.  Female valets are all the rage.
So is this category a glorfied "Who's the best piece of ass?" now?  No way,
Jose.  Attractive ladies may make up the greatest percentage of seconds, but
the best seconds are the ones doing their own thing and doing it well.  Easy
winner this year is Joel "Harder than Chinese Algebra" Gertner, whose
introductory monologues may often be well-worth the price of admission to an
ECW show.  Add to that the fact that Gertner's got a knack for ringside antics
and a willingness to take wicked shots from the babyfaces, and you've got the
best second in the business.  [And I'm sure Gertner would tell you he's QUITE a
nice piece of ass, too!]  Chyna's an easy #2 for me; she's believable in her
role, and has defined the "female bodyguard" archetype that's since popped up
elsewhere.  By default (due to a lack of any other really good seconds out
there), I'm saying Bill Alfonso is #3; if nothing else, he's extremely active
around ringside.

HEATM: Lodi is absolutely hilarious as a sidekick to the Flock. Jericholic
Security was absolutely fantastic.  And who could forget Chyna... showed a lot
more skin, but was involved in a lot of the D-X finishes.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Announcer

Award Description:

To be given to the commentator/announcer who makes the most insightful and
entertaining comments while pushing his product.  "Ring announcers" don't
qualify here.  As of 1992, the difference between this and colour commentator
will be enforced.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Jesse Ventura
  1991: Jesse Ventura
  1992: Jim Ross
  1993: Jim Ross
  1994: Jim Ross
  1995: Jim Ross
  1996: Jim Ross
  1997: Jim Ross

**1998**: Jim Ross

445 first place votes
368 second place votes
269 third place votes

 319  74  15  1847   Jim Ross
  81 166  28   959   Joey Styles
  22  54  92   456   Mike Tenay
   3  28  75   249   Michael Cole
   0   8  19    62   Scott Hudson
   3   8  10    59   Tony Schiavone
   1   3   6    26   Shane McMahon
   0   1   6    15   Shannon Rose (IPW)
   0   2   0     6   Vince McMahon
   1   0   0     5   The NJ TV play by play guy (?)
   1   0   0     5   Arturo Rivera
   0   1   1     5   Kevin Kelly
   0   1   0     3   Mike Goldburg (UFC) (eligible?)
   0   1   0     3   Jesus Zuniga
   0   0   1     2   Lee Marshall
   0   0   1     2   Alfonso Morales

REJECTED - not play-by-play announcers or otherwise ineligible

   4   8   6         Jerry Lawler
   4   3   1         Bobby Heenan
   1   4   3         Jim Cornette
   2   1   0         Howard Finkel
   0   2   0         Jesse James
   1   0   0         Joel Gertner
   1   0   0         Jesse Ventura
   1   0   0         Chris Jericho
   0   0   2         Michael Buffer
   0   1   0         Shane Douglas
   0   1   0         Paul Heyman
   0   1   0         John Henry
   0   0   1         Shawn Michaels
   0   0   1         Mick Karch
   0   0   1         David Penzer

CHRIS DILLON: Tenay and Ross are the only ones worth mentioning, in my opinion,
and I'm not really that keen on Ross, but he does put his product across very
well. Some find Tenay boring, although I think he compliments Heenan and
Schiavone well, if that is possible, and provides a lot of information that
most of us wouldn't know. I used to like Joey Styles, but he is far too
annoying now, especially his rather liberal use of the incorrect term 'Tiger
Bomb'.

VINCE MORALES: Jim Ross can put anything over, but Joey Styles can put anything
over and call all the spors for you too.

MR. BEAVIS: I think they are all idiots.

GEORGE CARTER: God, I hate Jim Ross, Scott Hudson and Mike Tenay, yet I voted
for  all of them. Since the only commentators that I can here in my area are
those three, Tony Schiavone, Michael Cole, Kevin Kelly and Lee Marshall,  this
was a VERY tough choice. JR just annoys me week after week, he is  NOWHERE he
used to be. But by far, he is the best out of the big two.  Then I picked Scott
Hudson cause he annoys me the least out of the rest,  and Mike Tenay cause he
has background info on the wrestlers (which is  lame).

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Can't think of anyone that qualifies. They all suck or have
become sell-outs. I watch the matches with sound muted most of the time now.

JAMES FABIANO: JR, while tending to overact ("Stone Cold, Stone Cold!"
"Through hellfire and brimstone!") was still good.  I didn't see much ECW, so
Joey only gets second.  Tenay rounds out the threesome for being the only WCW
announcer who knows the moves' names, even though he needs a personality.

TOMMY-O: A magnitude above and beyond the rest

TOM ROBSON: Joey Styles still remains the best, simply because he knows the
moves but he also adds that special ECW attitude that gives his commentary a
good flavor. JR is fantastic as well, and if Styles weren't a sentimental
favorite he probably would have taken first with me.  Tenay is about as
entertaining as toast, but he knows his stuff.  He was also the best of those I
hadn't yet used.  After all, what other announcers are there who do
play-by-play?  Shane McMahon?  Tony Schiavone?  Ugh.

CUBS FAN: Styles, Ross, and Michael Cole, simply because I refuse to a WCW
annoucer.  Hudson's the best out of the three, and that's really not saying
much.

SHANE ANDERSON: Ross is the best since Solie; Styles is the heir apparent;
Slick Mick is the Dean of Twin Cities Wrestling

SEAN SHANNON: Jim Ross is the only play-by-play man in the business who is on
the good side of miserable, so he gets my only slot in this year's ballot.
J.R. can improve, there's no doubt about that, but he's still light years ahead
of everyone else in the business.

JASON LANGIN: Joey Styles - He does it all alone and he's the best.

RICK SCAIA: Jim Ross re-ascends to the position of best announcer in the biz
this year.  He's a totally different announcer than the Jim Ross that we knew
and loved 6 years ago; he's a PERFORMER now, it seems, rather than a
broadcaster.  But it's a character that works, and JR is really good at working
within that framework.  Not only does he understand the stories going on, but
he conveys them clearly to the fans AND makes us care about them.  Joey Styles
is the easy #2; he makes flying solo in the booth seem easy, and that's no
small task.  Michael Cole is a distant #3, only because he's the only other
wrestling announcer that doesn't give me the gripes in one form or another.

HEATM: Jim Ross mixes the mark in all of us with the down-to-earth, serious
nature of wrestling to provide us with the best commentary in the business.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Colour Commentator

Award Description:

To be given to the colour commentator who provides the most insightful and
entertaining comments.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Bobby Heenan
  1992: Bobby Heenan
  1993: Jesse Ventura
  1994: Bobby Heenan
  1995: Bobby Heenan
  1996: Bobby Heenan
  1997: Jerry Lawler

**1998**: Jerry Lawler

452 first place votes
397 second place votes
333 third place votes

 243 117  27  1620   Jerry Lawler
 124 132  56  1128   Bobby Heenan
  18  49  68   373   Jim Cornette
  12  23  31   191   Louie Spicolli
   9  24  34   185   Mr. McMahon
  11  14  35   167   Mike Tenay
   4   2  14    54   Dr. Tom Pritchard
   2   7   9    49   Gorilla Monsoon
   4   5   6    47   Larry Zbyszko
   6   3   1    41   Jim Ross
   1   6   8    39   Eddie Guerrero
   1   2  10    31   Shawn Michaels
   5   1   0    28   Joey Styles (eligible?)
   3   1   5    28   Shane Douglas
   1   2   5    21   Steve Austin
   1   2   4    19   Kevin Kelly
   2   1   1    15   Rick Rude
   1   1   1    10   Owen Hart
   1   1   1    10   Michael Cole
   1   0   2     9   Kevin Nash
   1   0   0     5   Gusano Ya±es
   0   1   1     5   Scott Hudson (eligible?)
   0   1   0     3   Leobardo Magadan
   0   1   0     3   Jason Sensation
   0   1   0     3   Chris Jericho
   0   0   1     2   Sunny
   0   0   1     2   Shane McMahon
   0   0   1     2   Sable
   0   0   1     2   Rock
   0   0   1     2   Mark Madden
   0   0   1     2   Lee Marshall
   0   0   1     2   Jeff Katz (CWA New England)
   0   0   1     2   Jeff Blatnick
   0   0   1     2   James Cornette
   0   0   1     2   Dusty Rhodes
   0   0   1     2   Buff Bagwell
   0   0   1     2   Arn Anderson

REJECTED

   1   0   1         Jesse Ventura (ineligible time)
   0   0   1         "Tie" votes

SVEN MASCARENHAS: It may be the only vote he gets, but Tom Pritchard's great
continuity and his ability to actually call moves believably makes him the best
colour man I've heard this year.

JAMES FABIANO: Jerry wins by default, since everyone sucks in WCW and the WWF
isn't much better (Shane "Bam!  Bam!  Bam!" McMahon, ugh.....).  Spicolli was
great as the NWO kissass, too bad we can only wonder what could have been.  And
Eddy, while not giving a one-liner a minute, was great too.

SVEN MASCARENHAS: It may be the only vote he gets, but Tom Pritchard's great
continuity and his ability to actually call moves believably makes him the best
colour man I've heard this year.

CHRIS DILLON: Again Tenay, who is not much of a color man, but provides
interesting info. Heenan, although WCW have fucked up his character a bit, is
still extreamly funny at times and get's over the toughness of a match well.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Tenay is the only way you'll get me to un-mute my TV.

JAMES FABIANO: Jerry wins by default, since everyone sucks in WCW and the WWF
isn't much better (Shane "Bam!  Bam!  Bam!" McMahon, ugh.....).  Spicolli was
great as the NWO kissass, too bad we can only wonder what could have been.  And
Eddy, while not giving a one-liner a minute, was great too.

MARK POLISHUK: In about two appearances, Spicolli made the regular WCW announce
team look like fools.  RIP, Louie...

DOUG CORTI: Gorilla Monsoon is hardly one of the best, but listening to him do
commentary brings back memories of how much fun I had marking out in the past.

CLINT MAYHER: Heenan is still great, too bad he doesn't have a good straight
man like he did with Gorilla.

JM SANTOS:  Even though he is not as good as he was in his prime, Bobby Heenan
can still make me chuckle at least once every Nitro.

TOM ROBSON: Lawler is still one of the funniest men in wrestling, and he adds a
different style of humor than the WWF has, which makes for a fun contrast.  He
also feeds remarkably well off of Jim Ross.  Cornette is outdated, but damn he
can still make me laugh every now and then.  Shane Douglas helped Joey Styles
do his best job ever of calling a pay-per-view at Heat Wave.

CUBS FAN: Lawler, Cornetter, and Heenan (who's the only one worth listening
too, and consquently, the one they always try to make shut up.)

KEVIN WONG: Dr. Tom Pritchard does colour in the "Canadian Edition" of
Superstars

CARLOS LAMAR: While HBK and Sable aren't regular commentators, the few times
they did on raw were very entertaining.

SEAN SHANNON: I have to give first to "The Demented Walrus" Jim Cornette, if
only for his unique insights into wrestling.  Many of us, myself included,
would like to hear more of Cornette's trademark witticisms in his commentary,
but that may all have to do with Cornette searching for a new role in the new
"shades of gray" WWF.  Jerry Lawler, for all his old jokes and stereotypical
comments, can still pull a second-place for the odd chuckle he draws from me.
Shawn Michaels places third only because he did so few shows as a commentator;
if he'd stuck to commentary for only a month or so, he'd probably have placed
first in my book.

JASON LANGIN: Bobby Heenan - He's too funny, Lawler is funny too but he's
dirty.

HEATM: Bobby Heenan doesn't have much to work with, but he is without question
the best commentator in the world.  He is the reason they call it colour
commentary.  Jerry Lawler isn't too far behind Heenan; he promotes WWF and at
the same time manages to add lots of humour to the show.  Jim Cornette always
has the best one-liners; he gets third place.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Interviewee

Award Description:

To be given to the person who gives the best interview in the biz. This could
be a wrestler or a manager.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Ric Flair
  1991: Ric Flair
  1992: Ric Flair
  1993: Ric Flair
  1994: Ric Flair
  1995: Shawn Michaels
  1996: Stone Cold Steve Austin
  1997: Stone Cold Steve Austin

**1998**: Mankind (Dude Love / Cactus Jack / Mick Foley)

464 first place votes
446 second place votes
434 third place votes

 181  75  35  1200   Mankind (Dude Love / Cactus Jack / Mick Foley)
  81 108  70   869   Chris Jericho
  62  64  67   636   Steve Austin
  40  65  92   579   Rock
  34  40  39   368   Ric Flair
  15  22  24   189   Mr. McMahon
  18  14  27   186   Arn Anderson
   5   6  18    79   Al Snow
   3   8  11    61   Jason Sensation
   3   7  11    58   Kevin Nash
   1   8   8    45   Bret Hart
   3   7   3    42   Raven
   4   3   2    33   Shawn Michaels
   0   3   5    19   Hunter Hearst Helmsley (D-Generation X)
   3   0   2    19   Alex Wright
   1   1   1    10   Undertaker
   0   2   2    10   Shane Douglas
   1   0   2     9   Val Venis
   0   2   1     8   Tammy Lynn Sytch (Sunny)
   0   2   1     8   Jesse James (New Age Outlaws)
   0   1   2     7   Rob Van Dam
   0   1   2     7   Buff Bagwell
   1   0   0     5   Taz
   1   0   0     5   Scott Steiner
   1   0   0     5   Roddy Piper
   1   0   0     5   Dok Hendrix
   0   1   1     5   Diamond Dallas Page
   0   1   0     3   Hollywood Hogan
   0   1   0     3   Hawk
   0   1   0     3   Goldberg
   0   0   1     2   Sting
   0   0   1     2   Scott Hall
   0   0   1     2   Luna
   0   0   1     2   Cat
   0   0   1     2   Blood (PWA)
   0   0   1     2   Axl Rotten

REJECTED - Interviewers are *not* interviewees

   2   1   0         Gene Okerlund
   1   1   2         "Tie" votes
   2   0   0         Michael Cole
   0   1   0         Kevin Kelly


SVEN MASCARENHAS: Mankind deserves to win this one by a unanimous
decision. Jericho and Snow were incredible, but they weren't on that next level
of existence like our man Mick.

CHRIS DILLON: Mankind is the funniest and best interview in wrestling today,
and really could make a carear just out of that side of the business. Flair's
interviews are still very entertaining as are Austin's, but I don't enoy his
anywhere near as much as they are far too repetitive.

VINCE MORALES: Whether hes in a boiler room or the locker room the fact of the
matter is this Mankind is has one of the best personalities in wrestling.

BRAD JOHNSON: Every wrestler should be forced to listen to a greatest hits of
Mick Foley interview tape

CURTIS DESJARDINS: There 1004 reasons to like Jericho. Jason Sensation had the
bestwrestling impersonation I've ever seen: "Do I smell what the Crock is
cooking? Look at how big my damn nose is! What am I? An aardvaark? Wooooo!"
LOL.

JAMES FABIANO: Man does it suck to have only three choices in a category like
this, and to have to rank some of them over others.  In order I went with
Jericho, Foley, and DX (Shawn/HHH version), though you really can shuffle those
votes, since they were all fantastic.  I wish I could include the Rock, but I
had to stick DX in for all those great skits.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Mankind, the Rock and Chris Jericho get my votes here. Mick
Foley is, bar none, the funniest man in wrestling. Sure, I'd love to see him
get over as a hardcore maniac too, but the current version of Mankind is just
*sooooo* funny. The Rock gets second for, among other things, 'Vince, the Rock
thinks you should fire him' and for 'testicular fortitude.' And if Mick's the
funniest man in the biz, then Jericho's a very close runner up.

ANDREW GUERRERA: Arn Anderson, Chris Jericho, and Booker T get an honorable
mention.

JON WHITE: Best Interviewee was such a deep catagory that I had to leave off
Anderson, Rocky, and Austin!

CLINT MAYHER: Just watched the "Uncle Willy" ECW interview again today...that
interview has all of the elements of a great Mankind interview. And Arn
Anderson is still God at giving an old-fashioned "I'm gonna beat the living tar
out of ya" type interview.

SUPERFAN SAM: Mick Foley's interviews all year were incredible. He made sense
and made me laugh while getting his point across. Whoever nominated the Warrior
must be have a dumbass to English dictionary to understand what the hell he was
talking about.

TREVOR BERRIE: Mick Foley simply has no peers on the mike. Jericho and Bret are
both pretty damn entertaining, though.

RYAN GRANT:  If Mick Foley doesn't win this award in a rout, I'll be very
dissapointed.  The metamorphasis that Vince made from mediocre color
commentator to becoming a consistent source of ***** interviews was incredible.
Nash is always entertaining, and deserves third place.

K. CANZANELLA: Mankind is the king of THE STICK. His interviews are not only
entertaining, comical, and meaningful, but they set up great matches as
well. Mankind's speech in his Cactus Jack persona, the retirement speech to be
exact, was one of the most tear-jerking interviews in recent WWF memory, even
if it led to him returning under his Dude Love persona. Bret Hart has the same
ability on the mic that Austin had when he was a heel- intensity, and the
ability to push oneself off as a true asshole. Benoit might not have th best
delivery, but when he talks, the crowd listens.

MICHAEL NAIMARK: Mick Foley by a landslide.  Unlike nearly every other
interviewee in wrestling, Foley needn't rely on catchphrases or profanity to
get the crowd involved during his interviews.

SHANE ANDERSON: FOLEY IS GOD; Jericho is about the only reason I watch Nitro;
Blood is the best shit talker in the Twin Cities

SEAN SHANNON: I can't believe I'm not placing the Undertaker in any of these
slots ... anyway: Steve Austin is number one, no question about it.  It's not
just the gratuitous swearing or threats, there is something in Austin that's in
all of us, that we can't live out ourselves but we can live out vicerally
through Austin, that hooks us all and makes us pop our little asses off every
time we hear the glass break.  Rocky Maivia's drastic turnaround can be largely
attributed to his great monologues, especially during the second half of the
year.  Mankind ... I got thirteen words for you: "How much wood could a
woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?"  Foley's been cracking us all
up with his zaniness and antics, their genius surpassed only by Foley's output
in the ring.

REV. RAY DUFFY: As it has been pointed out, Foley got people to  cheer a
freakin' sock.  He's the damn pro on the mic.  Jericho had some great  stuff
this year.  Turning heel was probably the best thing that ever happened to him.
And I've always had been an Arn mark, you always get the feeling he means  what
he says, no bs.

JASON LANGIN: Chris Jericho - His hair wins this alone

MDB: Except for the Dude Love persona, Foley was always magic.  Jericho showed
moments of pure comedic genuis.  And Ric Flair was brilliant as always.

RICK SCAIA: It seems a larger percentage of workers than ever before are really
good behind the stick.  But even among the growing numbers of "competent"
interviewees, a few guys really stand out.  Steve Austin is great with his
spontaneous, redneck vulgarity.  Chris Jericho knows exactly what buttons to
press, and always seems so ernest when saying the most ridiculous things.  And
Mankind... well, any guy who convinced us to cheer for a sock puppet MUST have
amazing rhetorical skills.

ROBERT EVANS: Every time Mankind opens his mouth, I laugh my ass off.  Pure
entertainment.

TOM CRUZ: Jericho is awesome on the mic! He's one of the most quotable guys in
WCW and I'll be damned if don't mark out for his stuff.  Admit it, you think
he's funny too! Mankind has had some priceless bits this year, with the best
one (IMHO) coming when Vinny Mac busted his leg. Mankind kept hanging around by
the EMT's, offering Vince a sip of his Big Gulp to ease his pain. The bit in
the hospital was outstanding as well. The Rock is perhaps the second most
quoted in the WWF, but I think he's funnier than Austin.

RYAN BASSLER: I feel bad for having to leave Flair off of here, because he
definitely had some electric moments as usual this year (see nearly any rant
against Bischoff, as well as the Flair/Hart exchanges).  However, there ain't
nothin' quite like getting Mick on the mic.  Truly a "suuuuuupah geeeeeenius",
to quote Wile E.

HEATM: Unlike SOME wrestlers (Bowdy Bowdy Boy and the NEW-AGE-OUTLAWS!),
Mankind never does the same interview twice.  Every week he's got new material.
There is no equal for Mick Foley.  #2 goes over to Steve Austin -- no one gets
a crowd going like Steve-o.  Third place is Rock, for his excellent interviews
up until Survivor Series.  Notice no one in WCW gets a vote, just because WCW
does a horrible job promoting people on the mic.  We know for a fact that Kevin
Nash, Chris Jericho, Arn Anderson and Ric Flair have the skills, but the mic
isn't in their hands often enough.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Angle

Award Description:

To be given to the best angle you've seen in the sport this year.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Horsemen turn heel
  1991: "Real World Champion" Ric Flair challenges Hulk Hogan
  1992: Ric Flair "knew Elizabeth first"
  1993: WWF brings in Sean Waltman as 1-2-3 Kid
  1994: Shane Douglas forfeits NWA title moments after winning it
  1995: Barry Horowitz finally wins on WWF television
  1996: NWO forms and attempts takeover of WCW
  1997: Bret Hart turns on USA, reforms Hart Foundation

**1998**: Mr. McMahon butts heads with new WWF Champion Steve Austin

446 first place votes
414 second place votes
386 third place votes

 158  41  27   967   Mr. McMahon tells Steve Austin things can be done the easy
                     way - or the hard way
  84  74  69   780   D-Generation X antics peak with "Nation of Imitation"
  32  38  33   340   Horsemen reunited
  19  47  33   302   Dude Love named #1 contender / Mankind goes "corporate"
  39  22   7   275   Vince McMahon screws Bret Hart out of title and WWF
  22  27  35   261   Chris Jericho finds loopholes to keep title
  21  32  25   251   Chris Jericho claims victories over Goldberg
   8  25  40   195   D'Lo Brown hails from different European cities
  12  16  22   152   Chris Benoit, Booker T. have best-of-7 series for TV title
                     shot
   6  16  15   108   Chavo Guerrero Jr. does things Uncle Eddie's way, goes
                     nuts
   8  10   9    88   Kevin Nash rebels against NWO, forms Wolfpack
   4   2   7    40   Goldust imitates other wrestlers, culminating in a Dusty
                     Rhodes imitation
   3   4   6    39   Buff Bagwell pretends to be humbled by his injury to trap
                     Rick Steiner
   2   3   9    37   Blue Blazer returns
   2   2   8    32   Bret Hart turns multiple times in WCW
   1   7   3    32   Kane & Undertaker battle, team up
   1   5   3    26   Goldberg is undefeated
   0   5   4    23   Val Venis mocks born-again Dustin Runnels, sleeps with his
                     wife
   0   5   4    23   New Triple Threat formed to combat Triple Threat
   2   2   1    18   Al Snow wants a meeting with Mr. McMahon
   1   4   0    17   Mankind introduces Mr. Socko
   2   2   0    16   Rock turns face
   3   0   0    15   New Age Outlaws throw Hardcore Legends off of platform in
                     a dumpster
   0   3   1    11   Kevin Nash tries to get back his friend Scott Hall
   2   0   0    10   Ciclope wins battle royal and is unmasked as Dean Malenko
   0   2   2    10   Chris Jericho pesters Dean Malenko
   0   3   0     9   Eric Bischoff refuses to allow Ric Flair to wrestle
   0   1   3     9   Shawn Michaels recruits Mike Tyson for D-Generation X
   0   1   2     7   Eddie Guerrero asks Eric Bischoff to let him go, forms LWO
                     after he refuses
   0   2   0     6   Shane McMahon turns on his father and resigns Steve Austin
   0   2   0     6   Juventud Guerrera loses his mask, but never surrenders
   1   0   0     5   Sabu & Rob Van Dam swerve Lance Storm & Chris Candido
   1   0   0     5   Sable seriously pushed as a wrestler
   1   0   0     5   Rock takes over Nation
   1   0   0     5   Job Squad debut in WWF (eligible?)
   1   0   0     5   Insane Clown Posse joins the Oddities
   1   0   0     5   Buh Buh Ray Dudley insults the locals
   0   1   1     5   Steve Austin confronts Mike Tyson
   0   1   1     5   Mark Henry falls in love with Chyna
   0   0   2     4   Scott Hall comes to the ring drunk
   0   1   0     3   Taz and Shane Douglas fight to unify FTW and ECW titles
   0   1   0     3   Spike Dudley is a Giant Killer
   0   1   0     3   Sabu wants Rob Van Dam's TV Title
   0   1   0     3   Return of women to WWF
   0   1   0     3   Mick Foley and Terry Funk fight to discover who's more
                     hardcore
   0   1   0     3   Kane sets a human being on fire
   0   1   0     3   Chyna calls out Rock, Shawn Michaels makes the save
   0   1   0     3   Bret Hart tells Sting he is his friend
   0   0   1     2   Undertaker & Steve Austin travel the Highway to Hell
   0   0   1     2   Team No Respect in FMW
   0   0   1     2   Mr. McMahon's three stooges gain prominent role
   0   0   1     2   Mr. McMahon gets leg broken by Undertaker & Kane
   0   0   1     2   Marc Mero holds Sable to her contract
   0   0   1     2   John Wayne Bobbitt saves Val Venis' pee-pee from
                     choppy-choppy
   0   0   1     2   Chris Jericho has perpetual bad hair days
   0   0   1     2   Chris Candido & Lance Storm forced to defend tag titles
                     together
   0   0   1     2   Brood leads "Gothic" lifestyle

REJECTED

   7   3   3         Rock turns heel, goes Corporate (ineligible time)
   1   0   0         "Tie" votes
   0   0   1         Val Venis (what about him?)
   0   0   1         Sable (what about her?)

CHRIS DILLON: The #1 angle has to be the Horsemen re-uniting, it was really
well done after months and months of build up - terriffic. I also enjoyed the
Juvy losing his mask angle, as it built him up from a hard working luchadore
jobber that no-one cared about to a supremely over luchadore jobber ;) Finally,
I must include the Team No Respect skits in FMW - absolutely hilarious!
Although you *do* have to know FMW well to understand them.

MR. BEAVIS: Was the NWO's spoof of the retirement of Arn and selection of Curt
Hennig before the time period of the awards?  It has been the single funniest
damned thing ever shown on wrestling. [No, it wasn't - CRZ]

RICHARD BRESSLER: This category is in error. The nominee should read "Booker T,
Chris Benoit have best-of-7 series for TV title shot", not Chris Jericho. I
have changed it for my 3rd choice on this ballot. [Yup - CRZ]

GEORGE CARTER: Well before the Mcmahon-Austin angle, the WWF was losing in the
ratings, and now they're kicking Nitro's ass. So by far this is the best  angle
of the year, but if this lasts too long, it can end up like the  1996 winner of
Best Angle of the year (The nWo), it would hurt them.

JAMES FABIANO: Austin vs. McMahon may have been drawn out in parts, but it did
lead to some amazing heat and a couple of memorable moments (the hospital angle
being my favorite, why is it that Austin's best angles always seem to involve
him impersonating a doctor? :-))  DX aggravating the WWF led to lots of funny
skits (the Undertaker barbecue, the bogus Euro title match, milking the Bret
Hart fiasco), and Foley is awesome whatever gimmick he's using.  It's getting
pretty hard to miss Cactus Jack when Mankind's aggravating Vince with
Mr. Socko.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: The best of the new DX gets it! The Nation parody was classic,
making me *not* yearn for the return of HBK for just a little while... The
corporate versions of Dude Love and Mankind were great, and made for some of
the funniest interviews and moments of the year--not to mention some of the
best matches. And, though it's really minor, D'lo hailing from different
European cities each week always made me end up ROTFL. Albeit not
literally... ;) Pity the whole Mike Tyson/DX angle didn't get a nomination, but
these votes are good enough for me.

JEFF BELL: The Austin/McMahon angle is probably the best angle ever. Period.

JON WHITE: The WWF had where the Kings of all angles this year.  Nothing else
even came close.

ADAM BONIN: Here's the question -- who are the people that, when they're on the
screen, you don't want to turn away.  I doubt anyone has switched away from an
Austin/McMahon confrontation.  Jericho's scheming and skullduggery is
hysterical, every time out.  And for a one shot deal, HHH as the Rock and
especially Road Dogg's turn as D-Lo has to get at least some mention -- the
funniest moment of the year.

CLINT MAYHER: I wish Goldberg would agree to the program, even though Jericho
would probably get squashed, it would still be worth watching. Booker T-Benoit
featured the best wrestling the Big 2 saw all year, and does D'lo's gimmick
remind anyone else besides me of when the Patriot was in Global and would be
billed from a different American city every week?

JEREMY SINGER: It took place to late for this year but the Rock as Corporate
Champion and the whole Survivor Series set-up was by far the best angle of the
year.  [Please remember it for next year when it will be eligible, then :) -
CRZ]

RYAN GRANT:  The Dude Love as the #1 Contender/Easy way or hard way categories
sort of run together in my mind, but no matter--that angle was still the
highlight of the year, for me.  Jericho at the library of congress doing
research, him pointing out old NWA stipulations, and his Conspiracy Victim!
sign were all hilarious.

K. CANZANELLA: Once again, for my first two picks of the best angles, I look
for things that were entertaining in both wrestling and storylines. In this
case, Booker T. and Chris Benoit's 2 month long war over the TV title gets #
1. It was simple- They have great respect for each other and the belt, so they
battle over it. And that's what a fued should be. The Austin/Dude Love fued
gets #2, becaus eit produced a good and a great match, and cotained some of the
best mic work of the whole year from Vince McMahon. The LWO, though only being
around for a month, is one of the best angles for cruisers WCW has come up
with, as it will only lead to Eddy Guerrero, Rey Misterio, and Juventud getting
more and more over with the fans.

A. WADE: Vince is the story of the year in wrestling.

SHANE ANDERSON:  The greatest executed angle in history; Jericho 4  Goldberg 0;
Cheesey 80's gimmicks RULE

SEAN SHANNON: Vince McMahon trying to "screw" Steve Austin out of the WWF title
was the central angle throughout the WWF for much of this past year, and for
good reason - it may be their best angle yet.  Combine McMahon and Austin's
charismas with great storytelling, a tremendous supporting cast (Mankind,
Undertaker, etc.), and a plot ripped right out of the WWF's recent past, this
angle turned the WWF from zeroes to heroes in many people's books. Degeneration
X literally showing up on WCW's front door was side-splitting hilarious, and a
painful reminder of how WCW's lost its sense of humour due to the whole NWO
thing ... and also of how everyone in WCW is a pussy. Third ... well, pretty
much everything DX did that falls under the title of "juvenile antics" got me
to laugh.

JASON LANGIN: The whole working of the Austin feud with Kane and Undertaker and
Mankind.  - The brothers together and against each other with Mick Foley's work
and Austin's pops.  It was awesome.

MDB: Perhaps some will think this schitzophrenic, but while Austin v. McMahon
was the best feud, as an angle it really doesn't make sense. McMahon's 'you
make me money' was enough to allow the feud, but a better angle would be more
plausble.  Therefore the Booker v. Benoit angle gets the nod.  Two of the best
trying to prove who's better. That's what it's all about.

RYAN BASSLER: Though it was great to see Mick get some huge pops from the crowd
for once, thanks to a seemingly off-the-cuff idea of bringing a sock puppet to
visit Vince (which was definitely a highlight of the year), the continuing
Mr. M(a)cMahon vs. Austin fued easily stole da show.

HEATM: Again, there's no doubt Steve Austin/Vince McMahon was the angle of the
year.  Of course, the other huge angle in pro wrestling was Goldberg himself.
He won the world title based on an angle.  The formation of the Wolfpac was
probably the other big WCW angle of the year.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Organization

Award Description:

To be given to the organization/promotion that has the best product. This is
the organization whose TV and house shows you just can't miss.

Previous Winners:

  1990: NWA
  1991: WWF
  1992: WCW
  1993: SMW
  1994: ECW
  1995: WWF
  1996: WWF
  1997: WWF

**1998**: WWF

458 first place votes
401 second place votes
333 third place votes

 378  48   6  2046   WWF
  21 208 100   929   ECW
  37 103 114   722   WCW
  10  12  27   140   NJPW
   2   8  16    66   AJPW
   0   4  18    48   FMW
   0   1   9    21   OMEGA
   1   4   0    17   ARSION
   1   1   4    16   AAA
   0   0   7    14   NWA
   2   0   1    12   JWP
   0   2   3    12   APW
   2   0   0    10   Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling
   1   1   0     8   IPW
   1   0   1     7   Grupo Revolucion
   0   1   2     7   GAEA
   0   0   3     6   MCW
   0   1   1     5   Michinoku Pro
   0   0   2     4   ECWA
   0   1   0     3   UFC
   0   1   0     3   SCW (Steel City Wrestling)
   0   1   0     3   PCCW
   0   0   1     2   WTW
   0   0   1     2   TNM
   0   0   1     2   Slam Masters Wrestling Association
   0   0   1     2   RWA
   0   0   1     2   PWA
   0   0   1     2   PCW
   0   0   1     2   NEWA
   0   0   1     2   Memphis Power Pro
   0   0   1     2   Memphis Kickass Wrestling
   0   0   1     2   FCW
   0   0   1     2   EMLL
   0   0   1     2   CMLL
   0   0   1     2   CAWF
   0   0   1     2   Big Japan
   0   0   1     2   AWF (Apocalypse Wrestling Federation)

REJECTED

   0   2   0         "Tie" votes
   1   0   0         NWO Wolfpack (part of WCW)
   1   0   0         Brood (not an organisation)
   0   1   1         WWF (duplicate vote)
   0   0   2         NWO (part of WCW)
   0   1   0         Corporation (not an organisation)
   0   0   1         Nitro (not an organisation)

ANDY JUDGE: I don't even see ECW, I just read about them.. I only really see
WWF and WCW so that's why 3rd is a toss up.  I never see indies or japan feds.

KEITH WATANABE: Best organization goes to ARSION for me.  They are the most
sane wrestling organization I've seen in their booking and style.  They don't
emphasize spots so much as other organizations do, but the meaning behind each
spot.  Also, they have advanced the notion of mat wrestling in women's
wrestling light years ahead.  Most organizations have little or no logic behind
their booking and pushes, but ARSION pushes their talent not too quickly, but
just enough to make everyone look credible.

CHRIS DILLON: NJPW, Arsion and AJPW, in that order. No organisation constantly
put out better matches than NJPW this year, be it the Jr's always having
***1/2+ efforts or the resurged heavyweight division surprising everyone. New
womens promotion Arsion put out some really good, unique shows this year,
combining shoot style and high spot wrestling very well. Despite the usual
low-mid card shit, AJPW put out some incredible matches, including the RWTL
***** final, and some great Misawa/Akiyama, Kobashi/Akiyama, Kawada/Kobashi
matches, and the promotion did extreamly well with their first venture to the
Tokyo Dome.

VINCE MORALES: Switching from hardcore wrestling to more of a mat wrestling
focus was one of the best things ECW has ever done.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: 'Merkin wrasslin doesn't come close. Went New Japan, Arsion,
and GAEA 1-2-3. Just look at New Japan with their Jr. division (and new IWGP
Jr. belts) and the superb way they handle nWo Japan (unlike another
nWo-affiliated organization I can mention). Arsion and GAEA are the best of the
ladies, although they be different styles for the most part.

JAMES FABIANO: You already know my position against voting for best/worst
federation, now I must stick by it more than ever since I don't even have
enough federations to fill six slots.....

STEPHEN TISZENKEL: Yeah, I'm a mark, and yeah, they're not perfect, but dammit,
the WWF was really, really good this year. Almost everything they did seemed to
work, and the little things -- like theme songs and TV production -- are
usually done to perfection. They were so much better than WCW this year it
wasn't funny.

MIKE CHAPMAN: Slam Masters Wrestling Association is an e-fed, but it's still a
lot more entertaining to follow than WCW.

RYAN GRANT:  The WWF won the year.  Better angles, great heavyweight matches,
better PPVs--I thoroughly enjoyed my lemingdom this year.    Being as the ECW
has turned to crap, I decline to vote for third place.

CARLOS LAMAR: Yes, even Minneapolis-based World Television Wrestling is a
better organization than WCW.

SEAN SHANNON: The WWF was so far ahead of everyone else this year it was
embarrassing. Especially given how everyone thought that the WWF was done for
after last year's Survivor Series, they took all the lemons and made one
kick-ass pitcher of lemonade out of them.  Despite the weight of having Shane
Douglas as their champion the entire year, ECW still put out some killer TV,
including the definitive establishment of Rob van Dam as the next
mega-superstar of the sport.  I only saw one Michinoku Pro show on tape this
year, but it was good enough for them to get third place in my book.

JASON LANGIN: WWF - I love WCW and ECW too but I think WWF is at top right
now.

RICK SCAIA: Titan's hitting on all cylinders, and it's a joy to see.  They've
got to be the best thing going.  WCW's in at #2 this year.  ECW drops to #3; I
can't put my finger on it, but this really seemed like an "off" year for Paul
and his boys.  Maybe the talent defections are finally starting to hurt?

GARETH THOMAS: NJPW play before 40,000 plus fans three or four times a year.
They have the best juniors in the world, and their heavyweight depth, with
under-rated wrestlers like Kojima, is better than All Japan's, even if AJPW
have a better Top 5.  Next for me comes the WWF and WCW, as All Japan
undercards bore me to tears and I don't feel FMW is good enough to be in the
top 3.

HEATM: WWF still proves that even with a shady roster with very little talent,
they are capable of putting on a show.  One only needs to look at their
production values to see which organization feels like the real thing.  Mind
you, WCW continues to make its way into mainstream media, and although the
Leno/Rodman/Malone signings were met with more laughs than applause, WCW got
its name in the papers and on TV.  That's always a good thing.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best TV Show

Award Description:

To be given to what is on average the best wrestling TV show. In 1994, TV
shows and major shows were given separate award categories.

Previous Winners:

  1991: 03/21/91: WCW & New Japan Supershow (aired on tape)
  1992: 01/18/92: WWF Royal Rumble
  1993: WWF Monday Night RAW weekly TV
  1994: WWF Monday Night RAW
  1995: WWF Monday Night RAW
  1996: WWF Monday Night RAW
  1997: WWF Monday Night RAW (WWF RAW is War / WWF RAW / WWF War Zone)

**1998**: WWF RAW is WAR (RAW / War Zone)

453 first place votes
410 second place votes
367 third place votes

 389  34   8  2063   WWF RAW is WAR (RAW / WarZone)
  29  94 117   661   WCW Monday Nitro
   0 165  81   657   WWF Sunday Night Heat
  12  75  58   401   ECW TV
   4   6  31   100   WWF Shotgun
   1   9  23    78   WCW Thunder
   4   8  16    76   WCW Saturday Night
   4   1   6    35   Michinoku Pro Lucha
   2   3   6    31   WWF Canadian Superstars
   2   4   4    30   WCW Worldwide
   1   1   3    14   AJPW TV
   0   2   4    14   AAA Saturday TV
   1   2   1    13   JWP TV
   1   1   1    10   NJPW TV
   0   2   2    10   GAEA TV
   1   0   2     9   WWF Superstars
   1   0   1     7   WWF LiveWire
   1   0   0     5   Battle Station
   0   1   0     3   Samuri TV
   0   1   0     3   Lucha Sundays (mexico)
   0   0   1     2   WWF New York
   0   0   1     2   WWF 11:Alive
   0   0   1     2   Slick Mick's Bodyslam Review

REJECTED - duplicate
   0   1   0     3   WWF RAW is WAR


GARETH ROBINSON: WWF Superstars is the only regular WWF show in New Zealand!

KEITH WATANABE: Best TV show I've seen is JWP tv.  They incorporate previous
shows to build their angles and direction of their wrestlers.  Maybe they don't
have a giant roster, but the production is good in coherency.  Too bad ARSION
didn't have a TV show for the same reasons.

CHRIS DILLON: Nitro has put out some really good Jr matches this year, on free
tv. Samuri TV in Japan often shows a lot of cool NJPW and AJPW matches and thus
should be considered. I also enjoy WWF Shotgun, which has many good Brian
Christopher/Taka etc matches.

VINCE MORALES: Every week when Raw is on you feel like somethings going to
happen and its going to be really cool. I just don't get that with Nitro
anymore.

JAMES FABIANO: RAW really didn't emphasize wrestling, but was at its best more
entertaining.  Nitro had Chris Jericho and some good matches, unfortunately you
have to suffer through Hulk Hogan, Stevie Ray, the NWO B-Team, Mongo, and some
inane angles to get there.  Shotgun IMO is one of the most underrated wrestling
programs.  While RAW handles the big names and angles, Shotgun lets talented
midcarders and occasional local talent do their thing.

DOUG CORTI: Big surprise. My votes (Cdn. Superstars, Worldwide and WCW Saturday
Night) feature wrestling over angles and talk. Well, at least Worldwide _did_.

JON WHITE: Raw was easily the best show this year.  Even though Nitro was bad
for most of the year, they still put on good matches for the most part.  Heat
was the "best of the rest".

CLINT MAYHER: Raw raised the Monday night bar this year, and Shotgun is on the
list because it would constantly showcase some of the midcarders that
desperately needed attention.

TOM ROBSON: Raw is simply a can't miss show now.  This of course makes it all
the more difficult that I never get to see it, but considering I can hardly
sleep until I am able to read a detailed report of what happened, it must be
pretty good and important.  Sunday Night Heat seemed destined to be another WWF
flop show, but they have really turned it into something good.  ECW's show has
dropped in quality, but it is still very good.  You'll note that no WCW
programming makes this list.  Somehow I don't miss seeing WCW at all.

DON DEL GRANDE: Are "RAW is WAR" and "War Zone" considered two different shows?
The second hour is usually better than the first.  [Nope - CRZ]

SHANE ANDERSON: Raw is the standard once again; Who says the WWF can't put on a
WRESTLING show; Someone has to put Slick Mick on Monday Nite

SEAN SHANNON: Raw is still the standard bearer when it comes to professional
wrestling on television, and Nitro's slump this past year only made that fact
all the clearer.  Although I usually find Raw an overall better show, ECW's TV
show is still the one I anticipate the most any given week, and even with their
poor production values, the overall product is still great enough to land them
second in my book.  Third goes to the latest WWF brainchild, Sunday Night Heat,
which all WCW executives should be forced to watch to see how to properly
program one hour of wrestling without so many dull spots.

JASON LANGIN: WWF Raw - They may be only 2 hours but they know how to work it
and the main events are always better.

RAW is the industry's one "must see" show each week.  That might be the easiest
call on this entire ballot.  In at #2 is ECW Weekly TV; even if the company is
having an off year, the fact that they only produce one hour of TV per week
means that they only present their best for your enjoyment.  It makes for a
great weekly experience.  Nitro is bloated and over-long at 3 hours, but by
sheer virtue of being WCW flagship show, it just barely beats out the very
strong Sunday Night Heat for a place on this list.

GARETH THOMAS: New Japan TV is the best, simply for kickass matches.
Particularly between May and August, they had some awesome stuff with the Super
Jr and G-1 tournament matches. ***1/2 matches every week at one point.  ECW TV
comes second for me, because Raw is boring and Nitro is a real enudrance test.
ECW TV is good the way the long matches are edited into five minute highlights,
which make the match look good.  I put Thunder at third as I find it more
watchable than Raw and Nitro.

HEATM: RAW continues to be the best show on TV.  Nitro isn't that far behind.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Major Show

Award Description:

To be given to the best major event. This could be a pay-per-view, a TV
special, or any big arena event. In 1994, TV shows and major shows were
given separate award categories.

Previous Winners:

  1991: 03/21/91: WCW & New Japan Supershow (aired on tape)
  1992: 01/18/92: WWF Royal Rumble
  1993: WWF Monday Night RAW weekly TV
  1994: 03/20/94: WWF WrestleMania X
  1995: 08/27/95: WWF SummerSlam
  1996: 03/31/96: WWF WrestleMania XII
  1997: 04/14/97: ECW Barely Legal

**1998**: 03/24/98: WWF WrestleMania XIV

405 first place votes
356 second place votes
338 third place votes

 155  79  49  1110   03/29/98 WWF WrestleMania XIV
  71  89  53   728   06/28/98 WWF King of the Ring
  61  76  67   667   08/30/98 WWF SummerSlam
  52  33  45   449   08/02/98 ECW Heat Wave
  13  13  39   182   01/18/98 WWF Royal Rumble
   7   9  15    92   09/27/98 WWF In Your House: Break Down
   4  10  14    78   12/28/97 WCW Starrcade
  10   4   6    74   10/25/98 WCW Halloween Havoc
   6   6   8    64   11/09/97 WWF Survivor Series
   1   7  12    50   01/24/98 WCW Souled Out
   4   4   2    36   05/01/98 AJPW Tokyo Dome
   0   4   4    20   06/14/98 WCW Great American Bash
   1   2   1    13   05/05/98 ARSION's Tournament "ARS"
   2   0   0    10   05/17/98 WCW Slamboree
   1   0   1     7   05/31/98 WWF In Your House: Over the Edge
   1   0   1     7   04/19/98 WCW Spring Stampede
   0   2   0     6   09/13/98 WCW Fall Brawl
   0   0   3     6   05/05/98 AJPW Tokyo Dome
   0   0   3     6   05/03/98 ECW Wrestlepalooza
   1   0   0     5   03/15/98 WCW Uncensored
   1   0   0     5   01/25/98 WCW Souled Out
   0   1   1     5   03/01/98 ECW Living Dangerously
   0   0   2     4   07/06/98 WCW Nitro, Georgia Dome
   0   1   0     3   11/15/98 WWF Survivor Series(NO)
   0   1   0     3   08/08/98 WCW Road Wild
   0   1   0     3   08/01/98 G-1 Climax Semifinals
   0   1   0     3   02/22/98 WCW Superbrawl VIII
   0   1   0     3     /  /   AAA Verano De Escandalo
   0   0   1     2   10/18/98 WWF In Your House: Judgement Day
   0   0   1     2   07/26/98 WWF In Your House: Fully Loaded

REJECTED - TV shows (see 37a.)

  12   2   0         RAW
   1   4   3         Nitro
   0   2   2         ECW TV
   0   1   3         Thunder
   0   2   1         Heat
   1   0   0         Worldwide
   0   1   0         Pro
   0   0   1         LiveWire

ANDY JUDGE: I haven't bought a pay-per-view this year that I thought was any
better than the typical Monday night shows.

CHRIS DILLON: Both AJPW's Tokyo Dome show and WCW's Spring Stampede had some
great matches, those are the only two major shows that stick out.

VINCE MORALES: ECW's Heatwave was the best PPV of 98 barnone.

GEORGE CARTER: WrestleMania XIV was probably the best over-all card of the
decade.  Then it is followed by the card that had the best macth of the year,
the  King of the Ring. And the 3rd place finisher is the Royal Rumble.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Well, I think Wrestlemania XIV, Summerslam and King of the Ring
are pretty much shoe-ins for this category. I'll be rather surprised if
anything *else* wins here. I think KotR was definitely the worst of the three,
just since, HitC aside, it wasn't anywhere near as good a card top to bottom as
the other two. Which of *them* gets the top might as well be decided on a flip
of the coin though... I went with WM, mainly cause it just *felt* bigger and,
well, it *is* Wrestlemania...

DOUG CORTI: I am biased towards Breakdown, since I attended it live. Plus, it
only had two forgettable matches, and there was a good fight in the stands
during one of them (Outlaws/X-pac vs. SJ/JJ). This year's Souled Out made me
forget the debacle that was NWO Souled Out. That alone makes it a candidate.

CLINT MAYHER: HeatWave was finally able to build on the success of Barely
Legal, King of the Ring is gonna stay in a lot of people's minds forever
bacause of Hell in the Cell, and WrestleMania was worthy of the title of
WrestleMania this year.

SUPERFAN SAM: Heatwave showed how an organization with limited talent can still
put on the best PPV of the year.

SEAN SHANNON: WrestleMania 14 was the most consistently good card I saw this
past year, and it undoubtedly proved that when push comes to shove, the WWF
will always find a way to outdo anything WCW can rip off from WWF past.  King
of the Ring gets second place based solely on Hell in a Cell, but then again,
if any match was worthy of carrying a whole card, HitC was it.  SummerSlam
didn't have that many peaks, but it didn't have any real valleys; even the
Oddities/Kaientai match was good for a few chuckles.

JASON LANGIN: I haven't seen a ppv all year, I just think there are too many
and who can afford them all?  Too expensive.

MDB: Souled Out: The lucha 8 man opener, the Raven v. Benoit match, Jericho
v. Rey, Booker T v. Martel, and Bret v. Flair.  Plus no Hogan in sight
Slamboree: Fit Finlay v. Chris Benoit, Malenko's cruiser battle royal swerve
and match with Jericho, and Eddie Guerrero v. Ultimo Dragon were all very good
and Saturn v. Goldberg and Bret v. Savage ween't bad.  7.WCW U.S. Champ Bill
Goldberg pinned Saturn (7:01). 8.Bret Hart beat Randy Savage (16:38) via
DQ. The decision was reversed the next night on Nitro by guest referee Roddy
Piper.

RICK SCAIA: ECW HeatWave was easily the best top-to-bottom wrestling show of
the year.  Every match was at least "good," and several were very good or
excellent.  Pacing was on, the crowd was hot, it all clicked.  During an off
year, ECW can point to HeatWave as a definite high water mark.  All five of the
WWF's "major" shows during the voting year delivered big, too, but I'm gonna go
with WrestleMania XIV and SummerSlam '98 as the best of the bunch.  Both
delivered solid matches and definite "big event" atmosphere.

GARETH THOMAS: On average quality of match, Heatwave blows the opposition away,
and was a really entertaining show from top to bottom.  Shame about ECW's other
pay offerings.  Summer Slam and WrestleMania were two other entertaining
pay-per-views, and I'd rank some early WCW PPV's of 98 just behind those two.

HEATM: This year Titan proved that their WrestleMania was still as important to
them as ever before.  Top to bottom, with a thinned roster, the PPV was tops.
Every match topped the match before it, and it was highlighted by a Sable/Luna
fight I don't think too many people will forget.  Also, the introduction of
Mike Tyson made the event the bigger-than-life show that the WWF is known for.
WWF King of the Ring was highlighted by a Mankind/Undertaker brawl that was so
incredible words cannot describe it.  Only seeing the 15 foot fall off the cage
would make you believe it.  Third place goes to WCW Souled Out, probably WCW's
only good PPV of the year.  It included a killer Benoit/Raven match and Dusty
Rhodes turning nWo.  WWF's main events were infinitely better than a lot of
WCW's PPV, but top-to-bottom, these were the three best IMO.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Promotional Move

Award Description:

To be given to the best move made by a promotion this past year. This could
include giving somebody a push, demoting someone, firing someone hiring
someone, or anything of a promotional nature.

Previous Winners:

  1991: WWF signs Ric Flair
  1992: WCW signs Jake Roberts
  1993: WWF works with SMW & USWA
  1994: WWF pushes Bret Hart as champion again
  1995: WCW signs Sabu, Chris Benoit, Eddy Guerrero & Dean Malenko away
  1996: WCW signs Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Ted DiBiase & Syxx
  1997: ECW uses "working agreement" with WWF

**1998**: WWF books Vince McMahon into top storyline role

433 first place votes
402 second place votes
385 third place votes

  68  46  22   522   WWF books Vince McMahon into top storyline role
  58  44  17   456   WWF gives title to Steve Austin
  50  20  15   340   WWF brings Mike Tyson to WrestleMania
  46  23  16   331   WWF creates WWF Attitude
  35  16  21   265   WCW allows Ric Flair to appear on television as they
                     settle lawsuit
  16  36  33   254   WCW turns Chris Jericho heel (pushes Jericho)
  23  26  25   243   WWF introduces lots of new young talent
  11  22  31   183   WWF signs X-Pac after he is released by WCW
   7  18  15   119   WWF lets D-Generation X loose
  10  11  17   117   WWF turns Rock face (pushes Rock)
   6  18  16   116   WCW reunites Horsemen
  13  12   5   111   WWF lets Bret Hart go
   5  14   9    85   WCW gives US, then World title to Goldberg
   5   9   6    64   WCW gives TV title to quality wrestlers for much of the
                     year
   5   6   9    61   WWF signs Al Snow
   5   4  11    59   WCW gives Cruiserweight title to Kidman
   7   2   6    53   ECW books Tanaka/Awesome
   5   5   6    52   WCW signs Bret Hart
   2   6   6    40   WWF permanently continues Funkin' Dojos
   1   7   7    40   WWF gives European title to D'Lo Brown
   6   1   1    35   Vince McMahon doublecrosses Bret Hart before he leaves
                     for WCW
   2   4   6    34   WWF gets rid of Bulldog, Crush, Neidhart
   2   4   6    34   WCW turns Bret Hart heel
   2   1   9    31   WWF co-promotes with APW, ECW, NWA, All-Japan, M-Pro
   3   1   6    30   WWF shows Vince McMahon taking Stunners every week
   4   1   1    25   ECW produces Music Album
   2   3   2    23   NJPW retires old legends at Tokyo Dome shows
   2   3   1    21   WCW uses Sting/Hogan to headline Starrcade
   4   0   0    20   ARSION has California tour
   2   2   2    20   WWF goes "adult"
   2   1   3    19   MTV invites Stone Cold on Celebrity Death Match
   0   0   9    18   WWF books Ahmed Johnson to job to Kurrgan, then fires
                     him after he refuses
   1   1   2    12   WWF airs Sunday Night Heat
   0   2   3    12   WWF showcases Insane Clown Posse
   0   2   3    12   WWF releases Vader
   2   0   0    10   WCW has huge Nitro in Atlanta
   0   2   2    10   WCW signs Karl Malone & Dennis Rodman to main event
   0   3   0     9   WCW introduces WCW Master Card on Wall Street
   1   1   0     8   Slim Jim continues to use Randy Savage as spokesman
   0   2   1     8   WCW signs Jay Leno to main event
   1   0   1     7   WCW splits NWO
   1   0   1     7   WCW signs Bam Bam Bigelow
   1   0   1     7   ECW agrees to working relationship with FMW
   0   2   0     6   WWF tapes every other Raw to saving money
   1   0   0     5   WWF signs Big Boss Man
   1   0   0     5   WWF resigns Rock
   1   0   0     5   WWF pushes Mick Foley
   1   0   0     5   WWF gets Miguel Perez to shave his back hair
   1   0   0     5   WWF continues booking Light Heavyweight division
   1   0   0     5   WWF brings in young talent
   1   0   0     5   WWF becomes a savior for WCW's downtrodden jobbers (?)
   1   0   0     5   WCW promotes "Bride of Chucky"
   1   0   0     5   WCW keeps Nitro Girls on television
   1   0   0     5   Grand Prix Wrestling relocates from Glace Bay to North
                     Sydney
   1   0   0     5   Eric Bischoff gets a haricut
   1   0   0     5   ECW hands out free videos to NYC fans
   0   1   1     5   WWF promotes in Boston prior to WrestleMania
   0   1   1     5   WWF names Mankind Hardcore Champion
   0   1   1     5   WWF gets HSN time after SummerSlam
   0   0   2     4   WWF to air ad during Superbowl
   0   0   2     4   WCW showcases Nitro Girls
   0   1   0     3   X-Pac and the New Age Outlaws join D-Generation X
   0   1   0     3   WWF signs Debra McMichael
   0   1   0     3   WWF signs Christian Cage
   0   1   0     3   WWF signs Blue Meanie (eligible?)
   0   1   0     3   WWF sells variety of Austin T-shirts
   0   1   0     3   WWF pushes midcard roster
   0   1   0     3   WWF involves front office (Patterson, Brisco) into angles
   0   1   0     3   WCW announces Bret Hart's signing day after Survivor
                     Series
   0   1   0     3   WCW Resigns Kevin Nash & Scott Hall
   0   1   0     3   Sting wrestles
   0   1   0     3   ECW hands out heads
   0   1   0     3   Diamond Dallas Page appears on Tonight Show
   0   1   0     3   All Japan runs Tokyo Dome Show
   0   1   0     3   AJPW passes the Triple Crown to Kawada and Kobashi
   0   1   0     3   16 Man tourny (?)
   0   0   1     2   WWF signs John Wayne Bobbitt to appear with Val Venis
   0   0   1     2   WWF signs Edge
   0   0   1     2   WWF signs Darren Drozdov
   0   0   1     2   WWF shows Sable & Terri Runnels in skimpy outfits
   0   0   1     2   WWF saves Shawn Michaels until he is fully healthy
   0   0   1     2   WWF introduces Hardcore Championship
   0   0   1     2   WWF intriduces lots of new talent
   0   0   1     2   WWF gives title to Kane
   0   0   1     2   WWF breaks up Nation
   0   0   1     2   WWF books Hell in the Cell 2
   0   0   1     2   WWF basks in the glow via New York Magazine article
   0   0   1     2   WWF Permanantly Continues Funkin' Dojos
   0   0   1     2   WCW shows Havoc main event on Nitro
   0   0   1     2   WCW pushes mid-carders
   0   0   1     2   WCW pushes luchadores
   0   0   1     2   WCW locks cruiserweight talent into long-term contracts
   0   0   1     2   WCW gives Chris Jericho multiple title reigns
   0   0   1     2   WCW focuses more on cruiserweights
   0   0   1     2   WCW breaks up Raven's Flock
   0   0   1     2   Rating wars (?)
   0   0   1     2   MiCasa, Online Onslaught form WrestleManiacs.com, include
                     CRZ's recaps
   0   0   1     2   ECW pushes Justin Credible as a legitimate star
   0   0   1     2   AWF brings in Abdullah the Butcher

REJECTED - occured outside eligible time period

   4   0   0         Hollywood Hogan Retires to run for President
   1   0   1         WWF turns Rock heel
   0   1   0         Wrestlers put on TV Guide cover
   0   1   0         WWF launches StoneCold.com website
   0   1   0         ECW offers free PPV tix for frequent show attendees
   0   0   1         Jesse Ventura becomes Govenor of Minnesota

JAMES FABIANO: The WWF made the right decision to introduce so much young
talent. With the right push and enough time to get experience, they will give
them a talent base for the future.  Thumbs up to WCW for giving three great
wrestlers (Kidman, Jericho, Booker) their due, and for allowing Chris Jericho
to become our Paragon of Virtue.  See, WCW, it's called USING YOUR TALENT, and
you should try it more often.....

KEITH WATANABE: Best Promotional Move is by ARSION for having a tour of LA.
Why?  Just check my homepage out and see who got to go on it!

ANDY JUDGE: Austin was the best thing the WWF had going, and they gave him a
bigger platform and more exposure.  That, and the fact that since Austin drew
in the curious viewr the WWF has put on good TV, has created a new and strong
WWF fan base.

SVEN MASCARENHAS: WCW bringing back the Warrior nearly dammed them, and it took
Flair's appearance to prevent them from sinking into the same depths that they
had in 1995. The Dojo has already produced Val Venis, Edge, and has even better
wrestlers in the works. But the big one is Tyson showing up at WM (and the
Rumble), which turned the ratings around for the first time in eighty weeks.

CHRIS DILLON: NJPW retiring the legends was a good promotional move, as it made
them a lot of money and should open doors for the younger heavyweights.  WCW
returning Flair was a great move, because it was what 99.999% of the fans,
including me, wanted to see - which is always nice. WWF firing Ahmed was great
- if only it would now fire the Oddities, HHH, LOD, Simmons... :)

VINCE MORALES: While walking the line is no longer the case in ECW, in the WWF
its the smartest promotional move of all time.

BEN MILLER: Getting Bret out of there was the best thing to happen to the WWF
since the inventionof anabolic steroids.  Tyson joining DX sparked interest in
the PPV that turned the tide.  McMahon vs. Austin is still making a ton of
money.

KEVIN PODSIADLIK: Jericho was a face less than twelve months ago?  I don't even
remember that, which just goes to show how [cut off? that's all I got - CRZ]

GEORGE CARTER: The WWF was losing the war against WCW, and Vince puts himself
in  the main angle, and the WWF wins.

JAMES FABIANO: The WWF made the right decision to introduce so much young
talent. With the right push and enough time to get experience, they will give
them a talent base for the future.  Thumbs up to WCW for giving three great
wrestlers (Kidman, Jericho, Booker) their due, and for allowing Chris Jericho
to become our Paragon of Virtue.  See, WCW, it's called USING YOUR TALENT, and
you should try it more often.....

MARK POLISHUK: The WWF joins the 21st century, while WCW has almost reached the
90's.

TOMMY-O: It may have been stupid, but it got NATIONAL media     attention, and
that makes it THE promotional move     of the year

JEFF BELL: Putting the belt on Austin, Creating WWF Attidude and Debuting New
Young Talent are the 3 reasons WWF is currently on top.

JON WHITE: WWF using McMahon, bringing Tyson, and going more "adult" was the
best thing anybody did this year.  It took a clear #2 promotion into a #1
promotion.

CLINT MAYHER: Just look at all of the guys that have come out of the Dojo in
the past year: Edge, Val Venis, Droz, Mark Henry, Christian...this could be the
thing that keeps the WWF on top into the 21st century; Jericho was on his way
to main eventing MidCardMania when his career was saved by a heel turn; Tanaka
is now one of ECW's most popular stars, plus their match was the showstealer at
Heat Wave.

CHRIS BIRD: The best promotional move of the year was putting the World title
belt on Steve Austin. The man *is* the show. Period. That having been said, I'd
like to extend special recognition to the WWF's very, very wise choice to
permanently continue the Funkin' Dojos to discover and train new talent. Their
best hope for fresh young talent is to scour the independents like mad and then
train them like hell. It's already produced Val Venis, Edge, and Christian,
plus it's refined Mark Henry and Kurrgan so they don't completely suck. (I bet
they also taught Kurrgan how to dance.) The indies are rife with good young
wrestlers willing to work their asses off; find them and refine them. It's a
great strategy. Oh, and the third-place vote goes to WCW pushing Chris Jericho,
who's demonstrated by fan reactions that he can feud with Goldberg
credibly. Jericho for US title!

R. MILLER: Nobody would have predicted this a year ago. Ain't hindsight great?
Vince McMahon made lemonade from lemon peels.

RYAN GRANT:  At the time, I thought it would kill the company.  A year later,
though, the WWF is as strong as they've ever been.  Turfing Bret wasn't just
good--it was *great* for the organization.  The WWF did a great job of
introducing their future, too, with folks like Edge, Gangrel, D-Lo, Christian,
Val Venis, and Kaientai all playing prominent rolls.  Things were pretty dark
after the '97 Survivor Series--it was the presence of Mike Tyson and the whole
beauty of Wrestlemania 14 that helped to turn the lights back on.

SHANE ANDERSON: Attitude=Ratings; D'Lo is the man who saved Europe; Now the
whole world is getting HEAD

SEAN SHANNON: I said it back in February of 1997 on With Authority!, and I'll
say it again: the best move the WWF could have made for their long-term goals
was to dump That BH Guy on his whiny bitch ass.  This past year has proven me
to be 100% right, thank you very much.  It finally allowed the WWF to take the
adult direction they'd been wanting to take for some time to boost
ratings. That in turn led to Mike Tyson's arrival (#2) which, for better or
worse, was the reason WrestleMania posted such an astronomical buyrate.  And
when Tyson was gone, McMahon used the incident with That BH Guy to turn himself
heel (#3) and his resulting attempts to "screw" Steve Austin were the best
angles in modern WWF history.  I could probably list about twenty or thirty
other things the WWF did well before I got to some promotional move of WCW's
that I liked.

JASON LANGIN: Eddie Guerrero forming the LWO - I love the luchadors and hearing
Eddie say those things about Bischoff (even though it was a work. JASON LANGIN:
felt good.

ROBERT EVANS: I'm not an actual wrestling fan, but I play one on TV and I say
Wrestlemaniascs.com rules!

HEATM: Mike Tyson's influence in WrestleMania might have given the WWF the
ratings shift it needed to overtake WCW.  Likewise, Vince McMahon inserting
himself as the #1 heel in the company paid big dividends for himself and his
company.  It definitely helped the WM buyrate, and Titan has never looked back
since that point.  #3 goes to WCW, for turning Chris Jericho heel.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Second (Manager)

Award Description:

To be given to the manager whose presence at ringside and during interviews
is really unnecessary. This person does little to enhance the matches in
which his/her wrestler(s) participates.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Mr. Fuji
  1991: Coach John Tolos
  1992: Harvey Wippleman
  1993: Harvey Wippleman
  1994: Harvey Wippleman
  1995: Harvey Wippleman
  1996: Teddy Long
  1997: Uncle Cletus

**1998**: Eric Bischoff

398 first place votes
373 second place votes
358 third place votes

  95  48  20   659   Eric Bischoff
  71  64  48   653   Disciple
  46  57  64   529   Vincent
  38  41  29   371   Tennessee Lee
  32  24  27   286   Sonny Onoo
  22  16  23   204   Paul Bearer
  14  23  29   197   Dusty Rhodes
  15  18  23   175   Paul Ellering
  17   6   8   119   Sable
   7  11  12    92   Yamaguchi-San
   6   7  14    79   Jacqueline
   3   9  16    74   Jimmy Hart
   7   5   8    66   Jackyl
   4   9   4    55   Lance Wright
   3   8   3    45   Jim Cornette
   4   1   1    25   Debra McMichael
   1   3   5    24   Ted DiBiase
   4   0   1    22   Tammy Lynn Sytch (Sunny)
   1   3   3    20   Terri Runnels (Marlena)
   0   3   3    15   Luna
   1   1   0     8   Judy Bagwell
   1   0   1     7   Sign Guy Dudley
   1   0   1     7   Rick Rude
   0   1   2     7   Jason
   0   2   0     6   Nicole Bass
   0   2   0     6   Lodi
   1   0   0     5   Teddy Long (eligible?)
   1   0   0     5   Howard Finkel
   1   0   0     5   Gutz (PWA)
   1   0   0     5   Francine
   1   0   0     5   Cat (Ernest Miller)
   0   1   1     5   Tammy Lynn Bytch
   0   0   2     4   Hawk
   0   1   0     3   Mike Tyson
   0   1   0     3   McMahon's Stooges
   0   1   0     3   Kanyon
   0   1   0     3   Jerry Lawler
   0   1   0     3   James Vandenberg
   0   1   0     3   Elizabeth
   0   1   0     3   Cecil Rhodes
   0   1   0     3   Buff Bagwell
   0   1   0     3   Babu
   0   0   1     2   Jeff Jones
   0   0   1     2   Insane Clown Posse
   0   0   1     2   Horace
   0   0   1     2   Godfather's ho's
   0   0   1     2   Chyna
   0   0   1     2   Chucky
   0   0   1     2   Chastity
   0   0   1     2   Bill Alfonso

REJECTED - duplicated votes

   0   1   1         Paul Bearer
   0   0   1         Sunny

CHRIS DILLON: Sable is terrible, for many reasons that I don't really want to
get into. Tennessee Lee always made me wonder why I was watching Raw, and I've
always hated Bearers character.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Always hated Tennessee Lee no matter what name he calls
himself. And Paul Ellering should retire once and for all, and take the LOD
with him.

JAMES FABIANO: Paul Ellering only added more non-personality to DOA, and Ted
DiBiase did the same for the Steiners.  Tennessee Lee was just another failed
Get Jeff Jarrett Over plan.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Paul Bearer is just viscerally disgusting. Dusty Rhodes is Dusty
Rhodes, which is *more* than good enough to net him number two. And Paul
Ellering is truly a shadow of his former self, and just so bloody boring
nowadays, so I'll give him three.

ADAM BONIN: When I see Sonny Onoo, I'm embarrassed.  It's the kind of
xenophobic crap that makes me scared to show wrestling to uninitiated friends.

JM SANTOS:  What exactly is Vincent's purpose out there (besides those weak
cheap shots he gets in)?

ASHLEY RALEY: Watching Tennessee Lee try to do his cornball act on WWF TV this
past year was just downright pathetic.  Wrong decade, buddy.

SUPERFAN SAM: Let's see, you are hated by the people you were hired to
negotiate with, your interview skills are horrible so you become a manager, and
you can't even manage well so you try to wrestle. How do you keep your job?
You're friends with the boss, he'll never fire you. Who are you? Sonny Onoo
"This will not be a good segment".

SEAN SHANNON: Francine's face looks like the ass end of a donkey, she usually
only says one word during interviews (YEAH!), and to top that off she's
managing that Shane Douglas asshole.  Do I need to give more reasons why she's
the worst second in my book?  Second goes to the NWO's perennial turd hanging
out of their ass, Vincent, and I don't have to cite any reasons for that. Third
... sigh, Paul Bearer used to be my fave, but he should've skipped town about
two months after betraying the Undertaker; he's limited because his gimmick
only makes him a credible manager for the Undertaker, and even now that they've
reunited, Uncle Paul is still horribly out of place in today's WWF.

JASON LANGIN: Lance Wright - I don't know what his purpose is.

ROBERT EVANS: Bischoff, Vincent, Disciple.  Hey they're all from NOW
Hollywood. Coincidence?  Dismissed as lightning.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Announcer

Award Description:

To be given to the commentator/announcer who makes the dumbest comments
while pushing his product. This person probably gets you to turn down the TV
when he/she is announcing. As of 1992, the difference between this and
colour commentator will be enforced.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Vince McMahon
  1991: Vince McMahon
  1992: Vince McMahon
  1993: Vince McMahon
  1994: Eric Bischoff
  1995: Eric Bischoff
  1996: Eric Bischoff
  1997: Tony Schiavone

**1998**: Tony Schiavone

438 first place votes
378 second place votes
331 third place votes

 338  43  15  1849   Tony Schiavone
  27  94  70   557   Lee Marshall
  31  72  57   485   Shane McMahon
  14  45  40   285   Eric Bischoff
   8  40  32   224   Mike Tenay
   3  13  36   126   Kevin Kelly
   1  22  20   111   Michael Cole
   3  12  19    89   Scott Hudson
   3   6   7    47   Jim Ross
   1   8   4    37   Ray Rougeau
   1   2   3    17   Joey Styles
   1   0   0     5   Mark Madden
   0   1   1     5   Mike Hudson (Scott Hudson?)
   0   0   2     4   Chris Cruise
   0   1   0     3   Tony Giovanni
   0   0   1     2   Scott Holmes (?)
   0   0   1     2   Corey Macklin

REJECTED - not play-by-play

   0   7   7         Tony Schiavone (duplicates)
   1   4   6         Larry Zbyszko
   2   0   0         David Penzer
   1   1   1         Michael Buffer
   0   2   2         Jim Cornette
   1   0   1         Dusty Rhodes
   1   0   1         "Tie" votes
   0   1   2         Gene Okerlund
   1   0   0         Hunter Hearst Helmsley
   0   1   0         Shane Douglas
   0   1   0         New Age Outlaws
   0   1   0         Jerry Lawler
   0   1   0         Bobby Heenan
   0   0   1         Todd Pettingill
   0   0   1         Lee Marshall (duplicates)
   0   0   1         Dok Hendri

SVEN MASCARENHAS: It's a very rare occasion that I long to be an
American. After realizing that you guys don't have to put up with Ray Rougeau
talking over a Shotgun LHW tag match, I considered emigration.

BRIAN SCALA: GEE....let me think....OOH this is a real toughy!!

CHRIS DILLON: Schiavone doesn't call the match, and would rather talk about
Hogan and Sting than the Benoit vs whoever that's going on in the ring.
Actually, he probabley would like to call the match, but has been told to talk
Hogan/Sting. Then again, when he DOES call the match, he often calls moves
incorrectly. Armdrag and twist, anyone? Michael Cole and Kevin Kelly know less
about how wrestling works than the average mark - how they hell did they get a
job at Titan? (Did I just answer myself? :)

VINCE MORALES: If I hear 'greatest ____ in the history of our sport' one more
time I'll need to buy some earplugs.

GEORGE CARTER: Let's just say that he's "The worst announcer in the history of
this  sport".

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Tony, Tony, Tony. You are a waste of spooge. Have you
learned the differnce between a table and a chair yet? And what the fuck is "an
armdrag with twist"?? It's a fucking  ARMBAR. Someone just shoot him. Rougeau
is just simply horrible, and having Pritchard and Monsoon to work with doesn't
make things any better. Jim Ross went from being the best in the business to
being just another one of Vince's puppets. Sellout!

JAMES FABIANO: Here's a hint: THIS IS THE EASIEST DECISION IN THE HISTORY OF
OUR SPORT~!  Lee Marshall adds nothing to nothing (aka the WCW announce team
:-)), and I seem to remember Kevin Kelly playing heel on Shotgun, so let's
punish him by putting him third.

STEPHEN TISZENKEL: Tony Schiavone is the worst announcer I've ever heard,
period. Attempts to convince me Shane McMahon is worse will always be
unsuccessful. And it's not just because he doesn't talk about the match, either
-- he's just that bad.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Someone please kill Tony Schiavone. Please? I mean, if I hear
just one more "This is the greatest X in the history of Y!" I'll puke... I hate
Eric Bischoff's guts so he gets number two. Colour me biased if you want... ;)
And Shane McMahon... well, at least that angle with him and Daddy got him out
of the <bleep>ing broadcast booth already...

LYNXX: I really wish that they would fire tony schivonte, lee marshall and
kevin kelly. Thease people are annoying and should be out of the announcing
table.

ANDREW GUERRERA: Bischoff got a lot of "worst" votes from me; I liken his
presence to that of a hemorrhoid.  And a big one, at that.  Everytime he
appears, I automatically change the channel.  That just isn't the type of "heel
heat" that I am sure he thinks he is generating.  RE: Schiavone, is a "full
armdrag and twist" some kind of highball?

CHRIS BIRD: All you Americans who complain about Tony Schiavone should be
thankful you don't have to hear Ray Rougeau.

CUBS FAN: If Tony does't win here, something's definetly wrong.  Bischoff and
Marshall suck as well, but not to such an outstanding level.

MATT BROWN: If I could vote for Schiavone three times, I would have.

SEAN SHANNON: It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out that Shane McMahon
is going to sweep this category.  But personally, as annoying as Shane's
overenthusiastic banter was, he was still music to my ears compared to (in
order) Tony Schiavone, Scott Hudson and Lee Marshall.  As usual, the WWF's lone
stinker will get the win because he sticks out in a crowd, whereas everyone in
WCW is crappier than McMahon but they all get muddled together and no one
announcer will get singled out.

JASON LANGIN: Shane McMahon - f this guy.

ROBERT EVANS: Add Tony Schiavone to the list of people that should jump from
the TitanTron.

HEATM: Tony Schiavone is already at the finish line before the rest have even
started running in this category.  His constant shills, blatant horrible calls
of the wrestling moves used, and just the simple fact he doesn't know how to
react when Heenan makes a joke is enough to put him first, second and third.
We'll throw in Eric Bischoff and Michael Cole to be fun.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Colour Commentator

Award Description:

To be given to the commentator/announcer who makes the dumbest comment while
pushing his product. This person probably gets you to turn down the TV when
he/she is announcing.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Dusty Rhodes
  1992: Lord Alfred Hayes
  1993: Randy Savage
  1994: Dusty Rhodes
  1995: Steve McMichael
  1996: Dusty Rhodes
  1997: Dusty Rhodes

**1998**: Larry Zbyszko

417 first place votes
343 second place votes
299 third place votes

 141  75  42  1014   Larry Zbyszko
  60  71  43   599   Lee Marshall
  55  36  34   451   Eric Bischoff
  36  28  30   324   Shane McMahon
  30  27  18   267   Mike Tenay
  13  20  26   177   Kevin Kelly
  20   9  11   149   Bobby Heenan
   6  18  18   120   Jim Cornette
  15  10   4   113   Jerry Lawler
   6   9  14    85   Rick Rude
   7   7  11    78   Gorilla Monsoon
   3   7  11    58   Raven
   5   3  10    54   Vince Russo
   8   4   1    54   Tony Schiavone (eligible?)
   5   4   4    45   Dusty Rhodes
   4   2   5    36   Shawn Michaels
   1   5   3    26   Shane Douglas
   0   1   4    11   Scott Hudson (eligible?)
   0   1   1     5   Michael Cole
   0   1   1     5   Dr. Tom Pritchard
   0   1   0     3   Sable
   0   0   1     2   Mark Madden
   0   0   1     2   Ian Rotten
   0   0   1     2   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
   0   0   1     2   Dustin Runnels

REJECTED - duplicates

   2   0   0    10   "Tie" votes
   0   2   2    10   Tony Schiavone
   0   1   1     5   Larry Zbyszko
   0   1   1     5   Eric Bischoff

SVEN MASCARENHAS: On the same note as the last one: American's don't have to
listen to Monsoon much, either. Great 80's commentator when teamed with Jesse,
but really is out of step.

CHRIS DILLON: Michaels should never be allowed to do color again -
ever. Zbyszko is nearly as bad, but in some ways worse as we have to listen to
him every damn week! Lee Marshall has Michael Cole-syndrome - how the hell did
he get a job in WCW?

R.M. HOLDEN: Please try and remember Dr. Tom Pritchard when it comes to the
worst colour commentator.

TODD KERYC: Glad about the Worst Announcer award because Tony S. is BY FAR THE
WORST!!!  How many different moves are called the Sidewalk Slam anyway?

CURTIS DESJARDINS: I'm sick and fucking tired of Lawler's goddamned
masturbating over Sable. Who REALLY fucking cares? And between Pritchard,
Monsoon, and Rougeau I think we have the worst announcing team in recent
memory.

JAMES FABIANO: I don't know where to start about Larry, so let's just say he
sucks and leave it at that.  Shane was nothing but a hodgepodge of dorky hip
catch phrases, and Raven should never, ever be allowed to CC in character
again.

ANDREW GUERRERA: Larry just barely beat out Bischoff here.  Not only does Larry
pander to the crowd more than DDP, he also continually puts himself over
wrestlers who would have worked circles around his boring ass.  He also sounds
like a muppet.  Overall, WCW announcing is laughable at best, pedantic and
condescending at its worst; it is the area of WCW's current product that needs
the most improvement.  Allow me to transcribe an exchange from last night's
Nitro (11/09/98), during the Rey Jr.-Eddie match: Tenay: Have you ever looked
up "resiliency" in a dictionary, Tony? Tony: Why, yes, I have. (Right. Tony
completely deflates whatever point Tenay was trying to make) Tenay: Well, when
you did, there was a picture of Mysterio next to the word.

TOM ROBSON: Zbyszko and Heenan both used to be favorites of mine, but now they
are just more irritating than anyone on the planet.  It is amazing how pathetic
WCW's broadcast team is.  I mean, if everyone was honest, and there were no
potential legal repercussions, who wouldn't admit to wanting to kill Lee
Marshall?  Really, it's pathetic.

ASHLEY RALEY: I just had to include Triple H in this category after hearing him
make a complete ass of himself during the King of the Ring finals.

SUPERFAN SAM: Lee Marshall makes references that were outdated 20 years
ago. Here's another guy who shouldn't have a job in wrestling. 45b. WCW
recently has put on three stinkers. All three were bad in their own special
way.

CUBS FAN: You know, if you put Larry Zybsco and Tony in a car, and sent them
off a cliff...

JEREMY SORIA: It's blank. Most of the color commentators are actually good to
some degree. None are terribly bad.

SEAN SHANNON: Shane Douglas as a colour commentator turned out worse than Joey
Styles as a wrestler would have.  He repeated clichΘ colour commentator
phrases ad nauseum, provided nothing of any real substance to any ECW
broadcast, and acted like he knew everything just because his head is up Paul
Heyman's ass higher than anyone else's.  Second goes to Rick Rude, who went
from the second coming of Jesse Ventura during his ECW broadcasting days last
year to a totally generic thug in WCW.  Larry Zbyszko gets third for his own
self-aggrandizing behaviour and talking about his golf game as if he were Tiger
Woods.

TOM CRUZ: Larry Zybysko, you are a wart on a salamander's tongue. He isn't even
a has-been, he's a never-was. Every time he stands to get his "kudos" I pray
for him to get hit by garbage. His treatment of Louie Spicolli's death is
unforgivable, which is enough to put him on the shit list, but what's worse,
his announcing style borders on horrendous. He has no concept of tone, diction,
or how to say three words without overemphasizing one of them. Cornette and
Marshall aren't that bad, compared to Zybysko, I had to round out the
category.

HEATM: Larry Zbyszko has got a voice that makes me cringe, and he just never
adds anything to a wrestling match.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Interviewee

Award Description:

To be given to the person who gives the worst interview in the biz. This
could be a wrestler or a manager.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Ultimate Warrior
  1991: El Gigante
  1992: Ultimate Warrior
  1993: Giant Gonzalez
  1994: Yokozuna
  1995: Hulk Hogan
  1996: Ahmed Johnson
  1997: Ahmed Johnson

**1998**: Warrior

448 first place votes
422 second place votes
399 third place votes

  79  64  34   655   Warrior
  64  36  22   472   Hollywood Hogan
  36  28  28   320   Scott Steiner
  39  19  18   288   Goldberg
  34  20  24   278   Ahmed Johnson
  28  26  24   266   Ken Shamrock
  30  22  21   258   Cat
  21  26  23   229   Dan Severn
  19  14  19   175   Diamond Dallas Page
   8  17  16   123   Eric Bischoff
  10  11  19   121   Rick Steiner
   8  17  14   119   Lex Luger
   7  12  21   113   Sable
   8  10  10    90   Kane
   8   8   9    82   Dean Malenko
   7   8   9    77   Meng
   4   9  11    69   Konnan
   6   6   5    58   John Wayne Bobbitt
   4   8   2    48   Stevie Ray
   2   3   6    31   Yamaguchi-San
   3   1   6    30   Owen Hart
   2   2   5    26   British Bulldog
   1   3   4    22   Brian Adams
   1   2   4    19   Chris Benoit
   0   5   2    19   Tiger Ali Singh
   0   4   3    18   Undertaker
   2   1   2    17   Bret Hart
   1   1   4    16   Mark Henry
   0   2   5    16   Steve McMichael
   2   1   1    15   Steve Blackman
   1   2   2    15   Jeff Jarrett
   0   3   1    11   Jacqueline
   2   0   0    10   Tony Schiavone
   1   0   2     9   Curt Hennig
   1   1   0     8   Mosh
   0   2   1     8   Scott Hall
   0   2   1     8   Billy Gunn
   1   0   1     7   Oddities
   1   0   1     7   Faarooq
   0   1   2     7   Raven
   0   2   0     6   Giant
   0   2   0     6   Disciple
   0   2   0     6   Alex Wright
   1   0   0     5   Luna
   1   0   0     5   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
   1   0   0     5   Arn Anderson
   0   1   1     5   Shane Douglas
   0   1   1     5   Judy Bagwell
   0   0   2     4   Mr. McMahon
   0   0   2     4   Kanyon
   0   1   0     3   Vincent
   0   1   0     3   Rey Mysterio Jr.
   0   1   0     3   Reese
   0   1   0     3   Paul Bearer
   0   1   0     3   Marc Mero
   0   1   0     3   Lance Storm
   0   1   0     3   J.J. Dillon
   0   1   0     3   Gangrel
   0   0   1     2   Taz
   0   0   1     2   Roddy Piper
   0   0   1     2   Kurrgan
   0   0   1     2   Kidman
   0   0   1     2   Hawk
   0   0   1     2   Glacier
   0   0   1     2   Chris Candido

REJECTED - not individuals, or not interviewees

   1   8   2         Gene Okerlund
   1   1   0         Lee Marshall
   1   0   0         Michael Cole
   1   0   0         "Tie" votes
   0   0   1         NWO
   0   0   1         Legion of Doom 2000

JAMES KALYN: Owen Hart will never, ever cut a decent interview.  Ever.  He
stutters, he trips over words, he looks completely lost behind the mic.

SVEN MASCARENHAS: Destrusticity, choppy-choppy, and "Speak on this...". Easily
the three most insulting interviewers from the last year.

CHRIS DILLON: Ahmed "marbles" Johnson - his interviews would probabley be
alright, if I could hear them. Some people didn't know wrestling interviews
were scripted - then they listened to a Shamrock interview. Finally, Dean
Malenko is a fantastic wrestler, but keep him off the stick PLEASE.

VINCE MORALES: Message to DDP: Finish the sentence then say BANG.

MICHAEL JAVORNIK: Ahmed Johnson: WHAT DID HE SAY?!?  Warrior: See Ahmed
Johnson.

GEORGE CARTER: Can ANYONE understand what Ahmed Johnson's saying ??? John Wayne
Bobbit fucked up his lines. Dan Severn can't speak a lick. But I would  have
voted for Mike Tyson as worst interviewee, if he was on the ballot  (Cole :
"What do you think of Stone Cold" Tyson "Cold Stone is my man,  he won
..."). God, he couldn't get that one thing right.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Shamrock: good matches, bad interviews; watching his in-ring
"confrontation" with Owen and HHH prior to the King of the Ring  Triple Threat
Match was just painful. With 2 spots left we have both Steiners and the Warrior
to choose from. Whereas Warrior is simply grunting incomprehensible syllables,
Rick and Scott are actually using English as their medium of communication, so
I have to go with them.

JAMES FABIANO: Hogan annoys me, Owen was just out of place as the tough guy
avenger of the Hart family, and who the hell thought it would be a good idea to
give Meng interview time?!!?

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Hey, look, Ahmed's nominated! Now, I'll admit I don't for the
life of me remember even a single one of his interviews but, well, he's Ahmed
so I'm sure they were completely incomprehensible. And, speaking of
incomprehensible, can someone tell Jim Hellwig that swallowing a thesaurus
won't make him a good interview? And, again speaking of incomprehensible, can
someone tell Scott Steiner to spit those damned marbles out of his mouth?

BERT SNOOVEN: What do Scott Steiner, Ernest Miller, Hollywood Hogan, Eric
Bischoff, and Tiger Ali Singh have in common? Their microphone skills are about
the same as a schnauzer's driving skills.  The best thing Sable should do is
write her lines on her hands. Reciting from memory is not exactly her cup of
tea.

MARK POLISHUK: Isn't it funny how tough guys Severn and Shamrock sound like
squeaky nerds?

DOUG CORTI: Sable reminds me of a scene from Night Court. Dan is in a hurry to
get out of the courtroom, for typical Dan Fielding reasons. A man is there that
moves very slowly. "Don't let him talk", complains Dan in a perfect, whiny
voice. Change the gender, and you have my reaction when Sable gets the mike.

JM SANTOS:  Lock the Warrior, Ernest Miller, and Gonnad together in a room and
force them to listen to each other.  That should solve this problem.

CHRIS BIRD: What amuses me about this award is that two months ago I figured
Dan Severn would be a lock, a total lock, for first-place. He doesn't say much,
but when he does speak, that lisp of his just destroys his tough guy image. But
then WCW gave the mic to Scott Steiner and the Warrior, and they make Severn
sound like Jesse Jackson in comparison.

ASHLEY RALEY: Can any one man ramble more than Hogan does?  What a perfect
political candidate.

JEREMY SINGER: John Wayne Bobbitt only got one interview, but he managed to
lower the bar for everyone!

SHANE ANDERSON:  Shamrock and Misterio need to go where ever Lance Storm got
his personality transplant; YO YO YO lemme speak on dis.... the only thing
worse than Konnan's interview is Konnan's rappin'

SEAN SHANNON: I have said it before and I will say it again: listening to Arn
Anderson cut an interview is about as interesting as watching grass grow.  The
man says nothing of substance and nothing of interest, yet WCW lemmings treat
him like a god just because he's been able to be same bland little pissant for
the past fiveteen years.  Runner-up to Anderson is Eric Bischoff, and let's
face it, we all know Bischoff really is the biggest mark in the world for his
own voice, and really thinks he is god's greatest gift to wrestling. I could
list any number of WCW rejects in third place on my ballot, but I have to give
this dubious distinction to Brian Adams for the sheer magnitude of stupidity of
the phrase, "Go get yourself a nice warm cup of shut the hell up!"

JASON LANGIN: Scott Steiner - He should learn how to speak first

MDB: Don't EVER let Dan Severn talk.

HEATM: Diamond (Scum) Dallas (Scum) Page has the same recurring interview and
it is really sickening to watch the man with a microphone in his hand because
he stumbles through sentences.  Hollywood Hogan had better entertain me a lot
if he's on the mic every week and he didn't this year so he's #2.  Warrior is
#3 for his pitiful showing in his many interview segments.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Angle

Award Description:

To be given to the worst angle you've seen in the sport this year. It may be
the worst because of taste or because of execution.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Earthquake breaks Hulk's ribs & get well card drive /
        Black Scorpion (tie)
  1991: WWF exploits the Gulf war
  1992: Papa Shango curses the Ultimate Warrior
  1993: WCW's Cactus Jack gets amnesia; search leads to Cleveland
  1994: WCW gives Hulk Hogan the WCW Title
  1995: WCW bills Giant as Andre the Giant's alleged son
  1996: Jim Ross announces return of Razor Ramon and Diesel to WWF
  1997: Brian Pillman claims paternity of Dakota Runnells

**1998**: "Mysterious laughter" source revealed as Chucky the doll

441 first place votes
407 second place votes
392 third place votes

  97  46  30   683   Chucky is source of "mysterious laughter," threatens Rick
                     Steiner
  70  36  41   540   Warrior returns to confront Hollywood Hogan, creates One
                     Warrior Nation
  51  58  44   517   Eric Bischoff stars in NWO Nightcap, invades Jay Leno's
                     Tonight Show
  35  13  22   258   Bret Hart turns face, then heel, then face, then heel...
  19  26  24   221   Buff Bagwell, Scott Steiner keep fooling Rick Steiner
                     with fake injuries, face turns
  14  26  31   210   WCW brings in Jay Leno and Karl Malone
  16  21  21   185   Nobody beats Goldberg
  22  16  11   180   Scott Hall enjoys adult beverages, turns on Kevin Nash
                     several times
  12  21  23   169   WCW bans powerbomb, causing fines and arrests - then
                     drops it without mention
  14   9  11   119   NWO splits, Wolfpack feuds with Black and White
   7  16  16   115   Jim Cornette's NWA invades WWF
   8   7   7    75   Cat warns opponents that he can kill in five seconds
   4  10   6    62   Hawk has "personal" problems
   4  10   6    62   Eddie Guerrero starts Latino World Order
   6   7   4    59   Kane and Undertaker fight, join forces, fight again
   6   4   1    44   Val Venis steals Mrs. Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi-San threatens
                     castration
   1   7   9    44   Kane shoots lightning bolts, lights man on fire
   4   7   1    43   Disciple turns on Hogan
   4   3   6    41   Steve Austin pulls gun on Mr. McMahon
   4   5   0    35   Butterbean fights Marc Mero
   1   6   5    33   Mark Henry sues Chyna for sexual harrassment, writes poems
   2   4   3    28   Owen Hart bites opponents' ears, joins Nation
   1   3   6    26   Marc Mero has abusive relationship with Sable
   3   0   5    25   Judy Bagwell chastises Buff Bagwell
   1   5   1    22   Val Venis sleeps with Terri Runnels
   1   1   6    20   Vader loses a mask vs. mask match to Kane... but then
                     keeps mask
   1   1   4    16   Sable forced out of WWF, only to return later for unknown
                     reasons
   2   1   1    15   Godwinns become Southern Justice
   1   1   3    14   Kanyon joins Raven after feuding with him
   2   0   0    10   Legion of Doom bring back Paul Ellering, who turns on
                     them immediately
   2   0   0    10   Eric Bischoff challenges Vince McMahon to Slamboree match
   1   1   1    10   Eric Bischoff doesn't want Horsemen to wrestle in WCW
   1   1   1    10   Eric Bischoff blasts Ric Flair
   0   2   2    10   Owen Hart misses move on Dan Severn, retires
   0   1   3     9   Meng established as major force
   1   1   0     8   NWO takes over Nitro
   1   0   1     7   Dustin Runnels is born again
   0   1   2     7   Disco Inferno can't make the cruiserweight weight limit
   1   0   0     5   WWF losing Sunny
   1   0   0     5   WCW (huh?)
   1   0   0     5   The Drunk Angle(WWF & WCW)
   1   0   0     5   Steve Austin drinks beer
   1   0   0     5   Sonny Onoo joins Cat
   1   0   0     5   Santo turns tecnico
   1   0   0     5   Sable continues obsession with Marc Mero & vice versa
   1   0   0     5   Rock turns face
   1   0   0     5   Oddities hook up with Insane Clown Posse
   1   0   0     5   NWO continues with no end in sight
   1   0   0     5   McMahon tries to dethrone Austin after he refuses to
                    "toe WWF company line"
   1   0   0     5   Marlena Pregnant
   1   0   0     5   Chavo Guerrero goes nuts, talks to stick horse named Pepe
   1   0   0     5   Bret Hart is WCW's sheriff
   0   1   1     5   Stevie Ray joins NWO
   0   1   1     5   Sable and Jacqueline have bikini competition
   0   1   1     5   Bret Hart gives Starrcade a Dusty finish
   0   1   1     5   Blue Blazer returns
   0   0   2     4   Spike Dudley is a Giant Killer
   0   1   0     3   WCW vs NWO
   0   1   0     3   The New Triple Threat
   0   1   0     3   Taz Wears FTW title belt
   0   1   0     3   Scott Hall remains in NWO Hollywood
   0   1   0     3   Raven's Flock
   0   1   0     3   LOD break up
   0   1   0     3   Jeff Jarret mutes Jesse James with guitar to the larynx
   0   1   0     3   Horace joins NWO
   0   1   0     3   Goldust imitates others
   0   1   0     3   Goldberg cancels Rick Rude's flight
   0   1   0     3   Eric Bischoff's lame McMahon imitation as evil boss
   0   1   0     3   EMLL's championships
   0   1   0     3   Dan Severn coaches Owen Hart
   0   1   0     3   D-Generation X invades WCW
   0   1   0     3   Chyna/Austin lawsuit (?)
   0   1   0     3   Beulah gets 3-D'd by Dudleys
   0   0   1     2   WWF runs Brawl for All
   0   0   1     2   Two Dusty finishes in two nights for Hogan vs. Sting
   0   0   1     2   Too Much becomes an ambiguously gay duo
   0   0   1     2   Rick Steiner wins tag team titles
   0   0   1     2   Raven attacked by fans
   0   0   1     2   Outsiders split
   0   0   1     2   Mr. McMahon puts his stamp all over every WWF event
   0   0   1     2   Mr. McMahon abused Shane as a child
   0   0   1     2   Konnan becomes a cool guy
   0   0   1     2   Goldust joins Luna, become TAFKAG
   0   0   1     2   Gangrel leads a Gothic lifestyle
   0   0   1     2   Eric Bischoff takes out Randy Savage
   0   0   1     2   Eric Bischoff regains control of WCW without explanation
   0   0   1     2   Eric Bischoff and Larry Zbyszko fight for control of Nitro
   0   0   1     2   Dusty Rhodes joins NWO
   0   0   1     2   Dennis Rodman
   0   0   1     2   D-Generation X teases split

REJECTED

   3   5   6         Hollywood Hogan runs for President (ineligible time)
   2   3   2         "Tie" votes
   2   1   0         Undertaker attempts to embalm Steve Austin alive
                     (ineligible time)
   1   0   1         Hawk tries to commit suicide (ineligible time)
   0   1   0         Marlena won by Brian Pillman (ineligible time)
   0   0   1         OWN (duplicate vote)
   0   0   1         Buff Bagwell, Scott Steiner keep fooling Rick Steiner
                     with fake injuries, face turns (duplicate vote)

ANDY JUDGE: I hope one day someone really does come in from the audience and
beat the crap out of Ernest Miller. Or even if Ernest Miller beats the crap out
of them, they sue WCW for their injuries.

SVEN MASCARENHAS: As usual, WCW sweeps the worst angle slots, with the OWN,
Chucky, and Bret Hart's apparently schizoid personality completing yet another
trifecta for them.

CHRIS DILLON: There have been so many bad angle's this year. The worst for me,
is the way the WCW booking comittee screwed with Bret's character. At least now
he seems to be getting over finally. NWA in the WWF was doomed to fail with the
Rock and Roll Express and Barry Windham at the helm. Kane shooting lightning
didn't help me suspend my disbelief, either...

VINCE MORALES: Nothing could degrade wrestling more than WCW believing Chucky
is a real guy.

BLAIRPAC: 1st The whole Chucky angle should be called the worst angle of all
time - 2nd The whole NWA angle was a waste of time - 3rd this is especially bad
if it's true that Goldberg won't lose for at least another year

MICHAEL JAVORNIK: Jim Cornette belongs back in the 80's, along with his suits.

BEN MILLER: WCW needs thier own catagory for this one.  Nothing was worse than
Bret saving his god-awful brothers-in-law every week, though.

GEORGE CARTER: Chucky = ratings killer. The Eric Bischoff Show was BAD, but at
least it was believable, that's why it was my 3rd place "winner", second  place
goes to "Kane lighting up a man on fire."

CURTIS DESJARDINS: The whole "Mrs. Yamaguchi is Taka's sister" angle was
terrible, but "choppy choppy your pee pee"? Come on. Bischoff should look to
New Japan to see how nWo should be run (and the subsequent faction
splitting). Big surprise NJ is doing it better than WCW.

JAMES FABIANO: Hogan/Warrior has to have #1, with the Havoc match,  Disciple
and Horace getting pushed, Warrior appearing in the mirror, and of course all
that NWO killing smoke.  I've been waiting all year to vote for Mero's abusive
relationship with Sable, which was depressing given Mero's supposed family
values that he was so worried about when leaving WCW.  And enough with Buff and
Scott as the boys who cried wolf already.  I marked out the first time, but it
got old when they kept doing it over and over.  BTW, dishonorable mention goes
to Chucky and all those damn pointless heel turns (Kanyon, Giant, and Hart in
WCW, and in the WWF the Undertaker admitting to starting the fire and Edge
joining the Brood out of nowhere)

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Chucky. 'Nuff said. Warrior/Hogan and the OWN second, nWo
Nitecap third.

TOMMY-O: Eric's ego at its worst

ASHLEY RALEY: I voted for Bischoff's NWO Nightcap, Chucky, and Hogan for
President.  I also have to give an honorable mention to the      "Warrior in
the mirror" bit.  It would be one thing if WCW would     intend these angles to
be humorous, but instead we have to hear     the idiot announcers take all of
this ludicrous BS and try to make     it sound dead serious.

BRAVO SIERRA: Much of WCW's current troubles can be directly connected to Hogan
and his theft of the NWO gimmick.

CUBS FAN: Warrior's OWN, the nWo Night Cap, the powerbomb ban.  Notice a
pattern?

RYAN GRANT:  Val Venis vs. KDX was shit--CHOPPY CHOPPY!  SHRINKAGE!  JOHN WAYNE
BOBBIT, BAY-bEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!  The WCW summer was shit--JAY LENO!
RODMANCURANA?!?!  KARL MALONE > CHRIS BENOIT!  The NWA Invasion was
shit--WINDHAM IS OLD!  THE NEW MIDNIGHTS WERE A DISGRACE!  AZTEC WARRIOR
COSTUME 4 LIFE!  Lame angles deserve lame comments, so hey......

CARLOS LAMAR: Once they ran out of run-of-the-mill JTTS's, the turn to Meng to
suddenly be #1 Contender and the buildup of the match (which always resulted as
a squash) were obvious moves of desperation.

SEAN SHANNON: Number one - Eric Bischoff's "challenge" to Vince McMahon
following Degeneration X's utter and complete humiliation of WCW was too
moronic for words; all the more so since not only did his "challenge" actually
cause his company to lose ratings, but it's given the WWF more ammunition in
their legal cases against WCW in regards to WCW creating the illusion of WWF
wrestlers invading them.  Number two - It is an honest to goodness miracle that
someone did not come out from the crowd during the NWO Night Cap segments and
kill Bischoff for having the unmitigated gall to try to pass off the biggest
ego trip of his career as entertainment.  Number three - It would have been one
thing if it had only been Rick Steiner who was taking Chucky seriously.  But
the entire WCW announce team was taking Chucky seriously as well.  The worst
promotional tie-in in recent memory.

REV. RAY DUFFY: You know it's bad when the Val Venis "choppy choppy"  angle
wasn't bad enough to make my list.  Chucky was a bad shill and the fact  that
Rick Steiner got into an argument and lost to a dummy is even sadder.
Bischoff's tonight show angle was a great way from me to check out infomercials
on other channels until he was off my TV.  And Kane setting people on fire with
a lightning bolt is Black Scorpion level of badness.

JASON LANGIN: Buff Bagwell's mother getting involved with her son and the
Steiners - The tag team scene was bad enough in WCW.  Give the Villanos the
belts!

RICK SCAIA: I can't believe WCW screwed up with Bret Hart so badly.  Vince
handed them the industry's biggest babyface on a silver platter, and they
couldn't figure out how to make it work.  Instead, a convoluted series of turns
by Hart that no one could make any sense of was substituted. Awful stuff.  Buff
Bagwell's constant faking of injuries and duping of Rick Steiner got old after
about the 23rd time....  and what were they smoking when they thought the NWA
would get over with today's fans by "invading" the WWF?

I. C. MICHAEL: 1st: Chucky!I'll say it again. Give me a #@!#ing break! This
makes me long for the days of realistic angles... like Papa Shango making the
Warrior barf all over himself.   2nd:NWO Nightcap - Wasted a half-hour per
episode of Nitro, while the workers were getting sub-five minute matches.  Hey,
Eric, get off my TV! 3rd:Buff Bagwell and Scott Steiner keep fooling Rick
Steiner with fake injuries, face turns - IMO WCW really dropped the ball this
year by failing to properly promote two potential mega-faces. One was Bret
Hart, the other was Buff Bagwell. Buff could have made a huge face comeback
after his injury, instead he's stuck in the midcard  prancing around as Big
Poppa Pump's girlfriend and feuding with his Momma.  What a waste...

I. C. MICHAEL: Overall, WCW gives me the highest quality wrestling in I'm going
to see in NA. But they continue to screw up royally in terms of
promotion. While Vince is making the most of a limited roster, the WCW seems
intent on wasting as much time and talent as possible. 1st:WCW wastes Bret Hart
early when he had the most possible value to them - I thought that Hart in WCW
as a face was a can't miss. I was wrong.  2nd:WCW fails to contend with
disgruntled midcarders - A long term mistake, WCW is pissing away their future
by failing to appreciate the  value of the NJ3, among others. 3rd:WCW crowns
Goldberg champion on Nitro instead of PPV - This could have been PPV solid gold
with the right build up, but instead WCW was content to use it so that Nitro
could win the ratings for one week.  Big deal.

HEATM: Worst Angle has to be the one from WCW...

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Organization

Award Description:

To be given to the organization/promotion that has the worst product. This
is the organization whose TV and house shows you wouldn't even think of
attending. Probably not even as a freebie.

Previous Winners:

  1990: WWF / AWA (tie)
  1991: WCW
  1992: WWF
  1993: WCW
  1994: WCW
  1995: WCW
  1996: AWF
  1997: WCW

**1998**: WCW

352 first place votes
202 second place votes
171 third place votes

 243  40  18  1371   WCW
  32  38  23   320   MCW
  25  27  23   252   ECW
  14   8  15   124   Clique Championship Wrestling
  10   8  25   124   WWF
   5  21  16   120   Hammerlock Wrestling
   4  10  11    72   NJPW
   5   8   8    65   NWA
   1   3   1    16   APW
   1   1   1    10   AJPW
   1   1   0     8   IWA Japan
   0   2   0     6   PCW
   0   2   0     6   Memphis Power Pro
   1   0   0     5   World Television Wrestling (MN)
   1   0   0     5   Windy City Wrestling
   1   0   0     5   Tenenssee Mountain Wrestling
   1   0   0     5   Ohio Valley Championship Wrestling
   1   0   0     5   NCW
   1   0   0     5   MEWF
   1   0   0     5   IWA Midwest Wrestling
   1   0   0     5   EWF
   1   0   0     5   BJPW
   0   1   0     3   WWA (MN)
   0   1   0     3   Neo-Japan (?)
   0   1   0     3   Mayhem Independent Wrestling
   0   1   0     3   ICPW (?)
   0   1   0     3   All-Pro Wrestling (NC)
   0   1   0     3   AAA
   0   0   1     2   PWF
   0   0   1     2   MNW
   0   0   1     2   MLWO
   0   0   1     2   K-1
   0   0   1     2   Central States Wrestling Alliance (MO)
   0   0   1     2   AWF

REJECTED

   0  18  17         WCW (duplicates)
   0   5   3         NWO (part of WCW)
   0   2   1         Wolfpack (part of WCW)
   1   0   1         LWO (part of WCW)
   1   0   0         OWN (part of WCW)
   0   1   1         USWA (ineligible)
   0   1   0         SMW (ineligible)
   0   0   1         NBC

SHAWN MULLIN: the only 3 feds I know at all.  Since WWF has more talent and
better storylines and WCW has much more talent... ECW has to be worst.

GIANT AL: I don't know much about the indepentdents and I'm not going to just
put random answers for this so I'm not gonna answer this one.

SVEN MASCARENHAS: I may bash WCW a lot, but I recognize their ability to put on
a good PPV when the need actually strikes them. ECW puts on PPV's and somehow
manages to make themselves look even worse. Even Heatwave couldn't save their
collective asses from getting this one - I can't believe I'm saying this, but
they really miss Raven.

CHRIS DILLON: WWF undercards, for the most part, this year have had virtually
no heat, even with the influx of new stars and gimmicks etc. I recently saw
some Memphis Power Pro - oh dear. WCW has some great wrestlers, but it's still
holding back some of it's better stars (although that situation has improved
this year) and pushing the terrible old stars.

MIKE SONBY: WCW isn't the "Worst" Organiziation; more like the most
underachieving.  How can an organization so talented that the third-string
stars (Kidman, most of the cruisers) put on outstanding matches week after week
do such a poor job?  With long, boring, rambling interviews by Hogan, Steiner,
etc.  With horrible angles (NOW Late Night; Miller's push; anything involving
Rodman).  And with a tendency to shove aside the best talent in the
organization.  (Not only Benoit and Malenko in the ring, but Terry Taylor has
shown he can be an excellent booker; naturally, he's put on the least-watched
show).

VINCE MORALES: WCW has the talent to put on the best cards ever, but instead
the decide to put on cards we've seen in the WWF years ago.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: It's time All Japan got their heads out of the 70's and
dumped either (a) all the guys who are a waste of spooge like Eigen, Fuchi,
Kimura, and other comedy match material, or (b) stop showcasing their ENTIRE
fucking roster every damn show. Having the top 2 or 3 matches be super hot
doesn't make up for the 6 to 8 bathroom breaks that have preceded them. Time to
trim the fat and get someone who can actually book. And can someone else
besides Kyoko Inoue please take over at Neo. She doesn't have a clue.

STEPHEN TISZENKEL: WCW has been bad for a while now, but this was the year that
they dropped to astonishing new levels of badness. Terrible wrestling!
Abominable announcing! Karl Malone, Dennis Rodman and Jay Leno! Warrior, for
God's sake! The parade of badness goes on and on. Eric Bischoff should hang his
head in shame.

BERT SNOOVEN: WCW's major problem is that they only have one good booker. It's
Stevie Ray's brother.

MIKE CHAPMAN: There's just too much crap to swallow.

JON WHITE: How can you vote for a worst promotion?  There's no way a promotion
can be that bad.  It has to have something good about it.

CHRIS BIRD: For all of this WCW vs. WWF rhetoric that's been going on in rspwm
lately, I feel the need to point out that neither is worthy of the title of
"worst promotion". WCW may be ineptly booked and dominated by an aging
egomaniac, and the WWF may be smutty and tasteless and have a lot of stiffs,
but compared to ECW, they're both the cream of the Japanese feds. ECW has
*nothing*. Large numbers of the good workers that were worth watching have fled
in the past year (most recently Bam Bam Bigelow and, if rumours are true, Taz
will soon follow). The gimmicks that Paul Heyman comes up with get lamer with
each passing month (Tammy Lynn Bytch?) and Heyman seems to find it impossible
to book anything except a run-in ending for almost every match, preferably one
that involves a woman or two getting the crap kicked out of them. Most of ECW's
roster couldn't get jobs in the big two if they tried, and I include Sabu in
that quite happily. (Rob Van Dam *might* have a shot at it. Maybe.) I'd rather
watch a compiliation video of Ernest Miller's greatest interviews than watch
ECW weekly TV any more.

CUBS FAN: I didn't vote for Worst Promotion.  Everyone had a least something
going for it...even WCW didn't totally suck.

MICHAEL NAIMARK: ECW.  Sadly, now that Heyman has the clout to produce
quarterly PPVs, he doesn't have the talent to showcase.  The WWF's foray into
'hardcore' programming will further erode Heyman's base.  Things look grim for
what was once the most innovative promotion in North America.  Honorable
mention to Jerry lawler's repugnant Power Pro Promotion.

SHANE ANDERSON: I saw Windy City at a county fair and it stunk worse than the
cow barns; WWA is like watching Hogan v Warrior in slow motion; they should
stick to music in the Music City

SEAN SHANNON: WCW looked like they finally could have followed an angle through
correctly with the Hogan vs. Sting match at Starrcade, but the resulting Dusty
Finish and subsequent booking typified a year which saw WCW run angles nearly
as bad as the Black Scorpion days, and saw all the power-hungry old-timers
force the young talent out of significant television time.  I saw about 10
seconds of MCW on my local UPN affiliate, and that was enough to turn me off of
their product forever, so they'll come in second.  Third ... I'm almost tempted
to put in NJPW just to piss Herb Kunze off, but since I can't objectively rate
what I haven't seen, I'll have to leave my final slot blank.

ED BRANSCOMB: It's mind boggling how bad WCW PPVs and TV shows are considering
the ton of talented workers they have on their roster.

JASON LANGIN: Nothing is that bad!

GARETH THOMAS: I watched the King of the Death Matches and the Matsunaga vs
Crocodile commercials, and have come to the commercial that Big Japan Pro
Wrestling is the lamest promotion on Earth.  IWA Japan is similar, if not quite
as bad.  Actually voting for AJPW in third place, as they have had have just
been too stagnant all year with not much happening, at least until Vader
signed.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst TV Show

Award Description:

To be given to what is on average the worst wrestling TV show. In 1994, TV
shows and major shows were given separate award categories.

Previous Winners:

  1991: 07/07/91: WCW Great American Bash
  1992: 12/03/91: WWF This Tuesday In Texas
  1993: 04/04/93: WWF WrestleMania IX
  1994: WCW Worldwide
  1995: WWF Mania
  1996: AWF Warriors of Wrestling
  1997: WWF LiveWire

**1998**: WCW Worldwide

405 first place votes
347 second place votes
309 third place votes

  72  65  40   635   WCW Worldwide
  75  39  35   562   WCW Pro
  62  51  48   559   WCW Saturday Night
  57  58  27   513   WCW Thunder
  70  26  33   494   WCW Monday Nitro
  25  40  53   351   WWF LiveWire
   8  26  28   174   WWF Superstars
   6  18  19   122   WWF Shotgun
  11   8   7    93   MCW Weekly TV
   8   6   6    70   ECW TV
   5   2   4    39   WWF RAW is WAR (RAW / WarZone)
   1   3   4    22   WWF Sunday Night Heat
   1   1   0     8   WTW Front Row Ringside
   1   0   0     5   WWA (MN) Weekly TV
   0   1   1     5   WWF New York
   0   1   0     3   WCW LiveWire
   0   1   0     3   Memphis Power Pro Power Hour
   0   0   1     2   WWF BlastOff

REJECTED

   1   0   1         WCW Nitro Xtra (ineligible time)
   1   0   0         Saturday Night's Main Event (ineligible time)
   1   0   0         NWO Late Night
   0   1   1         Nitro (duplicates)
   0   0   1         WCW Thunder (duplicates)


GARETH ROBINSON: WWF Raw, for not being shown in New Zealand.

CHRIS DILLON: I generally hate all the WWF recap shows. Also MPPW's TV show is
horrendously bad.

VINCE MORALES: Thunder used to mean something. Now it's just a waste of my 2
hours.

KEVIN PODSIADLIK: Thunder gets promoted to the "top" spot due to its ability to
actively drive away would-be reviewers.

JAMES FABIANO: Livewire and Superstars are nothing more than edited versions of
RAW, but even so, Worldwide was much worse.  At least the other shows' clips
aren't 2 weeks old.  And don't get me started on those months-old Worldwide
exclusive matches.....

DOUG CORTI: Big surprise. My votes (Nitro and Raw) go to shows that feature
angles over wrestling.

SEAN SHANNON: For as bad as Nitro is, it is, painfully enough, the best WCW
show out there.  WorldWide - what can you say about a show whose typical  main
event is Kendall Windham versus Lenny Lane?  Second goes to Thunder, partly
because WCW still can't decide what to do with the show themselves.  Third
worst in my mind is Saturday Night, because even with the booking of Terry
Taylor, this show still seems about as relevant as a tea cozy in an ice storm.

ED BRANSCOMB: This one is easy: WCW Slumber

REV. RAY DUFFY: Nitro is getting it though I have mixed feelings.  Too  much
Hogan, too many interviews and matches with people I just don't give a  damn
about.  I mean, at least on the other WCW programs, you can catch a few  good
workers in matches or get a few unadvertised good matches.  ECW TV, what
little I got, was pretty henious this year.  And what's the use of WWF Live
Wire?

JASON LANGIN: WCW Pro - How many shows do they need?

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Major Show

Award Description:

To be given to the worst major event. This could be a pay-per-view, a TV
special, or any big arena event. In 1994, TV shows and major shows were
given separate award categories.

Previous Winners:

  1991: 07/07/91: WCW Great American Bash
  1992: 12/03/91: WWF This Tuesday In Texas
  1993: 04/04/93: WWF WrestleMania IX
  1994: 06/19/94: WWF King of the Ring
  1995: 03/19/95: WCW Uncensored
  1996: 03/24/96: WCW Uncensored
  1997: 01/25/97: NWO Souled Out

**1998**: 08/08/98: WCW Road Wild

375 first place votes
321 second place votes
281 third place votes

 100  89  38   843   08/08/98 WCW Road Wild
 103  40  38   711   09/13/98 WCW Fall Brawl
  40  52  63   482   07/12/98 WCW Bash at the Beach
  34  18  27   278   10/25/98 WCW Halloween Havoc
  21  14  19   185   03/15/98 WCW Uncensored
   9  18  10   119   12/28/97 WCW Starrcade
   6  18  15   114   06/14/98 WCW Great American Bash
  12   7  13   107   05/03/98 ECW WrestlePalooza
   5  16  12    97   02/15/98 WWF In Your House: No Way Out (of Texas)
   7   6   0    53   01/24/98 WCW Souled Out
   2   7   6    43   12/08/97 WWF In Your House: D-Generation X
   3   5   6    42   07/26/98 WWF In Your House: Fully Loaded
   2   3   9    37   11/09/97 WWF Survivor Series
   2   7   2    35   04/26/98 WWF In Your House: Unforgiven
   0   4   4    20   10/18/98 WWF In Your House: Judgment Day
   3   0   2    19   08/30/98 WWF SummerSlam
   2   0   0    10   05/17/98 WCW Slamboree
   1   1   1    10   11/23/97 WCW World War 3
   0   1   3     9   11/01/98 ECW November To Remember
   1   1   0     8   10/24/98 NWA 50th Anniversary Show
   1   0   1     7   01/18/98 WWF Royal Rumble
   0   2   0     6   09/06/98 WWF In Your House: Break Down
   0   0   3     6   02/22/98 WCW Superbrawl VIII
   1   0   0     5   05/31/98 WWF In Your House:Over the Edge
   1   0   0     5   05/01/98 AJPW Tokyo Dome
   0   1   1     5   03/01/98 ECW Living Dangerously
   0   1   0     3   04/19/98 WCW Spring Stampede
   0   1   0     3     /  /   CMLL anniversary show

REJECTED - television shows (mostly)

   9   1   3         WCW Monday Nitro
   7   1   1         "Tie" votes ("Any X PPV")
   2   3   0         WCW Thunder
   1   1   0         WCW Saturday Night
   0   2   1         WWF RAW is WAR
   0   0   2         WWF Sunday Night Heat
   0   1   0         WCW (huh?)
   0   0   1         ECW Weekly TV
   0   0   1         09/07/97 WWF In Your House: Ground Zero (ineligible time)

JAMES KALYN: I went to a friend's place to watch Fall Brawl.  I brought a blank
VHS tape with me, so that after my friend taped the show for himself, I could
give him my tape and he could make a copy for me.  Fall Brawl was so bad that I
kept my blank tape.  Even for free, it wasn't worth keeping.

SVEN MASCARENHAS: Wrestlpalooza made me yearn for a cyanide capsule, in case it
got any worse. Road Wild made me actually think of taking the capsule. How did
Fall Brawl end, anyway? I took the capsule after seeing that Norman Smiley
vs. Earnest Miller was what I paid money to watch.

CHRIS DILLON: This is an easy cateogory, there have been many terrible PPV
shows this year. Fall Brawl is one of the worst shows I have ever
seen. Period. One good match (Saturn vs Raven) should not be happening with
WCW's amazing roster. WWF Unforgivable was also terrible. IYH Disqualification
X was another awful In Your House even, with loads of DQ finishes, a mediocre
Shawn Michaels match and only one good match (Taka vs Christopher).

VINCE MORALES: When ordering this I figured Hart/Hogan vs. Piper/Savage
wouldn't exactly be a classic, but I did figure Hart/Savage could carry a half
way decent match that wouldn't put me to sleep. The result however was a long
nap.

MICHAEL JAVORNIK: After the huge buildup to Sting/Hogan, this may have been the
biggest flop in wrestling history.  Absolutely terrible.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: On 5/1All Japan put on 11 matches: a watchable opener and 3
hot matches to close. Too bad there were 7 bathroom breaks in between.

JAMES FABIANO: I couldn't vote for Worst Supercard this year, since I didn't
really see many PPVs this year, and most of the ones I did see were good.  As
much as I'd like to punish Halloween Havoc for Hogan vs. Warrior, it really
wasn't that bad, so I couldn't include it here.  I will say, however, that WWF
Unforgiven was the weakest PPV I saw this year, being a bunch of
bad-to-nondescript matches saved by an only good Austin/Dude match.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Well, believe me when I say I'm happy that I never order
PPVs... I figure I'll just keep renting 'em on video for the forseeable
future. Anyway, since I've seen bits and pieces of Road Wild and Bash at the
Beach, though, and they're *more* than bad enough to put 'em on the list. Bash
gets first cause it had thirty minutes of Hoganesque ego-stroking and five
minutes each for the cruisers. And Survivor Series was probably nowhere near
the worst PPV of the year, but I was there live, the wrestling sucked, and
there was that little Bretgate thing--as sick as I'm getting of hearing about
it--so I guess I'll vote for it anyway.

JEFF BELL: Road Wild, Bash At The Beach and Halloween Havoc: The 3 reasons I
will never, EVER, order a WCW PPV again in my lifetime.

JON WHITE: There were a lot of bad PPV's this year.  Too bad I can only choose
three.

CHRIS BIRD: WCW Road Wild might have sucked, but at least it had a *** match
between Chris Jericho and Juventud Guerrera. WCW Fall Brawl definitely sucked,
but at least it had a *** 1/2 match between Saturn and Raven. ECW
WrestlePalooza, on the other hand, had nothing to recommend it. Not one
thing. When the best match on the card is a * 1/2 comedy match between the FBI
and Blue Meania/Super Nova, you know you've got a gigantic turd of a PPV on
your hands, and relying on RVD and Sabu to come up with a great match is a
joke.

CUBS FAN: Halloween Havoc.  The PPV that killed Hogan's career.  Yet, I must
vote for it as the worst PPV.  Fall Brawl was hurt by War Games.  Looking back
on it, SS '97 really sucked, but no one's ever going remember that about it...

SHANE ANDERSON: I can always find something good with every show, no show is
ever a total waste.  Not buying every PPV helps too.

CARLOS LAMAR: I still think I'm entitled to a refund for this year's WCW
PPV's.

SEAN SHANNON: Having only seen two shows this year that I can place the label
of "worst" on, I can only place two votes here.  Starrcade was the first WCW
pay-per-view I ever bought, and it will be the last.  Not only did WCW totally
botch up the redemption of Sting to mind-numbing proportions, the Eric
Bischoff-Larry Zbyszko match was the worst piece of crap in the history of
wrestling.  When Vincent gets a win on a pay-per-view, and the cruiserweights
are nowhere to be seen, that should clue you in as to how much of a cesspool it
is.  I really wasn't that upset with WrestlePalooza, but it had two unavoidable
pockmarks: Sabu fighting off a severe intestinal bug during his match with Rob
van Dam couldn't be avoided, but a one-armed Shane Douglas getting a clean
pinfall victory over Al Snow could have been. Why Heyman continues to push this
piece of crap, I don't know.

JASON LANGIN: Again I saw no PPV's but I can't imagine that Hog Wild (with Jay
Leno. JASON LANGIN: could have been good!

MDB: Fall Brawl completely trashed the legacy of Wargames.  This was worse than
Road Wild only because Road Wild had Juvy v. Jericho.

RICK SCAIA: For all their undercard talent, WCW had real problems promoting a
show with any kind of interesting content on top.  And if the undercard was
badly booked or those guys had off nights, the company was really screwed if
they expected Hulk Hogan, Dennis Rodman, or Jay Leno to electrify a crowd and
send them home happy.  Clean sweep for WCW in this category:  Road Wild was the
worst, by a slim margin, over Fall Brawl.  For the sheer stupidity of its main
event and the purposely poorly booked undercard, Bash at the Beach comes in at
#3.

HEATM: WCW's Fall Brawl was the worst major show in a long long time. WCW's
Bash at the Beach was not far behind.  WWF IYH: D-X was the PPV after the
infamous Survior Series PPV, and it completely bombed.  Even the
Michaels/Shamrock headline match couldn't save it.  Owen Hart jumping from the
stands was not worth $30.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Promotional Move

Award Description:

To be given to the worst move made by a promotion this past year. This could
include giving somebody a push, demoting someone, firing someone hiring
someone, or anything of a promotional nature.

Previous Winners:

  1991: WCW loses Ric Flair
  1992: WCW bans off the top rope moves under Bill Watts
  1993: WCW tapes 13 weeks of TV at one time in Orlando, Fla.
  1994: WCW lets Hulk Hogan control his scenarios
  1995: WCW gives Hulk Hogan too much control
  1996: WWF lets Scott Hall and/or Kevin Nash go
  1997: Sting doesn't wrestle for the entire year

**1998**: WCW sues Ric Flair, causing nearly five month absence from television

435 first place votes
402 second place votes
381 third place votes

  66  25  21   447   WCW sues Ric Flair, causing disappearance from TV
  49  32  26   393   WCW signs Warrior, creates One Warrior Nation
  45  32  12   345   WCW allows Hollywood Hogan to control his own fate
  30  41  25   323   WCW signs non-wrestlers to PPV main events, pays them
                     more than wrestlers
  20  33  24   247   WCW promotes "Bride of Chucky" with Chucky appearances on
                     TV
  15  25  22   194   WCW fires Syxx
  21  15  10   170   WCW books angle around Scott Hall's personal problems
  24   9  10   167   Eric Bischoff says only Hogan, Piper, Savage put asses in
                     seats
  10  18  16   136   WCW ignores tag team division
  20   5   6   127   NBC airs an expose on pro wrestling
  19   6   5   123   WCW & WWF misuse technical/high flying wrestlers
  11  15  11   122   WCW wastes Bret Hart early when he had the most possible
                     value to them
   8  15  12   109   WCW extends Tony Schiavone's contract for 4 more years
  15   5   7   104   Bret Hart leaves WWF to sign with WCW
   4  14  19   100   WWF "builds" female and light heavyweight divisions around
                     too few wrestlers
   4  12  18    92   WWF buries Kaientai
   4   9  18    83   WCW pushes Cat
   8   6  10    78   WWF creates Brawl for All
   6   7   7    65   WCW crowns Goldberg champion on Nitro instead of PPV
   7   1   7    52   WCW airs Konnan music video on Halloween Havoc
   3   7   8    52   WWF misuses, then releases Sunny
   2   4   8    38   WCW creates Latino World Order
   2   5   5    35   WCW fails to contend with disgruntled midcarders
   1   6   6    35   WCW pushes Stevie Ray as a main eventer
   2   3   7    33   WWF vacates World title for months
   3   3   4    32   WCW books Bret Hart into NWO
   2   3   4    27   WCW doesn't push luchadores
   3   3   1    26   WWF uses Mike Tyson
   2   3   3    25   ECW loses Bam Bam Bigelow and Sandman to WCW
   3   2   0    21   WCW signs British Bulldog & Jim Niedhart
   3   2   0    21   Toshiaki Kawada booked to lose Triple Crown
   1   4   1    19   WCW books Juventud Guerrera to lose mask
   1   1   4    16   WCW pushes Konnan as a major face
   3   0   0    15   WCW runs overtime at Halloween Havoc
   1   0   4    13   WWF misuses, then releases Vader
   0   1   5    13   WWF creates wrestling pornstar character
   1   1   2    12   WCW splits the NWO
   1   1   2    12   Eric Bischoff pushes himself, stars in NWO Nightcap
   2   0   0    10   WWF buries Owen Hart
   1   1   0     8   WCW has Travis Tritt mini-concert at Road Wild
   1   1   0     8   WCW does not produce conclusive end to Sting vs. Hogan at
                     Starcade, kills Sting's heat
   1   1   0     8   WCW adds Thunder to televised lineup
   1   0   1     7   WWF invites Motley Crue to RAW
   1   0   1     7   WWF creates WWF Attitude
   0   2   0     6   WCW continues to use Roddy Piper
   1   0   0     5   WWF strips Steve Austin of title
   1   0   0     5   WWF goes to live/taped format
   1   0   0     5   WWF books Butterbean/Marc Mero match
   1   0   0     5   WCW's crappy booking and angles
   1   0   0     5   Tony Schiavone's constant WWF bashing
   1   0   0     5   TSN edits/pre-empts Raw
   0   1   1     5   WCW breaks up tag teams
   0   1   1     5   Eric Bischoff challenges Vince McMahon to Slamboree match
   0   0   2     4   WCW turns Worldwide into a clip show
   0   0   2     4   WCW appears in the rain on MTV
   0   1   0     3   WWF showcases Insane Clown Posse
   0   1   0     3   WWF hires a bunch of nobodies for Wrestlemania (Pete Rose,
                     Jennifer Flowers)
   0   1   0     3   WWF guarentees new champs at Sept and Oct PPVs, and
                     delivers none
   0   1   0     3   WWF gives Shane McMahon microphone
   0   1   0     3   WCW splits Outsiders
   0   1   0     3   WCW resigns Ed Leslie
   0   1   0     3   WCW puts J.J. Dillon on television
   0   1   0     3   WCW keeps Nitro Girls on TV
   0   1   0     3   WCW keeps NWO all year
   0   1   0     3   WCW exploits Buff Bagwells injury
   0   1   0     3   WCW bleeps out the word "suck"
   0   1   0     3   Mick Foley takes chairshot the same week as Hell in the
                     Cell match
   0   1   0     3   ECW keeps the Heavyweight Title on Shane Douglas, despite
                     injury
   0   1   0     3   ECW jacks up ticket prices on November to Remember
   0   1   0     3   Dan Severn (what about him?)
   0   1   0     3   Bret Hart urges fans to buy Fall Brawl in his newspaper
                     column
   0   0   1     2   WWF turns Rock face
   0   0   1     2   WWF jobs light heavyweights to heavyweights
   0   0   1     2   WWF doesn't use Bart Gunn after Brawl for All
   0   0   1     2   WWF airs Sable/Jacqueline bikini challenge
   0   0   1     2   WCW won't push young athletes
   0   0   1     2   WCW wastes PPV-caliber main events on Nitro
   0   0   1     2   WCW uses Judy Bagwell
   0   0   1     2   WCW run countless Halloween Havoc promos
   0   0   1     2   WCW loses dominance in Monday Night Wars
   0   0   1     2   WCW lets Scott Steiner wrestle
   0   0   1     2   WCW keeps Hart and Flair apart
   0   0   1     2   WCW gives shabby treatment of Louie Spicolli's death
   0   0   1     2   WCW drags on Steiner/Steiner feud
   0   0   1     2   WCW Attacks WWF for taping shows
   0   0   1     2   Vince McMahon screws people (?)
   0   0   1     2   Rick Rude goes from ECW to WWF to WCW
   0   0   1     2   Neo-Japan breaks up Estuko Mita and Mima Shimoda
   0   0   1     2   NWA to invade WWF
   0   0   1     2   ECW says that N2R '98 was going to be extreme
   0   0   1     2   Chris Benoit still has no official title reigns

REJECTED - ineligible time or duplicates

   1   2   0         "Tie" votes
   1   0   1         Hollywood Hogan runs for President
   0   2   0         WWF turns Rock heel
   0   1   1         WWF misuses, then releases Sunny
   0   0   1         WCW extends Nitro to 3 hrs

SHAWN MULLIN: Wow, some real Bishoff brilliance this year.  Take your biggest
draw for the last 20 years off TV and sue him, take a guy fresh of the biggest
screwjob in wrestling and with tons of interest in him.. and bring him in with
a whimper and the typical "is he nWo" crap, and lastly, give away a match that
would make tons of money on PPV for free to pop one big rating.  Man, oh man.

CHRIS FLOOK: WWF burying Kaientai may not seem like that big of a deal, but it
is a problem if they can't get over wrestlers that either can wrestle or can't
speak English.  This is a very serious potential problem.

CHRIS DILLON: The WWF burial of KDX is terrible. Anyone who cares should just
remember that Taka is earning $250k a year and the others may be earning near
that, but still, what a waste. WCW pushing Stevie Ray is just plain stupid,
although he will be accending the ranks of JTTS-dom soon. The Val Venis
character is another stupid WWF idea, trying to be "adult"..

VINCE MORALES: WCW just doesnt understand that the tag team division is vital
to pro wrestling. The easiest way to set up a feud between 2 guys is to tag
them up and break them apart. It's a real shame with WCW because they could
have a great division with teams like Benoit/Malenko, Guerrero/Jericho,
Hennig/Hart, the list goes on.

MICHAEL JAVORNIK: I didn't vote for the WCW signing Warrior and all those
non-wrestlers, because even though the wrestling was atrocious, it did make the
WCW a lot of money, so technically, they weren't bad promotional moves.

CURTIS DESJARDINS: Ric Flair puts asses in seats and WCW pulled a stunt like
this? I don't understand treating a proven compny man like this. Vince and
company really blew it with the Lightheavy Division by burying Kaientai and
Taka. What the hell is Kyoko DOING over in Neo? Breaking up the Mita & Shimoda
team? Are you out of your fucking mind?!? Honourable mention: Tony coming back
to WCW. I'll see if I can survive another 4 years of his inane prattle, but if
you hear a gunshot, that'll be me offing myself.

JAMES FABIANO: It's a shame to see so much talent go to waste, since WCW has
some of the best in the world and the WWF needs to push more wrestlers who can
wrestle to keep up.  WCW should know better than to exploit Scott Hall's
problems rather than do anything about them, especially after another wrestler
died earlier this year because of similar problems.  And for a great new
concept, the BFA did more harm than good for the WWF.  It caused numerous
injuries, produced no memorable matches, and aborted Steve Williams' push.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Yes, Bret, *of course* you're happy that you left Vince to shack
up with Eric. He's only started getting interesting again recently, and most of
his year has been compeletely wasted, so I think he gets first place
easily.. Mind you, as a bad promotional move on *his* part more than on
WCW's. I'd suggest he go back to the WWF, but I don't really think Vince would
take him back anymore... WCW's signing Warrior was a complete and utter bomb
and their promotion for 'Bride of Chucky' was just plain stupid, so I'll give
them the other two spots.

BERT SNOOVEN: WCW may show that the key to a good federation is to not do
anything they did in 1998, but WWF's major mistake in 1998 was the Brawl for
All. The fans did not get into the style. Many storylines were thrown
off. Let's not forget poor Bart, winning the tournament only to never be heard
from again.

OTTO "HACK-MAN" HEUER: The "Worst Promotional Move" had too may choices and too
may slots.  There were about six choices that all pretty much meant "both feds
are misusing the cruiserweights", so I ignored all except the all-encompassing
one (which I gave third place).  I wanted to vote for "WCW & WWF use celebs on
PPVs in stead of talented wrestler", but I used up all my votes.  I also wanted
to vote for WCW signing Warrior (for the price they could have hired another
100 lucha guys with) but went with: 1st:WCW sues Ric Flair, causing
disappearance from TV, 2nd:WCW fires Syxx, 3rd:WCW & WWF misuse technical/high
flying wrestlers.

MARK POLISHUK: Steve Austin, Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Sting, the
Undertaker, Goldberg......the list goes on and on.

S. FRIESEN: Oy.  [Brawl for All] was a corporate and booking blunder through
and through. It started out terrible, putting the least pushed wrestlers in the
sport in this thing.  Later on, this'll work to WWF's advantage because of all
the injuries.  And, in the end, the whole thing turned out to be a half-assed
stunt to get Bart Gunn over again.  Let's hope the Undertaker does us all a
favor and buries this idea, so we never have to switch over to Nitro when the
Bore us All tournament matches get wedged in between two commercial breaks that
are more entertaining than the matches themselves (now THAT'S a hell of a run
on sentence!) [referring to "WWF Attitude:] WWF became the top wrestling game
on earth when, a long while back, Vincent K. McMahon, Jr. took the reins of an
already larger-than-life wrestling orgainzation.  What he did was he made
wrestling a more family-oriented sport, so he could target a huge group of
people: kids. Now that WWF has reverted back to the adult-entertainment,
they've lost a lot of fans, that go to the Full House of wrestling, WCW.  Not

S. FRIESEN: that I'm complaining.  I love this adult stuff!

JON DENSEM: Too many choices here, it was hard to pick just three!

JON WHITE: NBC airing the special was so stupid, because nobody cared.  Hogan
booking him in the top at WCW just destroyed the company.  And the WWF wasting
there 4 best wrestlers in Kaienti was just stupid IMO.

ASHLEY RALEY: Until Hogan retires, WCW is just simply never going to reach even
a fraction of its full potential.  I think that he honestly believes     that
he was "passed the torch" as the leader of wrestling years ago     and that, as
such, he should get a say over everything.

BRAVO SIERRA: Much of WCW's current troubles can be directly connected to Hogan
and his theft of the NWO gimmick.

CUBS FAN: Yea, I really wanted to see Chucky.  I'm suprised no one nominated
the Shane Douglas World Title mess in ECW.  OWN.  What more needs to be said.

LORIE:  You know, WCW started to go downhill in quality real fast after Eric
Bischoff's cowardly firing of Sean Waltman.  Could it be that Eric brought a
curse down on himself for that?  LOL!

MICHAEL NAIMARK: In an effort to copy WCW's successful cruiserweight division,
the WWF signed 4 members of KDX, and then used them as jobber fodder.  Their
current credibility is somewhere below Public Enemy's. Honorable mention goes
to the hillarious WWF 'Brawl-for-All' matches, which injured half the
participants (including the debuting Steve Williams), damaged Dan Severn's
credibility, and culminated in a big push for....nobody.

SHANE ANDERSON:  I don't argue with NBC's idea, it was the show itself that
sucked; I not the high and mighty type but using Hall's real life problems was
disgusting; the real J.O.B. Squad is the entire light heavyweight division

CARLOS LAMAR: The introduction of Val Venis not only opens up a whole new line
of "Springer-wrestling" criticism, but I also don't like his character.  To
paraphrase [CRZ], "This guy sleeps with other people's wives, and we're
supposed to CHEER for him?"

SEAN SHANNON: With the signing of one individual, WCW was able to take all
their fans who blasted the WWF's "supernatural" gimmicks with the Undertaker,
and make all of them backpedal faster than the Tour de France played backwards.
WCW creates pretty horrible angles, but with the Warrior in tow, WCW has sunk
to new lows in stupidity.  Eric Bischoff firing Sean Waltman was the secondary
catalyst in the downfall of Nitro, but that event places third in my book, with
an offshoot of said firing getting second: Bischoff challenging Vince McMahon
to a match at the Great American Bash, after Degeneration X literally knocked
at WCW's front door.  Watching Bischoff plead (in his wise-ass way) for McMahon
to come work a WCW pay-per-view was the omen of things to come: it was the
defining moment that well and truly said that WCW was back to being the number
two US promotion.

JASON LANGIN: Bischoff giving himself too much TV time - He isn't interesting,
he isn't funny, he isn't a WRESTLER!

MDB: Don't sue legends who want a night off to see their kid wrestle. Don't
abandon something that would help eliminate the giant shuffle that your talent
is getting lost in.

DEAN RASMUSSEN: "Toshiaki Kawada booked to lose Triple Crown" looked real good
on paper to the dipcraps who book All Japan the day of the switch- little
realizing that the waning Kobashi would wither like the Chiefs in December in
his second title run.  Result: A pissed-off, humiliated Kawada and suddenly
totally useless Kobashi.  HI! Welcome to NOTHING!  "WCW ignores tag team
division"- with a zillion good to great workers on the roster, they could have
THREE viable tag belts and HELL! a Western Heritage title if they wanted to,
but that would make it too interesting and fun.  "WWF buries Kaientai"- Go
watch the eight-man from 10/10/96 and go tell McMahon, Pritchard and Cornette
to jump up your ass.  What a fucking disgrace.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
GENERAL COMMENTS:

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN ZIMMERMAN: It doesn't matter if it was a work or a shoot -
because in the end, if it wasn't, they MADE it a work.  And did it ever work.

FUZZY McSNUGGLES: It's a pity I couldn't "give" Mick Foley more awards.

MIKE LeBLANC:  AWF is the Apocalypse Wrestling Federation run out of Toronto,
Ontario by Ron "Wonderboy" Hutchinson, trainer of Edge, Christian, Tiger Ali
Singh, etc.

BIGJONBURR: Maybe you could name the categories after certain wrestlers,
wrestling personalities, etc.

STEVIEH: I think a lot was left out in the nominations.  The Austin/Tyson
explosion was the crucible for Austin's popularity going from "high" to
"insane"  (not to mention the ratings turn around.)  It could have fit into a
few categories.  Also Chris benoit being injured is disappointing, but not as
much as Shawn Michaels being out of the ring since April.

TPEGRUNGE: Before you ask, Yes, I am the Head Priest and Founder of
Yetimania. Nuff said. And yes, my votes were 100% serious.

SVEN MASCARENHAS: More than ever, I've got the feeling that WCW is going to run
rampant over the ballots. In certain categories, they most certainly should,
but there's this awful feeling within me that people even more biased than I
am, with respect to either federation, have polarized RSPW into supporting only
one of the two camps. That means that people will vote along 'party lines', and
if you want an example of what harm that can do, look at Ottawa. WCW wasn't
even the worst promotion in the world over the past year; ECW *easily* took
those honours, keeping Shane Douglas on top of the federation, forgetting their
great past involving Dean Malenko and Chris Benoit, and attempting to convince
the masses that ALDO F'N MONTOYA is the NEXT BIG THING!?! The day I figure out
what runs in the head of Paul E. Dangerously, I'll probably write a book. Maybe
I'll call it "Secrets of Pro Wrestling - Revealed!"

NICK KOROMAN: Even though Shawn Michaels was gone for almost all of '98, the
matches he did have were great especially considering he worked WM with a bum
back.

JEREMY S. BRAGG: I know Shawn Michaels didn't wrestle that much this year, and
that is why he only ranked third.  However, Shawn is the Best wrestler ever,
and his short time this past year brought some memorable matches!  Shawn's
inactivity and the fact that RVD is right there with him in skill, wrestling,
and everything put Van Dam 1st.  The Rock just may be the best damn IC champion
ever!  Oh you didn't know?!?!??  Who could be better?  The NAO are the best
team going today, and possibly one of the most popular ever!  The Hardy Boys
RULE and will make one of the best ever, and Sabu and Van Dam both are GREAT!
For Worst Heel and Worst Face...the votes were simple...The "Heels" never made
me dislike them and the faces....geez..I didn't care!  It may not seem like
it....but I don't hate WCW THAT much...it's just they put on a far inferior
product.

DAVID TOMLINSON: My votes are biased to the WWF first and WCW second because
these were the only two organisations to actively promote here in the UK in the
past year, with the WWF far more interested in the UK since we get to see WWF
PPV's but not WCW's. ECW started here in November so that doesn't count for
this vote.

BLAIRPAC: In general, notice how most of the votes in the worst categories have
to do with WCW.

GABRIEL WALLIS: I didn't vote for best/worst fed/tvshow/major show except kotr
because none of them have been that good this year,  i voted for kotr because
mic foley's performance was amazing and he deserves to be recognized; wcw has
the better potential, but i don't think they'll fulfill it until hogan retires
which is sad because great wrestlers like jericho, kanyon, bret, etc. are being
wasted.  WWF is not that great because i am sick of austin and vince, they need
to push mic and the rock more because they are the best thing about the fed, i
am also ancious to see what they do with dx because it is starting to feel like
the nwo after the first year.

ROB STRYE: WCW went from really good to really bad in the span of a few months,
heres why... A) Goldberg is the undefeated champion.   B) Ultimate Warrior
makes a pathetic, unwanted comeback.   C) They disbanded the Horsemen for a
while.   D) Bring in non-wrestlers to wrestle. EX: Jay Leno, Karl Malone and
Buff Bagwells Mother.   E) They do not involve the heavywieght champion in the
main storylines. (They can't because he doesnt know how to conduct an
interview.)F) Sting went from a charismatic leader to a quiet wrestler who is
on the backburner.G) Wasted Talent.  EX: Luchadors, Disco Inferno, Alex Wright,
Dean Malenko and many moreH) Lack of Babyfaces.I) Announcers believing the
stupidest thingsThere are many more reasons why WCW is terrible, the only good
think about WCW is the wrestling and comedy of Chris Jericho. ECW needs to be
picked up by a big cable network. Too many good things are happening in the
league but a lot of people dont even have the oppurtunity to watch it.

BARAN: The only reason I put the nwwwo vs Hyate feud in is because Hyate sucks.
Hogan deserves to be sniped.  When will people realise that Chris Benoit has no
personality and is nothing like Al Snow, who has personality and deserves his
push.

ADAM IN AMSTERDAM: thats it....it's a bit 2-dimensional, because I'm from
Amsterdam, Holland and we only get WCW 3 months later and WWF
videos....so...but I thought you would want to hear from someone outside the
us...cuz I am a REAL big wrestling fan!!

DAVID HENSEL: I'm a Chris jericho mark, who hates WCW. he is the only reason I
keep watching.  Where was Whorace or Reese of Shit?

BRIAN STEINBERG: Some random thoughts - All in all, a fantastic year for the
WWF and a real shitty year for WCW.  Kevin Nash may be the biggest
disappointment of the year, since he only wrestled for a grand total of about
30 minutes the whole year, and his interviews were pretty stale.  Mankind may
have gotten the most respect this year, and  not just for the falls he took at
Hell in the Cell.  I don't think he phoned it in once this year, even after
HITC when he had every right to.  At worst, he was a hysterical interview even
when he couldn't wrestle.  At best, well...I hope he has good life insurance.
Bischoff and Hogan should get the hell off the air.  Note to WWF: get Chris
Benoit somehow! A 20 minute match with Ken Shamrock would be incredible (or
vs. Edge, Al Snow, Christian, Taka, etc.)  Finally, to prove I'm not totally
pro-WWF, I thought the Goldust-Terri Runnels-Val Venis pregnancy bullshit is
not just offensive, but stupid.  I know people who's lives have been
drastically altered by accidental pregnancies, and it's not something to be
played up and mocked.  That's a bad job on their part.  One quick suck-up:  You
should get a vote for "Best Monday Night columnist" this year.  Can you add
that as a category next year?

IMASAXIST3: General comments: Words cannot describe how far WCW has plummeted
since Nov. of `97. 15. I'm surprised no one nominated the "Falls Count Anywhere
match" between Funk and Foley on RAW back in May. 28. ~!!!!!

JAMES FABIANO: Boy was it hard this year to come up with definitive votes for
some of the categories.  With Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit out of action,
Steve Austin mostly sticking to brawling, and the Big Two still not sure about
how to use their respective Hart brothers (though WCW is pushing the crippler
gimmick with Bret lately), I had to make room for a few new faces in the "Best
Of....." categories.  Fortunately, those new faces (Chris Jericho and Kidman in
particular) fit in just fine.  Also, having lost ECW and having not seen many
PPVs, I didn't get to vote for some categories altogether, and had to put extra
thought into others (Best/Worst match especially).  But I managed to survive
another year of mayhem, though after pissing off CRZ as I always do, I don't
know how long that will last.....

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Anyone recall how everybody and their brother was saying the WWF
would be dead by the end of the decade around this time last year? Strange that
it didn't work out that way... (Seeing Shawn refuse to job the strap on his
home planet of Earth would've been funny though. Kudos to
www.scoopthis.com. End blatant plug. ;) Oh, and am I the *only* wrestling fan
opn the 'net who wants to see Shawn Michaels come back to the ring already? At
least with him around choices for Match of the Year always seem a lot
easier...

THEWRATH: Unfortuneately, being Canadian, I don't have access to any Japanese
wrestling so I could not include any Japanese wrestlers in  my ballot.

FGS9214: Give Goldberg his due respect. Or you are next.

LYNXX: I would like to say Owen Hart is one of my favorite wrestlers. I belive
that some people think he is an underacheiver because hae always compared to
Bret. I like Owen and hope one day he does achieve real superstar greatness in
the WWF.

JASON HAMMOND Thanks for all the work you do compiling these awards!  Looking
forward to the results!

NIGEL KAY: I would like to thank Vince McMahon for providing us with the most
entertaining year I have ever had watching wrestling. It's a rollercoaster that
I hope never ends.

JAZZ: How can you leave Sabu off the Most Favorite Wrestler list? Also, for
match of the year, how about Van Dam vs. Bigelow for the TV Title in Buffalo,
NY? That match was easily the best in ECW this year!

JUSTIN KEENAN DOWLING: I WAS a huge WCW fan til they sucked so bad. Angle idea:
Bischoff is assassinated by Goldberg, who apparently snapped. He becomes this
psycho capable of anything violent. Meanwhile, The NWO remembers their original
purpose and retires Hogan, Flair, Piper, Savage, and Bret Hart. Lacking
leadership, the NWO black and white dissolves into feuds, the Wolfpac drops NWO
from its name and betray Sting with help of Hall. That would be a
start. Maybe. Til then, I can only watch RAW and hope it continues to shine so
Monday's I have a life. Sorta.

SUPERFAN SAM: Thank-You for doing this again. I am one of the old-timers from
RSPW and this is my favorite part of the year. I added a few comments at the
end for the first time.

TRENT DANIEL: To be honest, I was probably pro WCW until after the great Nitro
out of Atlanta on July 6th. WCW has had nothing but bad ideas since that
show. Leno, the Warrior, Hogan for President, Chuckie, et al. have all happened
since, and all have fallen flat. The only real excitement was generated when
Flair returned, yet the Horsemen have really done nothing since. Some of my
favorites, such as Raven, have been turned into jobbers, and the big guns only
talk, and never wrestle a clean match anymore. It's sad that one of the majors
is being carried by cruiserweights, but that is the case right now.  I have
switched over to the WWF right now, simply because they are doing so much more
with roughly 1/2 the talent base of WCW.

MDM: Disappointing year for WCW PPV's and disappointing deterioration of ECW,
due to loss of talent, and Ric Flair(which is very sad).

PAUL LUCAS:  43. & 46. When you start seeing the worst angles and promotinal
moves made by WCW over the past year, the number and shear stupidity of those
angles and moves is astonishing.  And, they are all virtually on the same level
of stupidity, which makes it hard to decide.  I love this voting thing!  I am
glad you do this because it is a hell of a lot of fun.

JOSHUA SCOTT GUILLORY: Those are my votes. It is just to bad I can not watch
Japanese wrestling.

ULTIMA: I really haven't seen any Japanese stuff, so I'm sure there are many
categories where I should have voted for the right person, but instead just
voted for what I had seen. Oh well... :p

SEAN SHANNON: A lot of people thought that the WWF was going to die a quick and
painful death after Survivor Series.  Those people forgot that Vince McMahon is
the man who made this industry, and doubting McMahon's genius is the biggest
mistake in the world you could make.  McMahon only needed Mike Tyson to get the
WWF back on top, spending only a pitance compared to the hundreds of millions
of Ted Turner's dollars that have been funneled into WCW.  Raw is solidly on
top of the Monday Night Wars, the WWF has drawn some incredible pay-per-view
buyrates, and soaring revenues show no sign of relenting. Meanwhile in WCW That
BH Guy has withered, Nielsen ratings and buyrates have stagnated, the business
with Degeneration X's "invasion" proved how stiff and stodgy WCW is, and look
who's carrying their World title now: a Steve Austin look-alike.  The WWF is
back on top, and until Eric Bischoff can steal credit for one of his
underling's great ideas again, the WWF should remain number one.  ECW's lost a
lot of their talent this year, but they seem to be able to roll with the
punches, and while they haven't gained much ground this year they haven't lost
much ground either.  A solid year all-around for professional wrestling, but
make no mistakes about it, it was a year led by the WWF.

JASON LANGIN: Thanks for this opportunity this was a lot of fun!  Keep up the
good work!

SHADOW: During wrestling's continued upturn, much happened this past year --
but a couple of rarely mentioned things occur to me especially.  First, the
most improved wrestler and definite rookie of the year came out of nowhere and
gets little credit: Sable.  Unfortunately I doubt this poll will reflect how
she is more dedicated than most men in the business, and indeed outworking the
competition's top stars.  The Undertaker, however, being the one thing the WWF
never could screw up, was utterly misused towards the end of a year where the
WWF did almost everything right.  From August onwards, his booking has been
inexcusable, his heel turn inexplicable, and his disinterest fairly
understandable.  A shame.

RICK SCAIA: This might be the Year of the WWF.  The company is hot, and they've
got the hottest star in the industry in Steve Austin.  From a popular
standpoint (i.e. ratings, buy rates, merchandise sales, and live gate), the
company went from a solid #2 at the start of the voting year (Nov. '97) to a
strong #1 by the end (Nov. '98).  From a critical standpoint (i.e. these
awards), I wouldn't be shocked if they made it a clean sweep in most major
"Best" categories.  I know on my ballot, Austin and the WWF earned a number of
top spots.  Mick Foley, Rocky Maivia, and Vince McMahon also popped up more
than once for their performances over the past 12 months.  Maybe the biggest
"untold" story on my own personal ballot is that I only had to type the name of
Goldberg once (in the "best babyface" category).  Obviously, his emergence is
one of the year's top stories, but he just didn't seem to fit into a top
contender for any categories.  There are no "Best Use of Canned Chants" or
"Best Pyro" or "Most Convincing Bad-ass Physique" awards.  I was LOOKING for
places to vote for Goldberg and didn't find them.  A year-end trend that I DID
pick up from scanning over my ballot as I made category-by-category comments
was that it seems like ECW might have had a down year.  Now that they're
playing on the national PPV stage, maybe they're just being held to a different
standard?  It was fun to vote for and pull for the little guy.  But now ECW is
playing with the big dogs, and just doesn't seem all that special anymore.  An
edition of RAW is likely to be as risque and "cutting edge" as anything ECW
does anymore.  And ECW's been hit hard by talent defections, as well.  When the
company is on, they are still a joy to watch (and they still produce great
weekly TV and had the best PPV event of the year).  But when I sit down to
think "Who were ECW's top performers (other than Rob Van Dam)?" and "What feuds
and moments will I remember from ECW this year?" I come up kind of empty.
Still, all in all, not a bad year to be a wrestling fan.  This voting year
brought us 3 additional hours of prime time wrestling each week.  The product
is more fun to watch than ever, and there's just more of it every week for us
to enjoy...  I can't wait to see what 1999 brings!

ROBERT EVANS: I'll have to keep better notes this year for next years voting.
It was so hard to remember everything that happened this year.  And it was
really hard to narrow every category to 3 winners.  There were so many quality
nominees for each category.  Thanks to CRZ for taking the time to organize the
awards.  I, as well as many others, I'm sure, certainly appreciate all the hard
work and effort that is put into this every year.

NOAH DACUMOS: I put HBK in some columns even though he didnt wrestle much this
year because of the courage he showed during the WrestleMania match with
Austin.  Proves to me that he is the most dedicated wrestler right now outside
of Mick Foley.

JACK DUNN: WCW has gone straight into the crapper this year, and I don't see
them changing anytime soon. At least the WWF has coherent angles and decent
PPVs. ECW continues to rise in popularity, but it's too bad they're basically a
minor league for the big 2. I expect Bischoff to lose his job by this time next
year, and for Kevin Nash to book himself to several undeserved title reigns in
the future. The Nash era will not be much better than the Hogan one. The WWF
will continue to skyrocket in popularity, and will likely hire Benoit, Jericho,
and The Giant away from WCW.

TOM CRUZ: I'm a fan of your Recaps on wrestlemaniacs.com. I'm glad you told
your readers about these awards, since I saw them on Herb Kunze's website, and
I wondered if they were still done. Thanks for letting me in on it, but I hope
my ballot isn't rejected because Hotmail messed it up! By the way, want to know
why I became a fan? In your first recap for wm.com, you were doing a Booker T
match. As you weent through the blow by blow, you said "Booker T calls to the
crowd (something like this: "Uhhhhhhhh")..." That hooked me, as I was rolling
on the floor laughing. Thanks for the great recaps!

HEATM:  I shouldn't comment on ECW, so I won't bother trying.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

And now, the user nominated Awards:

Worst Treatment of a female as part of an angle: Eric Bischoff and NWO "corner"
Kimberly to get at DDP

Best "spot" or "shot" taken: Mankind being thrown from the top of "Hell in a
cell" at King of the Ring

Most missed wrestler (due to injury/other): Shawn Michaels

How about a Best Newcomer category.  I've marked for Gangrel from the start.

Comeback of the year award: Candy Okutsu.  She returned from retirement after
being last seen in JWP with a chronic back problem.  From having a slow start
in ARSION, Okutsu eventually worked her way back up the rankings to take the #1
spot, along with Mariko Yoshida, as a possible candidate for the First ARSION
Queen.  Most people will give credit to a Shawn Michaels for making appearances
on the WWF.  Although he did an acceptable performance at WM 14, he decided to
lay down for the rest of the year.  Okutsu wrestles constantly and is known to
experience pain in her back still, but gives it her all in every match.  It's a
shame that most of this newsgroup won't recognize her efforts. (Keith Watanabe)

RSPW-Mod feud of the year: Herb Knuze vs. Ripclawe - Just look at the bandwidth
used by these two!

Quote of the Year
1st: Konan to Alex Wright and Disco on them joining the Wolfpac "I know a
couple of guys in lock-down that you could help toss their salads"
2nd: Vince McMahon " McMahon 3:16 says I've got the brass to fire your ass"
3rd: Jason Sensation (doing Owen Hart) "What the hell am I, I look like a damn
road sign"

Best Physique
1st: Goldberg
2nd: Wrath
3rd: Scott Sterner

Best Cheesecake
1st: Sable
2nd: Kimberly
3rd: Blue McGillicuty

Best Storylines - WWF

Biggest Underacheiving Organization - WCW

Superstar of 1999: The Rock

Most Anticipated Return: Shawn Michaels

Most Anticipated Rematch: Steve Austin vs. Shawn Michaels and Shawn Michaels
vs. Steve Austin.

Stable of the Year: DX

Best Rookie / (Relative) Newcomer / Future Star
1st: Miho Watabe, LLPW
2nd: Toshie Uematsu, GAEA
3rd: Rina Iishi, GAEA
Watabe, under 5" and weighing 100 lbs if she's wearing lead shoes, is a dynamo
/ spitfire / ball of energy / whatever other expression that fits. I can't wait
to see what she can do in another 3 years or so. Iishi, too, is energetic and
shows future promise. Uematsu is definitely going somewhere if GAEA will let
her continue to shine the way she has. Uematsu was in last year's Jr. All Star
show. Watabe and Iishi are scheduled for this year's. - Curtis Desjardins

Best RSPW Thread of 1998:
1) Saved by the Bell takeover of RSPW
2) 80's TV show and video game takeover of RSPW instigated by Dr. Nerdman
3) RSPW mocks NBC's "Pro Wrestling's Secrets Exposed" special

Most Disturbing Trends on RSPW:
1) Brian Pillman becomes the Elvis of Wrestling, as random posters/trolls ask
about his return
2) Random posters mocking ailing or dead wrestlers
3) The Ultimate Alliance

Eric Bischoff Award (for being so out of touch with wrestling): NBC's "Pro
Wrestling's Secrets Exposed" special for treating fans like morons and acting
as if it was 1985 (the *piledriver* and the *legdrop* are the most dangerous
finishers in wrestling?!!?)

Worst Wrestling Move That's Not a Wrestling Move: The Warrior's Killer Smoke of
Doom that only works on NWO Hollywood members

My Wrestling Christmas Wish List: - Chris Jericho wins the world title - Hulk
Hogan retires for good - The Horsemen stop talking and kick some NWO ass.  Oh,
and dump Mongo while they're at it..... - Chris Benoit makes a successful
return, and keeps up his team with Dean Malenko - WCW gets a clue and uses more
of its talent  - Shawn Michaels makes a successful return and rejoins DX     -
The Rock turns heel  - More Mick Foley!   - The WWF successfully develops and
pushes its young talent, and gives more of the "Shotgun Superstars" (Kaientai,
Hardy Boys, Headbangers, Too Much, Scorpio) better pushes.   - Steve Regal gets
over as "A Real Man's Man" (this can be the Mountie of the late '90s, that
theme music is hilarious)

Worst Quote: "Raven, I would love to BANG you!" -DDP Best Interview Idea: [TIE]
The Rock making reference to people standing off camera; Any idea Mankind ever
had Best New Theme Song: Steven Regal, A Real Man's Man Best Comment by an
Announcer: Jim Ross' observation that Pat Patterson does "rear-end work" at the
Brisco Bros. Body Shop Most Physically Deteriorated Wrestler: Shane Douglas

Worst "Bad Hair Day":
1: Chris Jericho
2: Hollywood Hogan
3: Ralphus

Person Most Likely to Give Away Upcoming Storylines While On The Mic:
1: Mean Gene
2: Dusty Rhodes

Person Most Likely To Not Let A Heel Get Over:
1: Mean Gene
2: Goldberg
3: Roddy Piper

Best Quote:
1: "Have you ever noticed that people chanting 'Goldberg' sounds a lot like
people chanting 'boring'?" --Jericho
2: "You old bag" --Scott Steiner (to Judy Bagwell)
3: "You shouldn't say 'bomb' in Oklahoma City, Tony." --Louis Spicolli

Best Highspot aka The Joey Styles "Oh my God" Award
1st. Mankind's dive off the cage at KOTR
2nd. Masato Tanaka's Awedome bomb over the top rope through the table at
Heatwave
3rd. Taz and Bigelow going through things that are supposed to be solid.

Moment of the Year
1st: Ric Flair's Return Speech on Nitro with Reunited Horseman
2nd: Mankind Flies Off the Hell in the Cell Through Announcers' Table
3rd: Bret Hart gets screwed out of the WWF Title

The "Crowd's a Bunch of Monkeys awards" (i.e., Monkey Say, Monkey Do)
1. New Age Outlaws - "Tag Team Champions of the Wooooorld"
2. Konnan - "Boudy Boudy and Rowdy Rowdy"
3. Stone Cold Steve Austin - "Give me a Hell yeah!"

The "Come on, this is where you are supposed to respond to I say" (i.e., failed
Monkey Say, Monkey Do)
1. DDP - Hollywood "Scum" Hogan
2. Hollywood Hogan - "Too Sweet"
3. Kanyon - "Who's better than Kanyon?"

The Randy Savage "I need some herbal tea" - raspy throat award
1. Hollywood Hogan (I don't like what he has to say when he can speak, but when
he can't it is like nails on a chalkboard).
2. Bobby Heenan (I think Bobby's voice is that way cause of the oral pleasure
he gives Goldberg)
3. Jim Ross

The Best Drunk Award:
1. Steven Regal
2. Scott Hall
3. Hawk

The Statement I never want heard again in wrestling
1. "Who's your daddy?" - Jim Ross

The worst Tony Schiavone quotes of the year: (poorly paraphrased from memory)
1. "Fans they have swerved us again, Scott Steiner and Buff Bagwell they did it
again"
2. "Your personal hero and mine, Goldberg"
3. "This is the most exciting moment in the history of the sport"
4. "We've had some great events here in WCW, from the return of Ric Flair to
Goldberg winning the world title"
5. "That's a great point, Larry" tie
6. "Wait a minute, that's Sting!"        "That's not Sting"     (when Kevin
Nash was posing as Sting)
7. "What a move! by Juventud Gurerra"
8. "Our competition has a main event match that lasts not even 90 seconds
people, but we are live tonight, and we proimise some great action in the main
event as Goldberg takes on Brian Adams of the NWO"
9. "Our competition is going to call this a promotional move, but it is not. In
the 9:00 hour, you will see Goldberg versus Diamond Dallas Page."
10. "Ladies and Gentlemen, we're out of time. We have to go. Oh my god!"
and finally
11. "Ladies and Gentlemen, WCW's Monday Nitro is on the air."

Best wrestlling website
1. Scoops
2. Wrestlemaniacs
3. New World Wide Web Order

Best Wrestling Websites
1. Wrestlemaniacs
2. Slobernocker Central
3. Quebrada

Promoter of the Year: Vince Mchman

Most Inspirastional Wrestler: X-Pac

Webpage of the year: Wrestlemaniacs

The "Give it up already"award: Roddy Piper

Titanic award: WCW

The" Who comes up with this shit award" : The Cats interviews

And last but not least a tie for crybaby of the year: Bret Hart and Shane
Douglas( It seems that it was Bret who lost his smile this  year)

Coolest entrance: Gangrel

Best Sayings
"Welcome to MONDAY-NIGHT-JERICHO!"
"If you smell what the Rock is cookin?"
"Oh you better recognize!"

The "Hey Smarts, Shut the Fuck Up" Award:
1. Vince McMahon and the WWF thrive from Survivor Series rather than get killed
by it
2. Shawn Michaels gives a tremendous performance at WrestleMania 14 despite
crippling back pain, and jobs the World title cleanly
3. Raw breaks Nitro's winning streak in the Nielsens, wins most weeks of Monday
Night Wars following WrestleMania 14

Line of the Year:
1. "I've got balls the size of grapefruits and this Sunday you're going to be
picking the seeds out of your teeth!" - Vince McMahon to Steve Austin, on Raw
12 October 1998
2. "New Age Outlaws, I've got thirteen words for you: How much wood could a
woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?" - Mankind, at Summerslam
3. "I'm going to give you ... HEAD!" - Lance Storm to Chris Candido, at Living
Dangerously

Most Informative Regular Posts
1st: Wrestling Matt
2nd: Hotline News
3rd: Netcop Rants

Blatant Nepotism Award:  Horace Hogan

Flashback of the Year:  Fit Finley / Ron Garvin

Stupid Moves of the year award : Wcw

inflated ego's award: Wcw

Internet Writer of the Year:  Chris Zimmerman!!  (no ass kissing here!) [Liar!
- CRZ]

best internet wrestling site: Wrestlemaniacs.com   (you should make this a new
category!)

Most informative site:   tie  Micasa and Online Onslaught

The CRZ Sarcasm Awards
Best surprise: Savio Vega is the mystery partner
Most Eagerly Anticipated Challenge Match: Bischoff to McMahon for Slamboree
Most Disappointing Disappearance: Don King
Stupidest Herculean Editor: CRZ

Thank you, good night.