Who is the worst booker ever?

[El-P]

Jim Cornette is going to be selling personally autographed copies of the restraining order on his website.

 

That's classic !

[sek69]

Dave has had Russo fanboys @'ing him on Twitter trying to claim bringing VinnyRu back to WWE would boost their ratings. Needless to say they got destroyed like a toddler trying to play one on one with Steph Curry.

[PeteF3]

Dave has had Russo fanboys @'ing him on Twitter trying to claim bringing VinnyRu back to WWE would boost their ratings. Needless to say they got destroyed like a toddler trying to play one on one with Steph Curry.

 

Dave: "He [Russo] told me personally that Bagwell had more charisma than Dwayne Johnson. I mean, can you imagine?"

[sek69]

I will give credit where it's due, no one in the history of wrestling has ever been as good at keeping his name in the spotlight past the point of any semblance of relevance like the Ru-meister.

[Johnny Sorrow]

Can we just be honest and admit that both Russo and Cornette are both acting like awful children, even if it's all a work?

There's no "right" side here. It's pretty fucking pathetic all around. Nobody cares.

[The Thread Killer]

You might not care, and that's fine. I don't care in the sense that I have any sort of personal investment in the situation, but I freely admit I find the situation extremely humorous. Listening to Jim Cornette berate Vince Russo is never not funny to me. Maybe that means there is something wrong with me, I don't know. If so, that's fine. I don't think anybody is (or could) argue that either Cornette or Russo are acting like mentally well adjusted individuals.

 

I believe that Jim Cornette legitimately hates Vince Russo, and I think Vince Russo honestly doesn't understand why. That is one of the most fascinating things to me about Vince Russo. I've never seen anybody who (albeit briefly) ended up becoming as powerful as he did in the world of Pro Wrestling, while at the same time seeming to have a total lack of understanding about the basics of the business. He never got it. He still doesn't get why people didn't like him, why he didn't succeed, and why somebody like Jim Cornette would despise him for what he did to the business. I don't think anybody with as little talent has ever done as much damage as he did.

 

I think part of why I find his situation so amusing is simple. I am sure many of us at one point or another, have found ourselves working for somebody who was in a position of authority over us, that either got their position based on something other than skill, or clearly didn't know as much about the job as the people they were in charge of. Regardless of the line of work, that kind of circumstance is fairly commonplace.

 

I just find somebody who is obviously and blatantly incompetent at something getting called out on it to be really funny. It's not the kind of thing you get to see or do in your day to day life. Plus, as a fan who hates what Vince Russo did to the business of Pro Wrestling, I enjoy seeing his bullshit exposed. It makes me sad that there are still lemmings out there who defend Russo, so I like to see people in the industry tell the truth about Russo.

 

I don't like Jim Cornette and I don't like Bruce Prichard, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy seeing Cornette, Prichard, Bischoff and Meltzer call Russo on his bullshit.

[El-P]

That is one of the most fascinating things to me about Vince Russo. I've never seen anybody who (albeit briefly) ended up becoming as powerful as he did in the world of Pro Wrestling, while at the same time seeming to have a total lack of understanding about the basics of the business. He never got it. He still doesn't get why people didn't like him, why he didn't succeed, and why somebody like Jim Cornette would despise him for what he did to the business. I don't think anybody with as little talent has ever done as much damage as he did.

 

Oh yeah.

 

When I went through my infamous WCW Highway to Hell, I reached the point where I understood why a guy like Cornette would go insane. It was toxic stuff as far as pro-wrestling goes. Russo is clueless.

 

And lately, I've reached th point where he came back to TNA, and it's even worse since the promotion had so much talent and potential still. He fucking turned this stuff upside down in a matter of a few weeks and ruined *everything* with god-awful angles, the disappearance of any good wrestling on TV, awful comedy, inane WWE trolling and horrible treatment of women : in a matter of a few weeks, we had Tracy whoring herself to have Eric Young sign a contract with Bobby Roode (which doesn't make any lick of sense anyway), Kurt Angle abusing two women (So Cal Val & Samoa Joe's girlfriend whom ankle he broke) while still being considered a babyface, Chrystie Hemme being called a slut by Kip James (also a babyface).

 

(I don't have any idea how somehow, Russo fanboys still exist in 2017. Well, people are dumb as fuck, but still…)

[MoS]

I am not going to pretend I do not enjoy a good rant, particularly about Russo, the most horrifically inept booker there ever was, but in the video linked above, Cornette once again reiterated how he would murder Vince Russo if there were no penal consequences. He said that the thought of him breathing air disgusts him. In this case, I agree with Russo: how anyone can hate somebody to this extent over wrestling is beyond me. Not only is that particular kind of rant something I would not enjoy (although that is a matter of personal taste) it makes me think Cornette is a lot more fucked up than Russo is and needs some medical help to sort out his issues. At this point of time, Cornette is so consumed by his Russo hatred that if Russo were to die tomorrow, I do not think Cornette would be able to have any meaningful existence of his own, because he seems to need Russo and his presence to sustain his soul through pure hatred.

[El-P]

but in the video linked above, Cornette once again reiterated how he would murder Vince Russo if there were no penal consequences. He said that the thought of him breathing air disgusts him. In this case, I agree with Russo: how anyone can hate somebody to this extent over wrestling is beyond me.

 

I agree Corny sounds way off his rocker when he goes on those kind of rants. Although parts of me thinks Corny is just cutting a promo, because that's what these old-school guy always do.

[MoS]

 

but in the video linked above, Cornette once again reiterated how he would murder Vince Russo if there were no penal consequences. He said that the thought of him breathing air disgusts him. In this case, I agree with Russo: how anyone can hate somebody to this extent over wrestling is beyond me.

 

I agree Corny sounds way off his rocker when he goes on those kind of rants. Although parts of me thinks Corny is just cutting a promo, because that's what these old-school guy always do.

 

 

If he really is cutting a promo, then Russo is right: Corny is using him to get over.

 

Goddamn it, fuck you Cornette for making me take fucking Russo's side, no matter how superficially.

[El-P]

Come on, Corny doesn't need to "get himself over" in 2017. Nor even to get paychecks (from WWE mind you, which still seems unbelievable !).

 

Bt yeah, whatever that idiot Russo says, there should be an "Ignore" function.

[Laz]

Corny's career in the age of shoot interviews and podcasts is one part legend telling stories, one part critique of the current products, and three parts Russo hate.

[MoS]

I'm just glad they are not reaching out to Russo for creative salvation. Dude almost ruined the Greatest Rivalries DVD when he presented Austin v. McMahon.

[Cornette's racket]

I'm just glad they are not reaching out to Russo for creative salvation. Dude almost ruined the Greatest Rivalries DVD when he presented Austin v. McMahon.

 

I'd say the fact that for the HOF weekend both bischoff and cornette were welcomed back into the fold and put back on live WWE tv and Vince Russo wasn't must have sickened him. Haha

[Loss]

Both guys are terribly overexposed at this point. I wish Cornette would just talk about history and psychology, since he has so much knowledge and interesting insight, but he's made the calculation I think that what makes him a draw in the podcast world is being provocative. The sad thing is that it's probably true.

[El-P]

Just listened to the Prichard podcast, him reacting to the insane claim of Russo being responsible for everything (while at the same time pretending not wanting to take any credit) was quite funny.

 

The extracts from the book are downright insane at times and they paint one hell of a mental image of this guy. Pathological liar, contradicting his own versions, complete drama queen with a victim complex while at the same time being totally offensive to people (gotta love the idea that he had AJ Styles throw a "fuck" at him) and then some. The killer being the stuff about the Warrior, whom Russo describes as the "most intelligent guy he ever met". As dumb as he is toxic.

 

Well, maybe Corny's not that far gone after all (just kidding, but I can understand wanting to slap the fuck out of the guy, still). Russo being a pervert narcissic of sorts wouldn't surprise me though...

 

A rather fascinating listen.

[Bix]

In this case, I agree with Russo: how anyone can hate somebody to this extent over wrestling is beyond me.

But that's part of the bullshit Russo narrative. Cornette hating Russo has plenty to do with Russo politicking him out of his WWE booking job and later doing the same to get him fired as a TNA road agent. He also hates Russo for the damage that he feels Russo inflicted on the business, but it's not the whole thing. I do think it's possible at this point that Russo has deluded himself into thinking Cornette only hates him because of what he booked, but he's also a compulsive liar so who really knows?

 

Either way, the whole "Bro, why would you wanna kill somebody over FAKE WREST-A-LING?!?!" shtick is a fabrication.

[The Thread Killer]

Dave Meltzer added his two cents on the Russo restraining order against Cornette, and confirms exactly what Bix said. Meltzer talks about how Cornette has every reason to hate Russo for screwing him out of his job in TNA using dishonest and scuzzy tactics. It's nothing Cornette didn't say himself, but Meltzer adds an interesting (and calmer, more rational) take on the issue.

[MoS]

 

In this case, I agree with Russo: how anyone can hate somebody to this extent over wrestling is beyond me.

But that's part of the bullshit Russo narrative. Cornette hating Russo has plenty to do with Russo politicking him out of his WWE booking job and later doing the same to get him fired as a TNA road agent. He also hates Russo for the damage that he feels Russo inflicted on the business, but it's not the whole thing. I do think it's possible at this point that Russo has deluded himself into thinking Cornette only hates him because of what he booked, but he's also a compulsive liar so who really knows?

 

Either way, the whole "Bro, why would you wanna kill somebody over FAKE WREST-A-LING?!?!" shtick is a fabrication.

 

 

Fair enough. Depriving someone of their livelihood and a job in a profession they love to death while doing almost irreparable damage to that profession is much more justifiable.

 

I was going through 1999 WWF a few days back, Russo's last few months with the company, and dear Lord it is terrible. Absolutely awful. Forget about the well-documented horrible mid-card stuff, even the main event scene is terrible. That entire Austin-HHH-McMahon angle is so utterly boring, the only reason Austin survived that was because he was teflon by that time. Even then, I felt that Russo had started to actually damage Austin's character and his overness due to consistent terrible segments and booking, a feat almost admirable because of how impossible it seemed. Really, Austin survived a lot of awful shit booking like the Satanic Undertaker angle, being embalmed and crucified and whatever, and it might have led to a drastic decline in WWE's business shortly after becuse, as I said, the constant horrible booking had started to damage the company's top draw.

 

WWE dodged an arguably fatal bullet when Russo departed. Chris Kreski might very well be the most underrated booker of all-time. His seamless, inter-connected, logically consistent angles in 2000 up and down the card led to arguably the greatest year in company history.

[With Coil]

I revisited the Reboot era of WCW 2000/2001. I liked Steiner, O'Haire, Shakira, Midajah, Pamela Paulshock.

 

Russoism almost killed me with the television put on in May. I felt exhausted by the time Steiner became the WHC. I hated the Magnificent group and Steiner becoming a minion. Has anyone ever made women so undesirable like Russo? Kimberly reminded me of Karen Angle (2007). It made me feel fifteen again. Those awful Impact! shows. I am dreading going back through the Attitude Era.

[Outsider]

That greasy rat Vin Russo was bad in terms of national hot-shotting. Just a glimpse of Miss Elizabeth on TV or WWF Magazine in the late 80s would exite me for weeks. Russo in the late 90s just gave in to every male weakness from ultra violence to porn to grotesque story lines. It's not about you Russo! This is a business! Just look at how orgasmic he was when he snatched the big gold belt. Can u imagine Roger Goodell dancing around drunk with Super Bowl Lombardi trophy? Even thieves like Boxings Don King had limits to his ego.

 

Iv

[Outsider]

... (continued) I've heard Russo over the past few years and he isn't an evil person. But he doesn't belong behind the booking desk. Russo is too much of a "mark" and plays too many games.

[iamthedoctor]

No booker has done more damage to wrestling - both financially and aesthetically - than Vince Russo. To me, it's a no-brainer. He literally has zero redeeming qualities.

 

Ive felt the same thing especially what he did in WCW. I absolutely hated the way everyone got stripped of the titles in 2000. Im sure some people wasen't bothered but I was looking forward to Hogan/Sid on PPV with Hogan getting the title back but since Russo was around he pretty much didn't want any of the older guys in there.

 

Having Hogan job to Kidman was the worst thing they did, im just glad Savage had left in 99 so they couldn't do the same thing to him and WTF was up with all those title changes like Flair regaining the title just because Nash hands it to him.

[Loss]

I was the typical "Hogan should put over new talent" smark at the time and thought it was a good move. But it wasn't. Yes, Hogan needed put over younger guys. But he should have been putting over Goldberg and Scott Steiner after proper builds, not Kidman and Vampiro in throwaway TV matches. There's something to the idea that even when they're older, people just don't want to see the icons portrayed as broken down losers. Older and maybe not capable of beating the top stars? Sure. But there's a certain status they should always maintain. I don't think Hogan and Flair should have been the top guys in WCW at that point, but an occasional main event and 3-4 matches per year with a near top-level opponent, winning some and losing some, would have been ideal. New Japan I thought always got their veteran booking just right, and that's what I see as the standard.

[Al]

And I think we realize now that there's a real Law of Diminishing Returns to jobbing a legend. He can only give 1-2 guys a rub before it completely loses value.