WCW Saturday Night - 12/12/1998

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What MTV's Loveline does for frank discussion of the myriad complexities of
human relationships, what Robin Williams does for the craft of acting, what Gus
Van Sant did for Psycho, this week's WCWSN did for interesting, viable booking

What Worked

Vincent puts over Duncum in a technically basic match redeemed by decent pacing
and a hot closing sequence.

Although Prince Iaukea oversells in the Hennig tradition and Johnny Swinger's
heel shtick is as stale as a Celine Dion house mix, the moves here were crisp
and professional enough to offset their fundamentally generic nature.

Villano 5 versus Norman Smiley reminds Mike Tenay of Ric Flair. This was a
fluid mat lucha kinda match in which Norman discovers what a canned face pop
tastes like.

First, Gangsta Charlie talks to Mean Gene and denies that he's anything like
Gerardo or that he blows up when he gets dressed in the morning (although he
affirms that Bookerman Oz has to run the fifty yard dash in intervals). Then,
later in the show, Jericho puts MC K-Tel in his place by comparing him to
Gerardo and alleges that he blows up when brushing his teeth. Konnan's acute
anticipation of Jericho's monologue shows us the lengths he's willing to go to
to play mind games with Cowboy Chris as Starrcade approaches.

Konnan and Mike Enos worked well enough, so what the hell. Konnan makes the
doublewide slatterns and the FUBU white boys feel very street, and him as champ
makes Booker Kev feel like he has some stroke, so it really don't matter much
if K-Tel is Rochester to Nash's Jack Benny.

Juvi/Rey Vs Kidman was the payoff to the LWO attack on Super Calo, and the work
was solid, and Kidman did the FIP thing really well, and Rey coming into even
the sides was Booking 101 but in a good way. But who the hell knows why Calo
was teaming with Kidman though? That's like DDP teaming with Mike Enos.

What Didn't Work

For those of y'all who were appalled by the sacrilege of the crucifixion angle,
I'd be willing to uphold it against utter bilge like this Pepe crap foisted on
Chavito. Exhibit 648 that proves that Kevin Nash is a monomaniacal, suckass
failure as a booker is that he doesn't find a graceful way out of this deadend
angle for Chavo.

Speaking of piss weak exposition, we get to see Saturn DVD Sonny Onoo. Never
mind that Kaz originally had the issue with Sonny and Ernie Miller. Saturn
isn't built up by beating up Onoo. Kaz just looks like someone who can't fight
his own battles here, and the need for resolution for this angle as comeuppance
for the heels is delayed further beyond anyone actually giving a shit about
this clusterfuck.

Kaos. Wrath. FFWD.

Gator Scott Hall goes over Stevie Ray in our overbooked ME, outfoxing NWO
Hollywood and schoolboying Stevie Ray for a full ten seconds. Hey, Big Scott:
the Schoolboy relies on the element of surprise. It has, like, a momentary
impact. When it holds someone down for a three count, it's usually surprising.
I guess you have a kickass schoolboy there, Razor.