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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2012 11:39:16 GMT -5
So I'm on the seconding viewing of the 1997 year of the Monday Night Wars and seeing Bret Hart's heel turn after mania and the rebuilding of the Hart Foundation it got me thinking.
Storyline and wrestling wise this was miles ahead of what WCW was doing with the NWO.
Most of NWO's stuff during this year consisted of the whole stabling standing in the ring while Hogan and Bischoff cut a promo saying how much power they have and how they rule wrestling, with the occasional Sting appearance. Their feuds consisted of guys like Luger, Piper, The Giant feuding, and on top of that the three main gains ( Nash, Hogan, Flair rarely wrestled on Nitro.
Mean while on Raw you have such a beautifully crafter storyline that could never be duplicated. They built this up since January, with Bret constantly "being" screwed leading to a double turn at Wrestlemania. Not to mention they did in a way where only the American fans booed them and internationally they were praised. The best part too is this right at the forefront of the Attitude Era, and Bret was telling us how America doesn't have family values. Then go look at the matches that WWE produced with these guys, against other prime players in Shawn Micheals and guys breaking into the main event in Steve Austin.
Bret himself who goes on to join the NWO in 98 says that WWE stuff trumped WCW's and didn't know why anyone would watch that over Raw.
While WCW had a tremendous under card, their main events lacked. Yes WCW had the star power, but storyline wise I think the Hart foundation was excellently executed and provided for better TV.
in 96 I would say nitro was better, but not in 97.
What do you guys think was better in 1997 NWO or Hart Foundation?
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Post by wyleecyotee on Mar 22, 2012 11:43:18 GMT -5
I agree, although I'm only starting to watch stuff from that era now, the Hart Foundation where awesome in what they did and pulled it off brilliantly. I love the transition depending on where the show was. One week , USA, the Harts where #1 villains then next week, Canada, there getting cheered so loud there no point having entrance music cos you cant hear it anyway. Shame it ended so abruptly with the MSJ and the Harts nearly disappeared all together.
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Post by jammer311 on Mar 22, 2012 12:09:27 GMT -5
I always thought that the WWE in 1997 was amazing, but it always got over looked cause of WCW Nitro and the NWO. The sad thing is, that WCW was so hot at that time with the NWO, that they could get away with having NWO members standing in the ring for 20 minutes, talking and doing nothing, and the fans would tune in to watch it.
Now that I have Classics On Demand and get to see Raw and Nitro from the same night in 97, I can clearly see Raw was better.
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Post by mikey1974 on Mar 22, 2012 12:43:41 GMT -5
the problem with the NWO was,storyline-wise,you can only go so far... i mean,by early 1997,they had almost all the Championships in their possrssion,they were beating the hell out of any WCW wrestlers they wanted...basically,they were on top of the wrestling world!
now what?
there was no answer,no metamorphosis,no "next step" for these guys...so they just had them stand around,doing the same thing week after week after week,beating up the same people,and giving the same promos....
i f'n LOVE the WWF in 1997 ....it was such a turbulent time,you truly never knew what you would see week to week, and they finally started to work on,and bring up, some of the undercard guys to the main event level,and bring in new stars.....
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Raine
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Post by Raine on Mar 22, 2012 14:29:05 GMT -5
In 21 years of following wrasslin, 1997 & Austin vs The Harts is still my favourite feud & year ever, if it wasn't for that feud I don't believe Austin would have gotten as big as he did. 1997 was the year the groundwork was laid for Austin to achieve superstardom in 1998.
It also saw the debuts of Chyna, Shamrock, Kane & Hell in a Cell, saw the creations of D-Generation X, New Age Outlaws, The Rock & N.O.D and also the return of The Road Warriors.
All in all a tremendous year
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2012 14:40:05 GMT -5
97 was a great year for Vince.streets ahead of the ultra bland 96.it was when he started to take risks.
the problem with Nitro started mid 97 IMO......as said they had done it all and had nobody to fight... BUT the "Sting thing" kept it rolling.that return had everyone dribbling.....less said about what happened the better.
but the attitude in WCW of hotshotting angles was still getting ratings......it worked through all 98 too.things like DDP and Malone/leno vs Hogan/Rodman/Bischoff were insanely popular but had no LONG term value.
when they got to 99....they were crapoutta ideas.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2012 17:48:50 GMT -5
I've said it before and I'll say it again:
The summer of 1997 was the greatest time in wrestling history.
The crowd reactions were amazing. Rock and Austin were coming into their own. Shawn Michaels and Undertaker were still around. D-X was forming. Bret Hart and The Hart Foundation were on top.
So good. Just so good.
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Post by mikey1974 on Mar 22, 2012 18:41:11 GMT -5
i'll say this for the WWF in 1997, and i fdon't mean to offend anyone or such with what i'm about to say:
i was SO into the WWF in 1997 ( not that i wasn't before, i was a WWF'er for Life since 1983,but i digress) , that i actually gave up the opportunity to get laid by a chick who wanted me so i could watch Steve Austin vs Brian Pillman with the Hart Foundation hancuffed to the ring posts on Raw is War....if that isn't dedication,i don't know what is!!!
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jakksking1
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Post by jakksking1 on Mar 22, 2012 19:23:09 GMT -5
1997 was a ridiculous year for wrestling. I agree 100%, about 1997, I was so confused with the NWO. Half the roster either joined or had joined the NWO, they had all of the belts. I was praying Sting would just destroy the NWO. Sting v. NWO was great, but the build up just took FOREVER, and the ending to Starcade sucked. Austin v. Harts was far and away better in my opinion.
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Post by kazoosandstreamers on Mar 22, 2012 22:59:04 GMT -5
I love the NWO, but I'll give the edge to The Hart Foundation.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2012 13:18:26 GMT -5
i'll say this for the WWF in 1997, and i fdon't mean to offend anyone or such with what i'm about to say: i was SO into the WWF in 1997 ( not that i wasn't before, i was a WWF'er for Life since 1983,but i digress) , that i actually gave up the opportunity to get laid by a chick who wanted me so i could watch Steve Austin vs Brian Pillman with the Hart Foundation hancuffed to the ring posts on Raw is War....if that isn't dedication,i don't know what is!!!  holy  .was NEVER that dedicated.....most likely never will be ;D |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2012 14:05:11 GMT -5
In my opinion Hart Foundation > any NWO incarnation. I think they were handled really well, and the addition of Brian Pillman was awesome.
It's a shame they didn't have Hogan/Hall/Nash fued with Hart/Neidhart/Bulldog in wcw.
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Post by mikey1974 on Mar 23, 2012 17:06:23 GMT -5
i'll say this for the WWF in 1997, and i fdon't mean to offend anyone or such with what i'm about to say: i was SO into the WWF in 1997 ( not that i wasn't before, i was a WWF'er for Life since 1983,but i digress) , that i actually gave up the opportunity to get laid by a chick who wanted me so i could watch Steve Austin vs Brian Pillman with the Hart Foundation hancuffed to the ring posts on Raw is War....if that isn't dedication,i don't know what is!!! holy .was NEVER that dedicated.....most likely never will be ;D should be noted, i DID "get" her a couple weeks later,so there's still a happy ending (pun intended!) but still, goddamn that Steve Austin! making me pass up cheap and easy sex!! i was gonna bring up this story to him if he refused to give me an autograph when i met him in 1998...fortunately, he was very friendly... |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2012 3:57:16 GMT -5
I remember it was the Friday Night wars over here.WCW ran from 9-11 on TNT and WWF on Sky from 10 to 12.
It used to really annoy me if my taping of Raw got effed up.....but I never killed me to miss Nitro and by mid 98 I started to find Nitro boring as hell.I remember FFing through a lot of it and not watching entire episodes because I couldnt be bothered.
that NEVER happened with Raw.
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Raine
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Post by Raine on Mar 24, 2012 7:48:59 GMT -5
I remember it was the Friday Night wars over here.WCW ran from 9-11 on TNT and WWF on Sky from 10 to 12. It used to really annoy me if my taping of Raw got effed up.....but I never killed me to miss Nitro and by mid 98 I started to find Nitro boring as hell.I remember FFing through a lot of it and not watching entire episodes because I couldnt be bothered. that NEVER happened with Raw. Yeah us Brits had the Friday Night Wars lol, also WCW Thunder used be on 11pm -12am right after Nitro, Joker. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2012 8:34:14 GMT -5
I remember it was the Friday Night wars over here.WCW ran from 9-11 on TNT and WWF on Sky from 10 to 12. It used to really annoy me if my taping of Raw got effed up.....but I never killed me to miss Nitro and by mid 98 I started to find Nitro boring as hell.I remember FFing through a lot of it and not watching entire episodes because I couldnt be bothered. that NEVER happened with Raw. Yeah us Brits had the Friday Night Wars lol, also WCW Thunder used be on 11pm -12am right after Nitro, Joker. thats right.....I forget that the UK get the same channels as Ireland sometimes.thats Skys Dominance for ya!! |
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Raine
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Post by Raine on Mar 24, 2012 14:07:57 GMT -5
I used to love it when the Cartoon Network closing scene would come up, as TNT would then start on a Friday with WCW Nitro at 9pm..... Good times!
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Post by Glorydaysofwrestling on Mar 25, 2012 17:53:44 GMT -5
I was the biggest mark in the worl for the Hart Foundation, so I would say they get the nod.....actually I'm still the biggest mark for them.
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Post by Mr. Orange on Mar 25, 2012 18:26:42 GMT -5
Ring Talent: Hart Foundation by far
Impact made in the business: NWO by far
Popularity: Relatively the same.
Hart Foundation for me gets the slight nod. They kept the core group, didn't add 40 random members, every guy in the group could wrestle a 5 star match, and the big one: They were beloved everywhere, but HATED in the US. That dynamic never happens and it made them unique. Overall, I give it to the Hart Foundation.
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