Reddit reviews The Death of WCW: 10th Anniversary Edition of the Bestselling Classic ― Revised and Expanded

What I read: Death of WCW

My review: Having conducted the Wreddit census and finding that a small number of users had never read a wrestling book, I envisaged a 'book club' type idea for the sub since even I myself hadn't read a wrestling book for over ten years. I picked up the Death of WCW wanting to explore the Monday Night Wars. Given the alleged revisionist history-filled WWE Network series covering the battle between WWF and WCW, I wanted to explore a more reliable source. From the offset, the Death of WCW features annecdotes and history lessons featuring wrestling personalities big and small with a fun, comedic undertone. I've been a regular visitor to numerous social media platforms including wrestling message boards and so arrogantly would have expected to know of a lot of funny annecdotes and angles within different promotions in the 90s - how I was wrong. The Death of WCW is still incredibly informative to even the most hardcore fan with a reasonably unbiased perspective throughout. Facts and statistics throughout, there is no room for bias in Death of WCW. I was taken aback by the number of times I found myself putting the book down and doing further research into stories within the book itself and angles executed by the wonderful mess of a circus that WCW was. A clear, concise view of the events that led to the death of WCW with a fun, easy reading style; the Death of WCW is a must for every wrestling fan, particularly those interested in the Monday Night Wars.

Rating (out of 5): 4/5

What I Read : the Death of WCW

MY REVIEW:
Having grown up as a channel switcher during the Attitude Era, the selling point of "week to week analysis" of WCW's rise and ultimate fall intrigued me. But from the very start, I kinda knew this book wasn't for me. While there are a few funny bits here and there, I am left with disappointment of what could have been.

I was pretty taken a back by the tone of the book. It sounded like a Reddit commenter had written it. The 3 intros where he virtually said the same thing was the one of the most narcissistic things i have ever read. It read like an amateur. If you are going to beat your chest and tell the reader that you told them so, that you had better go down into the finest details why that is the case. The book failed to do so. Instead resorting to the refrain which comes up way too often in this book: It's shit.

WCW is never given a fair chance from the outset. Even as it's rising the author goes to great pains to point out how shitty it is. Even when it is selling out shows, the author points out how shitty it is. Even when it is killing it in the ratings, the author points out how shitty it is. So that when it is actual shit, you are no longer left with feeling that may have been the downfall of WCW.

Speaking of actual shit, for a 456 page book, I was expecting the big moments in WCW to be examined and critiqued. Instead they are passed off in a sentence or two. Or even dismissed outright as the author chooses not the explain it. Now, I thought I was reading a book about what led to downfall of WCW but it seems like anything but is discussed.

Instead of exploring the big moments, it takes more time talking about the authors nitpicks over booking. Like he complained nonstop about short matches and matches that ended with interference. Well anyone who was watching WWF during the Attitude Era could tell you the same thing was happening over there.

Anyways, the book gets funny when Russo arrives because how could it not. Russo gets thoroughly destroyed from beginning to end for his tenure and it is well deserved bro. But how can you dismiss the Judy Bagwell on a pole match!?

I also liked the Lesson Not Learned inserts in the book. It does at least give some perspective back on how current WWE is making same mistakes WCW was. I also liked how it served as callbacks fro things said earlier in the book.

Anyways, I wrote too much already! Death of WCW is a good overview of what happened with WCW during the Monday night war, but it lacks the details and insight that really could have put it over.

My Rating: 2 1/2 out of 5

There is a book for only $13 or so on amazon if you really want to read into the fixing train wreck they became.

Not a direct reply to you, but anyone who is interested.

Does The Death of WCW count? It was written by RD Reynolds and Bryan Alvarez.

The Death of WCW by R.D. Reynolds and Bryan Alvarez

National Wrestling Alliance: The Untold Story of the Monopoly That Strangled Pro Wrestling by Tim Hornbaker

The Rise & Fall of ECW (though it's basically just the DVD in written form)

As a matter of fact, there is: https://www.amazon.com/Death-WCW-Anniversary-Bestselling-Revised/dp/1770411755

Here's a pretty good book about it.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1770411755/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1418087501&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40

https://www.amazon.com/Death-WCW-Anniversary-Bestselling-Revised/dp/1770411755

There are some WCW fans who believe the real death knell of the WCW was moving away from the NWO storyline, which apparently was still making good money, for other stories and pushing other stars which failed one after the other. I mean the story lasted three years with WCW eclipsing WWF/E at its peak.

I think that regardless, the clock was ticking on WCW and unless it could have created another Goldberg type wrestler, another top-tier talent to help carry WCW in to the future that it was only a matter of time. Maybe you stop guys like Jericho, Benoit, and others from jumping ship but it was reliant on aging stars nearing the end of their careers and there was not a lot of potential for replacing that.

Personally I thought the nWo storyline dragged on, and what followed it was even worse. Is that Russo/Ferrara? I don't know what you can pin on them specifically. I think people often critique the whole Arquette storyline, and rightfully so, but it was an aggressive cross-promotion and IMO Ready to Rumble has always been a 'cult favourite' of mine personall but goddamn that was 'darkest timeline' tier bad. It was worse when he booked himself to be the champion. Russo, or anyone else, could have made worse choices when moving on from a story that had lasted 3+ years and what... who was a future face of the franchise?

Wrestlecrap wrote a book about the demise of WCW and it was a very interesting read. Gives a good insight in to the kind of decision making that was being made within the company and really the death of WCW is due to a cacophony of poor choices, not just taking a desperate chance on Russo when it was already too late. There's a chapter about the final year of the company and the staggering amount of money it was bleeding out... it really stood no chance thanks to those who were in charge.

Booker T and Mysterio are the only main event talent in that bunch that you just listed. That list is more of an indictment of the level of talent that they were able to hold onto than anything else. I bet if you spoke to Booker or Rey about their time in WCW, they probably wouldn't have many nice things to say about the way the company was managed, except for the fact that they were paid good money.

Look, I don't consider myself to really be a pro-WWE guy at all. I'm actually bummed that they bought the company. As a fan of WCW, it sucked to see all the real talent flee the ship as it was sinking. Even guys like Nash and Hall, the supposed "saviors" of WCW in it's heyday, just kind of waited for their contracts to expire. It was depressing.

I would definitely recommend you check out The Death of WCW by R.D Reynolds and Bryan Alvarez if you haven't read it yet. It's a very well-researched and detailed description of what was happening there at the time. WCW was hemorrhaging money due to their contractual practices. They were not doing good business.