Observer Awards Confirms not a “Banner” year for WCW
Dave Meltzer published the results of his annual year end awards for 1998.
In 1998, WCW lost its stranglehold on the WWF in terms of cable ratings and
pay-per-view buy rates. They also lost fan support across the board.
In the category for most over rated wrestlers, seven of the top ten came
from WCW. The top six came from the Atlanta based company. The top six
were "Hollywood" Hogan, The Warrior, Kevin Nash, Goldberg, Lex Luger, and
in six place, Diamond Dallas Page. Sting took ninth place.
Goldberg was the only WCW grappler to finish in the top ten for wrestler of
the year, finishing in sixth place with only a single first place vote.
In terms of the best pay-per-views for the year, WCW could only claim tenth
place for "Souled Out." However, in the category for the worst
pay-per-views, WCW earned the top two spots for "Fall Brawl" and "Road
Wild." "Halloween Havoc," "World War III," The "Great American Bash", and
"Starrcade" also made the list.
Exactly one half of the pay-per-views WCW produced in 1998 finished in the
top 10 for worst PPV's on the year.
The readers voted for the worst promotion of 1998, World Championship
Wrestling was voted number one with 215 first place votes.
The award for worst feud of the year went to Hogan vs. Warrior with 323 first place
votes. The duo earned the award for worst match, which was the much hyped
rematch at "Halloween Havoc."
WCW had six of the top ten worst matches of the year. The "War Games"
match finished second worse, followed by Hogan & Bischoff vs. Page & Jay
Leno in third, Hogan & Rodman vs. Page & Kevin Malone in sixth place,
McMichael vs. Stevie Ray in seventh, McMichael v. Adams in ninth, and a
Hogan-Savage match finishing tenth worst.
On the flip side, WCW only received 12 first place votes for promotion of
the year, landing them behind New Japan, WWF, All Japan, and ECW, which
received 22 first place votes.
The award for best television show went to "Raw" with an impressive 412
first place votes. WCW's "Nitro" finished fifth. Four of WCW's
television shows made up the top five list of worst television shows.
"Nitro" was voted the worse, followed by "WCW Saturday Night," "Thunder,"
and "World Wide."
The Warrior was voted worst on interviews, followed by Scott Steiner, AKA
"Big Papa Pump", and Diamond Dallas Page.
Eric Bischoff decided to destroy the tag team division in 1998, and as a
result, not one team made the top ten list for tag team of the year. WCW
had two teams finish in the worst tag team category, High Voltage, and The
Giant & Scott Hall.
Speaking of Hall, Meltzer's readers determined Scott Hall's "drinking and
wrestling" angle was the most disgusting promotional tactic of the year.
The poll asked readers for their least favorite wrestler. Ten of WCW's
wrestlers made the top 10 list, with Steve "Mongo" Michael and Konnan tying
for tenth place. Hogan was voted the least favorite wrestler, followed by
The Warrior, Diamond Dallas Page, Goldberg, Kevin Nash, Lex Luger, Ernest
Miller, and Scott Steiner. The only WWF wrestler in the poll was Jeff
Jarret who finished in ninth place.
McMichael was voted the third worst wrestler in 1998, with Hogan in second
place, and The Warrior received 229 first place votes to make him the worst
wrestler of the year.
Sonny Onoo was voted the worst manager.
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