WCW Spring Stampede 2000 Review - Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff, Back in Charge!

[@hellspawn22001]

In my mind the biggest problem with Russo is he always had the “the audience will buy anything we sell them” mindset. I think it’s something he learned from McMahon that he never grew out of.

[@HarbingerOfBattle]

Russo had a lot of interesting ideas, but unfortunately he never seemed to think them through to the end or wasn’t open to constructive criticism. Many of them in WCW looked as though they needed more time in the metaphorical oven. At WWF McMahon and his people seemed to smooth out the rough edges more often than not. Although that’s just me.

[@Cogjammer]

Russo thought the audience was dumber than he was. They weren't.

[@zlinedavid]

@@HarbingerOfBattle That’s because his ideas in WWF had several filters. At various times: Vince, Patterson, JR, Bruce, Cornette and for the top tier guys, probably the talent themselves. Early 1999WWF, company is financially thriving, ratings are great….VinnyRu isnt going to have final say over what The Rock says.

[@DevilSurvivor69]

​@@HarbingerOfBattle That's my thoughts too, Vince and Co were able to distill the gold from the dirt Russo came up with.

[@joelsilvey9046]

I will say this for this time, I could really believe Billy Kidman could beat hulk Hogan

[@Venemofthe888]

One step closer to having WCW 2000 PPV's fully covered

[@makaveli4205]

When was the finger poke of doom? That was the start of wcw downfall.

[@Venemofthe888]

@@makaveli4205 December 1998 I think

[@arvindshastry6434]

​@@Venemofthe888January 1999, because I heard somewhere that Foley winning his first WWF championship and the Finger Poke of Doom happened on the same week and if I'm remembering it correctly, Foley won his first WWF championship on the first week of January.

[@LustWing]

@@heyyoitsmebrian Nash ended the streak at Starrcade 98 in December. Fingerpoke was the first Nitro of Jan 99.

[@venomousnate7263]

“Referee is lightly touched and looses control of his central nervous system.” Isn’t that what happens with most referees?

[@zlinedavid]

Sort of. With Tim White, he needed to be lightly touched by one of the Godfather’s “ladies” and he’d lose control of his central nervous system.

[@XKTwentyFive]

I wish Mike Awesome had won the United States Championship tournament. And since they wanted to retire the TV Title, I wish they had just unified it with the U.S. belt, like in the same way WWE did with the Intercontinental and European titles.

[@makaveli4205]

Ya he got stuck with some shitty gimmicks in WCW. He was bad ass in ECW wrestling RIP.

[@EssexAggiegrad2011]

They shouldn't have retired the TV title

[@coywarrior71]

@@EssexAggiegrad2011they shouldn’t have done a lot of things!

[@LouSassoleSledgecock_III]

All these wishes, so little time

[@SWWonders]

@@makaveli4205 amazing how Russo fucked that up and more than likely contributed to his death unfortunately

[@BradleyBoy]

HIT MY TERRIBLE NETWORK DUB

[@claymathewselevator8121]

🤣

[@roccojamison89gooker51]

Especially for the redub in place of Ravishing Rick Rude's most famous World Wrestling Federation theme from '88-'90 "Simply Ravishing" What a bunch of Sweathogs! (And not the good ones from Welcome Back Kotter)

[@kael2450]

22:00 that still shot of Hogan and the cops is amazing.

[@mrterp04]

The show could’ve gotten REALLY dark

[@KillFriskey]

That a capella version of The Cat's theme you did had me snorting. Good work.

[@TheMadisonJay]

I’ve rewinded that part like 5x’s already 😭😭😭😭😭

[@tafua_a]

When it started I legit thought I was somehow on a Discord call and someone just logged in

[@scottwalpole3806]

The deadpan "it isn't." at 10:13 had me rolling lol

[@tthomaselli2]

Wrestling With Wregret- I still can't get enough of what Brian Zane says around 32:33-32:38 when it comes to 'The Diamond Cutter'. That "Shoulders back, chest out." line never gets old...

[@mrterp04]

“I had no idea Hell was so close” “Yeah that’s why you should call before you dig”

[@joerogers9413]

😆

[@PaleHorseShabuShabu]

That's only for zombies and only if Adam West is involved.

[@mrterp04]

@@PaleHorseShabuShabu “let me get this straight: let’s do a Batman movie but NOT CALL ADAM WEST”

[@maddogsportzjh]

The “suplexes” and “clotheslines” bit had me rolling. Scott Steiner definitely talks like that.

[@victoryusmc]

I hope you keep the impressions coming. Very skilled indeed!

[@victoryusmc]

Appreciate the love Z Man! Been having a tough year.

[@bigjohnsbreakfastlog5819]

Mancow is so beloved in Chicago he's left a trail of destruction in his wake with the various radio stations he's been on, so the CM Punk comparison is pretty spot on.

[@lucasmackey2808]

1:00 Are BACK! And working TOGETHER!

[@ausbrai]

Johnny the bull setting up and turning around on the turnbuckle is some straight up Mayhem mechanics

[@mongomongo7664]

Great Scott Steiner impression lol

[@MarcoCaifan87]

Hey Brian, keep them 2000 videos coming! Brings back great memories of middle school!

[@harshckuk]

WCW 2000 is just a gift Brian keeps on giving to us

[@wes773105333]

I was 10 years old when this happened. I remember the reset and New Blood storyline feeling really jarring to me. I was aware of wrestling being scripted because of a show that revealed wrestling secrets had aired and all of this made me wonder why these decisions were made. It felt like a reboot of the NWO storyline except there was no buildup and the rosters for both factions were massive from the beginning. It made no sense to me that all of a sudden the wrestlers I liked would be split into two factions for no reason. My favorite wrestler was Sting. I liked DDP, Buff Bagwell, Booker T, and many of the cruiserweights. There were also heels I loved to hate like Scott steiner. I think the problem is that many of these wrestlers didn't really fit in with the factions and really had no reason to be a part of them. Trying to include everyone and everything into a storyline that felt so forced left a bad taste in my mouth. It was a huge mess that really felt like they were throwing everything at the wall and hoping something would stick. We watched WCW all the way to the end, but it go to the point where I really just watched it for the matches my favorite wrestlers were in and I ignored the story.

[@Cobralalalala]

"Ron or Don" It was Vito. 😂 Great video as always, but that cracked me up. 🙂

[@tthomaselli2]

I had to laugh around 16:30-16:38 when you hear somebody making up their own music in the background as Brian Zane's talking about Ernest "The Cat" Miller's brief appearance at this event. Funny stuff...

[@RealAlphaDrum]

That Smiley/Funk matches were hilarious.

[@GaunterODimm2]

Nowhere to go but down. How fitting....

[@marcohavokkhaos]

Booker vs Sting never disappoint. Props to them, for holding this show together.

[@TheseBitchesWantNikes]

Literally 2 of the only NOT embarrassing things about this Shitshow.

[@claymathewselevator8121]

NB man Nick Bockwinkel must’ve been really confused why his initials were being spray painted on wrestlers 🤣

[@logd27]

Man how many comments do you need?

[@chaseisraw]

That sid turn on hogan. I was in the crowd at that nitro. It was in Gainesville FL at UF campus. I remember this episode and watch it on the wwe network well now peacock. But to see my young self again in your clip on youtube is crazy.

[@glitchsister]

That WCW Y2K logo was too good for this world, they even gave it chrome horns for this one, the mad mans!

[@freakfoxvevo7915]

Sorry, dude. I understand your nostalgia but the WCW Y2K logo sucks.

[@glitchsister]

@@freakfoxvevo7915 i know you are sorry, for being wrong

[@MrRyan-wu4jx]

It looked fine in general, but it suffered from feeling like a knockoff of WWF changing from box letters to the scratch logo and came out almost simultaneously with the company going to crap so is synonymous with their failure.

[@welcometothemovies9157]

Oh God lol. I was there

[@jliller]

I think it would have been better to have Russo supporting the New Blood while Bischoff (who was real life friends with several of them) supported The Millionaire's Club, basically still playing his sycophant role from the nWo. While the idea of the New Blood and Millionaire's Club factions to start off was fine, there needed to be people who weren't part of either. Such as the guys you mentioned (Funk and Knobbs). Probably also Sting. Of all the people to feud with Hogan, Kidman was one of the lesser options. Scott Steiner, Jeff Jarrett, or Booker T would have been much better. Also, and I'm far from the first person to say it, making The New Blood the heels in the feud was counterproductive.

[@charleskress1922]

It was a good ideal. Problem was they tried to include everyone who was on the roster. Should of started with a portion of the roster and began having wrestlers choose sides each week.

[@kevinlee9929]

AGREED

[@princeofstrongstyle6683]

21:54 Pundertaker worthy pun there Mr Zane "Hogan finally kicks down the door to the Bischoff-ice." Brilliant.

[@TheCj126]

Shoulders back, chest out!

[@savage751]

It's the Harris twins! "Blech" lol

[@Spacewizzard090]

Vacant putting in a hell of a performance in WCW 2000, guaranteed Hall of Fame inductee for 2024?

[@Tougie24]

The timeline for this video is insane........and the perfect visualization for WCW in the year 2000.

[@sunasuna16]

20:22 Billy Kidman in the York Foundation

[@BrettBoozeReviewsNOLA]

The guy Hale is the same guy from XWF that’s Jimmy Harts protege

[@Mr.Mcloving]

Makes me happy too see others who hate that dub theme for the cat.

[@RC99_Productions]

30:05 That impression was amazing

[@iamnoone4918]

I always like the idea of this but they should have about 10 members of the New Blood at most.

[@brettrossi034]

"Spring Stampede, bro? Nah bro that's just too old fashioned for me bro! We're gonna call this one Spring Swervepede, bro!" -Vinny Ru and Ed Ferrara

[@DuckySteelwingOW]

Hogan vs Kidman sounds like 2k Universe levels of booking.

[@sdc3536]

Hulk Hogan vs billy Kidman. Wtf. Hogan the guy that slammed Andre feuding with a guy that looked like he was 15. What a time

[@juicepouch1]

Excellent timing, I just listened to the Deadlock pod about the episode where the Wall debuts right before this

[@declangaming24]

Norman smiley a hardcore legend

[@claymathewselevator8121]

Love Norman Smiley

[@TheFlock83]

Pretty sure FMW we’re afraid of him and what he would do

[@VyceryonNet]

First PPV I ever saw, I remember renting that VHS so many times, I thought it was so good (I was like 6), it wasn’t topped until No Way Out 2001. I remember my favorite guy was this weirdo in facepaint coming out to Seek & Destroy…then getting pulled under the ring by Vampiro.

[@jarrettreynolds4560]

Norman Smiley was the best of the end of WCW. He made so much funny material and matches.😂

[@buhbuhjaychampagne1706]

Love the combo of Smiley and Ralphus!!!!!🤣

[@nehemiahpouncey3607]

The first an last time you see jimmy Hart actually wrestle.

[@themaclfc9744]

Do Survivor Series 1988 & 1989 please.

[@slyfox2022]

You do it

[@SESauvie]

Hearing the WWE didn't want Shane Douglas in a time where taking people meant hurting the other company just warms my heart.

[@samrushin2476]

Your “beurgh” when the Harris twins are revealed pretty much resonates as the note of their wrestling careers.

[@jamieskeggs2691]

Isn’t Hail the guy from WXO or whatever that promotion was called?

[@joeytheredkangaroo9393]

What I don't get , is why the New guys would be made into the heels. They want to get the young guys over and for the fans to say hey these guys should have their time in the sun. But then they are heels cheating to win.

[@monabear7287]

Russo's return sealed WCW's fate...

[@bonafide9781]

“Sure looks drab for hell.” 😂

[@Pocketrocket-pj1us]

I agree in regards to the talk of bookers and being so open. Whenever I explain wrestling to a completely clueless person. I like to use movies as a comparison. So, using that as a back ground. Imagine Arnold or Sly, stopping in the middle of a scene and start explaining green screens, make-up, scripts, etc. That crap is "okay" if you are doing one of those 'Stunt Granny' , pull back the curtain things but once the credits end, Or the bell rings. It's time for immersion and it's up the creators, to keep us there! That's why it's so fascinating when C.M. Punk waves to enemies at home ;) Cheers from Canada

[@profjeff9]

This video is goddamn amazing.

[@sonicheroxd5767]

"This show was nominated by...ME-" AAAANNNNNDDDDDDDDD MR. MR. JONES!

[@jerranspearman3369]

good review

[@michaelsinger4638]

The New Blood vs. Millionaire’s Club story was an interesting idea, on paper. But the execution of it was VERY sloppy and the timing to do it was bad as well. Vince Russo basically making himself the focus of the show and the most important character, what a massive ego that takes. WCW could never just keep things simple. So much ridiculous overbooking, screwy finishes, and just general nonsense. It was exhausting.

[@ryankeefe2102]

It was interesting pairing up guys against obvious counterparts like Sting v Vampiro Douglas v Flair Lex v Buff but Kidman v Hogan ridiculous Having Mike awesome a killer in ecw go up against Nash the only guy there bigger than him etc was where it falls apart

[@declangaming24]

Could of kept russo as the powers that be then he reveals himself

[@tims4502]

Russo would be good to have in a brainstorming session, one where people welcome any and all ideas. But then later people think through them and pick the good and the bad. Russo and wcw missed that last step

[@EvaFull]

Can you cover the Hulkamania Coliseum Videos in a retrospective? I think they would make a nice companion piece to King of the Ring 1993.

[@theupliftchannel]

Brian called Bam Bam a jam up guy. Been watching RTW on Wrestling Bios huh? Lol. Love it!

[@Nicksuavemusic]

Vince Russo did the younger vs older wrestlers storyline in tna too with the younger guys vs the main event mafia

[@pendafen7405]

26:30 Three Count were my favourite cute idiot cruiser heels. Underrated stable.

[@tun-tunninc.6492]

Jesus Christmas, those chair shots...

[@guillermosierracuellar9812]

Give Russo credit at least he wanted to make younger talent relevant

[@glennrugar9248]

Stop. Don't encourage him.

[@denniswilliams6519]

But the way about it was idiotic. Making the young hungry guys heels against the past their prime babyfaces clinging to their spot was never gonna get anyone over. Execution matters, not jut intent.

[@JoeSmith-hv7oe]

He's a jabroni

[@jonezy1234]

Turning them all heel wasn't the way to do it 😂

[@AzureReborn]

That’s what he’s mostly given credit for. He tried to make sure everybody had a storyline.

[@jeremyhegg9367]

I'd almost forgotten what Booker T looked like with a crewcut.

[@michaelbuzzee1964]

“Stone Cold” Terry Bollea

[@dantemiles4809]

Non wrestling people still caught up in Jerry Springer. WCW still has talent and could have done well

[@buhbuhjaychampagne1706]

If Time Warner would have left WCW on tv, it could have succeeded. At WCW’s closing, the ratings were higher than any wrestling on today.

[@declangaming24]

Rip jerry springer

[@blazer4328]

The highlights of grunts and noises wrestlers make is underappreciated.

[@craigb2279]

I missed these when they first air, so I am watching WCW/WWF together in the late 90's/2000's. I did enjoy this much better than the Russo alone era for sure. Hogan's rage when he came in and attacked Kidman felt "real" and Sting/Booker was a very good match. But yea way too many goofy endings. WWF just has way too many McMahon's at this time for me. They have Rock/HHH and so much talent, but the constant McMahon family members just ruin it. Sometimes I think if WCW hadn't had so many injuries with Goldberg/Hall/Nash/Brett Hart maybe just maybe they could have gotten their groove back right at this moment.

[@phantomechelon3628]

Why is it that every time I hear ManCow's name, I immediately think "ManBearPig" from South Park?

[@freddiejohnson6137]

One thing about this show was they essential had a lot of heel vs heel matches as filler because there weren't enough members of the millionaires club to fill more than a few matches. Also not sure why you would start an angle like this and have all of the younger guys be the heels as opposed to the older ones. It makes the crowd not want the younger guys to succeed as much and I would have thought having them on your side would have made for a better narrative. However, this is Russo booking so logic does go out the window.

[@JLWide]

Oh gosh. I started watching in 1987 when the Rock & Roll Express and the Horsemen were having a fight. I stuck out Jim Herd, Bill Watts, Ole Anderson, and I even stuck out WCW in 2000. There’s a part of me that feels like I wasted a year of my life.

[@haze1135]

Thanks for the content, man. Do you think you’ll go back to podcasts anytime soon? I miss them in my morning commute lol

[@chriswarfield7520]

Hahaha Ahmed Johnsons grunt sounded like godzilla. 17:56

[@alexgeorge501]

0:00 nowhere to go but DOWN! 18:00 GRUNT noise 22:15 4th door...screw him 25:23 It's like a Train-wreck every time you turn around!

[@montecarlo4294]

That strap match had been done before. Flair and Hogan had one in 1995 on one of the earliest Nitros. And it went pretty much the same way.

[@HandlebarOrionX]

0:13 I feel like if Hulk Hogan wanted to invent a cheese, it would be Brother Dude Jack. Colby pepper jack cheese with more whey protein in it

[@andrewstrom8157]

I was at this show live. I still have the old VHS of it just for that reason. It was fun, but man Russo was in full swing with so many matches booked and all the screwy finishes.

[@JagerLange]

I only ever knew of Mancow from O&A mocking his show - never knew there was a WCW connection there too.

[@nywcrules]

Russo & Bischoff was WCW's last chance to get better.

[@AzureReborn]

They’re also a big part of why it fell apart

[@shady3legend]

Terry funk, terry Taylor and hogan...3 terry's in one segment epic lol

[@claymathewselevator8121]

If you’re some karate

[@TheCheat420]

"Juventude wearing a shirt that is soaking wet." Thats just Juvi Juice baby!

[@yojoeski]

I suspect the guys who took Disco away were meant to invoke The Sopranos which was airing at the time of this show.

[@adamhebb01]

So is jimmy hart part of the millionaires club or the new blood? Because he’s with hogan who’s in the millionaires club but also he’s managing hail who I presume is apart of the new blood

[@jayharv285]

Jimmy tends to flip flop on where he aligns himself

[@declangaming24]

​@@jayharv285 yeah he's a double agent

[@MR.__G]

30:43 “wow another crazy ass finish” 😂😂😂

[@CallumRSU30]

“Booker brings Sting back into the ring to show some respect…” RESPEKT!!! #MainEventMafia

[@claymathewselevator8121]

Strawberry jam great Ned Flanders reference 😂

[@springer90]

I'd like to get my hands on that WCW mousepad.

[@PV24]

Billy Kidman is LITERALLY a cruiserweight version of Bret Hart.

[@andresfgp13]

i love all the 99 to early 2000s WCW PPVs for all the weird stuff and constant bullshittery that happens on them, its awful, a car crash that i cant stop looking at.

[@larryjester]

@30:31 Rod:what's the red stuff coming out of Stingers mouth? Ned:um, that's just...er, raspberry jam.

[@sirvypergaming]

Oh god... I forgot this is the show with Mancow on it. As a Chicago native at the time, this dominated the radio here at the time, it was ridiculous.

[@ollieduracell]

The not-so-great reset

[@jahdorose8659]

Cool

[@paulweston8408]

First off, Zane, you are being FAR to generous with your grade kind sir! Second, damn did Kimberly look good!!!!!

[@heisensaul5538]

Looking back at the build to this, and from what I know about Russo the booker, it's a classic Vince Russo move to not only pull back the curtain, but bash kayfabe's head in with a crowbar. Yeah this show was better than what came before it (Uncensored 2000) and what came after it (Slamboree 2000) however the bar isn't very high for that. The bad is worse than the good. I think something like the DDP-Jarrett match, which was good, was hurt by the swerve we all saw coming of Kimberly turning on Page to side with Russo and Bischoff and the NB. I see Mike Awesome hasn't been ruined by WCW yet and his match was actually not too bad. This show had problems, but not as bad as shows later on in the year.

[@packpock4369]

Bret said best: It's the shits, it's the shits, it was the shits!