My how things have changed since last week.

Last week, I was looking forward to a solid Thunder. While the matches weren't going to be four star, I knew that I would still be entertained. I knew all the matches would make sense. And I knew that the show would keep WCW's continuity level consistant.

This week, I'm dreading Thunder. I read Scoops non-spoiler Thunder lineup and I'm sick to my stomach. Some matches may be somewhat decent, but most won't make any sense. And I have a feeling I won't be entertained. This show will take WCW's continuity level and throw it in Sullivan's crapper.

In case you haven't been on the internet since Friday, I am of course talking about Russo's demotion by WCW Vice President Bill Busch. In perhaps the most crack-headed move in the company since Eric Bischoff thinking KISS would be a huge success, Kevin Sullivan was then put in charge of the booking commitee. Ed Ferrera and Bill Banks still work for WCW as "writers" (even though their powers have been reduced without Russo) and Terry Taylor may be the only one with smarts on the "booking" team. Kevin Nash has "input" on the booking and angles.

Excuse me? Sullivan, Dillon, and Nash? Didn't this dream team drive WCW into the ground last year? Remember the "summer of suck?" The hummer driver to be revealed at the Great American Bash? Sid's streak? The hummer driver to be revealed at Bash at the Beach? Hogan as the companies' number one face? The hummer driver to be revealed at Road Wild? Arli$$? Not to mention the musical failures (that were Bischoff's fault) and you had a company that was a laughing stock. Russo was finally dragging WCW out of the ground and slowly making it a contender again. So what went wrong?

More than three months of undermining, that's what. As soon as Russo hit WCW, the old craptacular bookers were whispering things into Busch's ear. Bill Busch seemed like lightyears ahead of Bischoff (at least, the shell of Bischoff that ended up demoted), but he's apparently fallen victim to the same type of corporate brainwashing by Sullivan that did Uncle Eric in. Now let's talk about Benoit and the rest.

Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Perry Saturn, Shane Douglas, Eddy Guerrero, Konnan, and who knows who else have asked for their releases. They all know what a Sullivan booked company means. Being buried. Pushes for Sullivan's friends and butt buddies. Being a midcarder for life. In a meeting with Busch, he told them that he would give them a week. Then he would decide what was more important. Sullivan or them. From what I'm hearing now, he chose Sullivan. Benoit, Malenko, Saturn, and Douglas are GONE FROM THE COMPANY (at least, according to Mene Gene). Sullivan is staying on board as the head booker. Bill Busch has gone insane, and he seems intent on killing WCW.

Why would Busch demote Russo when he said he would give him six months to turn the company around? Perhaps the whisperings were just becoming too strong in his ear. Busch said they didn't want to focus on ratings anymore and they wanted to get back to a G-rated product. But on Nitro, things weren't very G-rated. Another excuse was they wanted to get back to wrestling. Looks like WCW can't realize that the fans want good wrestling AND entertaining storylines. Two poor excuses by Busch.

So what do I think about all this? I think it blows. I think it sucks. I didn't know it was possible for something to blow AND suck at the same time, but this sure does. I was excited by WCW again. Russo seemed to have the company going in the direction of the future. Now the company is blasted back to the dark ages. All because of the s---heads running it. We lose the best midcarders in the company, the best writer in the company, and all hopes of storylines making sense. WHY? Because Busch was brainwashed by the new number one heel in WCW: Kevin Sullivan.

We can't give up though. Remember Ric Flair's legal dispute? Remember the online fan support? Remember that glorious night Ric Flair returned? Now imagine the glorious night Russo returns. We CAN make it happen. We CAN defeat Sullivan, Bill Busch, JJ Dillon, and Kevin Nash. We as the fans don't need to relive last summer, because we've been sitting through this crap long enough. Please e-mail WCW and protest this whole thing. Demand Russo back. Demand Sullivan impeached. Brings signs to WCW events that say "We want Russo" and "Why hasn't GLAAD yanked Sullivan?" Raw may be war, but right now the real war is behind the scenes at WCW.

We can be the peacemakers.

Written By The Guy Who's Sad To See Leroux's Push Die, SirSlush2@aol.com

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