April 26, 2002
Injury reports - Lita's injury was worse than origionally thought. She will have surgery on her neck and will be out of action 6-9 months. DDP is having his back evaluated. Scotty will have neck surgery and is expected to be out a year. Sharmell Sullivan tore her ACL wrestling in OVW. Raven got kicked in the mouth recently and is in danger of loosing some teeth. He will not miss any of his commentary assignments. Billy Gunn is working through a nagging hamstring. Kane is doing well after surgery. Hogan is working through a rib injury, still. Benoit should be back on TV by the end of June. Nash is about 6 weeks away. Saturn is in therapy for his knee. Rhyno had a positive 6-month checkup. Mike Awesome is about 4-6 weeks out. Kanyon is about 2-4 weeks away. (Credit WWF.com Ross Report)

Notable notes - We could be seeing EVIL-INDEED once again on WWF TV in the future as Taka Michinoku has signed a 3-year deal with the WWF. Taka was out for a good while due to injury. He has been wrestling in Japan for the past few months while in contract negotiations with the WWF. Rey Mysterio Jr. has not signed yet with the WWF as I origionally reported. There have been a few notable former WCW'ers whose AOL-Time Warner contracts have expired that the WWF could be interested. I'm talking about Shane Douglas and Juvitud Guererra. Juvi would be great in the cruiserweight division and "The Franchise" is a great heal and could be a great addition to Raw. JR mentioned that there is currently talks to bring Ken Shamrock back to the WWF.

My Thoughts - As the roster split rolls along, we have seen the pushes of several mid-carders into the higher ranks. Topping my list is Big Show. If you missed Raw, you missed Show turning on Stone Cold and joining the nWo. I think it is the best idea for the nWo right now to make them 3 strong again. First Hogan turns face. Then Nash gets hurt. "McMahon's" nWo was hurting to get truely over. Show is a force on his own, but with the nWo, he will be an unstoppable force.
Next up is Edge. I know, I know. Edge has already has a push, but now, with his feud with Angle has put him on the verge of main eventing. With reports that Angle is going to take a couple years off to train for the Olympics and The Rock doing another movie, Edge could be one of the top faces on Smackdown, depending on how long Triple H is face and the crowd's reaction to Chris Benoit.
Also, Bradshaw has had some high profile matches of recent. Tagging with Stone Cold against the nWo is huge, but that's because Raw's #2 face, RVD, is embroiled in a feud with Eddie Guererro. Why give the title to Eddie? Simple. I think the fans saw RVD as unbeatable. After long runs with the Hardcore and IC titles, RVD was solidified as a strong champ. What better way to make a strong heel than to have him beat the strong champ? This instantly thrusts Eddie into the spotlight and shows off his skill.
Finally, the cruiserweights. Kidman and Tajiri had a great match at Backlash and set the groundwork for a great crusierweight future. Add a some Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, and Nova and we could have some great TV with some wild crusierweight matches in the future.

Backlash thoughts - I was there live in KC to see Backlash, a show filled with good matches and disappointments. That morning, I told my buddy, Caleb, that Jericho would run out on the Hogan/HHH match and cost Hogan the title. Unfortunately, Jericho didn't get the job done and the crap-tacular, leatherskinned old man walked out of KC with the title. Great, KC gets a bad rap for Owen Hart's death and now we're responsible for giving Hogan the title. You wouldn't believe how much I screamed "No! No!" in that match. I was so upset. Hogan did not deserve the title shot, let alone the title. After cooling off, I realize the business decision behind the title change. Hogan must be on the verge of retiring, so McMahon says "Give him the title, let Hulkamania run for a while, and let him retire on the top." As long as this ultimately leads to Hogan leaving wrestling, I'll be happy. The Kidman/Tajiri match was a great opener, and I was happy to get the crowd involved about half-way into it. The Eddie/RVD match was a bit of a disappointment for me because the crowd was dead most of the match. Everything else was pretty solid. Seeing Triple H and Undertaker crossover to the other shows this week was an interesting twist in these cross-show feuds. We'll see what develops in the future. Randy Orton had an impressive debut, but that match should have been a bit longer. Once again, Albert, put some clothes on, that's a little gross. Until next time...

April 19, 2002
Injury reports - Kane suffered a major tear in his biceps while training and will miss 4 months after surgery. Lita's injury has now been classified as a "sprained neck" and she will miss a few weeks of ring time. Scotty 2 Hotty's neck problems are flaring up again and surgery is likely for him. DDP has some bone spurs in his spine which could put a damper on his career. He is getting a second opinion. Kevin Nash is on track for a return in 2 months. Chris Benoit is projected to return in June. RVD is working through a very sore knee. Test is getting treatment for what has become chronic back problems. (Credit WWF.com Ross Report.)

Other notes from the Ross Report
Stevie Ray was backstage at the Houston, TX show this week. JR mentioned "we may look at him in the future." Oooo, beware the Slapjack! Dawn Marie and Kim Neilson had good outings, but JR feels there is work to due for these ladies in the gym and the ring. The Backlash PPV looks solid, but JR is concerned that the fans do not have much emotional attachment to the Kidman/Tajiri match. I'll be at Backlash, and I'll be sure to help cheer these guys on. JR also speculates that the RVD/Eddie match could be a match-of-the-year candidate. JR also said it is quite possible that The Rock will do another movie this year.

The Roster Split: Week 3 and the first PPV
The Backlash PPV looks to be a strong show with good storylines backing most of the matches. The only one with a weak story is Billy & Chuck vs Al & Maven. The Bradshaw/Hall match was supposed to be Kane & Bradshaw vs Hall & Xpac, but it was changed due to Kane's injury. Look for Kane to return with a new look, or at least a new mask. I'll be at Backlash myself, and I'll make sure of 2 things:
1. I am going to boo Hogan. That's right. I said it. Hogan sucks. I will also throw things at the ring if Hogan wins the title.
2. I will try to get everyone I can involved in the Kidman/Tajiri match. These guys have great talent and are laying the groundwork for a strong cruiserweight division. Right now, with Kidman, Tajiri, Chavo, and Hurricane, the WWF has a good group together. They could add Christian to this mix as well. Look for Rey Mysterio Jr. and Nova to join in here along with other cruiserweights the WWF has in the developmental territories, notably Randy Orton.
I am also looking forward to the RVD/Eddie match. This is a match that could steal the show and blow the roof off of Kemper Arena. As long as RVD's sore knee doesn't become a factor, we could have match-of-the-year right here. Heat could be Albert/Rikishi and DDP/Hardcore. I really want to see Brock Lesnar in another match. I saw him in a dark match, but I think he jobbed to Billy Gunn. Here's my picks for Backlash: Jazz defends with Molly's help. Eddie wins setting up a rematch at Judgement Day. Kidman defends with Torrie's interference. Al & Maven win. Edge wins. Hall wins. Spike defends just because. Brock Lesnar squashes Jeff Hardy. About 4 Hardcore title changes. And Triple H better defend. Until next time...

April 12, 2002
Injury reports - Lita suffered a stinger on the set of "Dark Angel" last week. Perry Saturn's knee surgery was sucessful, and he now begins his four months of rehab. RVD has a sore knee that is being checked out. It is expected that Chris Benoit will be cleared to wrestle after his April 18th appointment. Rhyno's return is about 2-3 months away. Mike Awesome is 2 months away, and Chris Kanyon is about a month away.
(Credit WWF.com's Ross Report)

Other notable notes from the Ross Report
Dawn Marie and Kim Neilson will have dark matches on the Smackdown tour this weekend. Randy Orton has been working on the Smackdown tour, but may end up on Raw. Recently, he teamed with Scotty 2 Hotty to face Albert and Lance Storm. D'Lo Brown will get some ring-time this weekend on Raw house shows. JR hints at "new faces" in the Cruiserweight division. I'm thinking Nova, but he's not coming in until May.

My thoughts on the Roster Split: Week 2
With three new Backlash matches announced (Austin/Taker, Kidman/Tajiri, Edge/Angle), the PPV is really shaping up. I expect more Raw wrestler matches including RVD/Eddie, Kane and Bradshaw vs the nWo, and Spike/Regal to be announced. Raw is a show that could use a little more work on the undercard. Booker T, in my opinion, is being cut out. Booker T is right now just being an overpriced jobber. I actually expected Austin's match on Raw to be against Booker T and not Hall. As for the nWo, Nash's "suspension" is an alright angle to get him off TV due to the injury, but I imagine it could have been done better. As for Smackdown, Lance Storm and Test are being severely under used. I have yet to see Test consistantly since the split. Lance Storm has been jobbing on Metal. How bad is that? That is just wrong. Have you noticed that Mr. Perfect right now is being The Perfect Jobber? He lost in an good match to Big Show, featuring a spot where Perfect Perfectplexed Show. Major props to Big Show for pulling off this move. Honestly, I think the WWF is taking the right steps to get people interested in the Cruiserweight title by building this feud with Tajiri and Kidman. Look for next Smackdown for Kidman to have a Title match and Tajiri to attack him post-match. Lastly, Albert...put some clothes on. Damn, that's nasty. That's a pierced-up George "The Animal" Steele/Goldberg combo. Ewwwww...

April 5, 2002
Injury reports - Kevin Nash, who was thought to have a bruised bicep, actually has torn ligaments in his arm and has undergone surgery. Nash should only miss TV this week, but will not be wrestling for 8-10 weeks. Perry Saturn tore his ACL and will be out for at least 4 months. Chris Benoit is reporting to WWF's minor leagues OVW and HWA to work out. Benoit has not been cleared to wrestle yet. Maven broke a finger on Smackdown, but will not miss ring time. Rhyno had his 6 month check-up after his neck surgery. Recovery time is usually 9 months, but JR says Rhyno will not be rushed back until he is 100%. Chris Kanyon is about 1 month away from returning. Mike Awesome is being cleared to wrestle this week and will report to OVw or HWA before returning to TV. Triple H's kneecap is healing, but HHH is working through the discomfort.
(Credit WWF.com Ross Report)

Other notable notes from the Ross Report
WWF is awaiting Rey Mysterio Jr.'s signed contract and have big plans for, in my book, the #1 cruiserweight in pro wrestling. Nova has agreed to terms with the WWF and reports to the minors in mid-May. The team up of Mr. Perfect and Bossman was a bust on Raw, and WWF plans to team Shawn Stasiak with Mr. Perfect and see where they can go from there. Chavo Guererro Jr. and Hugh Morrus will be working on Smackdown as a team in the future. ECW alum Dawn Marie has signed with the WWF.

My thoughts on the Roster Split: Week 1
There where few stand-out spots in what should have been a big week with the "NEW" Raw and "New" Smackdown. The Raw set was good, but those annoying curtains on the side. To quote The Hurricane, Wassup wit dat? The only thing that got me really excited on Raw was the return of Eddie Guererro and the new feud with RVD. This match-up has the potential of turning in some of the greatest matches this year to date. Another thing is the pushes for Kane and Bradshaw against the nWo. These are two guys who have worked very hard and deserve these pushes. Kane has consistantly had his storylines toyed with and destroyed. Bradshaw had to carry the popular tag team with Faarooq. I mean, lets be honest, Ron Simmons unsed to be a good wrestler, but he is past his time. Now, he can retire in peace and leave Bradshaw, who's getting up in the years himself, to finally get a piece of the limelight. My only major problem with Raw was Buh Buh winning the Hardcore title. The WWF should have let Raven hold it longer, if not, have someone like Tommy Dreamer run out and take out Buh Buh. I mean, either keep the title running, like Wrestlemania, or let a legit champ take it and defend it for a while. The Running Title thing was done well with Crash, where he would lose it and win it back several times a show. That was always fun to watch. As for the legit champ, who can forget RVD? He held that title for a good while and it took Undertaker to take it from him.

As for Smackdown, it seemed to be the same ol' same ol'. Nothing really major. Good to see Kidman back on TV, and maybe we might have a legit Cruiserweight division now. They're doing what the can to set that up. Taking Torrie from Tajiri, possibly turning him heel, and breaking up Scotty and Albert. The only problem with breaking up the Zoo Crew was that it totally messes up the tag division. There are no teams other than Billy and Chuck and the Hardys anymore. WWF needs to bring up some other talent or get some teams together soon.
Oh, in lesser news, Hogan is back in the Yellow and Red. Did anyone actually like this? In less than 2 months, Hogan has gone from evil nWo leader who ran The Rock over with a semi truck to "Whatcha gonna do, Brother?" Hulk Hogan from the 80's. Then, they take Undertaker out of the main event at Backlash to stick in this Ketchup and Mustard, Leather-skinned, balding ego-maniac instead. Don't get me wrong. Triple H vs Hogan is going to sell a lot of tickets and get a lot of PPV buys. Heck, I'm even going to be at Backlash. I've already bought my $91 ticket. If the WWF gives Hogan the title, I'm just going to be sick to my stomach. Hogan was good in his heyday, but that was the 80's. It's 2002! This is the era of The Game, The People's Champion, The Rattlesnake and The Ayatolla of Rock and Rolla. nWo Hogan fits in better than this...this...monstrosity. I was a Hulkamaniac back in the 80's, but I got over it. So should Hogan. Until next time...

April 1, 2002
My View on the Situation with Austin
If you have been living under a rock for the last few weeks, I'll tell you what's been going on. Since Wrestlemania, Steve Austin has no-showed every TV taping and house show. The thing is, Austin is upset on the direction his character was going and that he wasn't getting the respect he thinks he deserves. You see, the finish to his match with Scott Hall was supposed to be Nash interferes and the two beat up Austin. This would have set up the roster split because Vince has "control" of the nWo. Instead, Austin demanded what became a squash of Hall at Wrestlemania and the subsquesent walk-out for the past two weeks. Aparently, the WWF came to some kind of agreement with Austin to have him back on RAW tonight.
Now what Austin his displaying here is the kind of attitude guys like Hogan and Nash showed in WCW to destroy it. Austin wanted to be the man. Austin did not want to put Hall, the nWo, and the roster split over. On the one hand, Austin walking out is legit. Austin busted his ass last year after Triple H got hurt and Rock was out making movies. Austin should be one of the top hands, but after Wrestlemania, Austin dropped to the #4 face after Triple H, Rock, and now Hogan.
Some can argue that it is partly Triple H's fault for pushing his way into the WWF title after his injury, but they did the same for Austin last year. They both took parallel routes to get the title. If that's the case, Triple H is up for a long run as champ, but will be due for a heel turn at KOTR.
Honestly, I feel Austin should just get over it and do what is best for the business, not himself. Notice how The Rock has no problems putting people over. Austin quickly rose to stardom with help from Bret Hart, Vince McMahon, Shawn Michaels, and The Rock, but he rose by being the badass who always wins. The Rock turned from face to heel a couple of times, but has this inherent charisma that keeps him at the top. Triple H is the champ, by his own design or not, but he is someone the WWF needs right now to run with the ball. Hogan is a surprise face in my opinion. They didn't need to break up the nWo so quickly, but they did recover a step or two with the help of Xpac. It's not like Xpac wasn't a gimmie for the nWo anyway. The nWo should be stronger than ever right now, instead, the feud with Hogan and Rock is over. How much sense does that make? Rock goes from being hit with a hammer and a semi truck by Hogan to being his best friend bases solely on Hogan's charisma. We'll see what direction the WWF goes in the next few weeks and how long the roster split will remain intact. Until next time...

March 29, 2002
As you know the WWF has split the rosters and, begining this Monday, April 1, we will get to see the new feuds and storylines on Ric Flair's RAW. For those who don't know, here are the rosters and any updates on injuries:

RAW - Undertaker, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, X-Pac, Kane, Rob Van Dam, Booker T, Big Show, Buh Buh Ray Dudley, Brock Lesnar, William Regal, Lita, Bradshaw, Steven Richards, Matt Hardy, Raven, Jeff Hardy, Mr. Perfect, Spike Dudley, D'Lo Brown, Shawn Stasiak, Terri, Jaquiline, Goldust, Trish Stratus, Justin Credible, Big Bossman, Tommy Dreamer, Crash, Molly Holly

SMACKDOWN - The Rock, Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, Hulk Hogan, Billy Gunn, Chuck Palumbo, Edge, Rikishi, D-Von Dudley, Mark Henry, Maven, Billy Kidman, Tajiri, Chris Jericho, Ivory, Albert, The Hurricane, Al Snow, Lance Storm, Diamond Dallas Page, Torrie Wilson, Scotty 2 Hotty, Stacie Keibler, Christian, Test, Hardcore Holly, The Big Valbowski, Perry Saturn

FREE AGENTS - Steve Austin, Chavo Guerrero Jr., Hugh Morrus, Mike Awesome, Chris Kanyon, Rhyno, Kaientai, The Godfather, Bull Buchanan, Randy Orton, Steve Blackman

Injury notes - Kevin Nash is working through a bruised bicep. Triple H has a small patella fracture. Hulk Hogan broke a rib at Wrestlemania and is working through the pain. Chris Benoit is reporting to HWA April 1 to get back in ring condition. Mike Awesome is about to be released from doctor's care and will report to HWA or OVW for ring work. Chris Kanyon is 5-6 weeks away from returning from ACL surgery. (Credit WWF.com Ross Report)

My Thoughts on the Split
First off, I figured they'd balance out the titles. IC to Raw, Euro to Smackdown, etc. Instead, most of the titles are on Raw. I thought that they may even have the Lightheavyweight division in the future, but X-Pac and the Lightheavyweight title are not recognized on wwftitlehistory.com anymore. Smackdown has a very strong roster, but many of the big heels (Taker, nWo, Booker T, William Regal) are on Raw and most of the big faces (Rock, Hogan, Edge) are on Smackdown. Where do they go from here? They tried to pass the nWo off on Kane and he may be able to handle them with help from RVD and Big Show, but who do Booker T and Regal feud with? The Hardys are the next-in-line faces then there's Bradshaw, who can wrestle singles better than Faarooq in my opinion. Then there's the Hardcore division, which will be the strength of the show. Raven, Tommy Dreamer, Crash, Justin Credible, Spike Dudley, Buh Buh, and Goldust might make this title fun to watch in the next few weeks.
Looking to Smackdown, Edge and Angle have already started their feud, so that will go for a while, but what about Rock and Hogan? Do they go for the tag titles? If not, who are Billy and Chuck supposed to fight? Albert and Scotty? WWF needs to form some tag teams fast or this tag division is going to fail. The only thing that looks good here is the Crusierweight division. Tajiri, Maven, Kidman, Hurricane, Christian, Scotty, and Lance Storm may invigorate this title once lost in the mix. I really have 2 questions about WWF's strategy for Smackdown: Why waste such a high pick on someone like Mark Henry? Sorry, but Sexual Chocolate doesn't do it for me. Benoit was a surprise, but since he's not going to be back for a while, why pick him so high too? We'll have to see. Until next time...