By V ( v@hempseed.com )
28th June, '99

The best damn column there ever was, The People's Column, is back after a two week hiatus. I'm back after some R&R and rearing to get back to writing columns. But before I begin, I want to apologize to my readers for not replying to their messages. The fact that I had internet access all this time makes me even more guilty.

Just a few days ago, I was one of the thousands of wrestling fans criticizing the WWF and WCW for not pushing their mid-carders. While wiling away time last Tuesday, I actually wrote down the WWF and WCW rosters. I then realized what a tremendous effort it requires to balance all the talent in the two feds. For example, in the WWF there are around 45 wrestlers (I could recall only 45 names). Out of them, there were 7 main eventers- Steve Austin, The Rock, Mankind, The Undertaker, Kane and Paul Wight. And then there were 20 wrestlers we regard as mid-carders. It's very clear it must take a lot of hard work to balance the pushes of all these 27 men. It must be very difficult to push so many men at the same time. In WCW, the situation is worse. There are even more main eventers and upper mid-carders there and the balancing act requires a lot of dedication and perseverance on the part of the bookers (something that is incidentally missing). So the next time you feel like criticizing the feds for not pushing their 'young talent', think about how much hard work goes into booking these wrestlers.

And now, here is another dose of random thoughts:-

>> The 7 figure contracts that Master P, Dennis Rodman and Tank Abbott are getting from are unjustifiable at the very least. Bill Goldberg, their top star, gets only around $800,000 a year. The disparity is very unfair and must be corrected. But not by increasing Goldberg's sallary, but by reducing all others'.

>> So Turner bought a new ranch. There goes the Shane Douglas contract.

>> The Rock vs. The Undertaker. Whatever qualms I had against Rocky winning the WWF title any more times in the next 3 years are gone. The WWF needs the Rock.

>> I used 'the' 6 times in the last sentnce!

That's all for this edition of the People's Column. Send me questions, comments and corrections at v@hempseed.com.