Hello to all of you great TBL readers! My name is still Eddie (cheap pop?) and you are reading The Prime Cut! Thanks for doing that! This week’s column will take a look at a loved man by some, and a very hated one by other. The fans around the world know him as Bill Goldberg, a former WCW Heavyweight Champion, and probably WCW’s biggest star you might say.
Bill Goldberg has certainly left his mark into this industry. Starting by being a jobber in Ted Turner’s World Championship Wrestling, the WCW realized that they need to “create” a huge star of their own. To add that someone new to the mix, instead of keep stealing WWF talent. Bill Goldberg was not at all a good wrestler when this push started. Not only was he a jobber (as I said) but he was never looked at as someone serious. WCW realized that even though he didn’t have that many skills, Goldberg had the appeal and look to make it big into the business. That’s certainly what he did. The situation with Goldberg is pretty much the one we have with Brock Lesnar today. However, Brock Lesnar has a great past in amateur wrestling and has accomplished a lot, something Goldberg has not done. Anyway, back to Goldberg.
Working on nothing but his look and somewhat of good mic skills, the WCW built up this Goldberg character who if you looked directly at looked like a Stone Cold Steve Austin parody. Now, it’s a tough thing to say whether or not WCW was trying to copy WWF yet again, but no matter what, Goldberg in my book was simply an Austin look-a-like when he began his “so famous” career, and the WWF used that fact very nicely to poke fun of him. As time went by, the company promoted and pushed Goldberg slowly but successfully. Within several months and about a year and a half later, Bill Goldberg was on the verge of becoming the biggest star WCW had. That’s exactly what he did too. The WCW started a storyline where Goldberg would go out and defeat everyone in a winning streak, which I believe has not ever ended (not a huge WCW fan here).
Nobody can’t deny one thing. Even though Goldberg didn’t have the skills, he did work hard and he did do his best. The man was popular all around the world. He was appearing on TV shows, and programs and was definitely a very good representative of WCW. He did truly know how to speak in public and how to address matters about wrestling and WCW. One thing I will always admire about Bill Goldberg and will always have the respect for him because of it, is that in the public he came out as a big honorable man. Keep in mind, that was as long as he was in WCW and was either the WCW Champion or the main-eventer in some fashion. Goldberg has given so much to charities and has invested a lot of time and capital into helping others. For this, Bill Goldberg will always remain a nice person in my mind.
However, when he wasn’t on top in WCW, or he wasn’t even in WCW (the last 2 years), Goldberg always came out in the public as a completely different person and it seems that his ideals and thoughts are really strange.
When Vince McMahon purchased World Championship Wrestling in 2001, Bill Goldberg was one of the many superstars which the company still had under contract and was paying to. There were no talks between the WWF and Goldberg back then because the company knew that Goldberg was the man with the biggest paycheck and since he had more time left in his contract he wasn’t willing to receive a cheap buyout just to go to the WWF. Time passed.
Earlier this year, AOL Time Warner which was the owner of WCW stumbled upon more financial problems. The company decided to get rid of everything that was costing them money, and Bill Goldberg’s contract was the last thing left from WCW. AOL Time Warner offered Goldberg a buyout, only this time the catch was that the buyout will be pretty solid. Something in the likes of 90% and even more from what he was supposed to originally get. Goldberg agreed and he was no longer contracted to WCW. When this happened the big question on-line started… Did Goldberg accept the buyout to go to WWF? Is Vince bringing him back?
That was NOT the answer, definitely. Bill Goldberg went public several times on the WWF after they purchased WCW and even said that he was discussed with some of the things on TV. According to Bill Goldberg, WWF’s programming had a very low morality and it was so bad that he wouldn’t want kids to watch something like that. There were also some cheap shots at WWF New York (as it was called back then) and how it contributed to 9/11, where Goldberg made some harsh statements, but realized it was foolish and apologized to the company for it. So, Bill Goldberg’s point was that there is too much nudity, too much sexuality and too much provoking behavior on WWF Television, therefore it was not a good place to work in. At the same time, when asked on if he’ll ever work for McMahon, Goldberg kept saying that his options will always be open, but his morality wouldn’t allow it. Now, I am no critic and yeah, maybe the WWF did offer some provoking television. However, one statement really did it for me. Bill Goldberg appeared on Comedy Central’s “The Man Show” and he said that he had tons of fun on the show and enjoys it. How in the hell can a show like “The Man Show” be good morally and the WWF can be bad??? When I read that, my opinion of Bill Goldberg changed, and in my eyes he seemed like a hypocrite.
Saying “The Man Show” is a fun and good show, whereas “WWF RAW” is a morally-wrong, and provoking show is like Bret Hart returning to the WWF for Vince only or saying in public Vince McMahon is the nicest person there is, after all the comments Bret has made about Vince. Just like Hart says himself, he would be nothing but a hypocrite.
So, then, why does Bill Goldberg’s name keep popping up into the news lately? What is the deal?
Ever since 2002, the WWE has been doing bad with ratings, which is nothing new to you. Even though Vince brought back the nWo it didn’t seem to work. The WWE is undergoing a great transformation right now and ratings are still low. No matter what, everybody is sure that if he shows up on WWE TV, Goldberg will bring back some old WCW viewers, and probably ratings will jump up. That might very well happen.
Currently, Bill Goldberg is working in Japan and is signed to a deal which allows him to compete in the United States if he wants to. Goldberg has said in an interview with his official site that he’s yet to meet with Vince McMahon. For over a period of months now, the WWE has tried to contact Goldberg and set an appointment with him. What have they gotten? Some unpleasant replies which were sometimes very harsh (see above). Recently, Goldberg seems to have changed his opinion, like I said. He now continues to say how he might not like the WWE, but has no problem working about them. Things like that. He says he never hated Vince McMahon, just didn’t like his style. It’s basically an all-around change. When life presses on ya, things are different, aren’t they?
You see, it was all the fast success which made a less-than-average capable wrestler a huge worldwide star. The cockiness, the attitude, and everything else was born from there. Big Show suffered from the same thing when he defeated Hulk Hogan to capture the WCW Championship in his first match. Big Show is not in the main event picture anymore and as you remember from that episode on Tough Enough 2, his attitude is completely different and he’s not the pr*ck he used to be backstage. Goldberg is more than a star and has certainly done a lot in the business. Can he close his eyes and change for the WWE? Is he willing to? Does he really want to?
Eric Bischoff and Bill Goldberg have been friends for a long time, so many believe Eric might help bring Goldberg in the company. The latest update I have on Goldberg is that the WWE and him have scheduled a meeting and he might enter WWE soon. Jim Ross continues to state in his Ross Report that there have been no talks or appointments set between the two sides. Whether we see Goldberg in the WWE or not, to me he will remain a man who changed the business in his own way, gave a lot of what he’s earned to people who deserved it as appreciation for his success, and has sometimes been a hypocrite. This complex combination makes up the man, the myth, Bill Goldberg.
Again… Feel free to send me any feedback. Feel free to write no matter if it’s negative or positive. I answer all my mail so you will get a response. Tell me your thoughts and maybe even certain subjects you’d like me to discuss in this space? Drop me a line, my e-mail is Levski11@aol.com. I am Eddie and you read another Prime Cut! Thanks!
Eddie
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