Starrcade 1998 was about 2 years ago. In the main event, undefeated WCW World Champion took on the man who won World War 3, Kevin Nash. In the months prior, Nash had been involved in a horribly booked feud with Scott Hall, and they were headed for a reconciliation. Bam Bam Bigelow had jumped ship from ECW, and targeted Goldberg right away. Goldberg was the center of the promotion, and at that time WCW was still doing decent ratings and PPV buyrates.
Anyone who was on the internet at that time knew that Kevin Nash had become the head booker of WCW, and it came as no surprise that he became the man to end Goldberg’s streak, and the new World champion. Of course we all know what has happened to WCW in the past two years. But has anyone stopped and looked at Goldberg’s career in particular?
After the end of his streak, Goldberg went into a feud with Scott Hall, and had the blowoff of his feud with Bam Bam on Nitro. As the “nWo Goldberg was never really the focus of the promotion under Kevin Nash, and wasn’t again until Vince Russo took over WCW that he refocused the promotion around Goldberg. It looked like “Da Man’s†career was back on track as “nWo 2000†was formed and waged war on Goldberg.
For the second straight year, Starrcade’s main event involved Goldberg in a World Title main event. And for the second straight year, Goldberg lost in that match, this time due to Vince Russo’s obsession with the Montreal screwjob. Weeks later Goldberg injured his arm in a backstage skit, and would be out until the late spring.
His career continued its downward spiral upon his return, including an awful match with Tank Abbott to end a feud on Nitro. Then the big surprise at the Great American Bash- the Goldberg heel turn which did more to damage his career than any Kevin Nash booked event ever did. Instead of massive heel heat, Goldberg got minor face heat and major apathy as a bad guy. Combined with terrible booking, his personal effort did nothing to help his cause.
WCW bookers saw the error of their ways after a couple of months, but the damage had been done. Since then, Goldberg is still over as a face, but no longer has the aura of super human invincibility he once had.
In the past few months, WCW bookers have seemed scared to return Goldberg to a world title scene he hasn’t been a part of since late 1999. Even more shocking, he hasn’t been World Champion since losing in December 1998. Unless something shocking occurs, he will not have been world champion for any time during the calendar years 1999 and 2000.
Obviously, WCW still thinks that a Goldberg title reign can mean big money, but are trying hard to postpone it and save it as the company’s last big hurrah. However, as they continued to push off a second Goldberg World title reign, the bookers lost their chance. At one time, a Goldberg title reign could have been big money. But now, no one cares.
Like Sting, Goldberg has moved into a strange limbo where he is popular, is identified as a big star and gets a big reaction, but is no longer a big time money draw. And while guys like Sting have great in-ring training and have (or at least have had in the past) a love for the business, Goldberg only has his natural charisma to sustain him.
It’s no longer an issue of misuse or behind the scenes jealousy. The damage has been done, and for the most part, it is permanent. The unbelievable rise to fame and aura that it created for Goldberg was so rare and special that it is nearly impossible to recreate. WCW bookers seem to be waiting to re-unleash Goldberg on the World Title scene. But they fail to realize that Goldberg as World champ generates the same interest as Sting or Booker T as champion. It longer will mean more money for the company.
It’s time for both Goldberg and WCW to start using Goldberg not as an unstoppable force, plowing through Kwee Wee and Lex Luger, but as a way to create other stars. It will do nothing to hurt Goldberg’s popularity to have a big feud with Scott Steiner and come out the loser. The same is true of a feud with the Chosen One, or Lance Storm. Of course Goldberg will still get plenty of wins and such, but his lingering star power can never again pop a rating or buyrate. Instead, for the good of WCW, his Teflon popularity should be used to create other big stars. Once there are new stars in WCW, maybe Goldberg can again have a main event, world title feud that will mean something to the bottom line.
But that will almost assuredly not happen. Goldberg will probably get the World Title again at some point in early 2001. Instead of, say, jobbing clean to a World Champion Scott Steiner, he will beat Steiner for the title, and be left, once again, with no competition. And WCW will still be in the same financial dire straits its in today.
Goldberg will ultimately crushed by the very legacy that he created- unable to live up to the expectations of fans and management when he finally gets a run at the top, Goldberg will lost in the shadow of his monstrous past.
Who’s next? Goldberg- defeated by himself.
