The 25th Anniversary of "From the Podium"

[Leonard]

Good evening, fine readers of the Columns Forum. I’d like to welcome you to a very special edition of “From the Podium,” as much as it pains me to say it. It’s not because I’m not excited to have reached the silver release of my ventures in the CF, or that it took me nine months to get there. It’s because the number 25 is considered such a milestone. You see, in one of my many quirks derivative of my Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, multiples of five make me extremely uncomfortable. It’s not like I can’t function with them, it’s just that they give me a weird vibe. Using fives, then, is a great way to deal with this strange quirk of mine (or so my doctor tells me…). On with the special edition, then!

For the twenty-fifth time, here we go…

The 25th Anniversary of “From the Podium”

Please note that I’m not a moron…I know that this is simply the twenty-fifth edition. Furthermore, I understand that this release is not really an “anniversary” of anything—it’s a joke, K?

Looking back on my twenty-five solo appearances here at the forum, I remembered what brought me to the dance in the first place. I took an idea that I didn’t see a whole lot of in the CF, and then exploited the hell out of it. What kind of writer would I be, then, if I didn’t return to my roots?

The Legacy of Championships:
The WWE European Edition

First Champion: Davey Boy Smith (defeated Owen Hart)

Last Champion: Jeff Hardy (defeated William Regal)

Anybody who dares call himself a loyal wrestling fan knows the original (and I maintain, still) the idea of the Intercontinental Championship in the World Wrestling Federation. The I.C. title was meant to be the “mecca” for the mid card athletes who weren’t quite ready for the big leagues, but still needed to be a champion of a division to either show their worth as a legitimate breakout star, or to put over a guy who needed to become a breakout star. Either way, since the title’s inception in 1979 the championship became known by two monikers. As the “workhorse championship,” it was noted that, while the guys at the top of the card drew the fans, the guys in the Intercontinental division were often entertaining the fans with high quality wrestling matches. Equally as important, the idea of a “stepping stone championship” gave mid carders who had successful Intercontinental Championship reigns the chance to break through the proverbial glass ceiling and join the main event athletes in search of a world heavyweight championship reign.

While I don’t believe that the WWF European Championship was initially intended to be “Intercontinental-lite,” that is what it became. The title was initially conceptualized to be defended exclusively in Europe, and to be on par with the I.C. strap. A tournament took place in various cities in Europe, and included such remarkable athletes as Bret Hart, Rocky Miavia, Vader, Mick Foley, Triple H and…umm…Flash Funk. At any rate, the finals would take place in Berlin, Germany between then-Tag Team Champions Owen Hart and the British Bulldog, the latter of whom would win the match and become the inaugural champion. The caliber of wrestlers fighting for the title (including two former world champions) definitely tell you how they wanted to book this title. However, the powers-that-be soon found that having the championship only defended in Europe would create a logistical problem (travel), as well as a problem in building credibility to the championship. It was at that point when I believe the title took its better known form.

The European Championship, from the time Triple H “defeated” Shawn Michaels for the belt (December 11, 1997) to the title’s eventual unification, became an additional “stepping stone” to bigger and better things. This championship gave lower mid card athletes something tangible to battle over, and gave many of them an opportunity to cut their teeth on championship gold and prove themselves on a smaller stage. While I can’t show definitive proof that this championship could be considered lineage of the Intercontinental Championship, I think a solid case can be made for it. The European strap was obviously part of the pathway to a world championship, much like the I.C., and wore the same type of “stepping stone” veil that its big sister championship did. In that sense, the two titles are very much linked in terms of lineage. Lineage=6.5/10

Looking at the list of champions from the British Bulldog’s victory in the European Championship tournament on February 26, 1997 to the title’s unification with the Intercontinental Championship on July 22, 2002, here are the facts:

-27—Unique Champions
-37—Championship Reigns
-72.9—Percentage of First-Time Champions
-51.08—Average Title Reign (in days)
-4—Most Reigns (D’Lo Brown, William Regal)
-206—Longest Reign (in days) (Davey Boy Smith)
-1—Shortest Reign (in days) (Jeff Jarrett)

I find it funny when the longest reigns are the first of the title’s history. In part, this fact is evidence of the bookers being unsure about what they wanted to do with this championship. Consider that the next longest reign is Matt Hardy’s 2001 reign (which was a much less 125 days) and I think that’s all the evidence one needs. Once they figured out that this should be a title in the spirit of its Intercontinental counterpart, the title reigns balance themselves out much more around the fifty day mark which is shown in the above statistical data. The high turnover rate for new blood getting a chance at the title is a very positive thing to see, and it makes one wonder why the title wasn’t brought back once ECW was resurrected (then un-resurrected as an obviously WWE-oriented product). I won’t jump the gun here and say that a plethora of new stars were made from holding the European Championship, but I will say that many were aided in their rise to bigger championships by the title. This is due to the fact that many folks got a chance to run with the title, make the European Championship something special to them, then put somebody else over on their way up the ladder.

We’ll find that the shortest and longest reigns are pretty average across the board when it comes to these mid card championships. The same can be said for the most reigns amount—four is a pretty safe number for a mid card title, especially when looking at the top reign amount for the United States Championship (five). Thirty-seven reigns over a five year period average out to about seven reigns a year, which isn’t bad, either, especially when comparing that to the amount of reigns a year for the top tier championships in the past twelve months in the current product. I like these numbers, as I think they make a good case for the title to be resurrected somewhere down the line, even if it was a title exclusive to SuperStars. Statistics=8.5/10

We’ll find that twenty-seven different individuals held the European Championship at some point in the title’s five year history. They range from those at the top of the pack (Triple H and Shawn Michaels) to those at the bottom of the heap (Crash Holly and Perry Saturn). It can be said, however, that each title holder (yes, even Al Snow!) brought something to the championship). When looking at the champions who held this title AFTER winning a championship above it (I.C. or World), we find that approximately nine athletes made the perceived “regression” to holding a lower title. On the flip side, sixteen of the European champions broke through the glass ceiling and gone on to win either the Intercontinental or WWF World Championship. This proves the theory that I described earlier—there is a mix of guys who were there to add value and prestige to the championship, and then those whose primary goal was to benefit from using the European strap as a springboard.

The history of champions is primary positive on the whole. In fact, only a small percentage of athletes who had a European reign weren’t successful outside of a higher-ranking division (Crash Holly, Perry Saturn, Al Snow, Shane McMahon, and Mideon). As strange as it seems to say, the European Championship may have more legs to stand on that the Intercontinental Championship does in terms of elevating talent. History of Champions=7/10

Even though I’m not usually one to go on about entertainment value in professional wrestling, I have to say that the European Championship did provide some fun moments, in addition to good wrestling. Look no further than D’Lo Brown and Al Snow (this doesn’t mean he was a good champion, by the way…), who would hail from a different European city on every outing with the title. Shane McMahon and X-Pac also provided some great moments in 1999, culminating in a match between the two for the championship at WrestleMania XV. Consider, also, that the match was placed in the last three matches on the card—and well after the Intercontinental Championship match! This was indeed the highest moment for the title, and certainly cannot be forgotten.

Speaking of Shane McMahon, the biggest problem I have with his reign was the way he ended it. He just decided that he was no longer going to be champion, and literally abandoned the title so that he could retire as an “undefeated champion.” This is the only time the title was vacated, but it was done in such poor taste that it knocks the prestige rating down quite a bit. Why not have a tournament to crown a new champion? Worse yet, Mideon was crowned new champion three months later, when he asked Shane if he could “borrow his belt.” Luckily, the real-life Dennis Knight quickly lost the belt to D’Lo Brown a month later, and the title got back on track. The stuff I mentioned first was all well and good, but the second part telegraphs that in a major way. Prestige=3.5/10

The European Championship was a title that I don’t believe ever got its fair due. In fact, with some encouragement, I believe that this title could be re-introduced in ECW to have an additional “brass ring” to reach for (although I do believe that a Cruiserweight or Hardcore title would be better suited for the “extreme” brand). After averaging my ratings:

LEGACY OF THE WWE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP=6.37/10

“LEGACY” RANKINGS:

FIRST TIER:
1. WWE Championship=8.75/10
2. World Heavyweight Championship=8/10
3. AWA World Championship=7.56/10
4. WCW World Championship=5/10
5. ECW Championship=4.75/10

SECOND TIER:
1. Intercontinental Championship=7.37/10
1. United States Championship=7.37/10
3. European Championship=6.37/10
4. ECW Television Championship=6.12/10

OTHER (TEAM, GENDER, WEIGHT, GIMMICK):
1. World Tag Team Championship=6.62/10
2. WWE Women’s Championship=6.5/10
3. WWE Cruiserweight Championship=5.5/10
4. Hardcore Championship=5.12/10


TOP THREE:

3. Shane McMahon (1 reign, 43 days)

After what I said above, this may come as a surprise for some of you fine readers. The only reason I chose Shane McMahon because he brought a new amount of notoriety to the championship. So much, in fact, that it was placed extremely high up on the WrestleMania XV card, only second to a terrible Hell in a Cell match and the WWF World Championship. The X-Pac/McMahon feud, in my opinion, was as hot as Austin/McMahon by the March Pay-Per-View. So the question must be posed—why Shane here and not X-Pac. The fact is that the real-life Sean Waltman was more entertaining chasing the title than actually holding it. I would even go so far to say that this feud was the pinnacle of Waltman’s career. Shane has had higher-profile feuds, such as him and his father teaming up against Degeneration X. Thus, Shane gets my vote. And besides…X-Pac sucks.

2. D’Lo Brown (4 reigns, combined 140 days)

D’Lo was entertaining as a champion (always hailing from a different European city/country), but he also put on some very good matches. Coming to mind to me are the matches with Triple H, as well as the feuds with Jeff Jarrett (the first “Eurocontinental Championship” occurrence) and Mark Henry. In my mind, one of the best ways to add prestige to a championship is to have good matches for it, and D’Lo Brown certainly brought that to the table.

1. William Regal (4 reigns, combined 179 days)



Again, one of the main ideas behind building credibility to a championship is having it contested in good wrestling matches. Look no further than William Regal if you’re looking for a quality wrestling match with great psychology. Along with D’Lo, he is a four-time champion. Additionally, however, he is only one of two of the European Championship holders to actually hail from somewhere in Europe. No matter what you say, it did make more sense when the champion was from the region it was named for (much like the short-lived WWF Canadian Championship, which Dino Bravo held), and it added a bit more legitimacy to the title. William Regal is indeed a “Real Man’s Man,” and he showed it during his four reigns as European Champion.

HONORABLE MENTION: BRITISH BULLDOG, OWEN HART, EDDIE GUERRERO



BOTTOM TWO:

2. Jeff Jarrett (1 reign, 1 day)

I like Jeff Jarrett, don’t get me wrong. In fact, I think he did a great job with his multiple reigns as Intercontinental Champion, particularly in putting Chyna over as a major threat before he went back to World Championship Wrestling. My problem with Double J’s reign is that, after defeating D’Lo Brown for the “Eurocontinental Championship” with the help of Mark Henry, he simply “disposed” the title onto Mark Henry as a reward for helping him win the match. It didn’t help the title’s credibility by being thrown away on an individual who didn’t earn it, and that Henry lost the title so fast (a month, to be specific). It’s shameful, I’d say.

1. Shawn Michaels (1 reign, 82 days)



The same problem I had with Jarrett I have with Michaels. I understand that he beat the Bulldog in England to draw heat, and that intentionally losing the belt three months later to Triple H was a creative way to move the championship. The thing that bothered me was the aftermath of the intentional loss. Shawn’s pretend crying demeaned the title, and Triple H’s condescending “celebration” did no better. Why couldn’t have Shawn lost the belt in a real wrestling match to a guy who could have been elevated to the next level? Nothing about Michaels’s reign makes sense to me, hence his “top” spot on this list.

UN-HONORABLE MENTION: DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE, AL SNOW, CRASH HOLLY



My Favorite WWE European Championship Matches (click the match title for video link):

Triple H (c) v. Owen Hart, WrestleMania XIV, March 29, 1998

I’m a big fan of Owen Hart’s work, and I don’t really mind Triple H (particularly when he was paired with Chyna), so obviously I enjoyed this match. The in-ring action itself was pretty intense, and had quite a bit of ring psychology. Owen was nursing an ankle injury, so that added an interesting dynamic to the match. Another aspect that provided a few interesting moments (including the tainted win for the champion) was Chyna’s constant interference finally being addressed by then-Commissioner Slaughter by handcuffing himself to her. This is a highly recommended match, both in terms of in-ring stuff and the story behind the rivalry.

British Bulldog v. Owen Hart, Monday Night RAW, February 26, 1997



Maybe I’m just in a nostalgic Owen Hart mood, but here’s another match that is quite the “hidden gem” in the world of sports-entertainment. These two guys go nearly twenty minutes with non-stop action and excellent psychology, focusing on familiar tag team champions competing for singles gold. The dynamic of the crowd (it was in Berlin, Germany, let’s not forget…) was favorable towards the Bulldog, so it was interesting to see him play, for all intents and purposes, the “face” for the first time in quite a while. I think this match should be on a “must view” list for both fans and students of this sport. The only problem I have with the match is that the Honky Tonk Man is just awful on color commentary. You might want to press the mute button as you watch this one…

HONORABLE MENTION: MCMAHON/X-PAC, WRESTLEMANIA XV; ANGLE/JERICHO/BENOIT, WRESTLEMANIA 2000


Well, that’s twenty-five down, and an unknown amount to go. In additional celebration of reaching my silver outing here at the forums, I’d like for some of you new guys to read my personal favorites of the columns I’ve written. It was written back in May, and was intended to be my temporary sendoff from the column-writing business. I couldn’t stay away for long, however, and brought back “From the Podium” several weeks later. It is a very deep piece; while very little of it is about wrestling, it does delve into my wrestling fandom a bit, and is what I would consider the pinnacle of my internet writing. Please enjoy, and be sure to leave comments on what you thought of my return to the “Legacy” series either at lenjr04@gmail.com or here at the forums.

From the Podium 14: A Slight Deviation (Group Therapy with Leonard)


Until the next downbeat…

[Super Chrisss]

Congrats on getting silver, Leonard! It's hard to believe I reached that lucky number before you, but it's quality and not quanity, after all.

A nice return to basics as it feels like you haven't posted a championship edition since swine flu was still a minimal threat. C'est la vie, I guess.

If you recall my Zack Ryder column a few months back, I too supported the notion of having the European Championship defended in the land of the extreme. The ECW Title would be more solidified as a World Title, and the newer guys would have a lesser litle to fight for.

Another job well done, sir.

[Box Car Rocco]

No one does this better then you. Happy 25th column and I don't remember a single bad one from you. You've developed your style here and people know what they will get when they click on a FTP column.

As for the Euro title, I know nothing about it but it was a fun read. I do agree with you on Hart vs HHH at Wrestlemania, I've seen that match and it was really fun to watch. Trips is no bad worker by any means, but Owen really brought the best out of Trips and it showed in that match.

Again, congratulations on number 25. You seem to be on a role again lately, hopefully it will continue.

[The Maz]

Mark out moment. You know I love these and this was no exception. A very nice idea to throw one of these in every once in a while despite you showing you are capable of more.

The whole HBK-HHH match thing was interesting. You were pretty much spot on with your assessment but at the same time, it may well be the most memorably Euro Title match ever. In fact it is one of my favourite DX moments ever.

[Freeman]

Yes Leonard, I loved it! The European Championship is my favourite title of all time, and it was great to recap on some of the great matches that have been contested for the title over the years. I also agree with your criticism as well, particularly the whole DX thing cheapening the belt.

However, there is one little thing,

I like Jeff Jarrett, don’t get me wrong. In fact, I think he did a great job with his multiple reigns as Intercontinental Champion, particularly in putting Chyna over as a major threat before he went back to World Championship Wrestling.

I read that he didn't exactly do that out of the goodness of his heart, more like the $300,000 pay off he got from Vince to wrestle after his contract expired.

Excellent column though my friend, and some great statistics as well. Happy 25th Birthday as well, don't go getting too drunk now in the celebrations.

[FreekyDeeky]

Congrats on getting to 25 mate, many more to come hopefully.

I thought this was an excellent return to what made you so popular around this parts in the first place. I always wanted you to analyze the european title and even though I wasn't to pleased with the rating you backed it up well enough to have me agreeing with you.

[Leonard]

Chrisss: I'm definitely with you on the notion of the European Championship being placed in ECW, and with Zack Ryder earning that championship there. That would give the guy something tangible to fight for, while not being thrown to the proverbial sharks by competing for the main title of a brand.

I would have had more than twenty-five by this point if my writing wasn't so sporatic...between band camps, Requiem writing, and school schedule creating, consistency hasn't been a buzzword in my column writing "career." Stay classy.

BCR: Thanks for the kind words. Owen was definitely one of the best workers of the '90's, if not EVER. He certainly added legitimacy to the European strap (and gave Triple H some great battles). Thanks for stopping by.

Mr. Mazza: I won't deny that the moment itself was pretty funny (you know, typically '90's DX), but it's also true that it likely really hurt the European Championship's credibility.

I was secretly hoping that someone would "mark out" for the unadvertised championship analysis. Thinking too highly of myself? Possibly. Stay classy.

Freeman: I didn't think I implied that our friend Double J was particularly enamored by the idea of putting over a woman. Extra payoff or not (which I believe was actually an advance of money that was to be paid to him later on down the line, but I digest), he successfully put her over, and for that he should certainly be commended. Don't worry, I don't drink, but I'll certainly DD for anyone as long as they buy me soda. Thanks for stopping by. But mostly stay classy.

Freek: The rating system is pretty much arbitrary, you know? When I started these though, the rating was a pretty big part of the "main idea." Since then, though, I started to focus more on the actual analysis than on the numbers. These ratings mean less and less as I do each of these columns, and are really only kept around as a way to tie the pretty bow on the nicely wrapped package (no homo?). I was surprised (pleasantly, might I add) that this championship ranked above the ECW TV Championship, though. Thanks for reading.

Thanks to all who may have taken a gander.

--Leonard

[Uncle Joe]

I love you Leonard, and this was grand, but how can you deface 2 Cold Scorpio? The man is a G. You pain me muchly when you said that sir. Muchly

[Leonard]

I heart you too, Mr. Joe, but there's no denying that 2 Cold Scorpio was Flash Funk, and he competed in the aforementioned tournament as Flash Funk. Furthermore, Flash Funk was an awful gimmick and there's no denying it. Would it have had more success if he was kayfabe-linked in relation to Terry and Dory (in Ric Flair/Andersons style)? Probably not.

Although those Funk-ettes were pretty fly, I must say.

--Leonard

[Mister E]

This was an excellent look at the title Leonard.

I would even go so far to say that this feud was the pinnacle of Waltman’s career.

That's a serious call, but spot on in my opinion. I never even thought of thought of it as X-Pacs biggest feud but I think you're spot on. I found myself agreeing with you on most of the points you made. The importance of the title was very topsy turvy. On one hand the title was defended in the third to last match at a Wrestlemania! Then Jeff Jarrett gives it away on another instance.

I woud love to see it on ECW but I think a Television title is probably a more likely mid card title there.

Very good read here len, catch ya next time!