Well, hello. Welcome to The Live Wire, the column that is fast becoming my least favourite two hours of the week!

Yes folks, it’s becoming more of a chore to write now than it’s ever been... for the time being, I shall carry on and try and maintain my one a week rate of production... but I don’t know how much longer I can do that. I will carry on writing about wrestling, no matter what - just not at the rate I used to.

It’s ironic, as one of the SmashWrestling writing crew pointed out to me - a lot of people are feeling burnt out on wrestling right now, even though things are turning around and looking good at last... true, very true - but months of garbage takes it’s toll. Especially when I resist the temptation to go off on a rant about how things suck - even when they do - because I’m a shiny happy person. Yes.

So, peeps - what can you expect from The Live Wire? To be honest, I don’t know myself. Both this column, my writing focus and indeed the fine, fine site of SmashWrestling.com will be undergoing changes in the near future. I need to do something fresh, the site needs to do something fresh - and hey, you peeps need to read something decent from me for a change!

I guess what I’m saying is that this next few weeks and/or months will be very much a transitional time - stick with me and the site, and who knows what it will lead into... you might even like it. Trust me - when did I last steer you wrong? Apart from the predictions columns, natch...

With that rhetoric and whining out of the way, onwards and upwards!!! Column... away!

WrestleMania XX - the best of times?

With the build up for WrestleMania XX hitting full tilt, is this as good as it’s been in a long time? We have Eddie Guerrero, who I voted as my number one wrestler in 2003 as the Smackdown Champion, and if results go the right way, Chris Benoit could walk out of WrestleMania as the Raw Champion, and add some much needed credibility to the belt.

Who would have thought that we live in a world where the WWE could theoretically have Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero as the top men in the promotion - at the same time? Hot-diggity, that just rules. Hopefully, Eddie can keep his title until after WrestleMania so he has a fair shot at it, and Mr. Benoit will either get the title at ‘Mania or at Backlash in Edmonton...

Speaking of Eddie Guerrero, it’s strange to see how the fortunes of the Radicals have changed since their arrival in the WWE in 2000...

Dean Malenko : Retired, now working ‘backstage’ - probably making cups of tea for Fit Finlay or something equally important. Actually, Malenko’s experience could be invaluable if there are actually going to push the Cruiserweight Division forward. We’ll see.

Perry Saturn : Buried after the infamous Mike Bell incident : Basically, Perry freaked out and nearly killed a jobber on one of the lesser shows. Of course, WWE showed it repeatedly, and Perry was then rewarded by a very stiff powerbomb from the APA... which led into the whole “You’re welcome” angle and Moppy. It’s hard to recover from carrying a mop around and saying stuff like “Doggies eat applesauce to save the ozone layer”. Perry was released and last sighted in New Japan as a trainer.

Chris Benoit : Without a doubt, Benoit was seen as the jewel in the crown of the Radicals. He’s consistently put on match after match of the highest quality; managed to gain a few Intercontinental title runs; broke his neck; missed a year; returned without missing a beat and had last year’s greatest match, vs. Kurt Angle at the 2003 Royal Rumble. Benoit won this year’s Rumble, and is now in the main event with a real chance of winning The Big One. About time, too...

Eddie Guerrero : A rocky road, ups and downs along the way. Eddie injured himself just as his WWE career started, and was out for some time. He returned, floated about the midcard for a while, won the European title, had an angle with Chyna, and was eventually released over his addiction problems. He returned, and was scheduled to be plugged into a feud with Steve Austin right before Austin threw a hissy fit and walked out. Eddie plugged away and fast became one of the star attractions on Smackdown, with his star rising until last week, when he became the WWE champion.

Who would have thought that Eddie would be the breakout star of the group, and the first to reach the top of the mountain? And who would have thought that the ride to get there would have been so convoluted...

With a triple threat set up between HHH, HBK and Benoit; Eddie set to take on Kurt Angle, it really does look like WrestleMania XX could end up being the day the Radicals really make their mark.

Thanks for reading... Until then, have fun, go mad.

Be sure and pay a visit to these two sweet sites :

WrestleHolic.com

TheGroovyComapany

Tony Cottam

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