So tonight I observe the late ECW and not the version WWF aired on the SyFy network until 2010. The original ECW started in the early 1990s as Eastern Championship Wrestling and then after Shane Douglas threw down the NWA world title the E in ECW went from Eastern to Extreme. From that point forward ECW became a hardcore promotion.
For the most part I only got to know ECW from the summer of 1998 airing on our local channels 62 and 26 (the U) until it's eventual demise in 2001. It was something different from what I could see on WWF or WCW. ECW programming tended to be bloody and violent and the fans had a thirst for it.
Fans of Jerry Springer would change Jerry after something extreme happened on the show. Fans of ECW would chant ECW after something extreme happened. It wasn't hard to get caught up in the actions.
Tonight, I want to share a piece of ECW. It's a match I never had a chance to watch. The Sandman vs. Mick Foley in a barbed wire match. Sandman would be the equivalent of Hulk Hogan or Stone Cold Steve Austin or Rick Flair or Sting. The difference is probably only real wrestling fans know Sandman and I'm not sure Sandman is really capitalizing on his status as an Extreme Icon.
While it seems ECW survived on nationwide syndication on local TV stations, they did ink a nation TV deal. Spike TV used to be TNN - or The Nashville Network - and ECW's deal with TNN lasted close to a year. Unfortunately near the end of 2000 WWE moved to TNN - which eventually became The National Network - and ECW was back to syndication.
I miss ECW, and unfortunately had very little time to really get to know that product. If I understand correctly the company ran into money issues and ultimately WWE bought the brand and even had a TV show to reignite the brand. Now ECW is a legend in a business that it seemed to have helped revive during the 1990s.
One can only wonder if there will be another company to come along and re-invent professional wrestling. Time will tell.
BTW, as a side note I had no idea he was being walked to the ring by a performer who's often been known as Woman aka Nancy Benoit. ECW seemed to be a seed for talent to both WWF and WCW over the years and Woman was no different. Unfortunately Woman was murdered by her husband WWE superstar Chris Benoit in a murder-suicide. So for those who know about very tragic incident there is some sadness for sure.
