The Best There Ever Was?

Of course, 1999 had its downs along with its ups. Wrestling endured criticism (usually justified) for its glorification of violence and its degrading portrayal of women. The major promotions were also criticized for their treatment of their performers, with the tragic death of Owen Hart bringing the issue to the fore. Here are one fan's picks for the best and worst of one of the most dramatic years in wrestling history:

WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: THE ROCK (WWF)
This is a no-brainer. The Rock personified the entertainment-first/wrestling-second direction the sport is taking. Armed with cocky charisma, a few catchy phrases, and a dexterous eyebrow, The Rock was far and away the most interesting and exciting performer of the year. Yes, Rock, we definitely smelled what you were cooking: entertainment, humor, and ratings.

BEST WRESTLER: CHRIS BENOIT (WCW)
This is another no-brainer, although an argument could be made for the ECW's Rob Van Dam. Benoit was finally given his long overdue shot at the big time in 1999, and he did not disappoint. The direct opposite of The Rock, Benoit's Silent-but-Deadly technique was only slightly less entertaining. No one else comes close to combining technical ability, high-risk maneuvers, and the willingness to take nasty bumps.

BEST FEUD: EDGE AND CHRISTAIN VS. THE HARDY BOYZ (WWF)
I know what you're thinking: no one cares about wrestling anymore. The soap opera-like story lines are everything. Nevertheless, in 1999 there was nothing to match the classic story lines of the last few years, such as Austin-McMahon or the original nWo vs. the WCW. That being the case, why not honor four guys who proved that a lot of great wrestling with a little (or even no) plot can still go a long way?

BEST TAG-TEAM: EDGE AND CHRISTAIN (WWF)
I'll give them a slight edge (no pun intended) over the Hardy's. Their work is always good, and often spectacular. Unless the WWF screws it up, the Edge is a bona fide future superstar.

MOST IMPROVED: (TIE)HARDCORE HOLLY (WWF) AND SHANE McMAHON (WWF)
Bob Holly finally shed his string of bad luck and awful gimmicks and proved that he had a sense of humor to go along with his good mat skills. While he is no Rock, Mic Foley, or Chris Jericho, the super heavyweight is almost always good for a chuckle or two. As for Shane O' Mack, I would be tempted to put both him and his father in a top twenty wrestler list. No joke - the guy is great. Witness his flying head-butt from the top of a steel cage.

BEST ON THE MICROPHONE: THE ROCK AND SOCK CONNECTION (WWF)
OK, so this is a cop-out, but I can't single out one over the other. The truth is that The Rock was better, but some of his best work this year came from playing off of Mic Foley. These two guy dominated 1999.

MOST OVERRATED WRESTLER: KEVIN NASH (WCW)
He is not as funny as he used to be, and he has what: five, maybe six moves?

BEST PROMOTION: WWF
I'm a little mad at them for not utilizing Chris Jericho to his full potential, but that's just me. WWF was far and away the most entertaining wrestling promotion of the year, whether you base it on live shows, weekly television, or pay-per-views. Just look at how many awards they won on this list.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: CHYNA (WWF)
She's not just a gimmick. Her matches against Chris Jericho were some of the better matches of the last couple of months.

BEST ANNOUNCER: (TIE) Jim Ross and Jerry "The King" Lawler (WWF)
The King is absolutely hilarious (ex. speaking about Nicole Bass: "She has muscles in places most women don't even have places"), but where would he be without his straight man, JR?

WORST ANNOUNCER: Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (WCW)
Note to WCW: let him get drunk during shows again. It can only help.

BEST MANEUVER: JEFF HARDY'S SENTONBOMB (WWF)
So what if it would actually hurt Jeff a lot more than the intended victim? It's still pretty darn cool. Jerry Lynn's cradle piledriver is a close second.

WORST ANGLE: JEFF JARRETT: WOMAN BEATER (WWF)
It took a lot to beat the Big Show's father cancer angle. No wonder Double J left for WCW. Like I said at the beginning of the article, it was a great year, but not perfect.

LEAST FAVORITE WRESTLER: RICK STEINER (WCW)
Does anyone like this guy?

WORST WRESTLER: RODDY PIPER (WCW)
No joke, he has two moves: the chest slap and the sleeper. I have no respect for anyone who even I could out-wrestle. Oh yeah, and his interviews make no sense and are not in any way funny. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Is it too late to change my vote for least favorite?

BEST MANAGER: DAWN MARIE (ECW)
Managers are pretty much useless, so why not pick one who is good to look at? By the way, despite their efforts to make the "Big Two" the "Big Three," this is ECW's only award.

MOST UNDERRATED WRESTLER: TRIPLE H (WWF)
An odd pick considering the fact that he was WWF champ. Nevertheless, I think that people underestimate his ability in the ring and his importance to the WWF. Besides, he is just too darn good to get shut out from the awards.

Submitted 12/29/99 by Notre Dame law student Brad Sobolewski.