ktc

Dueling Chair Shots
by Kurt La Mont
Column date 12/28/2000

Year End Awards:
Voting for the 4th Annual ECW News.com awards are underway. Go to www.ECWNews.com to vote.

There are 10 awards that will be given out and there are 6 nominees for each award. I will let you know you I would vote for on each award and the runner up based on everything that's happened in ECW this year.

Wrestler of the Year: Yoshihiro Tajiri
This was an easy choice for me. No one has come close to matching the number of great matches that Tajiri has had this year. Tajiri has worked well as both a heel and a face. He can work a great match in a number of different styles whether it's a purely technical match or a match that is more a hardcore style. He can put on great singles matches and great tag team matches. This year his titles included the TV belt early in the year and the tag team belts that he won at the tag team tournament with Mikey Whipwreck in August. While his title reigns were both fairly short Tajiri was ECW's best and most consistent wrestler all year.
Runner up: Justin Credible

Tag Team of the Year: Mikey Whipwreck & Yoshihiro Tajiri
This duo was put together for the tag team tournament in August and instantly the chemistry between the two was unmatched in ECW. This team went onto win the Tag Team Tournament and put on 2 of the best matches of the year against the FBI and also against Kid Kash & Super Crazy. Throw in the Sinister Minister and this trio was also the most entertaining wrestlers outside of the ring.
Runner up: Impact Players

Manager of the Year: Sinister Minister
While others might have had more of an impact at ringside this year the Sinister Minister gets my vote some of the best promos we have seen in quite some time.
Runner up: Francine

ECW Rookie of the Year: Tony Mamaluke
The bump machine, Mamaluke joined ECW mid way through the year and quickly found his niche as the newest member of the FBI with Guido and Sal E. Together they produced a series of memorable matches with Whipwreck and Tajiri.
Runner up: EZ Money

Most Improved: Steve Corino
You don't show more improvement than going from a "manager in tights" to the World Champion in the same year and that is what Corino did in 2000. While wrestlers frequently talk about giving 100% all of the time to the point where it becomes a cliché Corino actually goes out and does just that every time he steps in the ring. The bumps that he has been taking over the past 4 months are incredible, especially the superplexes on the guardrail set up on chairs.
Runner up: C.W. Anderson

Biggest Draw: Sandman
No one seems to get a bigger pop when he comes out than the Sandman.
Runner up: Rob Van Dam

Finisher of the Year: Van Terminator
The Van Terminator was a new innovative move that only Rob Van Dam can hit. When he hits it you know the match is over.
Runner up: Gore (I suppose you can take Gore being runner up in more than one way)

Best PPV: November to Remember
ECW's showcase event of the year turned out to be the best card from top to bottom. This PPV had it all, great wrestling, great brawling, fire, Super Crazy's return, and the first ever Double Jeopardy match.
Runner up: Anarchy Rulz

Spot of the Year: Taz chokes out Awesome for the ECW Title
While there were plenty of spectacular spots this year I'm voting for the biggest shock; Taz returning from the WWF to choke out Mike Awesome who had left for WCW while he was still ECW Champion.
Runner up: Super Crazy's Moonsault at N2R

Top Ten Matches in ECW in 2000:
10. Mikey & Tajiri vs. FBI - Hammerstein Ballroom (8/26)
9. CW Anderson vs. Tommy Dreamer - Massacre on 34th Street (12/3)
8. Jado & Gedo vs. Impact Players - ECW Arena (3/4)
7. Tajiri vs. Super Crazy vs. Guido - Buffalo, NY (4/8)
6. Justin Credible vs. Steve Corino - Hammerstein Ballroom (8/26)
5. Tajiri vs. Psicosis - ECW Arena (8/19)
4. Corino vs. Credible vs. Sandman vs. Lynn - Double Jeopardy, N2R (11/1)
3. Mikey & Tajiri vs. Kash & Super Crazy - Massacre on 34th Street (12/3)
2. Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynn - Hardcore Heaven (5/14)
1. Super Crazy vs. Tajiri - Mexican Death Match - ECW Arena (1/15)

Those are my votes. If you want your voice heard you can do that by voting on each of these 10 categories by clicking on the link on the main page. If you want to debate any or all of the categories you can post your thoughts at the ECW Message Board (http://sportsonly.com/a/14404/).

That's all for this year. You can send any comments, questions, or concerns to me at [email protected].

Past editions of Dueling Chair Shots
10/4/99
10/16/99
10/27/99
11/5/99
11/10/99
11/17/99
11/19/99
12/03/99
12/10/99
12/17/99
01/03
01/19
01/29
02/04
02/14
02/22
02/29
03/06
03/13
03/20
04/12
04/28
05/08
05/18
05/23
05/30
06/05
06/13
06/21
06/29
07/06
07/11
07/17
07/24
08/01
08/07
08/20
08/30
09/06
09/14
09/20
09/27
10/05
10/12
10/24
11/01
11/06
11/16
11/28

12/04

12/09