As promised, here are some reader responses to my various rankings along with my responses to them. To get your own reactions posted on this site, simply send me an e-mail on your thoughts on the web site content, and if your reaction is half-way decent, you too could see your opinions on the internet (without having to write any of this fancy HTML code).
Re: Kane and Grandslam champions. Christian, Test, and Jeff Hardy were never grand slam champions, as they never attained World Title Championship status. IC, HC, and TT were all merits to them. But they never got the HW belt. Please clarify what you mean by that.
Ken B.
ANDY'S RESPONSE:
A Grand Slam Champion, to the best of my knowledge, is one has won four titles in the WWF. Kane accomplished this feat when he won the Intercontinental Title, after previously holding the Hardcore Title following Wrestlemania X-Seven, the Tag Titles several times, and the WWF Title. Christian has held the WWF Tag Titles (seven times), the Intercontinental Title, the European Title (both in 2001), and the Light Heavyweight Title. Test has held the Hardcore Title, the European Title, the Intercontinental Title, and the Tag Team Titles (all in 2001). Jeff Hardy has won the Tag Titles, the Intercontinental Title, the Hardcore Title, and the Light Heavyweight Title (all in 2001). I agree that Christian, Test, and Jeff Hardy's Grand Slams are much lesser accomplishments than those of Shawn Michaels, Kurt Angle, Chris Jerico, and Kane because they did not include the WWF Title, but four titles is four titles. In fact, in an interview, Edge commented that Christian was now a Grand Slam Champion after winning European gold, but chuckled since one of the titles was the Light Heavyweight Title that he won from Taka Michinoku and dropped to Duane Gill (the immortal Gillberg).
I couldn't help but read your year end rankings and you put Tazz, Tajiri, and Big Show on there and not CHRISTIAN! How could you! He was a much better singles wrestler than Tazz and Big Show (the overweight bastard still sucks; he didn't learn anything from Ohio Valley). Even though Christian only was a singles guy for about 5 1/2 months, so was Tajiri and he did better than both and don't get me started on The Big Show. He just plain out sucks. Good lord man, what were you thinking? I hope next time you have some respect for the only good European Champ since Shawn Michaels held it in 97. Cause you know as well as I do its only a matter of time before christian is WWF Champ. He will surpass his brother Edge first, since Christian is clearly the better in ring performer and VERY clearly much funnier and has a much better on screen personality.
Jacob B.
ANDY'S RESPONSE:
As you alluded to, Christian did not make the Year End Rankings because much of his work in 2001 was as a tag team act with his "brother" Edge. When I compiled the Year End Rankings, I performed a statistical analysis on my previous 13 rankings throughout the year 2001 to decide which wrestlers would make up the top 20. To my surpise, Christian ranked 23rd for the year (behind all those who made the rankings besides Tazz and also Rhyno, Raven, and Trish Stratus). Now, I only used these stats as a guide, because stats always fail to tell the whole story. So I removed Rhyno and Raven from the top twenty and thrust Tazz and Tajiri into their spots, leaving Christian out. Why? A lot of it had to do with his European Championship. I agree that he has been one of the few highlights of European Champions (although I would also rank Kurt Angle and William Regal as great European Champions since HBK held it in 1997), but a European Champ is still a European Champ. Even Michaels made fun of the title when he held it. It's not Christian's fault, it's just that when he's champ he has to fight lesser fighters (for example, when Tajiri had a mid-card grudge match with William Regal at Survivor Series, Christian opened the curtain with a throw-in match with Al Snow). He gets less face time because his belt is meaningless. So while he was well on his way to making the year-end rankings with his King of the Ring performances and Intercontinental Title bouts with Edge, his momentum was haulted when he was awarded the European Title (at a non-televised event no less). I suspect the WWF only gave him the title so he could easily make the transition back to the WWF after Survivor Series under the "all champions keep their jobs stipulation".
As for The Big Show, I must state plainly and clearly: I AM NOT A FAN. I can not stress that enough. However, he did manage to hang around all year, some of the time near the top. Clearly, the reason isn't his talent, which I agree is no where near the likes of Christian. I let in on a little secret of the WWF: Size Matters. That's how charisma-deficient performers such as The Big Show and Kane can keep getting their shots while smaller, but superior athletes like Chris Jericho or Shawn Michaels have to scrape for everything they get.
Looks like your gonna be wrong again. I doubt the Rock will win at the Royal Rumble, since everyone is saying he is. That would be so dumb to have Rock in the WM main event again. Your harsh comments about Booker T make no sense. He is no worse than any other of the WWF guys; he is much better than the Underseller and Kane and I don't hear you rant on them at all, and I can't believe you think Christian's title is boring. In my opinion, Christian is one of the best European Champs of all time.
Jacob B.
ANDY'S RESPONSE:
Keep in mind, that posting was before the airing of Smackdown, when everyone was saying The Rock would beat Jericho at the Rumble. After seeing that episode, it became painfully obvious that Jericho was going to beat The Rock. However, I did cover my bases when I said: "Still, it's not a given that The Rock will win (he could get screwed out of the title, there's no way he's losing clean). Here's why: if Austin doesn't win the Rumble, then he could challenge The Living Legend at No Way Out, reclaim his title (and gain the other), then head to Wrestlemania. This would work well story-wise because Jericho has been beaking off about The Rock and Austin. Where this would leave The Rock for Wrestlemania, I'm not sure (but I wouldn't be too surprised if he does not headline for the first time in four years)". As for my harsh comments about Booker T, I simply have not been impressed at all by this guy, and I was kind of excited when he came to the WWF. Why have I not ranted about Kane and Undertaker? Basically, because I did a lot of that earlier in 2001 and late in 2000. I guess I got tired of it and moved on to Booker T (after all, I don't even have X-Pac to pick on right now). Also, the more I watch him, the more I respect The Undertaker, especially on the mic. Kane? I guess I don't care either way (although I do take a few shots at him in my 2001 Year End Rankings both as a soloist and in the tag team section).
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THE YEAR 2001- YEAR IN REVIEW- See how the superstars of the WWF stacked up using my rankings system for the entire year of 2001. Who was number 1, Stone Cold or Kurt Angle? Who were the top tag team, The Dudley Boyz or The Hardy Boyz? Along with my usual brand of commentary is new photos and stats for the year 2001, including title reigns and PPV information.
THE YEAR 2000- YEAR IN REVIEW- See how the superstars of the WWF stacked up using my rankings system for the entire year 2000. Who was number 1, The Rock or Triple H? Who were the top tag teams? Also, the title pictures for each belt from the WWF Championship all the way down to the Light Heavyweight Title, with my own commentary on each reign.
LITA- ONE MAN'S OBSESSION- I admit, I am in love with Lita. I also admit that this behaviour has become a bit of an obsession. See pictures of the Team Extreme Diva, biographical info and random career facts, while I attempt to come to terms with the fact that I am in love with someone I see on TV.
PREVIOUS RANKINGS- Ranking archives dating back to November 2000. Missed a posting? Want to track my biases? Find all past information here.
SITE AWARDS- Here I list the multitude of awards (who knows? Maybe one day there will be a multitude of awards) that WWF Rankings has received.