by Rick Scaia  
Exclusive to OnlineOnslaught.com

But to hell with excuses...  because the relative recent-ness of this flashback is also the beauty of it.  It is, admittedly, lazy to just go back two years to the last "Brand Extension Draft" and bring out a column based on that this week.  And I'm a lazy man, so I entertained the idea.  But after going back and re-reading this, I actually found it to be thought-provoking in its own way.  One the very obvious surface level, yeah, it's because it was a draft, and we just had another one this week, and it's kind of cool to compare the circumstances.

But on another level, what struck me is "Goddamn, this was ONLY TWO YEARS AGO."  Some of the assumptions and projections we made going into the Brand Extension... well to say they were ridiculously off the mark would be an understatement.  And if it had just been me spouting off some harebrained ideas, that'd have been fine.  But a lot of what I put into the below Fantasy Draft were ideas shared by most "insiders": that RAW under Flair would be the more wrestling-y show, that the Island Boyz (a/k/a Three Minute Warning) and Shelton Benjamin were the gems of the developmental circuit, and stuff like that.  

It's kind of funny, actually, to re-read this document and realize you only have two years of hindsight.  Obviously, the brands radically re-aligned just months later, and Vince and Flair were gone, leaving Eric Bischoff and Stephanie McMahon in charge, and leaving SD! to develop in the Wrestling Brand and RAW into the Entertainment Brand.  Guys who were deemed worthless and undrafted by me -- like John Cena (listed as "Prototype"), Charlie Haas ("RC Haas"), and Batista ("Leviathan") -- became important cogs ahead of other developmentals who I did draft.  Who the hell ever heard of Ron Waterman or Steve Bradley, anyway?

Reading this document with that in mind, I think, makes for a good time.  And of course, because the Lotto Fever is what motivated me to re-print it, I guess it's also worth moving on to check out the Actual Results of the 2002 Draft, as well... Enjoy.]

OO: "What's on Draft?"
Originally Published by OnlineOnslaught.com on March 22, 2002

I know, it doesn't sound like a lot of time, but trust me, considering how utterly off-the-top-of-my-head my columns usually are, that's a goddamned ETERNITY for me!

I mean, I COULD just rank the 104 draftable superstars (as outlined in the previously posted OO Reference List) in the order that I personally think they should fall.  But that'd be pointless, since the WWF is going to be splitting the roster in an effort to increase viewership and revenue, and NOT to please me.

So that leaves another option:  to try and actually predict the way Monday's draft will go down.  To not just rank the 104 wrestlers, but to try to guess which side of the fence they'll fall on.  And while this is an interesting endeavor, the fact is, I don't know how close we'll be able to get to reality.

I mean, the WWF itself has left so many questions unanswered that even the ground rules of the draft and subsequent split are unclear.  I mean, OK, so the WWF Champ and the Women's Champ get to appear on both shows... but what happens when those champs lose those titles?  Which rosters do they get assigned to?  Are they still "drafted" on Monday, and default to that roster upon losing the title?  Do the take the roster spot of whoever eventually beats them?  Do Vince and Flair have a coin flip to decide who gets the former champ?

And what about the non-RAW/SD shows?  Are they going to be split up, too?  Or will they remain "neutral" shows designed mainly to recap the week's events?  It's important, because it will dictate whether the non-wrestling "TV Personalities" are worth drafting (beyond drafting a two-man booth for your prime time shows, anyway)...

And a big one:  how will new/returning superstars be assigned in the future?  Do new guys just go to whichever roster they feel best suits their style?  How about injured guys making comebacks?  Will they be drafted on Monday, and then return to that roster whenever they are ready?  Or will they be ignored, go undrafted, and simply be addressed whenever they are ready to come back?  Again, it's especially important, seeing as how there are about three key guys ready to return in the next month or two...

And how about whether the two rosters will try to distinguish themselves by anything but name?  There have been hints that Flair's roster would be more athletic and driven, perhaps, by cruiserweights on the undercard, for instance...

So in my attempt to predict how Monday's draft will go, I'll operate under a few assumptions:  (1)  neither Triple H nor Jazz will be drafted, and will simply float between the promotions until defeated; once beaten, they will assume the roster spot of the new champ, and the new champ becomes a free-roamer.  (2)  All shows besides RAW/SD will remain neutral, and TV personalities from EITHER side will be allowed to staff them (as support for the handful of undrafted neutral broadcasters who will reamin, anyway).  (3) Any undrafted talent simply goes into a Free Agent Pool, and it's up to Vince and Flair (within storylines) to sign those talents to their roster; this applies to returning/injured stars and to any new signings/developmental call-ups.  And last:  (4) Flair's roster will feature Cruiserweights and a more in-ring-based style, while Vince's roster will be geared more towards "entertainment," though BOTH rosters will still be picked so as to be able to feature a solid mix of both elements.

I'm not gonna claim that this is how the draft really will go...  but given these few assumptions, and given my own thoughts for how to make the split a success, what follows is an attempt to both be PLAUSIBLE and to create something that I think would be GOOD and would make sense.  It's not an attempt at predicting reality as much as it is an attempt to create something that COULD be the basis for how the split might go. 

I will designate Flair's roster as "WWF-R" (for WWF RAW) and Vince's as "WWF-SD" (for WWF SmackDown)... and with that, let's get started.

ROUND 1

WWF-SD selects Hulk Hogan
Vince makes this pick even though Hogan doesn't really want to work for Vince;  it's logic like "If you're gonna be a big star again, then by god, Hogan, you're gonna be a star on MY show."

WWF-R selects Steve Austin
Flair counters by taking the next most-proven box office draw in wrestling history.  In my mind, this builds to a Hogan/Austin showdown whenever cross-roster matches become a reality.

ROUND 2

WWF-R selects The Rock
Flair signs up another big star in The Rock.  He looks to have the market cornered on the younger, established talent.

WWF-SD selects The nWo
But Vince takes the three-man nWo unit with overall pick #4, and by sheer value of getting 3-for-1, his roster is also looking very strong on top.

ROUND 3

WWF-SD selects Kurt Angle
Angle has matured into a fantastic all-around performer, and his selection by Vince gives WWF-SD it's first top-shelf in-ring worker.

WWF-R selects Chris Jericho
Although Flair's had his troubles with Jericho, he hypes him as a young lion worthy of a spot on his roster when he takes Jericho with his third pick.

ROUND 4

WWF-R selects Rob Van Dam
Flair also sees huge upside potential for RVD, who he selects with his fourth pick.  By taking RVD, Flair ensures that WWF-R will control the IC Title.

WWF-SD selects Undertaker
Vince continues to stock up on established star power when he takes the veteran Undertaker.  Vince's roster is shaping up to be heel-heavy, with Hogan under fire as the lone top babyface.

ROUND 5

WWF-SD selects Booker T
Vince takes another heel in the versatile Booker.  Booker can also work as a tag team wrestler, and judging by crowd reactions, might even be able to be moved into a babyface role without much trouble.

WWF-R selects Kane
Flair does not want to be without big men, and takes perhaps the most athletic of the bunch in Kane.

ROUND 6

WWF-R selects Edge
The former tag and IC Champ has yet to hit his peak, and Flair burns a 6th round pick on him.

WWF-SD selects Big Show
The one-time WWF Champ has fallen into disfavor, but as a Friend of Hogan and the only other babyface taken by Vince to this point, he stands a chance of having a career renaissance in WWF-SD.

ROUND 7

WWF-SD selects Rikishi
Also a strong fan favorite, Rikishi is a solid pick for Vince at this point in the draft.

WWF-R selects Lita
Surprisingly, Flair is the first to pull the trigger on a Diva.  In Lita, he gets a girl who is as valuable in the ring as she is in a swimsuit.

ROUND 8

WWF-R selects Chris Benoit
And Flair's not done with the surprises, as he takes the injured Chris Benoit very early, with his 8th pick.  Flair puts Benoit over as a possible main eventer and future champ, setting the stage for a big build-up for Benoit's return.

WWF-SD selects Billy and Chuck
Vince decides he wants to control the Tag Titles, and does so by snatching up Billy and Chuck (and Rico, too, I guess) with pick #8.

ROUND 9

WWF-SD selects Test
Test has been touted as a future star for years, now.  As part of WWF-SD, he could either break out as that singles star, or could perhaps be used as part of a tag team with Booker T.  Versatile pick.

WWF-R selects Jim Ross
Flair continues to make early "diversification" picks, as he decides to burn an early pick on a non-wrestler.  Jim Ross gives WWF-R exclusive rights to the business' most distinctive play-by-play voice.

ROUND 10

WWF-R selects Tajiri
Flair announces that he wants to highlight fast-paced cruiserweight action on his show, and his first move in that direction is to control the WWF Cruiserweight Title, which means he's gotta get Tajiri.

WWF-SD selects Trish Stratus
Looking at Flair's diversification strategy, Vince decides it's time to take a diva.  Ever a man of good taste, he selects Trish.

ROUND 11

WWF-SD selects William Regal
Vince's monopoly over marketable heels continues with his selection of the former IC Champ.

WWF-R selects Brock Lesnar
Flair cannot help but be impressed by the debut of Lesnar, who he pegs as a future star worthy of a #11 pick.

ROUND 12

WWF-R selects Jeff Hardy
WWF-R starts building its tag roster by selecting the high-flying Jeff Hardy.

WWF-SD selects Matt Hardy
Vince openly pulls a dick move here, taking Jeff's brother Matt and ruining Flair's chances of keeping the Hardys together.

ROUND 13

WWF-SD selects Jerry Lawler
Continuing in "break up" mode, Vince destroys the established commentary duo of JR and the King by adding Lawler to his WWF-SD.

WWF-R selects Billy Kidman
Another pick to build up the Cruiserweight division.

ROUND 14

WWF-R selects Bubba Ray Dudley
Another pick to attempt to build up the tag roster for WWF-R.

WWF-SD selects D-Von Dudley
Again, Vince pulls the asshole move of ruining Flair's chances of getting an established tag team on his roster.

ROUND 15

WWF-SD selects Dallas Page
The one time WCW Champ has yet to hit his stride in the WWF, but on a babyface-light WWF-SD roster, he might get his chance.  A real sleeper pick at #29 overall.

WWF-R selects Lance Storm
The former US Champ is a big time heel in waiting, and can provide great in-ring work as either a singles or tag wrestler.

ROUND 16

WWF-R selects Bradshaw
Flair still hasn't learned his lesson, and tries for another tag team wrestler...

WWF-SD selects Faarooq
Only to have Vince swoop in and take that wrestler's partner.  What a jerk.

MID-DRAFT INTERLUDE:  TRADE TALKS!

At this point, a couple simmering issues come to a head.

First, announcers are openly speculating that Vince McMahon's early picks were clearly designed to make Hulk Hogan the target of every evil villain in the sport (the nWo, Taker, Angle, etc...).

Second, the Rock is openly upset that he will not be able to get himself a piece of the nWo due to his being drafted to another roster.

Third, Flair is REALLY pissed about having Vince break up all his attempts to draft an established tag team.  

The result is that Vince and Flair start openly discussing possible trades.  The Rock WANTS to be part of the trade, and Flair's willing to let him go if he can get some of his desired tag wrestlers back, along with a top-level star to offset the loss of Rock as a main eventer.

Flair proposes giving up the Rock in exchange for Kurt Angle plus Matt Hardy plus D-Von Dudley.  Vince counters and says that he would like to have another tag team on his roster, too, and says if Flair will toss in Bradshaw, it's a deal.  Flair agrees.

Angle, M. Hardy, and D. Dudley to WWF-R.
Rock and Bradshaw to WWF-SD.

The trade simultaneously evens the heel/face ratio of each roster, and also re-unites a trio of tag teams after some tense moments.

ROUND 17

WWF-SD selects Goldust
A former IC Champ, and a great character/gimmick, Goldust is a good fit for the more entertainment-based WWF-SD.

WWF-R selects Hurricane
Flair takes yet another valuable cruiserweight.

ROUND 18

WWF-R selects Molly
Learning his lesson from past rounds, Flair also immediately takes Hurricane's sidekick, Molly.

WWF-SD selects Tazz
Able to work as either a wrestler or a broadcaster, Tazz gives Vince another versatile performer.

ROUND 19

WWF-SD selects Mr. Perfect
Vince continues to show his allegiance to proven vets, as he takes the long-reigning former IC Champ.

WWF-R selects Christian
A possible cruiserweight contender, but also able to work as a tag wrestler or mid-card singles wrestler.

ROUND 20

WWF-R selects Chavo Guerrero
Flair gets not only a possible stand-out cruiserweight, but also a guy whose star is on the rise because of Tough Enough 2.

WWF-SD selects Albert
A former IC Champ, and a big man with upside potential, Albert gets a new home in Vince's WWF-SD.

ROUND 21

WWF-SD selects Scotty 2 Hotty
Looking to add yet again to his tag roster, Vince also takes Albert's current partner.

WWF-R selects Val Venis
Currently treading water, the "Big Valbowski" will look to break out as part of the WWF-R roster.

ROUND 22

WWF-R selects Paul Heyman
Due to Heyman's own campaigning to join his charge, Lesnar, Flair is compelled to take him here.  Flair also gets his color commentator, as Heyman and JR will make up the RAW team.

WWF-SD selects Maven
Vince decides that if Flair's got the Cruisers, he'll take over the Hardcore division by drafting the current champ.

ROUND 23

WWF-SD selects Stacey Keibler
Another tasty diva is selected by Vince.

WWF-R selects Hugh Morrus
An under-rated big man, Hugh could be reborn in WWF-R.

ROUND 24

WWF-R selects Chris Kanyon
Flair again selects an injured wrestler, underscoring the value he sees in Kanyon (when he returns inside of 2 months).

WWF-SD selects Torrie Wilson
Vince is making no secret of trying to stock up on the babes.  In taking Torrie, he splits up the Tajiri/Torrie due, and sets up a storyline in which all of WWF-SD could vie for her -- ahem -- services.

ROUND 25

WWF-SD selects Michael Cole
Vince also cements his commentary team.  WWF-SD will be voiced by Cole and the King.  This also allows "joint" pay-per-views to be called by the signature A-team of King and JR, since you'd figure each roster would get to supply half the PPV team...

WWF-R selects D'Lo Brown
A big time sleeper pick at #50 overall, D'Lo is a former IC Champ, and a total package performer (in the ring and on the stick).

ROUND 26

WWF-R selects Jackie
Flair's diva selections are seemingly tending more towards the more proven in-ring ladies...

WWF-SD selects The Godfather
Whatever story they're trying to tell with the Godfather will be a better fit in Vince's WWF-SD.

ROUND 27

WWF-SD selects Raven
The stockpiling of hardcore style wrestlers by Vince continues.

WWF-R selects Spike Dudley
A cruiserweight worker, and a giant killer when necessary.

ROUND 28

WWF-R selects Bob Holly
Flair again takes a guy from the DL, and again takes someone whose star could be on the rise after TE2.

WWF-SD selects Shawn Stasiak
Clumsy oaf Stasiak gives Vince another over-the-top gimmick to work with.

ROUND 29

WWF-SD selects Ivory
Vince finally takes another diva who can do more than just look good.

WWF-R selects Ekmo
Flair is the first to delve into the "Who the hell are they?" pile, as he takes one half of the developmental tag team, the Island Boyz.

ROUND 30

WWF-R selects Kimo
And then he immediately follows up by taking the other half.

WWF-SD selects Al Snow
Snow is another good fit for Vince's hardcore-heavy roster.

ROUND 31

WWF-SD selects Big Bossman
Vince again shows his loyalty to proven vets.

WWF-R selects Justin Credible
Credible might be most valuable in joining fellow WWF-R draftee Lance Storm in re-forming the Impact Players and fleshing out the tag division.

ROUND 32

WWF-R selects Lillian Garcia
As either a ring announcer or backstage interviews, Lillian will flesh out Flair's group of non-wrestling TV personalities.

WWF-SD selects Crash Holly
The Houdini of Hardcore will be right at home in WWF-SD.

ROUND 33

WWF-SD selects Mark Henry
Vince takes a grab at the developmentals and comes up with the much-improved Mark Henry.

WWF-R selects Shannon Moore
Hurricane Helms' one-time partner joins the cruiserweight division.

ROUND 34

WWF-R selects Mike Sanders
Flair gets a solid in-ring worker, a great talker, and a possible color commentator by taking the versatile Sanders with a late round pick.

WWF-SD selects Tommy Dreamer
If the hardcore division gets pushed on Vince's show, Dreamer stands a chance of re-emerging as a valuable in-ring performer.

ROUND 35

WWF-SD selects Terri
Vince takes another piece of eye candy.

WWF-R selects Victoria
Flair counters by plucking the very physical (but still thong-tastic) Victoria from the developmental circuit.

ROUND 36

WWF-R selects Jamie Knoble
Another former established WCW cruiser is picked.

WWF-SD selects Mike Awesome
Vince takes his first choice from the injured list, and its a good one:  former ECW champ Mike Awesome (due back soon).

ROUND 37

WWF-SD selects Sharmell Sullivan
Vince's TV personality roster is finalized with the late round addition of Sharmell (who could also cross over and be an in-ring diva, too).

WWF-R selects Shelton Benjamin
On the advice of Heyman, Flair selects another developmental wrestler (one who just happens to be Lesnar's part-time tag partner).

ROUND 38

WWF-R selects Ron Waterman
Another developmental guy highly recommended by Heyman.

WWF-SD selects Perry Saturn
Vince decides to go with under-achieving, but familiar performers with his later round picks.

ROUND 39

WWF-SD selects Steven Richards
Richards is another guy who fans remember, and who could finally live up to his potential surrounded by guys like Raven and Dreamer in a hardcore division (imagine the possibilities of reprising some old ECW storylines!).

WWF-R selects Randy Orton
Another developmental pick by Flair...

ROUND 40

WWF-R selects Steve Bradley
And with his last pick, Flair takes the promising Steve Bradley, the last of the developmental guys ready for a call-up.

WWF-SD selects Bull Buchanan
The final pick in the entire draft:  the reportedly-improved Bull, who could be used as a tag wrestler by Vince (re-joining the Big Bossman).

NOT DRAFTED

Triple H (eligible for both shows), Jazz (eligible for both shows), Rhyno (he's gonna make a big impact, but is still over six months away from returning, so drafting him now would be a waste...  too much can change in that time), Sean O'Haire, Funaki, TAKA Michinoku, Rey Misterio Jr., Eddie Guerrero, Steve Blackman, Jonathan Coachman, Kevin Kelly, Michael Hayes, Shane McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, David Flair, Eric Angle, Flash, Johnny the Bull, Leviathan, Mark Jindrak, Nidia, Prototype, Tiger Ali Singh, and RC Haas.

Also, a note to people who REALLY wanted to see Shawn Michaels on the list:  couldn't do it.  He's "retired," which really is a problem if you want to include him in a draft.  If a guy like HBK (or like Mick Foley) ever really did stage a comeback, I'd say you'd make it be a big surprise, something set up by either Vince or Flair.  You would NOT include them in the draft.

That means the rosters will look like this...

I think it's a pretty solid way to split the two rosters up...  Flair's WWF-R is a bit slanted towards better in-ring work, while Vince's WWF-SD is a bit more name-value-driven, but I think that while each show would generate a certain unique feel because of this, both would remain VERY watchable.

WWF-R would lean heavily on Austin to carry the group, but RVD is right there to make the jump to main event status.  Of course, they also have access to HHH, who I think would probably spend the majority of his time in the early stages of the split focusing on WWF-R issues (since that's where Jericho is).

WWF-SD has big time babyface power with Hogan and the Rock, and the nWo are suitable heel opposition.  Undertaker might even be freed up to go babyface, though as long as HHH is floating in and out, I would probably hold off on that.  Booker T is a nudge away from main event status, too.

At the mid-card level, I think it's a dead heat:  WWF-SD has guys like Big Show, Rikishi, and Test...  WWF-R has Edge, Kane, and the promising Lesnar.  At the bottom of the card, that's where it gets interesting:  initially, WWF-SD might have the edge simply because people know who Bossman, Stasiak, and Mark Henry are.  But over time, the upside for WWF-R is HUGE if Benjamin, Orton, and Waterman can break out on their own (and with Heyman doing their talking to start, I like their chances of having their in-ring work speak for itself).

The cruiser vs. hardcore distinction is a necessary one.  It not only gives each show another title belt to defend, but contributes to the overall distinct feel of each show.  To make it work, I'd like to see the hardcore division go less for gimmicky comedy and more for solid, intense brawling in the ECW style (the personnel are right to pull it off).

I think, ultimately, you're gonna have to free up the tag champs to float between shows, too, otherwise once program or the other will have no reason to even maintain a tag division.  The way things are set up right now, if you had Billy and Chuck floating, each show could maintain its own roster of three or four additional teams (pulling one from the roster of singles wrestlers is an option on both shows).  I didn't realize it, and I didn't do it intentionally, but I wound up with all three "Boyz" teams on one roster, didn't I?  D'oh.

Vince gets more eye-candy divas, Flair gets more in-ring-capable divas.  Each is good for different reasons.

The TV personalities are also a draw.  Splitting up King and JR is a good idea since it'll give each show that "established" feel by having one of 'em around.  And then, it'll make it special when they're re-united on PPVs.  Just MODO, of course.

The undrafted guys also present some cool possibilities.  Obviously, Flair could make a big deal out of adding Rey Jr. and Eddie as "free agent signings" in the weeks after the draft.  Depending on storylines, either Shane or Stephanie could make a big splash by agreeing to appear on one show or the other.  When TAKA is healthy, a returning Kaientai would be another good addition for WWF-R.  And Coach, Kelly, and Hayes give you at least three "neutral" TV hosts to handle Excess, Heat, and Jakked/Metal.

But of course, your mileage may vary...  hopefully, you'll agree that the way I've split the rosters is reasonably logical.  Whether you'll ALSO agree that it would result in two watchable shows, well, that's your business.  I have a feeling that with internet tastes being what they are, you'd all tend to favor WWF-R...  but the average viewer at home would probably favor WWF-SD.  The end result:  I think both shows would succeed in the long run.

And I, personally, would enjoy them both.

Let me know what you think...  and then Monday night, we can ALL be proven wrong!

WANT A LAUGH?  CONTINUE ON TO PART 2
OF TODAY'S OOLD SCHOOL:
2002 ACTUAL DRAFT RESULTS
 

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Rick Scaia is a wrestling fan from Dayton, OH.  He's been doing this since 1995, but enjoyed it best when the suckers from SportsLine were actually PAYING him to be a fan.

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