Roundup reminisces on 'Survivor Series'

Fans, the World Wrestling Federation held its monthly pay-per-view, "Survivor Series," on Sunday. "Survivor Series" has been a WWF mainstay for over a decade, but now it is just another pay-per-view. With several singles matches for the three-hour show, "Survivor Series" has strayed too far from its original format, and it should really go back.

Once, "Survivor Series" was a special pay-per-view devoted to watching two teams of four men battle in the squared circle. To win the match, all four members of a team must be eliminated.

This year, out of nine matches, only two were four-man team elimination matches. How sad.

Fans acknowledge that wrestling is scripted and still tune in week after week as long as the storylines are watchable. This is more reason than ever to go back to the "Survivor Series" format of yore.

Chris Ledermuller

There are several ways to compose an interesting four-man team. For instance, mix up the teams so that two wrestlers who are actively feuding end up as partners for just one night. The match can go in many different directions, from the wrestler attacking his partner from the onset to two hated rivals working together to the amazement of the fans.

There is also the marquee four-man team. This is where four of the WWF's biggest babyfaces wrestle four heel counterparts. This year, a great team could have been "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, The Rock, Chris Jericho and the Undertaker in one corner, Triple H, Rikishi, Kurt Angle and Kane in the other.

Heck, the above match can also incorporate intra-team tension, making the battle all the more interesting. Triple H may have turned heel, but he still has unresolved issues with Angle. Also, Austin and Undertaker pride themselves on being mavericks, so there is the opportunity of seeing them pound on their own teammates just for the fun of it.

Also, the WWF seriously needs to diversify pay-per-views. Wrestling fans shell out $30 a month for a pay-per-view, even more if they see it live. Most pay-per-views feature only a night of several matches. But this is what "Raw is War" and "SmackDown!" do as well. Why should wrestling fans shell out $30 bucks a month when they could get matches for no additional cost on cable or UPN?

A pay-per-view themed around a single gimmick match would break the monotony. "Survivor Series" should still have a few non-elimination matches, but only reserved for championship defenses. The rest should be the traditional elimination matches.

Right now, the WWF only has two gimmick-themed pay-per-views, "Royal Rumble" and "King of the Ring." A third would certainly help.

Until next week, fans, keep watching.

Chris Ledermuller is a print journalism major at Cal State Long Beach.