So after a three months absence, I have returned so that the Blog can finish up looking back at 1998 when the World Wrestling Federation finally turned the tide against World Championship Wrestling.  When we left off, the Rock was tearing it up as the newly crowned corporate heel champion, but he has Mankind in hot pursuit of the title that he thought was in the bag at Survivor Series.  Steve Austin was still feuding with the Undertaker, something that segments of the audience are growing tired of, and the New Age Outlaws teased joining the Corporation before realigning with D-Generation X.  The Corporation still has Commissioner Shawn Michaels in their pocket, though.  And Debra McMichael, newly arrived from WCW, has reunited with Jeff Jarrett, ignoring the fact that he called her a “dumb blonde” when he returned to the company in 1997 .

by Logan Scisco The past two weeks we have spent time looking at alternatives to WWF Magazine .  We return to WWF Magazine this week, looking at the August 2000 issue.  On the cover is someone who Triple H says is a very unlikely candidate for the Hall of Fame:

by Logan Scisco - A video package recaps Steve Austin and Kane beating up Paul Bearer on last week’s show.  We are also reminded of the Big Bossman beating Mankind for the Hardcore title. - Michael Cole and Jerry “The King” Lawler are doing commentary for tonight’s go home show for Rock Bottom:  In Your House.  Jim Ross was on a hiatus for this show because his mother had passed away.  In his first sentence, Cole lets us know that RAW is the “most controversial sports entertainment television show.”  It is easy to be a leader when you are in a category of one.  This show was taped in New Haven, Connecticut.

by Logan Scisco - A video package recaps how the Undertaker tried to embalm Steve Austin alive on last week’s show.  The Undertaker and Paul Bearer are shown talking backstage moments before the show went on the air. - Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are in the booth and they are live from Baltimore, Maryland.

by Logan Scisco - A video package recaps all the major happenings on last week’s show:  Steve Austin and the Rock fighting for the WWF title and Ken Shamrock joining the Corporation. - Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are doing commentary and they are taped from Columbus, Ohio.  Ross lets us know that Austin suffered a blackout in San Jose, California at a WWF event.

by Logan Scisco - Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are doing commentary and they are live from St. Louis, Missouri.  As a side note, this is the first Survivor Series pay-per-view not to feature an elimination match of any kind. - Vince McMahon is at ringside with the WWF title and does introductions for the first match.

by Logan Scisco - A video package recaps Shane McMahon ranting at his father on last week’s show.  Will Vince hand over the company to his son tonight? - Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are doing commentary and they are live from Houston, Texas .

by Logan Scisco - A video package recaps Vince McMahon firing Steve Austin last night at Judgment Day. - Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are in the booth and they are live from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

by Logan Scisco - A video package recaps the events from Breakdown to last week’s show concerning the WWF title .  Jim Ross tells us that Vince McMahon has invited Steve Austin to RAW.  What does it all mean? -Vince McMahon is shown driving a Corvette into the arena, flipping off a security attendant for not leaving the garage door up.  The stooges help him get into his wheelchair, although Commissioner Slaughter nearly shuts the Corvette door on McMahon’s leg. - Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are doing commentary and they are live from Uniondale, New York.  This is our go home show for Judgment Day.

by Logan Scisco - A video package recaps Steve Austin crashing Vince McMahon’s championship ceremony last week and Kane and the Undertaker’s subsequent attack on McMahon. - Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are doing commentary and they are taped from East Lansing, Michigan .

by Logan Scisco - A video package replays the lead-in video for last night’s Breakdown pay-per-view. - Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are in the booth and they are live from Detroit, Michigan.

by Logan Scisco So after a three week absence my column has returned.  Graduate school caught up with me and I had a litany of papers and book readings due that prohibited me from blocking out three hours to watch this show.  I got all of that out of the way, though - The WWF must have had a history buff on the production staff at this time because the video package for this card features clips of John F. Kennedy, Benito Mussolini, and George Patton.  It is like a tame version of Mr. McMahon’s Utopia, but it is very effective at getting you excited for the show. - Jim Ross and Jerry “the King” Lawler are in the booth and they are live from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

by Logan Scisco - We have a change in the commentary team as Shane McMahon and Jim Cornette are given the responsibilities for tonight’s show, which is taped from Sacramento, California.  During this time the company had Shane commentating on Sunday Night Heat.  He was not very good at it, though.  Ross and Lawler are not here because they were working on Jim Carey’s film Man on the Moon .

- Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are in the booth and they are live from San Jose, California.  We are finally back on Monday nights, so this should be a better show.

by Logan Scisco - Since USA Network was broadcasting the U.S. Open in primetime, Monday Night Raw got bounced out of its usual slot for the next two weeks.  USA compensated by giving RAW two late Saturday night slots that ran from 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. EST, so our next two shows will be those broadcasts.  Ross and Lawler make sure to issue sarcastic statements about the “riveting” tennis action that is currently keeping the WWF off of Monday nights throughout the show. - Some narrated pictures of last night’s SummerSlam main event are shown. - Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are in the booth and they are taped from New Haven, Connecticut.

by Logan Scisco - Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are in the booth and they are live from New York, New York.

by Logan Scisco - The Undertaker and Kane are shown walking out of a backstage locker room and down a dark hallway. - Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are doing commentary and they are live from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  We are six days from SummerSlam.  The Hell in a Cell is hanging above the ring.

by Logan Scisco - Steve Austin unsuccessful in getting into Vince McMahon’s office in the locker room area. - Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are doing commentary and they are taped from Des Moines, Iowa.

by Logan Scisco - Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are doing commentary and they are taped from San Diego, California .

by Logan Scisco - Michael Cole narrates a video package that recaps last night’s Fully Loaded pay-per-view. - Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are in the booth and they are live from Anaheim, California.  One of the best signs, in a sea of them, is one that reads “Bret Hart = Work” near the front row.