Did WCW drop the ball with Jake Roberts in 92?

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Keith

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We know that Roberts didn't like then head of WCW Bill Watts and that Watts hated Jake back. If you believe Jake's side of events Watts ripped up his contract and never gave him a chance to get over. But Watts claims that Jake could not be relied on to show up on time and was hitting the drink pretty heavy.

I can remember my head being turned when Jake Roberts first appeared on WCW television. And the angle where he ran in and DDT'd Sting was awesome! Their match at Halloween Havoc was not awesome, but that might have been as much down to the gimmick as them. Point is that Roberts and Sting could have had a awesome feud and that there were a lot of people there Jake could have worked with. This was before the depths of Jake's addiction and when he still had a lot to offer both in ring, and on mic. Thoughts?
 

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When those lights when up until a certain point it didn't matter how out of it Roberts was he could still entertain any crowd. I think he could have still had a potentially great run in WCW but the Watts issues were mighty heavy. As an employer though I'd have hard time trustin' Jake even at that point in his career anywhere near a main event feud. His methodical style worked better for shorter matches and could have helped risin' talent than if he fucks up it's easier to let him go and have slow, nap time matches in Smoky Mountain.
 

Keith

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When those lights when up until a certain point it didn't matter how out of it Roberts was he could still entertain any crowd. I think he could have still had a potentially great run in WCW but the Watts issues were mighty heavy. As an employer though I'd have hard time trustin' Jake even at that point in his career anywhere near a main event feud. His methodical style worked better for shorter matches and could have helped risin' talent than if he fucks up it's easier to let him go and have slow, nap time matches in Smoky Mountain.

Not sure I agree with that. Think you would have more of a point if Roberts didn't have personality to go along with his matches. But he did. He was still one of the best talkers in the biz at the time and his character was over strong. He was a little behind the eight ball in terms of main eventing. Its quite right that the likes of Vade, Sting and a few others would be ahead of him, but I still think his feud with Sting could have been great.
 

Deezy

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Jake's side is just his side, I also read he didn't want to job to Sting and wanted more money for it and Watts told him to hit the bricks.
 

Keith

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Jake's side is just his side, I also read he didn't want to job to Sting and wanted more money for it and Watts told him to hit the bricks.

Sure, but you could also say that Watt's sides is just his side too. Both men have their critics. To be fair to Jake he doesn't have a history of refusing to job than I know of.
 

Deezy

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Jake's addictions also predated this, he was a full fledged junkie when he was in Stampede.

Either way, it was a waste of Jake and WCWs time. Just goes to show you what a train wreck the WCW front office was.
 

Keith

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Sounds like there was fault on both sides then.

I think its a shame that Jake didn't get that booking job in WWF before he left. Things may have worked out very differently for him in the coming years if he had done.
 

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Hard to say Jake would've been able to hack it as a booker for WWF, it's a notoriously hard job because you have to keep up with Vince and that motherfucker don't sleep....all he does is work and workout.
 

Keith

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I think it would have meant a little time table and as he said it would have kept him off the road. And no doubt he had the talent for it. Can't say for sure but yeah I think it would have been a good thing for him. But then it was a missed chance from WCW because having Roberts on their TV at that point was a big deal or at least it should have been.