Chicago Sun-Times: ECW show makes big impact

By all accounts, WWE's management team didn't know what to expect from the ECW One Night Stand" pay-per-view event last Sunday. After all, with a few exceptions, the staff knew about ECW but didn't follow the shows as closely as many fans had.

But after the performance put on by Extreme Championship Wrestling, every member of WWE knows and respects ECW. From start to finish, One Night Stand" easily was one of the best pay-per-view events held in the last five years. It was so good, it spurred talk about another show, and possibly an ECW tour.

The feeling going into the night was to give ECW one final show and then put the thing to bed. But we hear Vince McMahon was so impressed he is not sure what to do next. That could mean anything from no more shows to giving the Thursday night SmackDown slot to ECW or anything in between. Vince is hot on ECW and will likely make some decision in the near future that will bring the company back from the dead full-time.

As for the show's WWE invasion angle, some think this was WWE's way to safeguard its investment, while the ECWers wanted to be on their own. All in all, things worked out well. JBL and The Blue Meanie went a bit too far in settling an old backstage feud. But the beer brawl triggered by Steve Austin was a fitting end, and Taz did get to come through the curtain after Austin to make it an ECW night. Highlight of the event was the ring entrance of The Sandman, who had the crowd on its feet singing every word to Enter Sandman" as he stole the show.

HEARD AROUND THE RING: Last week we wrote that SmackDown got the better of the first week's draft lottery picks, getting Chris Benoit while losing John Cena. However, Round 2 clearly went to Raw. Eric Bischoff's getting Kurt Angle for Monday nights will be remembered as the steal of the '05 lottery, and Randy Orton's move to SmackDown was a bit of a letdown. Angle is the all-around best in the business and was at his best facing off with Triple H and Ric Flair. ... WWE suits were impressed with announcer Joey Styles' work last Sunday and will use him for any ECW events. Sounds as if the door also could be opening for Styles in WWE.