The roster cuts

So nine people in three days has to be a record, but I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing.

Let's just examine for a second how many people have quit, been fired or finished their WWE contracts during 2004 (so far):

- Stone Cold Steve Austin
- Bill Goldberg
- Brock Lesnar
- Ultimo Dragon
- Terri Runnels
- Ernest Miller
- Sean O' Haire
- Billy Gunn
- Test
- Kanyon
- Jacquelyn
- Jazz
- A-Train
- Bryan Kendrick
- Zack Gowen
- Johnny Stamboli
- Chuck Palumbo
- Rodney Mack
- Nidia
- Rikishi
- Pat Patterson
- Sable
- Jamie Noble
- Ron Simmons
- Goldust
- Scott Steiner
- Sakoda
- Chavo Classic
- Gail Kim

I count 29 people, many of which were significant inasmuch as they had at least some TV time devoted to them this year. World Wrestling Entertainment Corp. had about $78 million in expenses last year (the fiscal year that ended April 30), compared with taking in $375 million in revenue. Not that that's a horrible ratio or anything, but the cuts will definitely help them going forward, especially if the outlook for this business is as bleak as it seems.

Are there people there who I would have liked to see on the roster? Absolutely, although most of them left on their own accord or didn't re-sign with the company, and would have been used in either limited or non-wrestling roles anyways. Keep the cash reserves available for guys who are actually wrestling full-time so that they have more incentive to do their best. Not to mention that if WWE wanted to scour the indies and TNA and pick up the top two dozen wrestlers for television purposes, they could do that now with little regard for how it would affect costs. I'd rather see them go after people with a future in the business.

And the beauty of this all is? Let's say they decide that firing Gail Kim or Jamie Noble or WHOMEVER was the worst mistake they've ever made? You think they'll have much of a problem picking them up a year from now? With very few exceptions, I seriously doubt it.