WWF, 1999
Text by RD Reynolds

Death is an idea that is played around with a lot in wrestling, and usually with poor results. After all, there is nothing more serious than death, and it's not something that should be used as an angle development tool.

Sadly, it has been on more than one occasion.

The most memorable death angle of recent memory would be the Big Bossman-Big Show feud of 1999. The Big Show had arrived in the WWF with much fanfare, but had basically sizzled out. So Vinny Mac decided to try to spice up the Show's heat with a run with the Bossman.

And the WWF decided to make the Bossman the most evil man alive.

	One night on Raw, a cop informs the Show that his dad has passed on...
...but thanks to the miracle of GTV, we find out that the cop was really a RENT-A-COP hired by the Bossman!
	Then the Bossman comes into possession of a family heirloom, the Big Show's grandfather's watch...
...which he promptly smashes with a hammer and anvil! (And even more strangely, without Greg Valentine or Jim Neidhart...)
	Everyone thought the Bossman was such a bad guy, but he got the Big Show a nice card that he read on air: With deep regrets and tears that are soaked I'm sorry to hear your dad finally croaked He lived a full life on his own terms Soon he'll be buried and eaten by worms But if I could have a son as stupid as you I'd have wished for cancer so I would die too So be brave, and be strong, get your life back on track 'Cause the old bastard's dead and he ain't never comin' back!
Of course, this didn't make the Bossman quite evil enough, so he caught up with his mom, who had a startling revelation: the Big Show was a BASTARD!
	Next came the Big Show's Dad's funeral. Show is delivering some kind words about his father, when what to his wondering eyes should appear? That's right, the BLUES MOBILE, complete with an oversized loudspeaker attached to the top. Bossman's voice was booming through the graveyard: "Your daddy ain't nuthin', he never was nuthin', and I'm glad the old bastard's dead!" Naturally, he ran the Big Show over with the car.
While folks are attending to the Show, Bossman pulls out a chain and hooks it up to the casket. Then he DRIVES AWAY WITH THE CASKET dragging behind. The Show gets up, and jumps on top of the casket, RIDING IT LIKE A SLED. He eventually falls off, and the Bossman gets away with the cadaver.

This led up to the big grudge match between the two, a monumental battle that lasted all of three minutes.

Too bad the angle itself wasn't that brief.