>>9842512Seriously. WCW, by the time the nWo split, had pretty well exhausted Hogan. He needed to step back or go away and that was a huge factor in killing their business. I was so tired of the nWo over and over being the only thing that mattered, especially Hogan. Like you said, either they cut him loose or resigned him a peg below, which was never going to happen. Yeah, WWF could have him and do an all-time sellout with him vs Austin or Rock but I think he proved in 02 that was all he had left. He would have come crawling back after a year or so when he and Vince had another disagreement and he'd run out of money matches.
As far as Bret goes, he was hotter than ever after the screw job. He could've used that (and Owen) to get more sympathy than anyone else in the history of wrestling. Do a redemption arc for the title, to prove everyone wrong, that he was truly the best. He could work with Sting, with DDP, he could carry Nash again, he could work with Benoit or Jericho. Maybe a solid feud with Bret could've convinced them to stay? Anything was better than what they did.
