2002 Newcomer of the Year

Genius Rules

Chris Nowinski Reigns Supreme in 2002

One strode to the ring looking like he had just finished a shopping spree at Brooks Brothers: the crimson blazer, oxford shirt and khaki pants all tailored impeccably. Another came down the ramp straight from Gucci at Caesars Palace, his silk suit costing more than most of the audience made in a year. The third competitor gave off a very different impression. Reeking of tobacco juice and pork rinds, his sleeveless flannel shirt and oil-stained, cut-off jean shorts indicated that his trailer park hadn't yet been introduced to the washing machine. The final Superstar was also quite unique. Cloaked by a mask, his embroidered leather pants bespoke of the barrio or someplace one could call by dialing 619.

All four men arrived in WWE in 2002, and each made a significant impact. Christopher Nowinski, WWE's first Harvard graduate, infuriated opponents and audiences alike with his tremendous athleticism and insistence that he was smarter and better than everyone else. Rico not only set new standards for fashion excellence, he also managed the tag team of Billy & Chuck, pulled one of the greatest ruses in recent memory (Billy & Chuck's commitment ceremony), and, following his treacherous jump to Raw, proved that he could compete as well as manage. Jamie Noble, along with his girlfriend Nidia, proved that size, education and personal hygiene (or lack thereof) didn't matter when it came to success between the ropes, holding the Cruiserweight Championship from mid-June through mid-November. And Rey Mysterio, perhaps the most innovative grappler since Mil Mascaras, dazzled fans with his cat-like quickness and high-flying maneuvers.

It wasn't easy to pick a winner among these four great athletes. In fact, it wasn't exactly a walk in the park narrowing down the newcomer field to four. The year 2002 was an extraordinary one when it came to rookies lacing up their boots for the first time in WWE. Besides the four mentioned above, Dave Batista, Randy Orton, John Cena, Victoria, and Dawn Marie all had a major impact on the sports-entertainment landscape. Even Al Wilson, the virile septuagenarian Valentino who stole Dawn Marie's heart, needs to be commended for this contributions in 2002. But when all was said and done, a decision to narrow the field to four had to be made. The newcomers who stood above the rest were Nowinski, Rico, Noble, and Mysterio.

Christopher Nowinski

If Superstars were judged solely on the basis of how much the fans hated them, Christopher Nowinski would be not only the runaway winner for the Newcomer of the Year Award, he'd also win Superstar of the Year and, perhaps, Superstar of the Century.

No Superstar generated as much animosity as WWE's first Harvard graduate. His never ending lectures detailing his mental prowess infuriated every fan in the building and every Superstar in the locker room. And his battles with Tommy Dreamer and Al Snow proved he was as tough as he was smart.

But it was his intellect more than anything else that drove his success. Looking back, he didn't win too many matches. Yet, he was the talk of the town after every show. He didn't win any championships, yet he was always considered to be among the premier Superstars on Raw.

Obviously, he's as smart as he claims to be. How else could he remain at the forefront of the industry? His genius is beyond most fans and many who work for this magazine. When we started discussing who we thought would win the balloting, few even considered him. yet, every time we counted the votes, he came in first.

The simple face is that Christopher Nowinski is a winner: Harvard graduate, Wall Street wiz, gridiron great, and now WWE Magazine newcomer of the Year.

Note: Aaron Williams picked Chris Nowinski as his choice for Newcomer of the Year, adding, "He's smarter than you."

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