Now, let's turn our attention to ECW & Smackdown. Since ECW's talent roster is thinner than Kate Moss, some awards will encompass both brands.

Wrestler of the Year:

ECW: CM Punk. The straight-edge superstar climbed up the ladder to main event level, and never really disappointed. After Bobby Lashley was forced to vacate the championship upon being drafted to Raw, Punk saw the opening and became ECW's #1 babyface. After beating John Morrison for the title in September, Punk has weathered the storm of relentless challenges from Big Daddy V, but will have to watch his back in '08, with Shelton Benjamin making noises about becoming champion, and Chavo Guerrero making a physical statement on 12/18.

Smackdown: Matt Hardy. Until he was sidelined after an emergency appendectomy last month, Hardy was in position to win the US title away from erstwhile partner MVP, who refused to defend the title and did everything possible to avoid a title match. Now, Matt is due back sometime next month, and Uncreative would do well to give him the strap right away, since MVP has long worn out his welcome.

Runners-up: John Morrison, Elijah Burke, Jamie Noble.

Babyface of the Year:

ECW: Tommy Dreamer. Dreamer has not been seen much of late, and with the thin roster, Uncreative is rotating people around to give everyone equal time. Even though he didn't have a stellar won-loss record in '08, Dreamer was always ready to go. Whatever beef he had with Armando Estrada, ECW's now-missing GM, was quietly laid to rest due to the usual creative indifference. Never fear, Dreamer will be back when needed.

Smackdown: Matt Hardy. See above.

Runners-up: CM Punk, Balls Mahoney, Rey Mysterio, Dave Batista.

Heel of the Year:

ECW: Vince McMahon, who was named Raw's Heel of the Year, cops the honor here, too. Vince is 62, and doesn't belong in a ring competing anymore. However, he gave loyal ECW fans a literal FU by stealing the championship from Bobby Lashley at Backlash. Yes, I said "stealing". McMahon was too lazy to actually take bumps, so he had son Shane and Umaga do his dirty work. However, the insane chairman went to the well one time too many, and Lashley got the title back at One Night Stand, only to be forced to vacate 8 days later when drafted to Raw, one more reason that McMahon deserves this honor.

Smackdown: Montel Vontavious Porter. This was too easy. When Porter debuted on Smackdown in the fall of '06, he played his part to the hilt, that being a spoiled brat prima donna who "held out" for the "biggest contract in Smackdown history". All he was, really, was a parody of spotlight marks like football stars Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson, for example. Porter's "agent" was never seen largely because the best guy for the role isn't with the company anymore (Paul Heyman). I noted earlier Porter's refusal to defend the US title, even while holding the tag titles with Matt Hardy. 1/2-man, 1/2-amazing? Nope. Try 100% poser.

Runners-up: Mike Mizanin, John Morrison, Great Khali.

Woman of the Year (both brands): Michelle McCool. A year ago, Michelle was a heel managing Aaron "Idol" Stevens and KC James (now James Curtis, current OVW TV champ). Michelle went on the DL, her team was disbanded with Stevens' dismissal, and when she returned, she reverted to her old babyface role. Now caught in a on-screen triangle with Jamie Noble & Chuck Palumbo that has seen the guys trade roles (Noble's now the face), but unlike Noble's former on-air love Nidia, she's actually getting some competition. As such, she's co-opted Trish Stratus' Chick Kick finisher to win a few matches. With so few women on the two rosters, I'd not be surprised to see Michelle move to Raw in the '08 draft.

Runners-up: Torrie Wilson, Kelly Kelly, Victoria.

Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (covers both brands): John Morrison. Another easy pick. Getting drafted away from Raw may actually have been the best thing to happen to Morrison, who was still known as Johnny Nitro when drafted in June. He affected the name change shortly after winning the ECW title at Vengeance, and with the change came some improvements in his gimmick and in-ring performance. Now a 4-time WWE tag champ after he & Mike Mizanin garnered the straps a few weeks back, Morrison will be a key player on both ECW & Smackdown during the winter months, but don't bet against him regaining the ECW title sometime in '08.

Runner-up: Jamie Noble.

Rookie of the Year (covers both brands): Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder started as the Major Brothers, called up from Deep South to ECW before WWE severed ties with DSW. As we have seen over the past week, they have turned heel and aligned with Edge, which would be the equivalent of Triple H having Batista & Randy Orton under his wing in Evolution. If you didn't think Edge was being recast as a poor man's imitation of the Cerebral Assassin before, well, maybe this helps. Unfortunately, there were no other candidates.

Eddie Guerrero MVP Award:

ECW: CM Punk. Always reliable, never takes a night off in the ring. It's a shame I won't get to see him in person as the Smackdown/ECW team hits my area this week on a night when I'm at church. Meh. Maybe next year.

Smackdown: (tie) Matt Hardy & Teddy Long share the honor. Yeah, this gives Hardy a hat trick, but he was every bit as indispensible to Smackdown as Punk is to ECW. When Long was sidelined with a worked heart attack three months ago, Smackdown began to fall apart at the seams, despite the talent in the ring. Vicki Guerrero has since turned back heel, but the corrupt administrator gimmick has long since worn out its welcome. Her poor acting skills make Stephanie McMahon look like Susan Lucci by comparison (and Steph wouldn't mind that at all, methinks).

Runners-up: John Morrison, Dave Batista, Elijah Burke.

Match of the Year:

ECW: CM Punk vs. John Morrison, 9/4. The night Punk was crowned ECW champion was the show's finest hour of the year.

Smackdown: Rey Mysterio vs. Chavo Guerrero--I Quit II. Rey got his revenge on Chavo, but now may have to deal with Aunt Vicki all over again, and this time she has leverage on her side----for now. Here's to hoping someone knocks the widow Guerrero back to reality before this comes up.

Feud of the Year:

ECW: Punk vs. Morrison. 'Nuff said.

Smackdown: Batista vs. Edge. This feud was stopped when Edge was forced to vacate in July, but after he weaseled his way back to the title, he's picked up where he left off, adding two Edgeheads along the way. Why? Because Uncreative has remolded Edge as a minor league Triple H wannabe.

Raw (because we forgot the last time): Randy Orton vs. John Cena AND Shawn Michaels. We're recognizing two feuds involving the same man here, and rightfully so. Orton vs. Cena was really heating up when Cena was forced to the sidelines in October, but when the Doctor of Thuganomics returns next spring, Orton won't be champion anymore, and the two will be jockeying for position. Orton has to fend off not only Michaels, but also Jeff Hardy and Triple H over the winter. Not a fun time for the newlywed champ, who's also an expectant father, we hear.

TNA will be covered next time.