LP Steve

Really old school Canadian stuff: Whipper Billy Watson called his sleeper hold the "Canuck Commando Unconscious."

I've watched maybe two hours total of AEW. Just haven't gotten into the habit of watching wrestling on Wednesdays. I was casting about for something to watch last night and thought maybe there's a basketball game on TNT. I landed on the show just as the main event was starting. I didn't change the channel. Holy shit, that was a good match. I will be back.

Am I going completely senile, or was there once a VHS compilation of NJPW matches with dubbed over commentary by Gordon Solie?

I can see the holder of this belt having the Nigel Tufnel "these go to 11" conversation with an interviewer.

I watched this last night on the Rasslin' channel with the sound down as I talked on the phone. I never knew about this match and was thinking, shit this is good. Watched it again this morning with the sound on and unfortunately it's not Lance on the call. I'm sure the Memphis experts will know who this announcer is. He's pretty woeful. My advice: mute it but definitely watch it.

Now feeling very fortunate that I got to see Brisco and Patterson hold court at a CWF fan fest a couple of years ago. Pat really enjoyed hanging out and telling stories. He even sang "My Way" for us. If you're ever wondering whether it's worth the expense to go to one of those things, just do it. You won't regret it. RIP Pat.

To guys who've watched way more Japan wrestling than I have: what was with Akayama pulling his own partner off Takayama? Fear of a DQ seems weak given all that had gone on up to that point. And Curt, to my ears, the crowd seemed pretty lit for the Hulk-Up at the end. Takayama nonetheless ruled and the crowd reactions acknowledged it. Hell of a match.

In Florida, we had the great privilege of watching a main event feud between Mike Rotundo and pushing-fifty Dory Funk, Jr. Those were some barn burners, lemme tell you.

I think we already covered this up the thread, but I'm about 99% sure that's Danny Hodge.

Punch Bat here. I'd say we're co-champs.

I subscribed the day I saw the announcement. I've really missed the Deadspin idiots. This is one of the rare good things that's happened this year.

Dean...?

Danny Hodge

True, but "Handsome Harley" was a total heel name. Keep in mind that his tag partner was "Pretty Boy" Larry Hennig.

Here's an odd thing: Bam Bam Bigelow is an answer in today's New York Times crossword.

Florida in the early 70s was just incredible when I look back on it. Of course, we took it for granted at the time.

The babyface having a manager is against nature to begin with. The babyface should hire a manager only to even the odds against the heel's manager, like when Eddie Graham paid Saul Weingeroff to manage him and Sam Steamboat against J.C. Dykes and the Infernos. The best thing about that angle was the promos where Eddie continued to call Saul a piece of shit while he was standing right there beside him.

Didn't Arnold Skaaland manage the WWF champion for something like 20 years? Must count for something.

And Murdoch knocking himself silly with a chair! That was a fun time to be a fan in Florida.

I'm sure I've said this here before, but I was in the Jacksonville Coliseum the night Bob Armstrong beat Buddy Colt for the North American title. That was the biggest pop I ever heard from a live crowd. Great memory. RIP, Bullet.

Going way back, Lou Thesz broke into the business at 16 and won his first world title at 21. Ray Stevens started at 15. He turned 30 in 1965, meaning he'd had his first huge run on top in San Francisco before that. I know it's all hearsay at this point, but Ray was apparently amazing when he was young.

It ain't new...

My board name on tOA was "Old Bald Bastard." I hereby bequeath it to Shawn.

Several years ago, ESPN Classic would show those old Chicago and Buffalo matches at some ungodly early hour on Saturdays, and of course I got up to watch. That Cholak/Chene match was just about the best thing they ever ran.