thee Reverend Axl Future

Super Porky is one of my favorite workers to have ever seen live. The man was in complete control of the audience, using what would have been shtick to lesser workers but he made it into artistry. Charisma off the scale, what a presence and mind, he will be missed greatly. Related, my pal DSH Esq. sent me a big package of WONs (as is his wont) and while reading the Feb. 1 2021 issue, Mr. M starts off the obit of El Hijo de Anibal with the factoid that 139 pro wrestlers from Mexico had died in the previous nine months (though not all due to COVID). Is the death- and/or infection-rate so much greater there than in the USA? What percentage of the total population of luchadores is that, and how does that (infection and death) compare to workers in the US? I am blown away by that number... - RAF

In my eyes, I say "ioe" - YES! - RAF

That is incredibly shitty and amazingly beautiful at the same time. It is almost hard to process, so disposable, so significant... - RAF

Thee Cosmic Cookie, bruddah. - RAF

Can't quote from a dead thread, but Curt McGirt recently said that New Look Otis needs to shave his head as well. True, I say, but take it all the way, Otis, and shave your head, put on thee black butcher singlet and start demanding a 5 count for your pinfalls. What this country needs now is a new King Kong Bundy. - RAF

Tourney-wise, a worker can be nominated more than once (for different bumps) but each bump should only be represented once. All deference to thee Cactus One, but Adrian Adonis was the ultimate practitioner of getting tied up in the ropes. - RAF

Without cable for the monthly NYC WWF shows on the pre-USA MSG Network, if the scalpers weren't selling MSG or Felt Forum tix at a loss after the opening bell, Crazy Bob and I (14 y.o.) would go to The Blarney Stone on 33td St & 8th Ave, buy a beer, nurse it the whole time and watch the card (commentary barely audible over the chatter and singing of Irish folk songs) on the TV over the bar. The ever-attendant gentlemen of leisure philosophizing upon the grappling action taught me all I needed to know about life, love and thee squared circle. Marine Drill Sgt. Robert Slaughter, Lou Albano and Don Muraco could really rile up these barflies, so they were my faves. Crazy Bob could befriend anyone, as well as start an argument on a dime by kay fabe supporting any of our boys. "I've been a wild rover for many a year..." - RAF

- RAF

It made it seem as if Windham really scouted Flair, which added an element of mindgaming to the match, where Flair had to get Windham off his plan to survive with the belt (which Thee Nature Boy usually did by bloodying the heck out of young Barry). Great storytelling. - RAF

He, and I, object. - RAF

Nothing exposes the business like a shoot fight. - RAF

Hey, a fellow does not have to be gay to appreciate a monstrous lingam (but it can help). Art and nature are beautiful! - RAF

I gots no social media presence and I likes it that way. I do enjoy being able to access a centralized site for consumer info like event dates and such. I go when I want w/o notifications and messages and such. Is it that difficult/uncool to maintain a site - I am sure they paid for the domain names, no? Anyway. you can pry those MySpace indy fed links from my cold dead bookmarks folder, you whippersnappers. Now have a Werther's and I'll tell you some scary stories about WebTV..... - RAF

True. That ain't Antonio, but I do respect Mr. Baba for stepping aside and moving himself to an appropriate spot when the time came -- better for business all around. Inoki charisma, legend and cult of personality may have benefited him, but there has been a lot of damage surrounding him along the way. - RAF

Ugh, I am consistently aggravated by that no-selling gooniebird Inoki. Any top pushed owner of the company who has given up even the pretense of selling in their matches really gets my goat - Big Daddy, Bruiser, Wanz: I am looking at y'all.Be more like Lawler, guys. We might have known what was what, but he at least made it a contest. You can make money w/o stroking your ago at the same time. At least my man KN got paid... - RAF

It still amazes me that GCW does not have a website. Facebook doesn't count. - RAF

Oh you know him - he the one what likes to play with dolls a lot. - RAF

The idea of a straightfaced, kayfabed, big budgeted Netflix miniseries or Hollywood movie of classic wrestling angles really blows my mind. CWF Dusty v. Sullivan as a horror movie? BWMJValiant takes on Paul Jones as friend after friend betrays the Boogie Man, noir-style? Gritty urban drama: Sandman's family is stolen by Raven, or Rocky-redux with Dreamer/Raven? MegaPowers explode, as larger than life personalities maneuver behind the scenes for love and respect and championships? Roddy Piper as Tarantino-esque anti-hero lashing out at the system? Rom com (with action for the menfolks) of Eddie G and his mamacita? Let the casting fantasies begin... - RAF

- RAF

Maybe Mr. McMahon is unable to oversee more hours than he already does, and quickly loses faith in giving anyone autonomy and the final say for any other content? --*insert Boomer out-of-touch canard*(ending in "PAL") here*-- Really a question, not a snarky rhetorical one... - RAF

That is crazy funny, because I was recently watching a compilation of Donald O'Connor stunt dances (That's Entertainment or YouTube? I am I 20 or 60?) and I am thinking this guy has it all - selling, promos, high-flying, footwork, psychology - but was always the Randy Savage #2 to Gene Kelly's Hulk Hogan #1. That prettyboy got all the attention. - RAF p.s. - this is the first of many in my RAF Pride Month Tribute Posts. Collect them all!

I enjoy when I get to read threads like this in one go. My jaw dropped at that first post, and by the end (so far, here at p. 12) my eyes have glazed over at the multiples arguments and reiterations of the same facts. As one who doesn't watch WWE, it is great to maybe see some extraordinary talents in a different and more productive setting. Two things w/o quoting - I'm still seething that someone compared Buddy Murphy (p6), whom I have been digging since his NXT tag team days and would be an asset to any fed to Kenny Omega whom has never interested me in the least and his whole gimmick seems to be someone cosplaying a pro wrestler (skillfully, I admit). And comparing the IP value of a potential WWE sale to that of the recent MGM purchase (p9)? It is laughable to think that the IP of WWE even compares in value to the MGM film library in Quantity, importance or money generating ability. Don't get me wrong: I personally I love me some Ben Hur but I am far more likely to seek ot Mid Altlantic Wrestling episode #239, y'know. still reading, RAF p.s. - Bodhisattva bless thee interWeb & thee DVDVR.

Yeah, well, for us in the Kay Fabe Kommissariat, that tweet is a big violation, and now they are both on the Unperson List and might just be brought in for reindoctrination. wrestling these days breaks my heart continuously, RAF

I will say, that if you could combine the top four WWE PPV main events of the past year together and compare them to this match, on almost any metric (except maybe big flashy rehearsed spots) this Wargames still has them beat. And what commentary by Jesse! - RAF

It's better for me now. Please stop worrying about me. I handled it OK. - RAF