thee Reverend Axl Future

"Dumpster", "clean" - good one. - RAF

And thusly, a brilliant T shirt is born. - RAF

I remember watching that Windham/Murdoch match on TV and, boy howdy, does it stand up to the test of time. Whindham - plucky, strong, spirited, and Murdoch - dastardly, experienced, tenacious, are two of my all time favorites. This is a classroom on the different ways to throw and sell punches. No wonder my standards are high. - RAF

Poorly executed wrestling signs are one of the delights of a house show. Not the lame, predictable or boring ones, but the ones executed and held aloft with verve and passion. I will have to dig out my photos (and the are photographs) some time soon. A personal fave: "Ivan Koloff Is A Russian Retart". So much moxie... - RAF

I thought about this today and it still is making me laugh AND it is so true. Good fortune to you, wise man. - RAF

- RAF

Ahem. Mr. OSJ, I know you are on a righteous tear today but please rethink your stance, sirrah. Also, Jimmy Valiant, Velveteen Dream and Jerry Lawler might want to have words with you as well. Wearing one's likeness, merch and/or gimmick is a right handed down from Gilgamesh, Palaestra, Antaeus and Jacob to all workers, and one of my favorite things!! hmuph, RAF

For the sake of discussion, if WWE's in-ring work and writing overall on the shows really really improved (NJPW grade ringwork, Eddie Graham level finishes, ECW style long term feuds, and so on), which would not cost the company that much more money, would their bottom line ($$$$) go up any worthwhile amount? I could see arguing for side. - RAF

I am sorry you had heart surgery but I am so happy that you are applying yourself to tasks that make me, thee Rev. A. Future, so happy like posting monstrously festive rasslin' matches from the interWebs. You know what else is very therapeutic? Drawing them humorous cartoons. Creativity is good for the ticker, my son, and those things always make me laugh and laugh. My well-being matters too, y'know... get all better soon Mr. Dean, RAF

I don't know what I dread more: further parsing of Cornette's latest "gaffe" or another multi-page discussion of every office worker's fast food regimen. I think Shayna Baszler is the most effective heel champ in a really long time. - RAF

Whenever I am down and feeling blue, this gem cheers me right up: Mr. Wonderful was over like few else in the WWF '83-'84. I remember MSG rumbling with thee "Paula!" chant and the wonderful anger & stall it caused before the match. This, the videos for the North/South Connection, Dr. D and the wacko stuff on TNT did a lot to establish incoming workers. - RAF

I dunno, but I like to think that there is a whole Stunt Granny casting agency, with files full of senior ladies ready to be outraged at the heel and his antics, ready to swing their humble foreign object at that villain and give him a piece of their mind. - dreamin', RAF

But all those DDP motivational speaker promo videos make me happy inside. There are so many good ones. I dig a happy rassler. - RAF

- RAF

Stunt grannie! - RAF

"The Noh-bodies" is right there. I will be debuting my two new indy teams soon: the Bunraku Bunnies (c) for SHIMMER, Shine, Chikara, et al - family friendly, they work a little stiff, don't mind the people in black, and thee Butoh Express (c) - strictly hardcore feds, confrontational, NSFW. T shirts available soon. - RAF

Was there ever a prime Beefcake? BB is on my shortlist of "Slowly I Turned..." Least Favorite Wrestlers Ever, Give me a weakest-aspects-of-puro SRollins marathon over any character of Mr. Leslie anytime. The man is a stone cold drag as a worker. - RAF

...in a steel Meltzer cage? - RAF

- RAF

Y'know, I was never a big fan of Kevin Steen but switched camps quickly upon his NXT tenure, and he has improved even into his main roster run. Was it just constant learning and evolution, or was his style a poorer fit for the indies than the WWE rings? What other recent examples are there of someone who was popular, accomplished and/or "good" on the independent & non-US scenes but who really improved upon getting signed? - RAF, always right but willing to change his viewpoint

DBryan is so very under-rated as a promo. He gets fired up, calls out & puts over his opponents and creates anticipation. Also quite under-rated: Rowan's mustache. That beard tends to send it to the background but those are some mighty manly (but subtle) mustachios. - RAF, detail man

I really dug these in-depth posts from OSJ and SK. One problem I see that sets apart this modern era from your more traditional (say) NWA/WCW shows is that the workers are under contract - they are always there. Rotating in monster heels (Abdullah, Killer Tim Brooks, The Great Kabuki) is not done anymore. When someone gets stale, well, they're still there. Terry Funk comes in, runs roughshod, has a series of championship matches of escalating stipulations and fails to win the big one--- and then he moves on for a while. That worked. Keeping everyone on the same level (50/50 booking) makes no one special. A hierarchy (that changes) is good but requires a finesse that no modern booker has shown to possess, let alone a group of often vetoed writers. Heck, even the bookers used to rotate out. Switching shows, enforced sabbaticals, "injuries" - I honestly don't know what would work but it is time to try something new. - RAF

Velveteen Dream to move to RAW, intro video, total face turn: - sorry, RAF

The OS Question is: why is "Zodiac" there to harsh my vibe on this great amazing brilliant slice of Pro Rasslin Genius? He is and always was a downer. Abbuhdein bless the rest. - RAF

This shirt is so pretty it is making me cry. - RAF